Benchmarks spring 2022 by Memorial University

Spring 2022

AN EVENING VIEW OF THE NEW SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING BUILDING, LOOKING NORTH.

Memorial Engineering programs rising in world rankings

Building for the future: Official opening of new science and engineering building

Celebrating outstanding contributions in the Faculty

Engineering alumni inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering

FROM THE DEAN

Welcome to the Spring 2022 issue of Benchmarks.

P. E n g . , P h D , F C S M E , FA S M E , F E I , F C A E

Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

Despite the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, our Faculty has continued to thrive with student accomplishments, academic programs and research. I am hopeful that our return to campus with in-person instruction will allow our university and student life to get back to “normal”. Dr. Bruce Quinton, an associate professor in the Department of Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering was instrumental in implementing RemoteLabNet in order to allow students to access in-lab specialized software during remote learning off campus. Our faculty continues to become one of the premier engineering schools in the country. Our programs have risen to first in industry partnerships and fourth overall among comprehensive universities in Canada, according to the 2021 Times Higher Education ranking of engineering programs. The Core Science Facility has officially opened. The faculty’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Office of Graduate Studies, have moved in with students. All are benefitting from the modern, student-focused and collaborative research and laboratory teaching spaces. Our students, professors and alumni continue to impress and we are proud to highlight some of their achievements in this issue. Recently, we launched two new course-based master’s programs in software engineering and articifial intelligence (in partnership with the Faculty of Science’s Department of Computer Science), and a new major in mechatronics engineering for undergraduate students. All three programs will provide our students an opportunity to meet the demands of the growing IT sector. Dr. Octavia Dobre, associate dean (research) and electrical engineering professor; Dr. Faisal Khan, former associate dean

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(graduate studies) and process engineering professor, along with alumni Gary Smith (B.Eng.’94) and Dr. Pengfei Liu (PhD’96) are among the newest fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. But there has been sad news to report - in January, we were saddened by the untimely passing of Dr. Tahir Husain of the Department of Civil Engineering. You will read our memoriam to Dr. Husain, the stories mentioned above, and others, in this issue. On a personal note, I have approached the end of my second term as Dean. I have reflected on all that we have accomplished together as a Faculty over the past 10 years. During the past decade, the Faculty has grown significantly, especially in terms of enrolments (doubling of graduate student enrolment from mid-300’s to over 700), faculty complement (from 61 to 84; nearly a 40% increase), and space (80,000 sq ft added, plus 30,000 more in progress), among others. Together as a team, we created five new academic programs (undergraduate and graduate), and new interdisciplinary centres like the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship, while providing an exceptional co-operative education experience, even during a pandemic when we upheld a 97 per cent student placement rate last semester. Research intensiveness and impacts rose substantially, for example, by tripling the average number of citations annually to our research articles, per professor, since 2012. Our students competed with the best in the world and came out on top. Recall our Paradigm Hyperloop team that placed 2nd in the world - 1st in North America - among hundreds of other teams at an international SpaceX Hyperloop Competition in 2017. Congratulations and best wishes to Dr. Octavia Dobre, who was appointed as Interim Dean. Dr. Dobre is a distinguished researcher (wireless communications), teacher and administrative leader. She is a Fellow of CAE (Canadian Academy of Engineering), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and EIC (Engineering Institute of Canada). ■■■

007-22003

Dr. Greg F. Naterer

The stories in this issue are highlights of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science over the past year, from April 2021 to March 2022.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

PROGRAMS UNDERGRADUATE* B. ENG. GRADUATE* M. ENG + PHD

Contents OIL + GAS ENGINEERING

CIVIL

FA C U LT Y O F ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE NEWSLETTER

Spring 2022

COMPUTER ELECTRICAL MECHANICAL OCEAN + NAVAL ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS

ENROLLMENT UNDERGRADUATE FALL 2020

1160

GRADUATE

702

COURSE-BASED MASTER’S PROGRAMS COMPUTER ENGINEERING SOFTWARE ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT ENERGY SYSTEMS ENGINEERING OIL AND GAS ENGINEERING SAFETY AND RISK ENGINEERING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

RESEARCH LABORATORIES AND CENTRES ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING FOR COLD REGIONS AND OCEANS AUTONOMOUS OCEANS SYSTEMS MATERIALS AND ASSET INTEGRITY LAB COMPUTER ENGINEERING RESEARCH

GRAPHIC DESIGN Kristine Breen CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kelly Foss Jeff Green Kathryn Hong Ryan Howell Jackey Locke Greg Naterer Dave Sorensen Susan White Heidi Wicks

THERMO-FLUIDS STRUCTURES

Benchmarks is a publication

ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY

of Memorial University’s Faculty

ADVANCED DRILLING

Please address any questions,

MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Jackey Locke

OPTICAL AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH LABORATORY CENTRE FOR RISK INTEGRITY AND SAFETY ENGINEERING

COVER STORY

FEATURES

CIVIL ENGINEERING

EDITOR Jackey Locke

PHOTOGRAPHY Rich Blenkinsopp Chris Hammond John Harvey David Howells Kyle Doody

OCEAN ENGINEERING RESEARCH

AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING 14

@MUNEngineering @MUN_Engineering

W W W. M U N . C A / E N G I N E E R I N G

OCEAN AND NAVAL ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING

PROCESS ENGINEERING

AWARDS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

GRADUATE STUDENTS

comments or suggestions to:

P: (709) 864-8287

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

of Engineering and Applied Science.

E: jackey.locke@mun.ca

ELECTRICAL

ALUMNI

IN MEMORIAM

CELEBRATING DR. NATERER’S LEADERSHIP

C O V E R S T O RY

T H E C O R E S C I E N C E FA C I L I T Y AT N I G H T.

Building for the future: Official opening of the new science and engineering building The spectacular Core Science Facility has officially opened at Memorial University as federal, provincial and university representatives celebrated the construction of the sophisticated research and teaching building. “The new Core Science Facility is truly transformational for Memorial University – and the wider community,” said Dr. Vianne Timmons, president and vicechancellor of Memorial. “It is a catalyst for collaboration and new discoveries, a rich on-campus learning environment for students and a focal point for the St. John’s campus. We owe a debt of gratitude to former President Gary Kachanoski for his visionary leadership that led to this new facility.” Dr. Timmons was joined at the official opening by Lt.-Gov. Judy Foote, also the official visitor to Memorial; Seamus O’Regan, Jr., minister, Labour, and member of Parlaiment, St. John’s SouthMount Pearl, on behalf of Dominic LeBlanc, minister, Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities; 04

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Joanne Thompson, member of Parlaiment, St. John’s East; Premier Dr. Andrew Furey; and Tom Osborne, minister, Education.

a world-class building that caters to their educational needs and will be an environment that inspires bold learning, engagement and innovation,” she said.

“Memorial University is unlike any university in the country. It nourishes the economic, social and cultural life of the province,” said Minister O’Regan, Jr. “The Core Science Facility builds on a long history of visionary investment in this institution and will serve as a pillar for science education in Newfoundland and Labrador for years to come. The Government of Canada is thrilled to support this project that provides students, researchers and faculty at Memorial University new opportunities for research, collaboration and innovation.”

Premier Furey noted the long-term impacts of a facility that prioritizes interdisciplinary collaboration.

Ms. Thompson, who represents the district in which the St. John’s campus is located, congratulated all those involved in the creation of the building. “With the Core Science Facility, students, researchers and faculty have access to

“This Core Science Facility will be a centerpiece as Memorial recruits both domestically and internationally,” he said. “The students who come through this facility will bring about important change over the coming decades, in this province and around the world. The work done here will lead to exciting opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador for students and researchers, help attract and retain highly qualified personnel in pure and applied science, ocean science and sustainable aquaculture, and will grow our economy.” Minister Osborne agreed, saying, “Memorial’s Core Science Facility will provide world-class educational

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opportunities for the people of the province. The facility creates an environment for inspired learning, research and innovation that will help shape the future of Newfoundland and Labrador.” The Core Science Facility’s global project budget is $325 million. Memorial contributed $200 million: $25 million from the Memorial University Matching Fund and $175 million from a borrowing program. The Government of Canada, through its New Building Canada Fund, provided support of $99.9 million with the remaining $25.1 million provided from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Designed by HOK and Hearn/Fougere Architecture, the building was inspired by the natural characteristics of the province, particularly icebergs. The main construction contract was completed by Marco Services Limited. The project was completed on budget. The building is a national investment that generated construction spending in multiple provinces, the majority of which was performed by companies and workers from Newfoundland and Labrador. Almost two million tradesperson hours went into the building’s construction. The building has three pavilions separated by two tall vertical atria spaces, which focus on putting science on display, highlighted by a ground floor that was designed to be transparent. A large concourse on the north side serves as the main entrance lobby and the building is connected to the University Centre. Primarily housing the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, the Core Science Facility was open for student use in September 2021. Already, more than 3,000 undergraduate and hundreds

of graduate students are using the building each week for laboratories and seminars. The facility includes laboratories from the Core Research Equipment and Instrument Training Network, a Cryogenics Facility and an Aquatics Facility. There is also space allocated for the Ocean Frontier Institute, an international, multidisciplinary research partnership led by Memorial University, Dalhousie University and the University of Prince Edward Island.

S T U D E N T S U S E T H E S T U D Y S PA C E I N T H E C O R E S C I E N C E FA C I L I T Y.

The building is also home to a magnificent blue whale skeleton, stretching more than 25 metres through the west atrium of the building, made possible by a donation from Mark and Sandra Dobbin, and Craig and Lisa Dobbin, in honour of their late mother, Eleanor “Penney” Dobbin. The whale is meant to inspire the next generation of scientists and researchers, reflect Memorial’s oceansrelated expertise and highlight the importance of protecting animals and their ecosystems. Memorial’s strategic plan, Transforming our Horizons, calls for vibrant inperson spaces for learning, greater interdisciplinary collaboration and research, and a commitment to the communities of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Core Science Facility will enable meaningful action across all priority areas of the plan.

A NIGHT TIME VIEW OF THE BUILDING, LOOKING NORTH.

A B L U E W H A L E S K E L E T O N I S S U S P E N D E D I N T H E W E S T AT R I U M O F T H E C O R E S C I E N C E FA C I L I T Y.

The community is welcome in the Core Science Facility. The university is planning a year of celebration and public engagement. There will be opportunities for alumni and their families to visit; a contest to name the blue whale; whale- and oceans-themed events and activities; and more. More information about the Core Science Facility is available online at https://www.mun.ca/csf/. ■■■ SPRING 2022

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Core Science Facility to provide modern and collaborative teaching, research spaces THE NEW SENIOR DESIGN LAB/STUDIO FOR ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER E N G I N E E R I N G S T U D E N T S I N T H E N E W C O R E S C I E N C E FA C I L I T Y.

With the opening of Memorial University’s new Core Science Facility (CSF), the 480,000-square-foot building is the university’s biggest infrastructure project for the St. John’s campus since 1961. It provides modern and collaborative research and laboratory teaching spaces primarily for the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. The teaching and research space is occupied primarily by the departments of Biochemistry, Biology and Chemistry in the Faculty of Science and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science; as well as labs from the pan-university Core Research Equipment and Instrument Training (CREAIT) Network. The building also contains Technical Services’ Cryogenics Facility, the Faculty of Science’s central chemical stores facility and an aquatics facility that is part of Memorial University’s Animal Care Facilities. The Ocean Frontier Institute, a collaboration among Memorial, Dalhousie University and the University of Prince Edward Island, will eventually be housed in the building, as well as other entities, yet to be determined. The new facility also offers wonderful new opportunities for research. The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science’s Drs. Stephen Czarnuch and Sarah Power now have space to do biomedical data collection. Dr. Czarnuch is looking forward to conducting three-dimensional motion for skeleton mapping while Dr. Power is studying biosignals for brain-computer processing. Dr. Andrew Vardy, a jointly appointed professor with the Department of Computer Science in the Faculty of Science and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, is using the new building for his robotics research. One of the labs in the CSF has been purposely designed for robotics and drone research – one of the first of its kind in an academic building. ■■■ 06

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Blue whale skull unveiled at Memorial’s Core Science Facility Senior university leadership, along with members of the provincial and federal governments and donors, gathered on campus this past July for a sneak peek of the blue whale skull that is the cornerstone of the Core Science Facility. The atrium of the facility was designed specifically to display the whale, with a ceiling height measuring 30 metres. The entire skeleton will measure 25 metres when hung. The whale will be posed as if it is swimming to reflect Memorial’s motto Provehito in Altum, Latin for “launch forth into the deep.” Heavy sea ice crushed at least nine blue whales in 2014; two washed ashore on the west coast of Newfoundland. A generous donation from Mark and Sandra Dobbin, and Craig and Lisa Dobbin, in honour of their late mother, Eleanor “Penney” Dobbin, allowed Memorial to acquire one of the whales to display. A partnership with the Royal Ontario Museum, where the other whale that washed ashore is displayed, ensured the skeleton was cleaned and prepared before shipping it back to Newfoundland and Labrador. Experts took the skeleton apart piece-by-piece. The assembling of the 356-bone puzzle by Research Casting Inc. took approx. two weeks. A marine mammal, the blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived and was hunted almost to extinction up until the mid1900s. The Northwest Atlantic blue whale is listed as endangered and is protected under the Species at Risk Act. The whale is meant to act as inspiration for the next generation of scientists and researchers, while also highlighting the importance of protecting animals and their ecosystems. ■■■

S A N D R A A N D L I S A D O B B I N A N D M I N I S T E R S E A M U S O ’ R E G A N P U L L B A C K T H E C U R TA I N O N T H E B L U E W H A L E S K U L L I N T H E C O R E S C I E N C E FA C I L I T Y. M I N I S T E R T O M O S B O R N E A N D P R E S I D E N T V I A N N E T I M M O N S A R E P I C T U R E D AT R I G H T.

F E AT U R E S

The MCE steps up recruitment of women and non-binary students

E N AYA A B D E L G A B E R ( B A’ 2 1 ) PA R T I C I PAT E D IN SEVERAL PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE MEMORIAL CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP ( M C E ) A S A S T U D E N T.

The Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship is aiming to increase participation for women and nonbinary students with two new awards at its annual startup competition.

The sixth annual Mel Woodward Cup will feature an Entrepreneurship Award for Women or Non-binary Leadership and an Entrepreneurship Award for an Early-stage Idea. Both are valued at $2,500 and will complement the $40,000 and in-kind prizes awarded to student startups during the annual pitch competition. The two new awards are funded by the Fry Family Foundation.

In 2019, the centre began taking steps to address low participation from women, and four barriers for women in entrepreneurship were identified: a more masculine entrepreneurial stereotype, biases within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, lack of role models and mentors and a lack of confidence that they have the necessary skills to succeed. To date, the centre’s efforts have focused on women, but they hope to expand initiatives targeting women to non-binary students as well. Initiatives taken to diversify participants so far include offering virtual childcare during workshops, engaging high-growth women entrepreneurs outside the province as speakers to increase the number of role models, committing to equal representation of women and non-binary entrepreneurs among startup coaches, redesigning the application form and marketing materials

Mel Woodward Cup invests $40,000 in student-led hearing loss, health tech companies

The virtual fifth edition of the MWC saw five finalist teams compete through pre-recorded video pitches and a live Q&A with a panel of judges from business and startup communities in St. John’s, N.L.; Toronto, Ont.; Washington, D.C.; and the Bahamas. Forty-two teams applied to the competition.

Robin Murphy learned about the risks of hearing loss and the importance of protecting against it while growing up.

Bx Medical Solutions, a health management platform that aims to help bariatric surgery patients track their progress and connect with their healthcare teams post-surgery, won $15,000 as the runner up.

A startup he founded to do just that won $25,000 in seed funding at the 2021 Mel Woodward Cup (MWC) finals, a pitch competition for student entrepreneurs at Memorial University. Mr. Murphy, a fourth-year computer engineering student, founded Audyse Technology with business partners Joel Hatcher, a process engineering student, and Keeley Flynn, a student at College of the North Atlantic.

Both teams received in-kind prizes related to legal, marketing, market research, tax and business and professional development services. The MWC, hosted by the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship (MCE), has invested $180,000 in student-led startups since it began in 2017. To date, 168 teams have

for the Mel Woodward Cup to remove unconscious biases, and increasing individual outreach and dedicated programming to women and non-binary students. This has resulted in a small increase in women and non-binary students attending workshops and events – up from 25 per cent in 2018-2019 to 39 per cent in 2020-2021 – but not in meetings with startup coaches or Mel Woodward Cup applications. Aside from a high of 23 women and nonbinary applicants in the 2019 competition, participation from those demographics in the Mel Woodward Cup has remained steady at 12. The MCE’s goal is to double the number of women and non-binary student entrepreneurs engaging with its programs over the next three years. ■■■

F R O M L E F T A R E J O E L H AT C H E R , R O B I N M U R P H Y A N D K E E L E Y F LY N N , F O U N D E R S O F A U D Y S E TECHNOLOGY AND WINNERS OF THE 2021 MEL W O O D W A R D C U P.

participated, representing 374 participants. The MWC was created in 2017 through a donation from the family of the late Dr. Mel Woodward, a well-known entrepreneur who founded the Woodward Group of Companies. Peter, Melvin and Tana Woodward collectively donated $1.13 million to Memorial’s Faculty of Business Administration, in memory of their father, to support student entrepreneurs through the MCE. The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency also provides support for the competition. ■■■ SPRING 2022

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First-year engineering courses to be offered in Labrador Beginning in fall 2022, students will be able to complete their first year in Memorial University’s engineering program, commonly known as Engineering One (EO), at the Labrador Institute. The new initiative is a partnership between the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and the Labrador Institute’s School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies. Engineering One is the common first year of Memorial’s bachelor of engineering (B.Eng.) degree program and comprises courses in English, mathematics, physics and chemistry, in addition to fundamental engineering courses.

Co-op director’s awards recognizes work term students and employers The Faculty of Engineering’s Co-operative Education Office recognized engineering work term students and employers at its Director’s Awards for Exemplary and Outstanding Work Terms ceremony.

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The new offering aims to provide an enhanced, partially remote, route for first-year engineering students, and will provide pathways for students to complete the EO program at the Labrador Institute. Afterwards, students can choose to continue the program at the St. John’s campus for in-person studies. A dedicated lab instructor will be located at the Labrador Institute. This individual will have a thorough understanding of all EO course content and will lead laboratory activities. In addition, all EO courses will offer sections particularly suited to the Labrador Institute, with content and laboratory exercises adapted to be relevant to the North.

The annual event celebrates and recognizes the progress and achievements of senior engineering students from the Class of 2021, who have exemplified excellence in both the performance and communications components on assigned work terms over the course of their program. The event also recognizes the employers of the award-winning students for providing outstanding work term opportunities.

Indigenous governments and companies in Labrador have long identified the need for greater access to engineering education in the region, and the need to encourage and train more Indigenous engineers. The new program will increase the access to higher education for Indigenous Peoples and create spaces for Indigenous learners to follow their career aspirations in engineering. Once a student successfully completes EO courses, they have the foundation to choose a major for the remainder of their program, with options in either civil, computer, electrical, mechanical, ocean and naval architectural or process engineering. ■■■

“Congratulations to all award winners,” said Dr. Dennis Peters, acting dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “You make us proud and we are honoured to recognize your hard work and achievements. A sincere thank you to all of our work term employers for offering quality work term experiences to our students.” The 2021 event was virtual and held on May 20. ■■■

F E AT U R E S

Memorial Engineering programs rising in world rankings

Memorial researchers among world’s most cited academics

The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science was fourth overall and first in industry partnerships among comprehensive Canadian universities, according to Times Higher Education’s (THE) World University Rankings for 2021. THE uses information obtained from multiple sources to compile rankings and highlights leading universities across various disciplines, including general engineering; electrical and electronic engineering; mechanical and aerospace engineering; civil engineering; and chemical engineering. More recently, Times Higher Education released its 2022 engineering stats, based on 2021 data, which indicate a sixth-place ranking among the comprehensive Canadian universities, again first in industry partnerships and up to third in the international outlook category. The most-recent statistics follow a long-term trend of improved rankings for the faculty over the past five years, and are indicative of overall impactful growth. Since 2018 the faculty’s ranking metrics have improved for research, teaching and citations, with a 25 per cent increase for research, 60 per cent for teaching and 40 per cent for citations. Times Higher Education rankings are weighted with research, teaching and citation impacts carrying the most weight to the overall scoring, at 30 per cent each. International outlook and industry income account for 7.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent, respectively. For research, ranking is based on several indicators, including papers by faculty members, research funding to professors and reputation. Teaching includes doctoratesto-bachelor’s degrees ratios, doctorates-to-professors ratios, reputation, institutional income per professor and student-to-professor ratios.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T A R E D R S . G R E G N AT E R E R , Y U R I M U Z Y C H K A , O C TAV I A D O B R E , S O H R A B Z E N D E H B O U D I , N E I L B O S E , B R I A N V E I T C H A N D TA R I Q I Q B A L .

Memorial researchers continue to make a global impact - something that is being noted in the top tiers of academia. A total of 69 current and past faculty members from a variety of disciplines and subject matters from Memorial are included on the World’s Top 2% Scientists list, recently published by Stanford University. From the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science are Drs. Greg Naterer, Yuri Muzychka, Octavia Dobre, Tariq Iqbal, Neil Bose, Sohrab Zendehboudi and Brian Veitch. The comprehensive list includes more than 186,000 top scholars and scientists and features the top two per cent of the most-cited researchers in the world. Researchers based in the faculties of Engineering and Applied Science; Medicine; Science; the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation; and Grenfell Campus are included. Research areas include fields such as food science, fisheries, ecology, energy, geology and others. The list is based on data from Scopus; it ranks journals and indicates a citation index, as well as information on citations, h-index and co-authorship, among other criteria. The listing classifies researchers into 22 scientific fields and 176 sub-fields.

Citation impact is a measure of the average number of times a university’s published work is cited by scholars globally.

The report was prepared by Prof. John PA Loannidis, Stanford University, and his team.

With files from the Engineering Research Office.

The study analyzed data from 1965 to 2020.

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New graduate programs will address critical shortages in IT sector Three new course-based, master’s programs offered at Memorial University will help meet growing demand across technology sectors in the province. The programs will start in September 2022. Students can choose among a master of applied science in software engineering, a master of data science and a master of artificial intelligence. All programs offer unique opportunities for Memorial graduates to contribute to emerging areas vital to future economic growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. The software engineering and artificial intelligence programs are jointly offered between the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Faculty of Science. The programs will help to increase Memorial’s reputation of offering timely and advanced programs in global areas of growth. They also complement existing programs to provide students more opportunities for career choices. Graduates of the programs will have knowledge and understanding of

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core areas including, but not limited to, autonomous vehicles, automated decision-making, intelligent sensing, precision agriculture, personalized medicine, financial security, smart appliances and other emerging areas.

Software Engineering The master of applied science in software engineering will highlight the importance of computing and communication, which will be key for future technology advancement. Software and intelligent systems, which form the main focuses of the program, are the key enablers to make this happen. Graduates of the software engineering program will be able to pursue career options in software related jobs in the technology sectors, as well as data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Software careers will be also be increasingly in higher demand in traditional sectors like offshore energy, ocean technology, mining and mineral processing and the fisheries.

Data Science In this data age, it is expected that data

collection will be mostly an automated process within the next decade. This will not only create massive amounts of data, but will also demand professionals that can analyze it. This makes data science a very attractive career.

Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence has become one of the most popular areas of computer science and there are few areas where AI will not improve existing systems or processes. AI systems are being used for a variety of applications such as planning, knowledge discovery, automation, human-computer interaction, image processing, natural language processing and robotics – a trend that is expected to continue in future years as the use of AI becomes more sophisticated and is applied to more areas of science. These new program offerings make Memorial a leading institution among Atlantic Canadian universities in responding to students trained to work with, analyze and interpret large amounts of data and to provide software solutions to these and other areas. ■■■

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Giving equity, diversity and inclusion an ‘intentional focus’

New Harsh Environment Research Facility at Memorial

Instructors Janna Rosales and Prof. Darlene Spracklin-Reid are intent on teaching their students more than just the technical skills. Topics such as equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are required to be covered by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, but both professors bring a “more intentional focus” on weaving these concepts throughout the curriculum. They collaboratively teach two mandatory engineering professionalism courses. One way they introduce EDI concepts is by asking a question that seems simple on the surface – who are you engineering for? The question makes students think about what they’re doing and what the implications are and to think about biases or assumptions that designers might hold about their users and clients, but to also think about who they are as a designer and how their own identity relates to the questions they ask and how they go about framing problems. The faculty works hard to show students that EDI is a crucial topic by requiring the professionalism courses to be taken in both the second and graduating year of their studies – and the efforts are paying off. Last year, a group of mechanical engineering students placed second in a national design competition for their efforts to create a damped medical arm brace for a young girl with athetoid cerebral palsy for their capstone project (see story on page 21). ■■■

DR. JANNA ROSALES

P R O F. D A R L E N E S P R A C K L I N - R E I D

Although the final approvals have not been finalized, the tender for construction of the Harsh Environment Research Facility (HERF) building has been issued and construction of the new engineering building is planned to begin during spring 2022. The $27 million HERF project was awarded through a research grant to the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), led by Dr. Yuri Muzychka, with additional partner contributions from Cenovus Energy, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Memorial University. The new world-class facility will be used for large-scale testing, research and development of technologies related to the performance of marine and other structures in harsh environment conditions. It will hold a spray-icing wind tunnel over a saltwater wave basin; a Sliding Load Ice Dynamics Equipment (SLIDE) apparatus for testing extreme loads on full-scale ship structures and ice sheets; a Materials Testing Machine (MTS) tensile/fatigue apparatus; and a low-temperature environmental chamber. HERF will support research in areas such as marine and atmospheric icing (overhead power lines, wind turbines, aircraft), ice-structure interactions, ice mechanics, material properties, winterization of cold ocean vessels, and wind and wave loading on structures. HERF is a partnership between Memorial University and the National Research Council (NRC). The anticipated completion date for the new facility is mid-2024. ■■■ SPRING 2022

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Dr. Bing Chen inducted as Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada Dr. Bing Chen has been named fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC).

DR. BING CHEN

The EIC, founded in 1987, is a Canadian federation of 14 constituent societies in mechanical, civil, geotechnical, chemical and electrical engineering presenting over 30,000 Canadian engineering professionals.

DR. HELEN ZHANG

Engineering expert part of ocean and transport green economy team Dr. Baiyu (Helen) Zhang, Canada Research Chair in Coastal Environmental Engineering and professor, Department of Civil Engineering, promoted the university’s research expertise during a virtual meeting on ocean and transport with experts from Canada and France.

The institute recognizes outstanding engineers among its academic and industry-based member societies by annually inducting up to 20 fellows for their “exceptional contributions to engineering in Canada.”

An internationally respected environmental engineer, Dr. Zhang’s expertise includes offshore environmental monitoring and analysis; transport and fate of emerging contaminants; and oil pollution control.

Dr. Chen joined Memorial in 2006. He is currently the associate dean, graduate studies, in the faculty, and director of the Northern Region Persistent Organic PoLlution in the Environment (PEOPLE Network).

She is founder of Memorial’s Coastal Environmental Laboratory, which is among a select group of worldwide facilities developing novel and environmentally friendly bioproducts for marine oil spill response.

Dr. Chen is active in providing service and leadership in professional societies and academic communities.

Dr. Zhang says the purpose of the discussion was to assess where the gaps are in terms of knowledge and innovation in the field of the green economy and make recommendations on “opportunities for international synergies,” in the areas of energy and transport; ocean and transport; and social adaptation and transport.

He has acted as principle investigator or co-principle investigator in more than 50 research projects and contracts from diverse sources nationally and internationally. He has authored or co-authored more than 390 publications including over 130 refereed journal papers, three books, more than 200 conference publications, more than 30 technical reports and six patents/disclosures. Dr. Chen has been active in providing leadership and professional service to academic and professional communities, and he received many awards and recognitions including fellow of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. As a registered professional in Canada, he has extensive practical experience through engineering contracts and technology transfer from lab testing to field demonstration and application. He has provided consulting service to partners from governments and industry such as environmental, oil and gas, petrochemical, shipping, mining and agriculture sectors in Canada and worldwide. ■■■

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The session was co-chaired by Dr. Ted Hewitt, president, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Dr. Antoine Petit, chairman and CEO, French National Centre for Scientific Research. As a leader in connecting innovation ecosystems and academic research in Canada and abroad, Mitacs convened the meeting as one in a series of eight expert roundtables between Canada and France and Canada and the U.K. The discussions were hosted by Dr. John Hepburn, Mitacs’ CEO and scientific director. The roundtables were in collaboration with Canada’s chief science advisor; the High Commission of Canada in the U.K.; the British High Commission Ottawa; the Canadian Embassy to France; and the French Embassy to Canada. ■■■

ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

D R . O C TAV I A A . D O B R E

Dr. Octavia Dobre inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering Dr. Octavia Dobre has been inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) for her distinguished achievements and career-long service and contributions to the engineering profession. The CAE is an independent, non-profit organization established in 1987 to serve the country in matters concerning engineering. Fellows of the academy are nominated and elected by their peers. Dr. Dobre is the associate dean (research) in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. She is also the Research Chair in Subsea Communications.

She obtained her doctor of philosophy degree from Politehnica University of Bucharest, and joined Memorial in 2005. Dr. Dobre has made pioneering contributions to telecommunications research. Dr. Dobre’s work, from machine learning to statistical signal processingbased methods, has led to her international reputation as a worldwide front-runner in the telecommunications field.

Dr. Dobre has held several leadership roles within the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE), including membership on the initial steering committee for the world-wide IEEE 5G Wireless Initiative and editor-in-chief of the prominent Communications Letters journal. She is the inaugural editor-inchief of the first-ever IEEE open access journal in telecommunications, the IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society.

As a leader of multi-million-dollar research programs, Dr. Dobre and her team have developed high-performance algorithms for optical communications. They have established solutions for transmitting information at hundreds of Gbps in the optical transport network and her research contributions have received approx. 10,000 citations.

Dr. Dobre is a fellow of the IEEE and a fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada. She is also the recipient of Memorial’s President’s Awards for Outstanding Research, as well as the faculty’s Dean’s Award for Research Excellence and the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision. ■■■

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MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Mechatronics engineering program first of its kind in Atlantic Canada First-year engineering students will soon be able to choose a new major.

systems and human factors in ocean and naval architectural engineering.”

A new mechatronics engineering program in Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science will provide students an opportunity to meet the demands of the growing high-tech sector in careers such as advanced manufacturing systems, robotics, autonomous driving, unmanned aerial vehicles, remotely operated underwater vehicles, among others.

Dr. Naterer says that by including intelligent systems development and artificial intelligence, the program will help grow the tech sector in the province.

“The mechatronics engineering program is exciting for Newfoundland and Labrador as it will be the only mechatronics engineering program in Atlantic Canada,” said Dr. Greg F. Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “Unlike other mechatronics programs in Canada, it will have unique areas of strength, such as autonomous

He also says that in the future digital economy, fewer engineering systems will be purely mechanical or purely electrical, but instead, increasingly, both combined. The interdisciplinary program is a partnership between the faculty’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and its Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering comprising fundamentals from both electrical and computer engineering and mechanical engineering.

“Through this new program, we will be able to provide even more highly qualified personnel, and more mutually beneficial research interactions, to our well-established and growing high-tech economy,” said Dr. Geoff Rideout, head, Department of Mechanical Engineering. “This new program will provide a great opportunity to conduct engineering education in a multidisciplinary fashion,” said Dr. Cheng Li, head, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “Students will learn how our future autonomous and intelligent systems will be designed, integrated and developed.” The program will lead to growth for both departments, and aligns with the university’s strategic directions of information and communication technology and ocean technology. ■■■

Mechanical engineering professor received CFI funding for research This past August, Dr. Mohammad Al Janaideh’s research project was one of five diverse projects at Memorial that benefitted from more than $970,000 in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Dr. Al Janaideh (Project Leader), with Drs. Alison Malcolm (Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science) and Lihong Zhang (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science) received $298,760 for their project, Advanced Measurement and Characterization for Microstructures and Microsystems Research.

DR. MOHAMMAD AL JANAIDEH

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Dr. Al Janaideh and his collaborators will utilize new high-tech equipment to better characterize material vibration response for advancing microstructures, microsystems,

and Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems research. The infrastructure will be first of its kind in Canada to provide ultra-precise measurements. Their studies range from the design, characterization and control of micropositioning robotic systems to developing innovative ways to design innovative vibration-based energy harvesters to scavenge electrical power from ambient energy resources. The equipment will also be used to better understand how waves move within rocks for earthquake monitoring and modelling, as well as for exploration for oil and gas and monitoring reserves. ■■■

O C E A N A N D N AVA L A R C H I T E C T U R A L E N G I N E E R I N G

Tools students can use Teaching Tuesdays: Dr. Bruce Quinton

DR. BRUCE QUINTON

With the majority of students learning remotely, Dr. Bruce Quinton has been doing what he can to ensure his students have the tools they need to excel.

Department of Computer Science and the university’s Information Technology Services and the Office of the Chief Information Officer,” said Dr. Quinton.

The associate professor in the Department of Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, refers to the concepts he’s teaching as “tools in a toolbox.”

“I pulled together a university-wide working group and we worked diligently through April and May. Remote LabNet was thoroughly vetted and launched in June for engineering students enrolled in the spring semester.”

“I find students respond well and are interested in and motivated to learn the course material when they understand why it is relevant to their lives, their plans and their future career,” said Dr. Quinton. “I say things like, ‘If you plan to … then this tool will help you,’ and each tool is only good for certain things.” This past spring, he was instrumental in implementing Remote LabNet, an application that enables students to remotely access university computer labs in order to use the software they contain to complete their training. Access was a concern since much of the specialized software used in the engineering programs is extremely expensive and not available for home use by students. “The faculty’s Engineering Computing Services came up with a solution that required support from the Faculty of Science’s

Dr. Quinton communicates to his students through email, online chat rooms and anonymous surveys. But while the personal dynamic is very important when teaching, he says spontaneous discussions are hard to foster in a remote learning environment. He encourages his students to attend live lectures as much as possible. “If used responsibly, recorded lectures can be a great asset to students,” he said. “But, attending live lectures (remotely), will always be better than watching a recorded lecture. In live lectures, students have access to the professor or teaching assistant and won’t miss potentially important information since the ‘skip ahead’ function isn’t available.” ■■■

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PROCESS ENGINEERING

Dr. Faisal Khan inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering Dr. Faisal Khan has been inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering for his distinguished achievements and career-long service and contributions to the engineering profession. The CAE is an independent, nonprofit organization established in 1987 to serve the country in matters concerning engineering.

D R . FA I S A L K H A N

Fellows of the academy are nominated and elected by their peers.

Dr. Khan was the associate dean (graduate studies) in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and a professor in the Department of Process Engineering. He was also the Tier 1 Canada Research in Offshore Safety and Risk Engineering. He is currently a professor, chemical engineering, and director, MKO Process Safety Center, Texas A&M University. Dr. Khan made pioneering contributions to integrated safety and environmental management systems for offshore oil and gas operations during his time at Memorial, which have led to new approaches in risk assessment and management, asset integrity, sustainable industrial processes and systems operating in harsh environments. He conducted research on safety and risk engineering and applied these risk-engineering concepts to a range of industries, including oil and gas, mining and mineral processing, marine and offshore systems, transportation and alternative energy. Dr. Khan and his research team fostered collaborations among universities across Canada and around the world. He developed new advanced risk-based safety and integrity management methodologies and models widely used by industry and academia. Dr. Khan led the development of safety and risk engineering discipline at Memorial, which resulted in the creation of a unique, multidisciplinary research centre of excellence – the Centre for Risk, Integrity and Safety Engineering (C-RISE). 16

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D R . K E L LY H A W B O L D T

Process engineering professor received CFI funding for research This past August, Dr. Kelly Hawboldt (project leader), with Drs. Sukhinder Cheema (Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science) and Raymond Thomas (School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus), received $94,914 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for their project, Supercritical extraction system to develop innovative bioproducts from fishery and forestry biomass residues. As the title suggests, the goal of the project is to develop biomass processes and bioproducts that can be used/produced in the region using a supercritical fluid extractor (SFE) and fractionator system. Canada is rich in biomass resources that are often remotely located, and, therefore, limited in applications using current approaches. The SFE system will focus on the conversion of forestry, agricultural and fishery residues produced in rural and remote regions to bioproducts. The research will train highly qualified personnel to use the equipment, who could then go out into the region and develop their own small to mid-size enterprises. Their project was one of five diverse projects at Memorial that benefitted from more than $970,000 in funding from CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF). ■■■

D E A N S AWA R D S

Celebrating outstanding contributions in the Faculty Once again, the Faculty

research accomplishments and

of Engineering and Applied

significant contributions to

Science recognized individuals

advancing the faculty’s national

for their outstanding work ethic

and international reputation for

and contributions.

research excellence.

The Dean’s Awards, which

Dr. Hodjat Shiri, an associate

recognize excellence among

professor, Department of

technical and administrative faculty

Civil Engineering, received the

and staff, highlight and celebrate

Dean’s Award for Excellence in

individual excellence while helping

Graduate Student Supervision.

to raise the profile of the faculty

The award recognizes and

nationally and internationally.

encourages excellence in

C L A I R E AV E R Y

K E L LY S Q U I R E S

PA U L G R I F F I N , C C O R E

DR. JANNA ROSALES

DR. SARAH POWER

DR. LESLEY JAMES

D R . H O D J AT S H I R I

DR. CHENG LI

graduate student supervision. Individuals are nominated by their peers and the recipients are chosen

Dr. Lesley James, professor,

by an internal awards committee,

Department of Process Engineering;

ultimately approved by the Dean.

and Claire Avery, an academic staff member, Engineering Co-operative

The following individuals received

Education Office, both received

Dean’s Awards for 2021:

the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Academic Service. The award

Dr. Janna Rosales, an associate

recognizes exceptional contributions

professor in the faculty; and

of academic staff members (ASMs

Dr. Sarah Power, assistant

and ASM-CEs).

professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,

The Dean’s Award for Exemplary

both received the Dean’s Award

Service went to Kelly Squires,

for Teaching Excellence. The

an administrative staff specialist

award recognizes outstanding

in the faculty’s finance office.

contributions to teaching in one or

The award recognizes exceptional

more of the following areas: teaching

contributions of non-academic

effectiveness, teaching innovation

staff members who always make an

and/or teaching scholarship

extra effort, contribute significantly

and leadership.

to the success of the faculty and consistently provide outstanding

Dr. Cheng Li, head, Department of

support and assistance.

Electrical and Computer Engineering, received the Dean’s Award for

Paul Griffin, president and CEO,

Research Excellence.

C-CORE, received the Dean’s

The award recognizes faculty

Award for Outstanding

members for their outstanding

Contributions to the Faculty.

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

‘Engineering heroes’

Celebrating Memorial’s women in engineering June 23, 2021 marked the eighth annual International Women in Engineering Day. The theme was Engineering Heroes. The day is meant to raise the profile of women in engineering and to highlight the important career opportunities in the field of engineering for women. The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science is making efforts to recruit, retain and assist with the professional development of women in the engineering profession. While the percentage of international applications, which is more likely to be male, has increased at Memorial, female enrolment for the fall 2021 semester was at 28 per cent, with process engineering leading the way with 42 per cent female students. In addition to scholarships and initiatives aimed at the undergraduate level in support of female students, the faculty is developing a peer networking program to connect first-year female students to its Engineering Student Society. ■■■ M E S S A G E S R E C E I V E D F R O M F E M A L E E N G I N E E R I N G S T U D E N T S , FA C U LT Y A N D S TA F F.

Black History Month S O M E M E M B E R S O F T H E M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y C H A P T E R O F T H E N AT I O N A L S O C I E T Y O F B L A C K E N G I N E E R S F R O M L E F T A R E M O H A N N A D A L R E FA I , C H I O M A AKUBUEZE, MICHELLE MUDUNGE AND DONALD CHUKWUEBUKA.

This past February was Black History Month. To help celebrate, the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science teamed up with members of the Memorial University chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) to highlight some of the important initiatives happening at the university. NSBE MUN provides supports, not only to engineering students at Memorial, but to a wide variety of audiences in the university’s STEM programs. Some of its members hope that the black engineering experience at Memorial can be improved with recognition and acknowledgement. The MUN chapter organizes events centred on three core values: community; learning and networking; and the promotion of professional, academic and social development of its members. One recent initiative was the creation of a resumé and cover letter bank where students can access examples of cover letters and resumés from peers of all races and ethnicities. This has become a great resource for students applying for co-operative education work terms. Read more at https://nsbe-mun.com/. 18

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Partnering with PEGNL to highlight engineering related topics DR. SARAH POWER

The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science continued to partner with the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL) on a public lecture series titled, “Speaking of Engineering.” Three online lectures were hosted in 2021, two in the winter semester and one in the fall semester.

ED MARTIN

ANDY FISHER

During the winter semester, Dr. Carlos Bazan, an assistant professor, Department of Civil Engineering, and Memorial’s Engineering Chair in Entrepreneurship, highlighted Memorial’s contributions to local innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem and to engineering entrepreneurship, and why engineers make great entrepreneurs. Dr. Bazan spoke about how universities have become essential players in the knowledge economy, acting as catalysts of socio-economic development. He also talked about how economic activity has shifted to a greater dependence on knowledge production and utilization, and that knowledge and innovation play increasing roles in fostering economic competitiveness. The first lecture in the fall semester was about how the pandemic meant that many workers had to adapt to a new era of remote work and how companies transformed their methods to achieve their goals.

DR. CARLOS BAZAN

JULIA HEDDERSON

Speakers Julia Hedderson, project manager, TechnipFMC; Andy Fisher, chief product officer, Breathesuite; and Ed Martin, CEO, Carnegie Learning Zorbit’s, shared their personal experiences and how the field of engineering and their respective workplaces have changed. The second lecture in the fall semester was about how brain-machine interfaces can improve the lives of persons with disabilities. Dr. Sarah Power, assistant professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, dove deep into what brain-machine interfaces are, how they work, the current state-of-the-art and potential applications for persons with disabilities, as well as the general population. She also discussed important ethical issues involved in the technologies. ■■■

DR. NOORI SAADY

DR. ASHU DHAR

D R . H O D J AT S H I R I

DR. SOHRAB ZENDEHBOUDI

Lunch & Learn The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science’s Office of Research continues to host a popular Lunch & Learn series. There were four lectures in 2021. During the winter semester, Dr. Noori Saady, an assistant professor, Department of Civil Engineering, spoke about Canadian Biogas: Technology status, issues and opportunities. Dr. Saady highlighted harnessing microorganisms to produce biogas in harsh conditions to decrease cost of production per unit and develop technology suitable for cold and/or arid regions. Dr. Ashtosh Dhar spoke about the integrity of buried water mains and energy pipelines. Dr. Hodjat Shiri spoke about offshore construction challenges in very shallow Arctic regions. In the fall, Dr. Sohrab Zendehboudi spoke about sustainable energy and environmental remediation in Canada, highlighting challenges and future research direction. ■■■ SPRING 2022

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Memorial Engineering Outreach continued its outreach efforts with youth The goal of the faculty’s Memorial Engineering Outreach (MEO) office is to ensure its outreach initiatives will encourage youth to envision a future that might include engineering.

The faculty hosted virtual open house The faculty’s annual open house event aims to inspire families, potential students, the public and the media to think about the exciting and important world of engineering.

In 2021, the MEO engaged with more than 1,200 youth, including in-person programming delivered to 200 youth! The office has been working hard to rebuild capacity since the COVID-19 pandemic, and things are improving with a 11 per cent increase in outreach over 2020. Ten engineering students completed work terms in the MEO and two science students were employed during the summer months. The MEO introduced two new initiatives in 2021: Teen Tech Week and Arduino for Teachers. The office also maintained strong relationships with community partners, and received new funding from Chevron Canada to use towards increasing female engagement in STEM. ■■■

T H E O C E A N A N D N AVA L A R C H I T E C T U R A L E N G I N E E R I N G Q & A S E S S I O N .

The annual event is an opportunity for members of Memorial engineering to engage with the local community in an effort to make engineering accessible to all ages. In 2021 the event, which was held on March 27, was virtual and had a particular focus on recruitment. Live interactive online events included presentations and Q&A sessions focused on engineering undergraduate and graduate studies, a look inside working laboratories, overviews/introductions of undergraduate majors, virtual booths hosted by student teams and clubs, and an opportunity to explore entrepreneurism with folks in the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship. There was something for everyone!

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THE LIVE INTERACTIVE SESSION ABOUT CIVIL ENGINEERING.

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U N D E R G R A D U AT E S T U D E N T S

BACK ROW FROM LEFT ARE JAMES AND GEORGEANNE KING, IAN WALSH, TYLER LUNDRIGAN AND BRADLEY DAWE. FRONT ROW FROM LEFT ARE ORIANA K I N G A N D J E S S E R I D E O U T.

Engineering group places second in national design competition, donates prize money A group of mechanical engineering students were a winner in the national 2021 Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA) competition. Class of 2021 graduates Bradley Dawe, Jesse Rideout, Tyler Lundrigan and Ian Walsh won second place in the Technological/Communication Barriers category. The student design competition, held by Universities Canada on behalf of Employment and Social Development Canada, challenges students to use their creativity to develop innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions to accessibility-related issues resulting in communities that are more accessible for persons with disabilities. The students were tasked with a senior design project, called a capstone project, and further developed the project, the damped

First-year student receives substantial scholarship

A M E L I A G R E E N I N G - PA R D Y

medical arm brace, for submission to the IDeA competition.

attaches to the damping mechanism which Oriana’s arm straps into.

The assistive device is intended to provide individuals with compromised motor skills the ability to interact with a tablet for learning and communication purposes.

The brace is similar to a “plug-and-play” device with the wheelchair’s arm rest removed and the custom-made arm brace slid into the arm rest receptacle and secured with pins.

Originally designed for Oriana King, a young girl with athetoid cerebral palsy, the project was identified through the Newfoundland and Labrador chapter of the Tetra Society. Oriana relies on her family and caregivers to hold her arm against her wheelchair tray in order to use her tablet at home and in school. The arm brace consists of a mounting frame that attaches to Oriana’s wheelchair, a damping mechanism to centralize her arm in a desired direction allowing for some rotation of her elbow, and an arm brace that

Amelia Greening-Pardy was the 2021 recipient of the Peter Kohler Engineering Scholarship. Established in 2020, the Peter Kohler Engineering Scholarship was created thanks to a generous donation from Peter Kohler. The scholarship is valued at $50,000 per student with $10,000 awarded annually for five years. Renewal is dependent on the recipient continuing engineering studies at Memorial and maintaining scholarship standing. Preference is given to students who graduated from a high school in Newfoundland and Labrador. Ms. Greening-Pardy is from Lethbridge, N.L. and graduated from Heritage Collegiate.

This allows for easy installation and removal. A custom wheelchair tray is used along with an adjustable three-dimensional-printed tablet holder to provide stability to the technological device during use. The team plans to conduct longer duration tests with the device and tweak any necessary changes needed. The team also plans to donate their prize money to the Newfoundland and Labrador chapter of the Tetra Society to help fund future similar projects. ■■■

Mr. Kohler, who passed away in 2019, was the founder of Kohler Windows, now Kohltech Windows and Entrance Systems. The late engineer established the scholarship because he wanted to give back to the province that supported his business over the years.

It was Mr. Kohler’s wish to make engineering education an option for students who might not otherwise be able to afford such a program. The scholarship was created just prior to his passing.

The scholarship was awarded by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards on the recommendation of the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. ■■■ SPRING 2022 BENCHMARKS 21

U N D E R G R A D U AT E S T U D E N T S

Engineering students collaborate on a remote work term project with a community partner During winter semester 2021, Jeremy Gates and Maria Outerbridge were pleased with how their remote work term designing a new structure on the grounds of Government House in St. John’s turned out. Under the co-operative education model, where undergraduate engineering students at Memorial are required to complete four work terms to graduate, students are given the option of completing a community service work term with a community organization or a not-for-profit group. Students gain valuable technical experience while learning about the role engineers can play in their communities. The positions are made possible through support from the Fry Family Foundation. The existing greenhouse, built in 1990, is showing its age. It is insufficient in size; the heating costs are high and its venting system needs upgrading. It also lacks a garage door, overhead misting system and other modern necessities.

“I proposed a heating system that can cool and heat a greenhouse using only fans, pipes and solar energy,” said Mr. Gates, who was in his fifth year of the civil engineering program at the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “The system can draw excess heat trapped inside the greenhouse underground through a pipe network to cool it. It can also draw out hot air located MARIA OUTERBRIDGE underground to provide heat when required. Thermal energy is absorbed by the soil during hot days and is used to heat the cool air driven underground during the night.” Mr. Gates says the electric furnace provides additional heat and is a suitable alternative to gas-based furnaces since it doesn’t contribute to pollution or pose risk of a carbon monoxide leak. The duo also collaborated with the grounds staff to develop a design tailored to support community-based food security and horticultural therapy goals.

Their design showcases new approaches to sustainable design and energy systems that will reduce heating costs without harming the environment.

“One of the main purposes for a new greenhouse is they wanted to add a space for community groups like The

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Weekly progress meetings, remotely in

J E R E M Y G AT E S

The students met with the gardeners at the facility, keeping social distancing measures in mind, and received direction on what the specifications for the new building should be.

Gathering Place, Stella’s Circle and Her Majesty’s Penitentiary,” said Ms. Outerbridge, who was in her third year of the mechanical engineering program. “They could come and learn how to garden and grow vegetables and plants – a skill they can use later.”

the beginning phase of the project and later in-person, helped keep them on track. The students found it was less challenging than they initially thought it was going to be. “I was surprised how easy it was to adapt to the new remote work environment,” said Mr. Gates. “Today’s technology made it easy.” “Working remotely definitely improved my self-motivation skills and I don’t procrastinate as much anymore,” said Ms. Outerbridge. “These improvements will positively affect many aspects of my life.” Mr. Gates has graduated from his program and is now a civil field engineer at Pennecon. Ms. Outerbridge is currently in the fourth year of her program. ■■■

GREENHOUSE DESIGN

G R A D U AT E S T U D E N T S

PhD graduate excels in academia and in industry A global pandemic didn’t deter Dr. Zijun Gong in his pursuit of a doctoral degree. He remembers when he arrived at Memorial in 2015 to begin his PhD in computer engineering on positioning and communication techniques in networks. He completed the requirements of his doctorate this spring. “I came to Memorial mainly because of Dr. (Cheng) Li,” said Dr. Gong, who is from Jinzhong, in China’s Shanxi province. “In 2013, Dr. Li gave a presentation at Harbin Institute of Technology, where I obtained my master’s degree. I was really inspired by his presentation, so I applied for his PhD.” Thankfully, COVID-19 didn’t negatively impact his journey to his degree. It wasn’t the same for some of his friends, a number of whom whose work came to a halt when they could not access their experiments due to public health restrictions. “Fortunately, for me, my research is mostly based on computer simulations, which means it’s not a big problem for me to work from home. The only thing missing is the academic atmosphere of the lab.” Dr. Gong says he has received the support and guidance he has needed from his supervisor, Dr. Cheng Li, who is head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. They met weekly to discuss research problems; Dr. Gong says Dr. Li was always available to hear his ideas. He also says he was “tough.” “I learned to adjust and to prepare carefully

for each meeting by reviewing the material thoroughly. Those meetings also taught me how to effectively and efficiently present my ideas and thoughts, which is a very important quality for researchers.” For his part, Dr. Li says he was impressed with Dr. Gong’s performance. “Zijun was a model student, and I am so proud to have had him as a student,” he said. “He is humble, creative, serious and strict for high-quality work. He is bright, proactive and highly motivated. He is also an outstanding team player with an excellent personality and very thoughtful of others.”

voltage transformer bushings, including hardware and software. He has since been promoted to shareholder and chief technology officer. “While I am one of the owners of the company, my major focus right now is my research,” said Dr. Gong. “The competition in academia is quite fierce in Canadian universities, and I need to devote all my time and effort to that. The post-doc position at the University of Waterloo is only for two years, so I hope I can improve my academic record and find a permanent teaching job during that period.” ■■■ DR. ZIJUN GONG

Dr. Gong also taught courses during his program. Over the past two years, he taught Advanced Digital Systems and Wireless and Mobile Communications. He says he aimed to make the material interesting for students by using many practical examples from everyday life. “For example, in Wireless and Mobile Communications, one of the assignments I give is to simulate the communications between cell phones and base stations,” he explained. “In these examples, students can clearly see how different components work together for correct data transmission.” In January 2021, Dr. Gong was awarded the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship, which is supporting his research for two years at the University of Waterloo. In 2017, Dr. Gong worked with St. John’s based PowerHV as an intern through a Mitacs project. Under the supervision of Sizwe Dhlamini, the company’s CEO, Dr. Gong designed and implemented a monitoring system for highSPRING 2022

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ALUMNI

Engineering alumni inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering In 2021, two Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science alumni became fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE). Dr. Pengfei Liu and Gary Smith were honoured for their distinguished achievements and career-long service and contributions to the engineering profession. The CAE is an independent, non-profit organization established in 1987 to serve the country in matters concerning engineering. Dr. Pengfei Liu Dr. Pengfei Liu received his M.Eng. and PhD in naval architecture at Memorial University, in 1991 and 1996, respectively, after completing his B.Eng. at Wuhan University of Technology, China in 1982.

DR. PENGFEI LIU

He has worked extensively in pioneering computational hydrodynamics and the development of specialty engineering software for marine propulsion and renewable energy, teaching undergraduate courses, and supervising research for postgraduate degrees. Gary Smith Gary Smith received his B.Eng. from Memorial in 1984. According to the CAE citation, he spent 37 years improving the utility system across North America and the Caribbean. His leadership through Hurricane Irma relief efforts earned him the Edison Electric Institute Emergency Assistance Award in 2018. His industry and community involvement are extensive, including vice-chair of the Strategic Steering Committee on Power Engineering for the Canadian Standards Association and chair of the board of directors of the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation in Newfoundland and Labrador. G A RY S M I T H

Congratulations to both alumni.

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ALUMNI

Engineering alumnus and donor born to make things work When Edward Pham (B.Eng.’90) arrived in Newfoundland from Vietnam by boat, he had just turned 16. The journey was not smooth sailing – far from it. It was a perilous journey. Mr. Pham says it was dangerously crowded, with 65 people on a 30-foot boat. They were refugees, fleeing South Vietnam in the years after the communist North Vietnam’s victory in the Vietnam War. “We spent six nights on the ocean. The mechanical pump [to keep water out of the boat] was not working properly. It was terrifying. Because I was the only person who wasn’t seasick, the captain asked me to go down below to keep the boat afloat.” As he descended the stairs, he thought about what his father told him before he left with the hope of a better life. He had fashioned a homemade flotation device made from the inside part of a soccer ball, and told his son that if something went wrong on the journey, to just hold on and float.

Mr. Pham had to first figure out how the pump worked. Then, his hand was pulled into the device and he cut three of his fingers. He was bleeding a little, but then, with water almost touching the engine, he got an electrical shock. “I could feel the electrical currents in my body,” he said. “But I still needed to fix that pump!” After those six death-defying days, the group landed on an oil rig just off the coast of Malaysia. They were taken to a refugee camp in Pulau Bidong, an island about 200 miles from Kuala Lumpur, where he stayed with 10,000 other people for about a month. He was then moved to a transit camp – a convent – where he stayed for about nine months. When he learned he would be transferred to St. John’s, N.L., he went to a map to find out where in the world he was going. “I remember the smile on my face when

the plane started to land and I started seeing evergreens. I was almost crying for joy thinking, ‘Oh my God, there are trees!” His first six months in St. John’s were spent learning English at Macpherson Junior High. He then enrolled in the full high school curriculum at Bishop’s College. “I took home every single textbook every night in an Adidas sports bag. I would highlight every word I didn’t understand, and then look it up in the dictionary,” Mr. Pham recalled about his quest to learn the new language. “Year two was easier and by year three I didn’t have to look up a lot. I remember one day the principal called me into his office and I thought, ‘Uh oh, what did I do?’ and he said, ‘We would like for you to be our valedictorian.’ So I said, ‘Yeah, no problem!’ I went home and looked up the word and my jaw just dropped.” After graduating from Memorial, Mr. Pham moved to Ottawa to pursue his master of engineering degree at Carleton University.

However, the younger Pham knew he couldn’t help float the boat and carry the device, so he gave it to one of his friends.

He eventually founded, REALIT Management Inc., in 1998.

“I had made the decision in that moment that I’d be willing to sink with the boat. I think the calmness that came over me once I made that decision gave me the strength to somehow stay focused on fixing the problem.”

Through the REALIT Management Scholarship in Engineering, Mr. Pham is contributing $150,000 to the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science over the next 10 years, and plans to make the award permanent. ■■■

E D W A R D P H A M A N D H I S S O U L M AT E , S T E F K A , AT T H E N AT I O N A L A R T S C E N T R E I N O T TA W A I N 2 0 1 8 .

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IN MEMORIAM

A tribute Remembering Dr. Tahir Husain

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Whether you met him in the hallways at Memorial University, in his office, in the laboratory or in the classroom, Dr. Tahir Husain always welcomed you with a smile and a cheerful greeting. Dr. Tahir Husain, known as a gentle soul with a big heart and an extraordinary mind, passed away suddenly on Jan. 26, 2022. Dr. Husain joined Memorial University and the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science as a civil engineering professor in 1995. Over the next 25 years, he became known as a kind-hearted, wise and selfless colleague, professor/supervisor and inspiring leader of colleagues, students and staff. “Dr. Husain was eager to share his research discoveries with others and especially with pride when they involved his students,” said Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “I worked most closely with him when he was the associate dean (research) in the faculty from 2014 to 2018. He shared far-sighted words of wisdom with me. “His dedication to helping others will be his long-lasting legacy – not only in teaching and supervising students, but as a mentor and role model for other faculty members.” Dr. Husain made outstanding contributions in research, teaching and administrative leadership to Memorial and the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. He served as associate dean, research from 2014-18. He was director of the executive master of business administration program in oil and gas engineering from 2009-10. He was chair of the board of studies for

the MASc. program in environmental engineering and applied science and MASc. program in environmental systems engineering and management, from 19962004 and 2005-08, respectively. He was chair of the civil engineering discipline from 2005-07 and director of continuing education from 2002-05. Dr. Husain received numerous research and project leadership awards and co-supervised over 50 graduate students. In particular, he made significant contributions in the areas of waste management and mitigation of air pollution. He published over 400 technical publications including more than 130 refereed journal articles. He led or co-led over 80 projects and was a respected consultant and advisor to various mining and oil and gas companies, government bodies, United Nations agencies, and other universities – for his expertise and groundbreaking contributions in the field. He received many institutional, national and international awards and recognitions during his long and illustrious career. Dr. Husain was also a visiting scientist at Harvard School of Public Health in 1995, and worked with the Research Institute at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia for 16 years (1979-95). Most recently, before his death, he led an international team to develop new oil spill response technologies to support Canada’s Ocean Protection Plan. His service to the UN after the Gulf War resulted in his highly cited book, Kuwaiti Oil Fires: Regional Environmental Perspectives. Until his untimely passing, he was dedicated to advancing the fields of civil

and environmental engineering while always aiming to help his students succeed. “An eternal optimist, Dr. Husain guided the civil engineering department in many different ways,” said Dr. Bipul Hawlader, current head, Department of Civil Engineering. “He always saw the positive sides of an individual to develop a stronger team. Just three days prior to his death, he was sharing his plans to accommodate students of varying backgrounds in the courses, developing new projects, and looking for ways to transfer his knowledge to the younger generation.” “My collaboration and friendship with Dr. Husain began in 2006 when he recruited me,” said Dr. Bing Chen, former head, Department of Civil Engineering and current acting associate dean, graduate studies. “We worked closely together and, to me, he was an outstanding scholar, a wonderful colleague, an important mentor and close friend! “We discussed our collaborative projects just before the holiday break and chatted about teaching and students only a few days before he passed away.” Dr. Husain will be remembered as someone who was passionate about supporting students and providing an exceptional learning experience for them. His vision, dedication, passion, encouragement and generosity impacted so many, as his family, friends, colleagues and students, from all over the world, remember him. Rest in peace, Dr. Husain. You are missed. ■■■

Dr. Greg Naterer Celebrating an esteemed leader Dr. Greg Naterer has served as dean of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial since 2012. Over the past 10 years he has been a strategic, forwardthinking leader who has shown strength, grace, insightfulness and thoughtfulness. As one of his first accomplishments as dean, Dr. Naterer led an engineering expansion strategic initiative that saw significant growth in enrolments, industry partnerships and research. The faculty’s prominence, nationally and internationally, was raised to new heights, and in Times Higher Education’s 2021 World University Ranking, Memorial’s engineering programs rose to first in industry partnerships and fourth overall among Canadian comprehensive universities. One of Dr. Naterer’s initial goals was to increase female enrolment. As part of his mandate over the past 10 years, he has increased opportunities for women in engineering and fostered a vibrant student learning experience. For four consecutive years, Newfoundland and Labrador had the highest percentage of female undergraduate engineering students in Canada, at 27 per cent. Dr. Naterer’s support to students over the years has also enabled their success in national and international competitions. In 2017, a team led by Memorial engineering students placed second in the world among hundreds of other teams at an international SpaceX Hyperloop Competition in Los Angeles. The team designed the world’s first high-speed, airlevitating hyperloop vehicle. Dr. Naterer has also made significant contributions beyond the walls of

engineering at Memorial through his work on committees that found solutions to difficult pan-university budgetary and pandemic challenges. He was the Dean of Record of the Faculty of Education from 2018-2019. In 2019, he chaired Memorial’s Budget Framework Committee, and, most recently in 2020, he led the university’s Pandemic Academic Planning Committee in response to COVD-19. Dr. Naterer co-led the creation of new interdisciplinary initiatives such the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship, in partnership with the Faculty of Business. The MCE, which was incepted in 2014, was named one of the top five emerging entrepreneurship centres in the world for two consecutive years by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers. The centre also includes initiatives to encourage and support women entrepreneurs. Even beyond Memorial’s St. John’s campus, Dr. Naterer was a strong ambassador for Memorial. He was chair of Canada’s National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science (NCDEAS) when significant improvements occurred in the accreditation system. He was editor-inchief of a prestigious international journal: the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ AIAA Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer. He was an active and dedicated volunteer in the community, including work with the Gathering Place and his time on the Board of Directors of the Dr. Jack Hand Legacy Foundation. He is a member of the Rotary Club of St. John’s East, where he has co-led water and literacy projects in

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Ghana, among other community projects in St. John’s. As for his research, Dr. Naterer has made significant contributions to mechanical engineering in the fields of energy systems, heat transfer and fluid mechanics. He has received numerous awards, including, most recently, the K.Y.Lo Medal of the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) for exceptional engineering contributions at an international level. He is a fellow of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), EIC, the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) and AIAA. Dr. Naterer’s legacy will stay with us long into the future as his outstanding leadership will continue to make positive impacts on the future of Engineering and Applied Science. ■■■

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