2024 News Archive

A partnership with automotive powertrain manufacturer Vitesco Technologies will see researchers at the University of Windsor develop a more environmentally sustainable and economically viable motor for electric vehicles.

“Our research will help our industry partners to mass produce advanced, lower cost, and sustainable electric machines and gain a competitive advantage in the global electric vehicle marketplace,” says electrical and computer engineering professor Narayan Kar, director of the Centre for Hybrid Automotive Research and Green Energy (CHARGE) lab. “Sustainable production of this technology will reduce EV ownership cost, while addressing the rare earth permanent magnet supply chain risks.”

Electric motors primarily use rare earth-based magnets, but these elements pose several difficulties. They are expensive, accounting for 20 to 30 per cent of the total cost of the motors; are limited in quantity; and their extraction and refinement process can cause environmental damage.

Dr. Kar’s team will develop an electric drive unit with a rare earth free or reduced magnet motor, which will help produce a sustainable solution with lower costs, fewer carbon dioxide emissions, less supply chain risks, and a better ratio of cost to performance.

First-year students of engineering filled the foyer of the Centre for Engineering Innovation on July 31, showcasing their group projects for the mandatory course in cornerstone design.

The class tasks students with designing, programming, and building a product — whether a motion gesture glove, irrigation system, or autonomous vehicle.

During the final showcase, teams competed for a total of $3,000 in prize money.

Claiming top honours were Ibraheem Abdallah, Marian Smoka, Michaela Tape, Gabriel Van Lammeren, and Will Washington for their carbon monoxide detector for the deaf.

Placing second were Zeliha Bayar, Fadel Fouani, and Sabira Siddika for their motion gesture glove.

Participating in the Elevate Scholars program sparked a love of research in civil engineering student Mariah Saad, leading to an honourable mention for her paper at the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering Conference, June 5 to 7 in Niagara Falls.

The second-year student has been a part of the Elevate Scholars program since her first year of post-secondary study. Elevate scholarships afford opportunities to students from equity-deserving groups: those who identify as Black, female, non-binary, or Indigenous. Beneficiaries receive a $5,000 scholarship and upon completion of their first year, a $10,000 summer internship to conduct research with a faculty member.

Posters and presentations by the 2024 cohort of Elevate interns were inspiring, said Jennifer Johrendt, associate dean of engineering for student affairs.

Instituted by dean of engineering Bill Van Heyst, Elevate scholarships afford opportunities to students from equity-deserving groups: those who identify as Black, female, non-binary, or Indigenous. Beneficiaries receive a $5,000 scholarship and upon completion of their first year, a $10,000 summer internship to conduct research with a faculty member.

“Faculty are challenging these students after their first year of engineering and our students are thriving,” Dr. Johrendt said. “The engagement and energy during the event were further evidence of the community we are building within our undergraduate students, and particularly amongst our Elevate students.”

Development of a new engine launched the UWindsor Rocketry Team to success in the Spaceport America Cup, placing second among the 10 Canadian universities in the competition.

A record 122 teams from around the globe made the trek to southern New Mexico to test their technical prowess, June 17 to 22.

The Windsor team of about 45 students from diverse disciplines including engineering and business tackled every aspect of the project: construction of the main body, airbrakes, fins, propulsion, avionics, test flight and operation, and project management and finance.

Entered into the category with a target elevation of 10,000 feet, its entry reached an altitude of 10,372 feet, and was recovered with no damage for a finish of 27th overall.

Engineering major Alessia Pernasilici, the team’s vice-president, credited work on its first-ever fully student-designed hybrid engine.

A lighter design helped a team of UWindsor engineering students find success in the Canadian National Concrete Canoe Competition, May 8 to 11 in Quebec.

An award for best quality canoe that could be mass-produced led the team to an overall showing of third among Ontario universities after an evaluation on academic, technical, and sports elements.

This year’s entry weighed just 250 pounds, a significant reduction from last year’s 800 pounds.

“The improvements to the design made the canoe hydrodynamic,” said fourth-year civil engineering major Jocelyn Boisimer, part of the geometric design team. “It was easier to control in the water and that was because of the different casting method compared to last year.”

The team parlayed that into success in the perimeter races, finishing sixth with women paddlers and seventh in the men’s race.

An honour roll cord he received at Convocation is particular meaningful because it reflects the support of family, friends, and mentors, says Gurbhej Singh, who celebrated in June graduating from the Master of Engineering program.

“It serves as a reminder of the value of perseverance and inspires me to continue pursuing excellence in all my endeavours,” Singh said. “I would also like to extend my gratitude to the University of Windsor for providing such an enriching environment that has enabled me to achieve this milestone.”

The new award was extended to graduating MEng candidates with a minimum 85 per cent grade point average and no final grade below 70 per cent. A total of 309 honour roll grads in the program crossed the stage June 5 and 6.

Niousha Bahadori said the achievement means more than just academic success.

Echolocation in bats, smart pavement, aircraft propulsion, drug discovery, and clean combustion — these are a just a handful of the new University of Windsor research projects the federal government will fund for the next five years.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has announced it will fund 22 UWindsor researchers with grants totalling more than $3.8 million. Most of the funding comes from the Discovery Grants program, NSERC’s largest and longest-standing grant program.

“Canada’s science and research sector is solving some of the world’s greatest challenges, all while driving innovation, growth, and productivity,” said François-Philippe Champagne, federal Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, in announcing the funding recently. “Research programs like Discovery give researchers the flexibility to explore the most promising avenues of research as they emerge to ensure Canada remains a world leader in science and new technologies.”

Interactive exhibits and live demonstrations will showcase the potential impact of collaboration in exploration during the Engineering Research Partnership Open House on Wednesday, June 19.

Hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and the Office of Research and Innovation, the event draws a diverse crowd of industry leaders and community partners aiming to drive advancements in sustainable engineering solutions, smart technologies, and advanced manufacturing processes.

An academic standout through his undergraduate career, electrical engineering alumnus Gian Mario Favero will receive Governor General Silver Medal during the ninth session of Convocation, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6.

The medal is awarded to the undergraduate student considered to have achieved the most outstanding academic record in comparison to their graduating peers. Although Favero graduated in October 2023, he was eligible for consideration since this medal is not awarded at Fall convocation.