panel speakers

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “How engineers can advance Canada’s health care through technology”

Gosia Brestovacki (mbrestov) — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 17:59:49 +0000

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “How engineers can advance Canada’s health care through technology” Gosia Brestova… Thu, 08/22/2024 - 13:59

Innovations in technology have advanced every aspect of our human lives — often with engineers at the helm. One such example is the intersection of health care and technology, as showcased by the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Global Futures framework which highlights the importance of health tech in our future world.

There are many urgent and exciting opportunities for engineers to step in and help redesign health care systems, innovate solutions and develop new ways of solving problems for the good of society.

Join this live event in Toronto with a panel of engineers, researchers and health tech entrepreneurs who will discuss how — in our rapidly changing world, challenged by rising costs and lack of access — engineering can help advance health care through technology.

The conversation will focus on how engineers can work towards solutions for optimal health care, showcase innovative research, discuss strategies for retaining health tech startups in Canada, identify challenges, explore opportunities and propose actionable solutions to foster an innovative and thriving health tech ecosystem in the country.

Thank you to PointClickCare for generously hosting this event. Appetizers and refreshments will be provided and are included in the registration fee.

Please note that alumni and guests will be asked to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) when registering for the event.

Emcee:

Professor Mary A. Wells
Dean, Faculty of Engineering
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Mary Wells is Dean of Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ (since July 1, 2020), the ninth dean since the Faculty was founded in 1957. From 2017-2020, she was Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Guelph.

Prior to her time in Guelph, Wells was a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ for 10 years. She received awards for graduate supervision from both the Faculty and the University in 2017.

An accomplished materials engineer, Wells also served as the Associate Dean of Outreach for ��ݮ��Ƶ Engineering between 2008 and 2017, and chaired its Women in Engineering committee for many years. She chaired the Ontario Network of Women in Engineering from 2013 to 2018.

Wells began her academic career as a professor in materials engineering at the University of British Columbia from 1996 to 2007, and has worked in the steel industry in Canada and internationally.

The co-author of two books including one on Canadian women innovators and the second on Canadian women in materials, her research focuses on the relationship between processing, structure and properties for advanced metallic alloys used in the transportation sector.

Connect with Mary Wells on LinkedIn.

Moderator:

Armen Bakirtzian
BASc 2008, Mechatronics Engineering
Co-Founder and CEO
Intellijoint Surgical

Biography:
Armen Bakirtzian is the co-founder and CEO of Intellijoint Surgical, a Kitchener based medical device company focusing on improving patient outcomes in joint replacement surgery. Intellijoint Surgical is a spinoff of an engineering design project Armen and his co-founders completed as part of their Bachelor degrees in mechatronics engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. Upon graduation, Armen completed his Masters in biomedical engineering from the University of Toronto.

Intellijoint Surgical was then founded in 2010 to commercialize their technology, called intellijoint HIP™. Intellijoint Surgical now offers a suite of products to assist orthopedic surgeons and was awarded the #1 fastest growing tech company in Canada by Deloitte’s 2020 Technology Fast 50™ Companies List. Armen has been selected to represent Canada at G20 Young Entrepreneur Alliance Summits and further, he was awarded with a Future Entrepreneurial Leader of Canada (FuEL) award. Armen also spearheaded the creation of MIX, Medical Innovation Xchange, Canada’s first industry-led innovative hub dedicated to helping medtech companies scale within Canada.

Connect with Armen Bakirtzian on LinkedIn.

Panel Speakers:

Elliot Fung
Executive Director
Medical Innovation Xchange (MIX)

Biography:
Elliot is a passionate supporter of the local technology ecosystem, and an experienced community leader. Over the past 20 years, Elliot has held various executive roles helping to advance the local ecosystem. He was Vice President, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at Ontario Health and also held various strategic positions at BlackBerry, helping to adopt and commercialize enterprise-level technology to some of BlackBerry’s largest global partners. Elliot has also served two terms on municipal council in the Township of Wilmot and one term as the Vice Chairperson of the ��ݮ��Ƶ Regional School Board. Currently, Elliot is also a sessional instructor at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in the Bio Medical Engineering program and serves on the Board of Directors for Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON). Elliot studied Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Connect with Elliot Fung on LinkedIn.

Michael Phillips
BASc 2017, Mechanical Engineering
Co-Founder and CEO
Vena Medical

Biography:
Michael Phillips graduated from University of ��ݮ��Ƶ with a Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) focused in Mechanical Engineering with an Entrepreneurship Option. Michael co-founded Vena Medical during the final year of his undergraduate degree and went full-time immediately after graduating. He attended the TMCx Accelerator and Y Combinator in the year following. He's a published author in the Journal of Neuro-Interventional Surgery, American Journal of Neuroradiology and Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology. He's the inventor on 5 granted patents and winner of numerous awards related to business and entrepreneurship while bringing two novel devices to the clinical setting.

Connect with Michael Phillips on LinkedIn.

Hamed Shahsavan, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Biography:
Hamed Shahsavan is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. He obtained his PhD in chemical engineering and nanotechnology from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in 2017. In his graduate studies, Dr. Shahsavan's research was focused on the fabrication and characterization of bioinspired micro/nanostructured surfaces and their implications in fundamental studies of contact mechanics, and interfacial phenomena, such as adhesion, friction, and wetting. Fascinated by the rapidly growing fields of soft robotics and smart materials, he moved to Stuttgart in Germany, to embark on his postdoctoral research as an NSERC postdoctoral fellow at Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. In this period, he mainly focused on the synthesis of different types of liquid crystalline elastomers, networks and gels to deploy them as shape-change programmable materials in soft robots and devices at millimeter to micrometer scale. During his PhD studies, Dr. Shahsavan was a visiting scholar in the Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University, OH, USA. He was also a visiting scientist in the Smart Photonic Materials (SPM) research group at the University of Tampere in Finland. His current research interests revolve around the development of a variety of soft, stimuli-responsive, and programmable materials, and different fabrication methods for the manufacturing of small-scale mobile robots and devices.

Connect with Hamed Shahsavan on LinkedIn.

Registration: There are no physical tickets for this event. Once your online registration is completed, you will be sent a registration confirmation by email and your name will be added to the event guest list. Please check in at the door when you arrive at the event.

Please note: This session will not be recorded. Past sessions of this series were virtual and have been posted to view on the Alumni Speaker Playlist on the ��ݮ��Ƶ Engineering YouTube Channel. Event participants do not have permission to record the session.

Want to learn more about this topic before you attend?

Here are resources to learn more about Canadian and global health problems and how engineers are addressing them:

Forbes magazine two-part series of articles

"Global Health is broken, but young people plan to repair it" (Forbes - March 24, 2022)
"Engineers are unsung heroes of global Health" (Forbes - May 22, 2022).

Research at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Chemical Engineering Professor Hamed Shahsavan’s micro-medical robotics research (YouTube)
"Canada needs a health-care transformation" (Opt Ed by Dr. Catherine Burns - January 9, 2023)
"At the intersection of health, society and technology" (��ݮ��Ƶ News, September 6, 2024)

Past session of the Alumni Speaker Series on this topic

Alumni Speaker Series "Engineering Solutions to Global Health Problems" (YouTube)

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Engineering solutions to global health problems"

Gosia Brestovacki (mbrestov) — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 21:56:04 +0000

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Engineering solutions to global health problems" Gosia Brestova… Wed, 12/21/2022 - 16:56

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
"Engineering solutions to global health problems"

The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the important role technology will play in the future of health care. How can engineers, trained to solve the world’s most complex problems, use their potential to revolutionize health care into a more resilient, and more patient-centred system? ‘Physicianeers’ – medical or clinical professionals that are also trained engineers - represent an important group of leaders who are needed to drive health care forward while they work at the intersection of medicine and technology. They streamline processes, accelerate the development of technological devices to improve patient outcomes, and advance systems that increase access to care for all. Join this virtual session as experts in the med-tech field discuss how ‘physicianeers’ are transforming health-care systems around the globe.

View "ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES - Engineering solutions to global health problems" on YouTube

Want to learn more? Here are resources to learn more about Canadian and global health problems and how engineers are addressing them:

Forbes two-part series of articles:

"Global Health is broken, but young people plan to repair it" (Forbes - March 24, 2022)
"Engineers are unsung heroes of global Health" (Forbes - May 22, 2022).

Research at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ:

"Canada needs a health-care transformation" (Opt Ed by Dr. Catherine Burns - January 9, 2023)

Moderator:

Michael Scott, PhD
BASc 1990, Civil Engineering; MASc 1992, Civil Engineering
Head of Devices, Cell Therapy R&D
Novo Nordisk

Biography:
Michael Scott is head of devices, cell therapy R&D at Novo Nordisk overseeing development of delivery technologies for cellular medicines. Therapeutic programs include development of novel treatments for chronic heart failure, Parkinson’s disease and insulin-requiring diabetes.

Previously, he was senior vice president, product development at BlueRock Therapeutics responsible for assay development, clinical formulation development and medical device engineering for clinical programs including cellular treatments for Parkinson’s disease, heart failure and other intractable conditions, and led build-out of the Toronto team and facilities. While chief development officer at ViaCyte, Michael Scott was responsible for design, development and manufacturing of medical devices and combination products, supporting allowance of clinical trials for two products in each of Canada and the USA.

Prior to focusing on cell therapies, he spent almost two decades developing cardiovascular medical devices including heart valves, annuloplasty devices, cannulae, blood pumps and related electronic and control systems.

Connect with Michael Scott on LinkedIn.

Speakers:

Armen Bakirtzian
BASc 2008, Mechatronics
Co-Founder and CEO
Intellijoint Surgical

Connect with Armen Bakirtzian on LinkedIn.

Dr. Brian Courtney
BASc 1997, Computer Engineering
Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Conavi Medical
Cardiologist, Sunnybook Health Sciences Centre

Biography:
Dr. Brian Courtney is an interventinal cardiologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.

Dr. Courtney is a co-inventor on over 15 issued US patents and a co-author on 18 peer-reviewed publications. His clinical activities are focused on coronary interventions and acute cardiac care. His areas of research relate to minimally invasive imaging, medical device design and medical innovation.

He is also the director of the cardiac catheterization rotation for cardiology residents at the Sunnybrook site for the University of Toronto.

Connect with Brian Courtney on LinkedIn.

Kris Shah
BASc 1986, Electrical Engineering
President
Baylis Medical Technologies

Biography:
Kris Shah is the president of Baylis Medical Technologies, a leader in the development and commercialization of innovative medical devices in the fields of radiology and neurosurgery. Headquartered in Canada, the company also provides contract manufacturing services to some of the world's leading medical device companies.

Kris joined Baylis Medical Company in 1989 as a co-founder and served as president from 2015 until the company was acquired by Boston Scientific in 2022. Baylis Medical Company is a leading developer, manufacturer, and distributor of specialized medical devices for interventional cardiology. The company had previously divested its Interventional Pain Management business to Kimberly Clark (now Avanos) in 2009, and its Bone Tumor Ablation business (OsteoCool) to Medtronic in 2016. Kris also co-founded the consulting business OME Group in 1991, which was sold to Ernst and Young in 2011.

Kris is an active board member for AdvaMed Accel and Intellijoint Surgical. In the past he has served on the boards of Venture Lab, MEDEC, and the Business Advisory Committee of HTX and Conavi Medical. His list of accomplishments includes numerous patents, the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Award for Healthcare in Quebec (2011) and the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ Alumni Achievement Award (2014).

Kris has a BASc in electrical engineering from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. He resides in Mississauga with his wife, Neelam, and their three daughters.

Connect with Kris Shah on LinkedIn.

Please note: This session will be recorded with permission of the speakers and moderator and will be posted to view on the Alumni Speaker Playlist on the ��ݮ��Ƶ Engineering YouTube Channel after the live session. Viewers do not have permission to record the session.

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “Don’t Look Up! Understanding Difficult Technological Truths"

Gosia Brestovacki (mbrestov) — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 16:04:43 +0000

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “Don’t Look Up! Understanding Difficult Technological Truths" Gosia Brestova… Wed, 08/24/2022 - 12:04

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Don’t Look Up! Understanding Difficult Technological Truths

Artificial intelligence will take your job! Genetic engineering will accelerate the loss of biodiversity! The modern smart-city is a privacy disaster! Killer robots and technological progress are out of control! Is the techno-apocalypse upon us? Should we run for the exit? Or are there more nuanced ways to understand the complex interaction between technology and society and values?

The Centre for Society, Technology and Values (CSTV) is a unique University of ��ݮ��Ƶ interdisciplinary centre that explores how we can answer these questions and more, in a series of Society, Technology and Values (STV) courses. As a core part of the Faculty of Engineering, STV courses are helping our engineering students come to grips with many of the major questions we face in a sophisticated technological society. You may have taken one of the STV courses when you were an engineering student but technological change is fast-paced and ever-evolving.

Attend this virtual session with a panel of STV professors Scott Campbell and Cameron Shelley, with the Director of the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement, Paul Heidebrecht. In this session of the Alumni Speaker Series, these experts will discuss current social and political issues associated with technological change and what issues engineers may be faced with in the future.

This session was recorded - watch it here:

View "Alumni Speaker Series - Don’t Look Up! Understanding Difficult Technological Truths" on YouTube

Panel of Speakers:

Scott Campbell
BMath 1999, Computer Science
Instructor and Director
Centre for Society, Technology and Values (CSTV)
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Biography:
Scott M. Campbell is the director of the Centre for Society, Technology and Values, in the Department of Systems Design Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. He began teaching Society, Technolgy and Values (STV) courses in 2007, shortly after completing his PhD dissertation about the history of computer science at the University of Toronto (2006). He holds a BMath degree in computer science from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ (1999), and as an undergraduate did take all three of the available STV courses in the late 1990s.

Connect with Scott Campbell.

Paul Heidebrecht
BASc 1994, Mechanical Engineering
Director
Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement
Conrad Grebel University College
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Biography:
Paul Heidebrecht is the inaugural director of the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement, and teaches courses in peace and conflict studies at Conrad Grebel University College and the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. Prior to his current role, he spent five years in Ottawa leading the efforts of Mennonite Central Committee to shape Canadian government policies on behalf of program partners in the areas of relief, development, and peacebuilding. He has also served overseas with the same organization as a peacebuilder in Nigeria and an appropriate technology engineer in Bangladesh, and has seven years of experience as a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario. In addition to a BASc in mechanical engineering from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ (class of 1994), he holds an MA in theology and ethics from AMBS and a PhD in religious studies from Marquette University.

Connect with Paul Heidebrecht on LinkedIn.

Cameron Shelley
MMath 1992, Computer Science; MA 1995, Philosphy; PhD 1999, Philosopy
Instructor
Centre for Society, Technology and Values (CSTV)
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Biography:
Cameron Shelley is a lecturer with the Centre for Society, Technology and Values at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. There, he teaches courses on design and society, artificial intelligence and society, biotechnology and society, as well as technology, society and the modern city. His research interests include the nature and conduct of fairness in technological design. He holds an MA and PhD in philosophy as well as an MMath degree in computer science, both from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ.

Connect with Cameron Shelley on LinkedIn.

Please note: This session will be recorded with permission of the speakers and moderator. The recording will be posted to view on the Alumni Speaker Playlist on the ��ݮ��Ƶ Engineering YouTube Channel after the live session. Viewers do not have permission to record the session.

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “Navigating a Career: When to make a change and how to do it"

Rachel Jannette Hickey — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 19:42:02 +0000

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “Navigating a Career: When to make a change and how to do it" Rachel Jannett… Mon, 03/14/2022 - 15:42

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Navigating a Career: When to make a change and how to do it

You’re young (or not so young). You’re in your early (or mid) engineering career. Perhaps ambitious and a little more than curious. “The Great Resignation” is underway due to the economic effects of the global pandemic, and as industry grapples so publicly with talent shortages, you might be wondering: “Is now the time for me to move to the next opportunity, role, company or industry? And how do I do it the right way?”

Join us for a lively discussion with a panel of ��ݮ��Ƶ Engineering alumni at different stages of their careers who will share how they have leveraged their degrees, co-op and work experiences, and passions to shape fulfilling careers in everything from finance to AI to robotics to education. You will learn how to highlight your own particular skills to move across industries, roles, companies or into entrepreneurship, while figuring out what is “right for you.”

View "Alumni Speaker Series: Navigating a Career: When to make a change and how to do it" on YouTube

Moderator:

Lisa Tong
BASc 2001, Chemical Engineering
Executive Director, Strategy and Transformation, Global Finance, Estee Lauder Companies
Director of Training, Coach Masters Academy Canada

Biography:
Lisa is a professional certified coach and project manager with experience in multi-national organizations in retail and consumer goods. She holds an MBA from the University of Henley in the UK and is a Chemical Engineering graduate from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in Canada.

She is currently an executive director for Estee Lauder Companies in New York and also director of training for Coach Masters Academy Canada on top of being an entrepreneur, blogger, and YouTuber.

Connect with Lisa Tong on LinkedIn.

Speakers:

Chidinma Ikebujo
MBET 2019
Senior Consultant
Deloitte Canada

Biography:
Chidinma (Chidi) Ikebujo has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Federal University of Technology Owerri and a master's in business, entrepreneurship and technology from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. She has experience building a startup and is currently a senior consultant at Deloitte carrying out new technology implementations that solve business problems for Canadian companies.

She loves to learn, she's passionate about technology and building products that solve problems for people and businesses.

Connect with Chidi Ikebujo on LinkedIn.

Rob Otway
BASc 1985, Civil Engineering
Executive Vice President
Bird Construction

Biography:
Rob Otway is a professional engineer who has devoted 36 years to the construction industry. In his role as Executive Vice President for Bird Construction, Rob is responsible for all buildings and special project operations within British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Previously, he spent 25 years with PCL Construction in various executive and project management positions, including executive oversight of PCLs corporate sustainability strategy.

Rob graduated from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ (BASc 1985) and is a recent graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D) Directors Education Program.

Connect with Rob Otway on LinkedIn.

Travis Ratnam
BASc 2006, Electrical Engineering
Co-Founder and CEO
Knowledgehook

Biography:
Travis Ratnam is the CEO and co-founder of Knowledgehook, an instructional guidance system that helps students learn more effectively by recommending expert-designed teaching activities based on data collected on each student’s learning needs. A winner of BNN’s Top Disruptors, Travis says it is his “responsibility and obligation” to support students for success during uncertainty triggered by COVID-19.

At the height of the pandemic, Knowledgehook Open Access was released to Ontario students grades 3 to 10 so that they could continue their mathematics learning from home through stimulating lessons and exercises. The online platform supported students and families to minimize the impact of school closures. The platform was endorsed by the Ontario Ministry of Education and was applied to all 72 Ontario school districts.

Travis is an electrical engineering graduate from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and a former program manager from Microsoft.

Connect with Travis Ratnam on LinkedIn.

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “A Canadian’s Right to Housing: How Do We Get There"

Gosia Brestovacki (mbrestov) — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 20:33:04 +0000

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “A Canadian’s Right to Housing: How Do We Get There" Gosia Brestova… Wed, 01/12/2022 - 15:33

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
A Canadian’s Right to Housing: How Do We Get There

Canada’s National Housing Act recognizes the right to housing as a fundamental human right, essential to the inherent dignity and wellbeing of the person and to building sustainable and inclusive communities. Yet from record housing prices that locks many people out of home ownership to marginalized communities lacking necessities such as clean drinking water, the right to housing is emerging as a critical question for architects and planners. What does fair access to housing look like? How can we make better community infrastructure that truly supports affordable housing? How affordable are current options and what would deep affordability look like? Join us as architectural experts look at this issue across different perspectives and geographies.

The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panel of experts.

A Zoom link will be sent to those who register for this session.

Moderator:

Lola Sheppard, B.Arch, M.Arch, OAA, OAQ
Professor
Associate Director, Graduate Studies & Research

Lola Sheppard is Professor at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ School of Architecture. Her work operates at the intersection of architecture, landscape, and urbanism. Examining the wider context and climate of a project– social, ecological, or political - she has been pursuing research and design work on the role of architecture and infrastructure in rural and remote regions for the past fifteen years.

Speakers:

Neeraj Bhatia
BES ’03; BArch ’05
Associate Professor, California College of the Arts
Principal, The Open Workshop

Neeraj Bhatia is a licensed architect and urban designer whose work resides at the intersection of politics and architecture. Neeraj is founder of THE OPEN WORKSHOP, a transcalar design-research office examining the negotiation between architecture, territory, and collectivity. Select distinctions include the Architectural League Young Architects Prize, Emerging Leaders Award from Design Intelligence, and the Canadian Prix de Rome. He is an Associate Professor at the California College of the Arts where he also Directs the urbanism research lab, the Urban Works Agency. Bhatia has also held teaching positions at UC Berkeley (as the visiting Esherick Professor), UT Arlington (as the visiting Ralph Hawkins Professor), Cornell University, Rice University (As the Wortham Fellow), and the University of Toronto. He is co-editor of books Bracket [Takes Action], The Petropolis of Tomorrow, Bracket [Goes Soft], Arium: Weather + Architecture, and co-author of Pamphlet Architecture 30: Coupling — Strategies for Infrastructural Opportunism and New Investigations in Collective Form. Neeraj has a master’s degree in Architecture and Urbanism from MIT where he was studying on a Fulbright Fellowship, and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and Bachelor of Architecture from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ.

Adrian Blackwell
BES ’89; BArch ’91
Associate Professor and Associate Director of Research, School of Architecture, University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Adrian Blackwell received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and his Master of Urban Design degree from the University of Toronto. He is an artist and urban and architectural designer whose work examines the relation between physical spaces and political/economic forces. He has exhibited his work at artist-run-centers and public institutions across Canada, in the 2005 Shenzhen Biennale, the 2011 Chengdu Biennale and at London’s Architectural Association. In 2007, he was a member of the winning team in the international competition to renovate Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square and has won awards for his architecture and urban design from the Canadian Architect, Toronto Urban Design Awards, Design Exchange and I.D. Magazine. He has curated exhibitions, including Detours: Tactical Approaches to Urbanization in China and organized symposia such as Architecture and Spectacle in (Post) Socialist China. He writes regularly about the intersections of art, architecture, urbanism and his current research focuses on architecture’s political potential, urbanization in contemporary China, the disappearance of public housing in North America and the constitutive paradoxes of public space. Before joining the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, he was a visiting professor at Chongqing, Michigan and Harvard universities and an assistant professor at the University of Toronto. He has been a member of Toronto’s Anarchist Free School and the Toronto School of Creativity and Inquiry and is a co-founder and co-editor of the journal Scapegoat: Architecture / Landscape / Political Economy.

Liana Bresler
BAS ’07; MArch ’10
Principal, SVN Architects + Planners

Liana Bresler is a principal at SvN Architects + Planners with over a decade of experience designing housing, libraries, and notable institutional projects. She is an effective leader who deftly guides new construction and complex renovations at all scales, through every phase. Liana is currently co-leading the integrated transit-oriented development team on the Ontario Line as the technical advisor to Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario, as well as being the principal-in-charge for the Bob Rumball Centre Group Home for Deaf Youth, among other projects. Recent projects include a new City of Toronto childcare centre located at the base of an energy retrofit for a high rise residential tower with Toronto Community Housing. Previously, Liana was the project architect for Dixon Hall Youth Centre, a phased renovation of Cambridge Library’s main branch.

Before joining SvN, Liana was an associate with LGA Architectural Partners in Toronto and worked for award-winning firms in New York and Barcelona. She received the Best Concept Award at the 2011 Ontario Association of Architects Awards. Liana continues her involvement with the academic world as a sessional adjunct faculty with the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and as a guest critic with the University of Toronto and OCAD University.

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “Re-Imagining Cities: Why your grandkids won’t drive and other ways engineers will save humanity”

Gosia Brestovacki (mbrestov) — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 21:07:45 +0000

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “Re-Imagining Cities: Why your grandkids won’t drive and other ways engineers will save humanity” Gosia Brestova… Wed, 10/13/2021 - 17:07

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Re-Imagining Cities: Why your grandkids won’t drive and other ways engineers will save humanity

Redesigning cities is essential to solving the climate emergency. Cities are home to more than half of the world’s population and accounting for more than two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions. With the transportation sector contributing one third of cities’ emissions, finding sustainable ways for mobility is at the top of every municipality’s list. As we design 50 or 100 years into the future, the electrification of mass transit and the re-imagining of public space is the low-hanging fruit to sustainability – or is it? In this session of the Alumni Speaker Series, the panel of experts will dissect the role that engineers play as public leaders, visionaries, and political influencers as we replace aging infrastructure with modes and nodes that support population growth and a flourishing planet.

The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panel of experts.

A Zoom link will be sent to those who register for this session.

Moderator:

Nadine Ibrahim, PhD
Turkstra Chair in Urban Engineering
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Nadine Ibrahim is a lecturer in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and holds the Turkstra Chair in Urban Engineering. She comes from a cross-section of industry and academia in the areas of urban infrastructure, sustainable cities, and sustainable development. She holds a BASc, MASc, and PhD in Civil Engineering, and a Certificate of Preventive Engineering and Social Development, from the University of Toronto. Reaching beyond the boundaries of Civil Engineering, she combines environmental engineering, and incorporates non-engineering fields including architecture, economics and governance. Previously, she was a post-doctoral fellow working on Engineering Education for Sustainable Cities in Africa, launching a “Sustainable Cities” course online, and piloting a Global Classroom, and contributing to re-imagining engineering education in 12 countries in Africa.

For her role as the Turkstra Chair, her vision is to build a community of practice of leaders in municipal engineering to offer leadership for our future cities. This also aims to develop urban sustainability literacy among students to motivate their technical specializations and empower them to traverse beyond their disciplines. These efforts aim at increasing the role of engineers in urban governance and improving the career opportunities and authority of engineers as decision-makers in cities.

Her research contributes to a wide spectrum of urban engineering fields and a broad range of global cities, megacities, and most recently megaregions, appearing in leading journals including Nature Climate Change, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. She has been active in futures research on engineering education and co-authored a book chapter “Educating Engineers for the Anthropocene” which appeared in the State of the World 2017: EarthED: Rethinking Education on a Changing Planet (Worldwatch Institute). She is a Board Director (Ontario) on the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA) and chairs a special interest group on the Engineer of 2050, member on the Pan Canadian Advisory Committee on the Canadian Engineering Grand Challenges, and an Ambassador at How to Change the World (HtCtW).

Speakers:

Jeffrey Casello, PhD
Professor and Associate Provost Graduate Studies, Associate Vice President, Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Jeffrey Casello is a professor jointly-appointed in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the School of Planning at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. He is also the lead researcher in The ��ݮ��Ƶ Public Transportation Initiative (WPTI), which is a U��ݮ��Ƶ research group that provides expertise in urban transportation planning and engineering in order to address the challenges relevant to Canadian and global cities.

Professor Casello’s primary research interest is in the development and application of quantitative models of transportation (particularly transit and non-motorized modes) system performance. He is also interested in researching the impacts of transportation investments on land use patterns and has published extensively on these topics.

Professor Casello specializes in the planning, design and operation of public transportation systems. He is the lead author (with Vukan R. Vuchic) of Transit Planning for the Institute of Transportation Engineer’s (ITE) 3rd edition of the “Transportation Planning Handbook”. In addition, he is an acknowledged contributor to two seminal texts in the field: “Urban Transit Systems and Technology” and “Urban Transit Planning, Operations and Economics”, both by Professor Vuchic.

Professionally, Professor Casello has worked as a consultant, instructor and researcher with many transit agencies in the US, Canada and abroad. These include Singapore (LTA), Washington DC (WMATA), Houston (METRO), Philadelphia (SEPTA), the Regional Municipality of ��ݮ��Ƶ (GRT), the City of Kingston, and Mexico City (D.F.). He has also worked in the public sector for the New York State Department of Transportation.

Joanna Kervin
BASc 1986, Civil Engineering
Vice President, External Approvals and Implementation
Crosslinks Transit Solutions

After graduating from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ with a BASc degree in civil engineering, Joanna Kervin found her calling in the transportation engineering field. Joanna started work as a consultant working with two major engineering consultanting firms in the Toronto area, with clients across Ontario. As Manager of Transportation Planning with the City of Toronto, she focused on inter-regional transit, leading many transit planning initiatives. Until mid-2018, Joanna was Director of Third Party, Planning and Property with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) on the executive team that implemented a $3.2B extension of the TTC’s Line 1 subway to the new end of the line at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. She is now Vice President, External Approvals and Implementation, working to deliver the $5.3B Eglinton Crosstown LRT project, where she is on the senior management team and leads a team responsible for a broad range of technical stakeholder issues across the project.

In 2018, Joanna received the Canadian Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) H. Robert Burton Distinguished Service Award for her work and leadership with ITE and in the transportation field over the last 30 years. She has held a number of key executive positions within ITE; she was the first woman to be elected to the Canadian District Executive, was the first woman President of CITE, and member of the ITE International Board. She continues to work on ITE International Committees and is a Fellow of ITE. She is a Leadership Advisor for the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Toronto Alumni Chapter and on the Advisory Board of Turkstra Chair in Civil Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. Joanna is a member of the Women’s Leadership Team as part of the Urban Land Institute, Toronto Chapter. Joanna just completed her graduate diploma in public administration at Western University, with research on the governance of transit building and transit oriented development.

Michael Murray
Consultant
Murray Advisory Services

Mike Murray is a senior executive with extensive public, private and not-for-profit sector experience, including significant leadership roles in municipal government. Over his career, he has focussed on helping to create inclusive, thriving and sustainable communities, and he currently has a private consulting practice providing strategic advice to a variety of organizations. Mike recently completed a term as the inaugural Douglas Wright Engineer-in-Residence in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ.

Mike spent much of his career with the Regional Municipality of ��ݮ��Ƶ, including 16 years as the Region’s Chief Administrative Officer, reporting directly to the elected Regional Council. In his role as CAO, he led a team of over 3,000 people, with a budget of over $1 billion, serving one of the fastest growing regions in Canada. He had overall responsibility for all of the Region’s functions including Social Services and Public Health; Transportation and Environmental Services; Planning, Development and Cultural Services, and all related corporate support functions.

Before joining the Region, Mike worked as a consulting engineer, mainly in northern and western Canada where he was involved in the planning, design and construction of numerous water and wastewater treatment facilities. Mike has also been involved in several international projects including projects in Brazil (groundwater protection), China (environmental sustainability) and Ukraine (regional governance development).

Throughout his career Mike has fostered collaborative working relationships with diverse stakeholder groups. He was a founding member of the ��ݮ��Ƶ Region Immigrant Employment Network, ��ݮ��Ƶ Region Tourism Marketing Corporation, and the Creative Enterprise Initiative. Mike also served on the Central Ontario Smart Growth Panel, and on the Boards of numerous industry associations and not-for-profit organizations including The Kitchener and ��ݮ��Ƶ Community Foundation, Canada’s Technology Triangle Inc., and the Canadian Urban Institute.

Mike has a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from McMaster University and a Master’s Degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering from the University of Toronto. Mike loves all things outdoors, and one of his greatest passions is wilderness whitewater canoe tripping.

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Autonomous Vehicles: The Hope and Hype of Self-Driving Cars"

Rachel Jannette Hickey — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 19:34:47 +0000

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Autonomous Vehicles: The Hope and Hype of Self-Driving Cars" Rachel Jannett… Thu, 09/30/2021 - 15:34

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Autonomous Vehicles: The Hope and Hype of Self-Driving Cars

Thanks to the rapid progress and intense research of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and autonomous vehicles systems, the advancement of self-driving vehicles is becoming a reality. Will you be “driven” by an autonomous vehicle in your lifetime? What are the wicked problems of self-driving cars? How will these vehicles fare against Canadian winters? Will self-driving cars become a shared service instead of a personal purchase? Will autonomous vehicles improve the transportation sector’s environmental record including its contributions to Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions? What technology are we waiting on? Join this webinar to learn about the future of self-driving vehicle as our panel of experts discuss the reality of autonomous vehicles from the research, industry and consumers’ point of view.

The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panel of experts.

A Zoom link will be sent to those who register for this session.

Moderator:

Stefanie Bruinsma
BASc 2015, Mechanical Engineering
Manager of Industry Engagement
Engineering Research Office, University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Stefanie Bruinsma manages industry engagement for the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Faculty of Engineering Research Office. She has a lengthy and unique history within the automotive industry, becoming a licensed Automotive Technician in 2007 and building upon this with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in 2015.

Stephanie was the team lead for the Green and Intelligent Automotive (GAIA) Facility at U��ݮ��Ƶ from its inception until 2019. Her experience includes managing powertrain dynamometer facilities, where Stefanie commissioned, launched, and operated test cells for vehicles, motors, engines, and batteries. Experienced in setting up numerous different test scenarios, she has worked on significant research projects with industry partners and advised ��ݮ��Ƶ’s undergraduate automotive student competition teams.

In 2019, she transitioned to the role of manager, industry engagement for the Engineering Research Office at U��ݮ��Ƶ. Demonstrating her lifelong love of learning and constant drive to expand her knowledge base, she enrolled in the Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) degree at U��ݮ��Ƶ, which she will complete in June 2021. She is also a Concept $5k and APEX pitch winner, whilst developing her Miss Mechanic expansion project which is currently in an active beta pilot. Currently registered with Professional Engineer’s Ontario (PEO) as an Engineer-in-Training (EIT), Stefanie expects to receive her Professional designation in 2021.

Panel Speakers:

Stephen L. Smith, PhD
Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Autonomous Systems
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Stephen L. Smith received his B.Sc. degree from Queen’s University, Canada, in 2003, his MASc degree from the University of Toronto, Canada, in 2005, and his PhD degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA, in 2009. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, Canada, where he holds a Canada Research Chair in Autonomous Systems. He is also a faculty affiliate with the Vector Institute, in Toronto, Canada. From 2009 to 2011 he was a Postdoctoral Associate in the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Prof. Smith has received several awards including the Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation in 2016, the NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement Award in 2015, and two Outstanding Performance Awards from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PEng) with the Professional Engineers Ontario, a Senior Member of the IEEE, an associate editor of the IEEE Transactions on Control of Networks Systems, and a General Chair of the 2021 30th IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN). His main research interests lie in control and optimization for autonomous systems, with a particular emphasis on robotic motion planning and coordination.

Lisa Aultman-Hall, PhD
Professor and Chair of the Department of Systems Design Engineering
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Lisa Aultman-Hall is professor and chair of systems design engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in Ontario Canada. Dr. Aultman-Hall focuses on transportation systems, especially methods to collect unique databases for modeling and analysis of long-distance travel, transportation sector emissions, network resiliency, streetscape design, and non-motorized transportation. Until recently, she served several leadership roles at the interdisciplinary University of Vermont Transportation Research Center. Dr. Aultman-Hall is active with the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies where recent roles include chairing the National Transportation Data Committee and the 2018 National Household Transportation Survey (NHTS) Conference. Dr. Aultman-Hall brings modeling of real-world spatial behavior to the modeling of charging demand for electric vehicles with the Joint Clean Climate Transport Research Partnership (JCCTRP) led by the University of Quebec at Montreal. Her expertise in automated vehicles focuses on how they will be used for passenger travel including long-distance trips and elements of equitable access.

Amar Varma
(BASc 1999, Electrical Engineering)
Co-Founder and COO
Autonomic Inc.

Amar Varma is a University of ��ݮ��Ƶ educated, Silicon Valley trained engineer and entrepreneur based in Toronto. His career spans decades of intense and diverse industry experiences ranging from semiconductors, communication systems, cloud infrastructure, enterprise software, AI, security, crypto and apps.

Amar is also a second generation University of ��ݮ��Ƶ alumni with his father, Nityanand Varma (Lifetime Alumni Achievement Medalist - MASc 1964, Civil Engineering; MASc 1970, Management Sciences). After graduating from ��ݮ��Ƶ, Amar moved to Silicon Valley to work in the semiconductor industry where he was part of the team that brought USB 1.0 and voice over packet technologies to market. From these experiences he got the ultimate training for a lifelong ambition of making the world a better place through innovation. His next chapter included a stint working at a VC firm where he got to see the table from the other side completing providing him insights on both the company building and financing processes.

In 2008, Amar founded Xtreme Labs, an apps development company. Xtreme Labs was on the cutting edge of developing mobile app development as the App Store was launched. Customers included Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Daimler the NFL and the NBA. The company scaled to hundreds of employees while being a top employer of University of ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students. The company was purchased in 2013 by Pivotal, a software cloud platform, where Amar became the GM of Mobile under the leadership of Paul Maritz. At Pivotal, Amar was an integral part of the growth of the company which led to its IPO (NYSE: PVTL) and subsequent acquisition by VMWare (NYSE: VMW).

In 2016, Amar founded Autonomic.ai, a vehicle connectivity platform, with the vision to be an integral part of the autonomous vehicle solution. In 2017, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) announced that 100% of its vehicles would be connected to the Internet and subsequently acquired Autonomic. Today, there are millions of vehicles connected to the platform processing billions of message per day.

In conjunction with his entrepreneurial efforts, Amar is a prolific investor in early stage companies while working with entrepreneurs to share experiences, lessons learned and mistakes made. Outside of his career, Amar has a keen interest in leveraging technology to improve healthcare and endowed a research chair in AI & Bio Informatics at the Hospital for Sick Children.

Other current interests include learning Mandarin & piano, indulging in learning the art of culinary experiences and exploring the science behind physical and mental health.

Amar currently resides in Toronto with family including three children.

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Next Generation of Implants and Medical Devices: Exploring Additive Manufacturing’s New Biofabrication Frontiers"

Rachel Jannette Hickey — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 21:10:44 +0000

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Next Generation of Implants and Medical Devices: Exploring Additive Manufacturing’s New Biofabrication Frontiers" Rachel Jannett… Tue, 04/20/2021 - 17:10

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
"Next Generation of Implants and Medical Devices: Exploring Additive Manufacturing’s New Biofabrication Frontiers""

Thanks to the rapid progress of additive manufacturing technology advancements and research, the biomedical industry is opening thrilling new frontiers that are dramatically improving patient outcomes. Now, with the ability to use ceramics, polymers and metallic materials in the additive manufacturing process, the range of customized implantable medical devices is poised to be greatly - and safely – expanded.

With a multidisciplinary approach that combines principles of materials science, engineering, biomechanics, molecular biology, pharmaceuticals and extended clinical monitoring, biomed additive manufacturing researchers and industry experts will discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with bridging the gap between biology and engineering, as they work to solve some of medical science’s most vexing (and costly) problems.

The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panel of experts.

A Zoom link will be sent to those who register for this session.

Moderator:

Mihaela Vlasea, PhD
BASc 2008, Mechatronics Engineering; PhD 2014, Mechanical Engineering
Associate Research Director, MSAM
Assistant Professor
Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering
Faculty of Engineering, University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Additive manufacturing, also known as industrial 3D printing, is rapidly changing the manufacturing landscape. Dr. Vlasea’s research focuses on innovative design, process optimization and adoption of new materials for powder bed fusion and powder bed binder jetting additive manufacturing processes. Her research goals are to bridge the technological gaps necessary to improve part quality, process repeatability and reliability.

Panel Speakers:

Aye Nyein San
BASc 2004, Systems Design Engineering
CTO
Cosm Medical Corp.

Aye Nyein San received her BASc degree from University of ��ݮ��Ƶ (Systems Design Engineering in 2004) and MASc degree from the University of Toronto (MIE in 2006). She is driven to innovate in the healthcare ecosystem by applying systems engineering principles. Aye currently holds the CTO position at a Toronto MechTech startup, Cosm Medical Corp., where she strives to change the way women affected by pelvic organ prolapse are treated, bringing personalized 3D printed treatment options to clinicians around the world. Previously, she was the VP Engineering at SQI Diagnostics, a publicly traded company, building complex biotech analysis platforms. Aye played a key role with the launch of imaware™, an online direct-to-consumer blood testing platform offering diagnostic tests to monitor celiac disease and arthritis tests. Early in her career, Aye introduced in-house additive manufacturing processes to the R&D team at Baylis Medical.

Stewart McLachlin, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ.

Dr. McLachlin is leading a new research program in Orthopaedic Mechatronics at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, which brings together biomechanical modeling and simulation of human joint mechanics with the design and manufacturing of next-generation orthopaedic implants and related technologies. His expertise and reputation in orthopaedic biomechanics has been recognized through awards from the Cervical Spine Research Society, the Canadian Orthopaedic Association, and recently from the International Society for Computer-Aided Surgery. As a Principal Investigator, Dr. McLachlin has received funding awards from NSERC (Discovery Grant), CFI, Mitacs and the Ontario Centres of Excellence, as well funding support from the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology and the Network for Aging Research at ��ݮ��Ƶ.

Emmanuel A. Ho, PhD
Associate Professor at School of Pharmacy
Cross appointed to the Department of Chemical Engineering
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Professor Emmanuel A. Ho is a member of the ��ݮ��Ƶ Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) and the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology. His research interests include the development and characterization of targeted drug delivery systems, nanomedicines and medical devices for imaging, treatment, and prevention of diseases including HIV/AIDS, chronic wounds, and cancer. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the GlaxoSmithKline / Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences (CSPS) Early Career Award, the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada New Investigator Research Award, the Rh Award for Excellence in Research, and the WIN Research Leader Award. Dr. Ho also serves on the board of numerous scientific societies including Treasurer for CSPS, Focus Group Liaison for the Controlled Release Society (CRS), and the Past President of the Canadian Chapter of CRS. He is currently an Associate Editor for Drug Delivery and Translational Research, Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences and a Guest Editor for Pharmaceutics. Dr. Ho is the co-founder and CEO of Asli Technologies (focused on synthesizing “eco-inks” for 3D biomedical printing applications), the CSO of Theraphage Bio (focused on bacteriophage-based immunotherapeutics), and co-host of Not So Serious Science podcast (interviews with experts & science explained in layman’s terms).

Thomas Willett
Assistant Professor
Department of Systems Design Engineering

Professor Thomas Willett is the director of the Composite Biomaterial Systems Laboratory. His research interests concern skeletal biomaterials and tissues.

He specializes in:

1) Bone quality and fragility - developing improved understanding of the mechanisms that determine the mechanical behaviour and failure of bone and how collagen modifications due to ageing, disease, irradiation, and other causes alter these mechanisms and the mechanical behaviour of the tissue. He also works with musculoskeletal tissue banks.

2) Development of 3D printable nanocomposite biomaterials for skeletal reconstruction – by leveraging the exciting and rapidly advancing fields of additive manufacturing/3D Printing, nanocomposites, and bioinspiration, his team seeks to develop disruptive new technologies for application in skeletal reconstruction and repair (orthopaedics), particularly next-generation graft materials for treating large skeletal defects caused by trauma, cancer, etc.

Prof. Willett's laboratory receives major funding from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation and Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science.

Boxin Zhao
Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering

Professor Boxin Zhao is a member of the ��ݮ��Ƶ Institute of Nanotechnology, Institute for Polymer Research, Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. He established the Surface Science and Bionanomaterials Laboratory at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in 2008 and has been the head of the laboratory since then. The laboratory has been well known for its interdisciplinary research capacity to take on both fundamental and applied research projects, and has collaborated widely with industrial partners to address industrial challenges and societal needs. His research interests include smart polymers, sustainable polymers, microplastic degradation, antimicrobial coatings and composites, hydrogels, bionanomaterials, soft materials and interface, biomimetic adhesion, electrically conductive polymers and adhesives, soft robotic devices, advanced manufacturing, etc. He has 100+ peer-refereed papers on the top journals including Macromolecules, Advanced Materials, Nature Materials, and Progress in Polymer Sciences, and has delivered many presentations in national and international conferences - more details.

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Everything You Wanted to Know About 5G but Were Afraid to Ask"

Rachel Jannette Hickey — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 17:50:57 +0000

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Everything You Wanted to Know About 5G but Were Afraid to Ask" Rachel Jannett… Fri, 03/19/2021 - 13:50

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Everything You Wanted to Know About 5G but Were Afraid to Ask

The fifth generation of technology for cellular networks, also known as 5G, is poised to change the way we connect and communicate: with other humans, with machines, and how machines communicate with each other.

Join moderator professor Catherine Rosenberg, and a panel of experts as they discuss the 5G network infrastructure required for this robust technology; how trillions of devices will be able to connect in new ways and how 5G will be applied practically, including how it will help narrow the digital divide that has become even more apparent during COVID-19. Everything from health concerns to crazy conspiracy theories, this session will give you the inside scoop on how 5G will reshape our future.

The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panel of experts.

A Zoom link will be sent to those who register for this session.

Moderator:

Catherine Rosenberg
Canada Research Chair in the Future Internet
Cisco Research Chair in 5G Systems
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Catherine Rosenberg is a professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ where she holds the Canada Research Chair in the Future Internet (since 2010) and the Cisco Research Chair in 5G Systems (since 2018). She started her career in ALCATEL, France and then at AT&T Bell Labs., USA. From 1988-1996, she was a faculty member at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, Canada. In 1996, she joined Nortel Networks in the UK where she created and headed the R&D Department in Broadband Satellite Networking. In August 1999, Dr. Rosenberg became a Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University where she co-founded in May 2002 the Center for Wireless Systems and Applications (CWSA). She joined University of ��ݮ��Ƶ on Sept 1st, 2004 as the Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering for a three-year term.

Catherine Rosenberg was on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Orange Group (France-Telecom) from 2007 to mid 2015. She became its president from January 2013 to mid 2015. She is currently the president of the Scientific Advisory Board of the French IRT (Research and Technology Institute) BCOM on multimedia and networking (since 2014). She is also on the Editorial Board of the Proceedings of the IEEE.

She is an IEEE Fellow and was elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2013. She has authored over 200 papers on wireless networking, traffic engineering and energy systems, and has been granted eight US patents.

Panel Speakers:

Joseph Natale
BASc 1987, Electrical Engineering
President and CEO
Rogers Communications

Joe Natale joined Rogers as President and Chief Executive Officer in April 2017. Previously, Mr. Natale was at Telus Corporation from 2003 to 2015 where he held a number of senior positions including President and CEO. Prior to 2003, Mr. Natale held successive senior leadership and Managing Partner roles within KPMG in Canada and globally. He joined KPMG after it acquired the consulting company he co‐founded in 1997. Mr. Natale serves on the board of The Hospital for Sick Children. Mr. Natale holds a BASc in Electrical Engineering from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ.

Amir Khajepour
PhD 1996, Mechanical Engineering
Canada Research Chair in Mechatronics Vehicle Systems
Senior NSERC/General Motors Industrial Research Chair in Holistic Vehicle Control
Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering

Amir Khajepour is a professor of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. He holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Mechatronics Vehicle Systems and Senior NSERC/General Motors Industrial Research Chair in Holistic Vehicle Control. His research has resulted in over 28 patents, several technology transfers, and start-up companies. He is a recipient of the Engineering Medal from the Professional Engineering Ontario, a fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada, the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, and the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering.

Anuj Kapur
BASc 1998, Electrical Engineering
President, Corporate Development & Strategy
SAP

Anuj Kapur is president, Corporate Development & Strategy at SAP. Based in Palo Alto, Anuj works alongside SAP's Executive Board to drive the company's strategic and product direction. Anuj was previously the Chief Strategy Officer at Cisco. He has an MBA from Wharton and a BASc in Electrical Engineering from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ.

panel speakers

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “How engineers can advance Canada’s health care through technology”

Want to learn more about this topic before you attend?

Forbes magazine two-part series of articles

Research at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ

Past session of the Alumni Speaker Series on this topic

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Engineering solutions to global health problems"

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Engineering solutions to global health problems"

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “Don’t Look Up! Understanding Difficult Technological Truths"

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES Don’t Look Up! Understanding Difficult Technological Truths

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “Navigating a Career: When to make a change and how to do it"

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES Navigating a Career: When to make a change and how to do it

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “A Canadian’s Right to Housing: How Do We Get There"

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES A Canadian’s Right to Housing: How Do We Get There

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES “Re-Imagining Cities: Why your grandkids won’t drive and other ways engineers will save humanity”

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES Re-Imagining Cities: Why your grandkids won’t drive and other ways engineers will save humanity

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Autonomous Vehicles: The Hope and Hype of Self-Driving Cars"

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES Autonomous Vehicles: The Hope and Hype of Self-Driving Cars

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Next Generation of Implants and Medical Devices: Exploring Additive Manufacturing’s New Biofabrication Frontiers"

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Next Generation of Implants and Medical Devices: Exploring Additive Manufacturing’s New Biofabrication Frontiers""

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES "Everything You Wanted to Know About 5G but Were Afraid to Ask"

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES Everything You Wanted to Know About 5G but Were Afraid to Ask

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
"Engineering solutions to global health problems"

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Don’t Look Up! Understanding Difficult Technological Truths

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Navigating a Career: When to make a change and how to do it

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
A Canadian’s Right to Housing: How Do We Get There

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Re-Imagining Cities: Why your grandkids won’t drive and other ways engineers will save humanity

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Autonomous Vehicles: The Hope and Hype of Self-Driving Cars

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
"Next Generation of Implants and Medical Devices: Exploring Additive Manufacturing’s New Biofabrication Frontiers""

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES
Everything You Wanted to Know About 5G but Were Afraid to Ask