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Lessons learned

Dec 7th, 2018

Civil engineering class of '67

In Canada’s centennial year, 13 civil engineering graduates from Ontario’s newest public university entered into an unsuspecting world to compete for internship positions against those who graduated from older, more prestigious institutions.

In 2017, six members of the class returned to campus to rekindle friendships, poke fun at their convincing old men disguises, and offer the following observations and suggestions to those who are following in their footsteps.

Engineers are the primary life-support providers for the seven billion messy people crowded on planet Earth. They rely upon us to put science into action to satisfy their rapacious needs and to accommodate the estimated one billion newbies added to this planet every 12 to 15 years.

Their expectation is that these needs be satisfied not only quickly, safely and affordably, but sustainably as well. Welcome to our busy profession. Our effectiveness as engineering practitioners depends upon our ability to research, develop and apply the newest scientific discoveries and technological advances wisely.

Shaking up earthquake engineering

Dec 7th, 2018

Seismographs​

On April 20, 2018, residents of the Windsor area may have heard a rumble or felt unusual motion. 

The initial assumptions on the source of the noise and motion were somewhat amusing before word spread that a magnitude 3.6 (Mw) earthquake had occurred. Most Canadians wouldn’t list earthquakes as a notable concern in their lives; however, contrary to popular belief, large areas of Canada are at significant risk due to seismic hazards. 

In fact, some of the most highly densely populated areas of Canada (e.g. the west coast and the east coast along the St. Lawrence River) can and have experienced large earthquake events. A repeat of historical earthquake events in these areas could incur more than $60 billion in damage, and that’s not even the worst-case scenario! 

From a structural engineering perspective, the primary objective is to protect life safety. The traditional approach to designing a structure for earthquakes anticipates and accepts that damage will occur. It is simply not feasible to design a conventional structure to withstand significant ground motions without damage. Alternatively, the structure is designed to be ductile and the damage is utilized as an energy dissipation mechanism. The major shortcoming with this approach is that often the damage is so severe that it is impractical to repair the structure and it must be demolished and rebuilt. 

UWindsor grads figure prominently as Canadian wind energy leaders

Dec 7th, 2018

Phil McKay BEng ’07, MASc ’11, and Brandy Giannetta BA ’98, MA ’99 standing in CEI.

Two University of Windsor alumni at the forefront of Canada’s wind energy industry hope to drive economic and social change that will assist the country in its transition to a low-carbon economy. 

“You’ll never run out of wind. Not only is the resource infinite, it’s free,” says Brandy Giannetta BA ’98, MA ’99. “Wind energy is now the lowest-cost option for new electricity generation in Canada, and it can be deployed incrementally and quickly.” 

Giannetta and fellow alumnus Phil McKay BEng ’07, MASc ’11 champion wind energy growth nationwide in their roles at the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA), a non-profit industry association that represents the wind energy industry. CanWEA’s members are involved in the development and application of wind energy technology, products and services. 

For the last six years, Giannetta has worked with original equipment manufacturers, wind project developers, owners, operators and service providers as CanWEA’s Ontario regional director. 

Daniel Green honoured for teaching excellence

Nov 21st, 2018

Daniel Green in lab

Daniel Green has been recognized by the University of Windsor for his “superior performance” in teaching.

Dr. Green, a professor in the Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering Department, was awarded a Medal of Excellence in Teaching during the university’s 13th annual Celebration of Teaching Excellenceon on Nov. 21.

“Dr. Green’s work helps people to develop new and improved products and provides them with a competitive advantage in the marketplace,” says a faculty colleague of Green’s.

Engineering prof inducted into Royal Society of Canada

Nov 21st, 2018

professor Hoda ElMaraghy explaining her fellow students in lab

UWindsor engineering professor Hoda ElMaraghy was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada during a ceremony Friday in Halifax.

Dr. ElMaraghy, a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering, is director of the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Centre and held the Canada Research Chair in Manufacturing Systems for 14 years.

During its Celebration of Excellence and Engagement, the society recognized her as a “world leader in manufacturing systems.”

Engineering student to deliver TED-Ed talk

Nov 21st, 2018

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A UWindsor engineering student has been invited to deliver a TED-Ed talk about her experience fleeing a war-torn country and starting a new life in Canada.

Staecey-Merveille Ngabire, a second-year civil engineering student, will join 12 students from across the globe Nov. 17 on the TED headquarters stage in New York City for the TED-Ed Student Talks. As part of TED-Ed Weekend, the full-day event invites students to share their ideas on a global stage.

Ngabire fled conflict in the east African nation of Burundi and moved to Ontario with her family when she was eight years old.

Visit educates federal minister about engineering innovations

Nov 21st, 2018

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The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs met with engineering students and faculty Tuesday to learn about industrial automation and manufacturing innovations taking place at the University.

Chrystia Freeland visited the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation to meet with faculty and students who specialize in mechatronics, 3D printing, metal forming, and electric vehicles.

Mohammad Anvaripour, a PhD candidate in electrical and computer engineering, showed Freeland how he is developing complex systems to prevent collisions and improve collaboration between humans and robots in automated workplaces, such as an automotive assembly plant.

Doctoral candidate Hamed Kalami presented a cost-effective, 3D-printable hand brace he designed to assist people with connective tissue disorders.

Making an “INpact” on global education: engineering student receives philanthropy award

Nov 14th, 2018

Kishan, Guddu, Maya and Dylan posing.

On his daily walk over to a sewage contaminated lake in India where he was conducting his master’s research on water quality, Dylan Verburg would be greeted by three familiar faces.

They didn’t speak English, but the siblings who lived on the same compound would smile as they followed Verburg around, proudly show him their cartwheel skills and even volunteered to row a boat for him while he worked on implementing a water treatment system in the lake they lived by. The encounters were quickly becoming the highlight of Verburg’s five-month stint contributing to an international research project funded by the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-impacts).

“I have always loved being around kids and quickly built a connection with them,” the environmental engineering graduate student says about his recently orphaned friends, Guddu, 14, Kishan, 9, and Maya, 8, who also happen to be undocumented citizens. “But it really hurt knowing that these little ones weren’t getting an education and the future for illiterate individuals in India isn’t promising.”

First graduating class of UWindsor’s MEM program excelling in workforce

Nov 1st, 2018

The landscape of the Canadian job market has changed and engineers like Jennifer Côté are preparing themselves for today’s competitive work environment by expanding their expertise. 

Côté is one of 19 working professionals who took advantage of the University of Windsor’s weekend Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program and graduated in its inaugural class this fall. As a senior manager of corporate planning at ValiantTMS in Windsor and mother of three, the program was an ideal fit for Côté, who says each MEM course is tailored to real-life working situations that arise in the workplace.

“The students are all working professionals with backgrounds in engineering, which simulates real working conditions and allows for more dynamic learning through group discussion and brainstorming,” says Côté. “Because many of us come from diverse industries, we see similar and different issues arising in real-life situations – it makes for a great learning experience.”  

In 2016, the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Engineering and Odette School of Business partnered to launch Ontario’s first weekend MEM degree. The two-year program allows working professionals to enhance their technical expertise with business and managerial skills without interrupting their careers.

Researchers seeking solutions to local drinking water contamination

Oct 31st, 2018

A project led by UWindsor researchers aims to provide local municipalities with a solution to toxic algae that wreak havoc on drinking water quality and wildlife. 

Researchers in the environmental engineering department are examining the use of advanced water treatment options to remove cyanotoxins that have the potential to contaminate local drinking water sources as a result of harmful algal blooms(HABs). The blooms are largely caused by nutrients from farming activities, runoff from municipal wastewater systems and warm water temperatures.

“The issue of cyanotoxins produced by harmful algal blooms are now regularly being reported in many parts of Canada, including Lake Erie,” says Dr. Merih Uslu, a postdoctoral fellow working on the project under the supervision of Dr. Nihar Biswas, Dr. Saad Jasim and Dr. Rajesh Seth, of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.