Benchmarks spring 2017 by Memorial University

Spring 2017

Giant Presence DR. ANGUS BRUNEAU 1935-2017

Building the Future

Breaking the Ice

Floating on Air

FROM THE DEAN

Welcome to the spring 2017 issue of Benchmarks. It has been another successful and exciting year of accomplishments here at Memorial Engineering. We continue our eight-year Dr. Greg Naterer strategic growth plan (2012-2021), where the P. E N G . , P H D , F C S M E , number of graduates from undergraduate FA S M E , F E I C , F C A E programs is growing by five to seven per Dean, Faculty of Engineering cent per year and the number of graduate and Applied Science students will nearly double. A massive new infrastructure project on campus – the new Core Science Facility (CSF) (425,000 sq ft) – enables a significant portion of this expansion with modern, world-class engineering facilities. It will mean additional space for laboratories, design studios and offices that will foster multi-disciplinary collaboration between science and engineering. In 2016, many of our faculty members received local, national and international awards and honours. The head of our Department of Process Engineering, Dr. Faisal Khan, was named Fellow of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering. Civil engineering professor Dr. Bing Chen was inducted into the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada. Electrical engineering professor Dr. Octavia Dobre and civil engineering professor Dr. Bipul Hawlader were named the Research Chairs in Subsea Communications and Seafloor Mechanics, respectively. We continue to expand and build new partnerships and collaborate with industry and other organizations, nationally and internationally. We attracted new research grants, contracts and chair positions that have made major, positive impacts on the province and internationally. Our students continue to excel in national and international competitions. One of our student teams, OpenLoop, placed among the top teams in the world with the most realistic and aerodynamic pod design at the first ever SpaceX Hyperloop Design Competition. They were only one of two teams with an air bearing capability and rated as the best aerodynamic shell, functionally and aesthetically.

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

S P R I N G 2 01 7 EDITOR Jackey Locke GRAPHIC DESIGN Mike Mouland CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Moira Baird Rebecca Cohoe Kelly Foss Vanessa Coish Jeff Green Kathryn Hong Jackey Locke Greg Naterer Riley Quinlan PHOTOGRAPHY Joe Barnard CBC Chris Hammond David Howells Kathryn Hong Jackey Locke Yuri Muzychka Debashish Saha Annette Whelan Benchmarks is a publication of Memorial University’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. Please address any questions, comments or suggestions to: Jackey Locke, editor Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science Memorial University

Electrical engineering student Katy Warren and mechanical engineering student Peter Snow placed second in the re-engineering category at the Canadian Engineering Competition. Civil engineering students Molly Noseworthy and Janice McCarthy placed second of 39 international teams at a mortar workability competition of the American Concrete Institute in Philadelphia.

240 Prince Phillip Drive St. John’s, NL A1B 3X5 Email: jackey.locke@mun.ca or telephone: 709 864 8287. Faculty-of-Engineering-and-

As you read through this issue, you will find many shining examples of our proud achievements by faculty, staff and students. We are excited to share our accomplishments over the past year with you and we look forward to more success in the year ahead. ■■■

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Applied-Science @MUN_Engineering

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

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Memorial University has one of the premier

Over the past 10 years, engineering graduate

engineering schools in Canada. Using a co-operative

enrolment has been explosive — from 247 graduate

education model, the faculty has six accredited

students in 2006 to approximately 650 students

undergraduate engineering programs. Our co-

in 2016. The 163 per cent increase is the result

op programs are among the best in Canada

of new innovative programs, increased funding

and provide students with valuable experiential

levels and new faculty hires. It is anticipated that

learning opportunities and up to two years of

engineering graduate student enrolment will reach

practical work experience prior to graduation.

nearly 800 students by the year 2021.

Our undergraduate programs include:

The faculty is home to state-of-the-art laboratories,

· · · · ·

Civil Engineering

such as the Autonomous Ocean Systems Laboratory;

Computer Engineering

Health, Safety and Risk Research Laboratory;

Electrical Engineering

Manufacturing

Mechanical Engineering

Engineering Research Laboratories; Thermo-Fluids

Ocean and Naval Architectural

Laboratory; Structures Laboratory; Enhanced Oil

Engineering

Recovery Laboratory; Advanced Drilling Laboratory;

Process Engineering

Multimedia Communications Laboratory and the

Ocean Students also have the option of taking offshore

Technology

Engineering

FEATURES

CIVIL ENGINEERING

Centre;

Research

Contents

AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Computer

Centre,

among

ENGINEERING

The faculty has a strong and proud history and reputation for excellence in engineering research

The Faculty’s graduate programs include research

and education. Our researchers aim to make a

thesis-based programs at the master’s (M.Eng.)

major positive impact on the community, economy,

and doctoral (PhD) levels in:

job creation and the environment – with a special

· · · · ·

Civil Engineering

obligation to the people of Newfoundland and

Computer Engineering

Labrador. Our strategic areas of focus are energy,

Electrical Engineering

ocean technology, environment and sustainable

Mechanical Engineering

infrastructure, and information and communication

Ocean and Naval Architectural

technology.

Engineering

square-foot R&D centre for offshore engineering,

Oil and Gas Engineering

which

The

faculty

supports whereby

also

has

collaborative

our

researchers

11,700-

environment and

students

Annual Graduate Student Enrolment

engineering problems.

AWARDS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

650

One of the primary outcomes of our research

600

is the education and training of highly

550 500

qualified personnel. Researchers aim to

450 400

generate new knowledge and understanding

350

that will lead to the creation of new products

300 250

and technologies. It combines the efforts

200 150

100

researchers,

graduate

students

and

entrepreneurs. Our research programs are

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Year

2012

2013

2014

2015

finding new solutions to global problems

2016

and educating future innovators and leaders in society.

In addition, the faculty also offers course-based master’s programs in:

Our faculty members are leading researchers,

· ·

Computer Engineering

internationally

Environmental Systems Engineering

and Management

have

Oil and Gas Engineering

grants and contracts from industry, government

The faculty also offers a graduate diploma in:

Safety and Risk Engineering

their

renowned,

respective

secured

fields braod

and other organizations.

■■■

and of

award-winning, research.

range

They

research

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

GRADUATE STUDENTS

700

PROCESS ENGINEERING

collaborate with industry to solve challenging Engineering Graduate Student Enrolment 2006-2016

OCEAN AND NAVAL ARCHITECTURAL

oil and gas engineering electives, which are

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

numerous others.

available in all six undergraduate programs.

ELECTRICAL

ALUMNI

F EOAT C V EURR E

Giant presence FOUNDING DEAN OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE PASSES AWAY AT 81 Dr. Angus Bruneau, founding dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial, has passed away at the age of 81. Dr. Bruneau was an extraordinary visionary and made many outstanding contributions to the faculty and Memorial University during his time as dean, from 1969-74. CONTRIBUTIONS Dr. Bruneau became the founding dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial University in 1969. He introduced one of the first co-operative education programs in engineering in the country and created C-CORE, today a world-renowned research organization in remote sensing, ice engineering and geotechnical engineering. After leaving Memorial, Dr. Bruneau founded Fortis Inc. in 1987 and served as its president and CEO from 1987-1996 and chairman of the board of directors from 1998-2006. Fortis Inc. began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 14, 2016. Today, it is one of the top 15 power utilities in North America, with over $48 billion in assets, 3.2 million customers and revenues of over $6.8 billion per year. He was an officer of the Order of Canada, member of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador, president of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the holder of honorary doctorates from Memorial, Dalhousie University and the University of Waterloo. His leadership was inspirational, his accomplishments, many, and legacy profound. HISTORY In the 1930s, the engineering program at Memorial was a diploma program. Graduates went to other institutions to complete their engineering degrees. In the late 1960s, thendean Stanley Carew and Dr. Moses Morgan, vice-president of Memorial, proposed the

idea of a full degree-granting engineering program at Memorial. Concepts and opinions from engineering deans across Canada were solicited. It was Dr. Doug Wright at the University of Waterloo, who recommended Dr. Bruneau, a young, energetic, exceptionally talented faculty member at the University of Waterloo, as the best person for the job of starting up the new co-op engineering program at Memorial. Dr. Bruneau launched the new undergraduate program, administrative structure of the faculty, and soon thereafter graduate studies, master’s programs in 1969 and PhD studies in ocean engineering in 1971. Dr. Bruneau recognized that cold oceans engineering and oil and gas would become very important for the province, and for Memorial. His plans for engineering at Memorial reflected that vision.

prosperity in the province that has resulted from the offshore industry, as well as power utilities like Fortis, have happened to a significant extent as a result of Dr. Bruneau’s visionary leadership. W H AT H E M E A N T T O U S After Dr. Bruneau moved on in 1975 to new endeavours, he remained an inspiration to the Memorial community, and a generous benefactor, particularly of students. Dr. Bruneau and his wife, Jean, have made record-setting donations of many millions to Memorial, including the Student Leadership and Innovation Fund and the Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, among others.

To me, he has been a personal inspiration to lead our faculty to even greater heights. I’ve often felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of his career accomplishments. He was the founding dean and I’m the current dean. His shoes always seemed too large for me to try to fill. But this has inspired me, to always seek to innovate in new ways in our programs, become international DR. BRUNEAU HAS BEEN A PERSONAL leaders in strategic areas, for me to I N S P I R AT I O N T O become a better strategic thinker, L E A D O U R FA C U LT Y and set our goals higher than we ever T O E V E N G R E AT E R thought we could achieve.

DR. ANGUS BRUNEAU

HEIGHTS. I’VE OFTEN F E LT O V E R W H E L M E D BY THE MAGNITUDE OF HIS CAREER A C C O MP LISH ME NTS . D R . G R E G N AT E R E R

When he became dean, Dr. Bruneau’s vision led to pioneering research projects, such as iceberg hazards and the first study of iceberg towing in 1970. The study, which was led by Dr. Bruneau, towed seven icebergs in 18 days at sea. The study was supported by a number of oil companies, and initiated further studies of the movement of icebergs, ocean radar and remote sensing. With major investments from the National Research Council (NRC), other government agencies and industry, Memorial University and St. John’s became a hub for cold oceans research and development, leading to the creation of C-CORE at Memorial. In addition, the NRC Institute — today called the NRC Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering — was moved from Ottawa to St. John’s. These were all projects for which Dr. Bruneau campaigned, both behind the scenes and in public. These projects and subsequent work done by NRC and C-CORE were significant factors that eventually led to the province’s first major offshore project, Hibernia. The economic

As a person, he was a brilliant and a visionary thinker. He was approachable, warm and friendly, with a great sense of humor and was always considerate to others. He was a gifted communicator, always strategically thinking several steps ahead. He was a visionary leader with a keen business sense. I’ve never experienced such an incredible range of talents in a person before. He will always remain a role model for me and many of my colleagues. Our faculty has amazing students, faculty and staff. We have a great work environment and pride in our programs. I believe the legacy left behind by Dr. Bruneau is a major reason for this. Our rich history and reputation of excellence in engineering education and research was built on the legacy left by Dr. Bruneau. Since those first graduates in 1974, we’ve grown to more than 1,300 undergraduate students, six accredited undergraduate programs, 18 graduate programs, $16 million per year in research funding, 630 graduate students and exciting growth. Words alone cannot express how much of an immense contribution Dr. Bruneau has made to our faculty, the university and the province, and how his giant presence will be missed.

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F E AT U R E

Building the future Federal and provincial funding supports construction of core science facility

Memorial’s state-of-the-art Core Science Facility has received $125 million in joint federal-provincial funding, an unprecedented level of support that will significantly advance Memorial’s teaching, learning and research capacity across multiple disciplines.

from the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Memorial University will be responsible for the remaining project costs.

The announcement was made on June 23, 2016 by Dwight Ball, premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Judy Foote, minister of Public Services and Procurement and member of parliament for Bonavista–Burin–Trinity.

Once complete, the new core science facility will greatly contribute to creating a more contemporary and integrated learning and research environment that fosters inventive scientific thinking and practices. By allowing the university to advance new teaching and research mandates, the infrastructure will also support student and faculty recruitment and retention initiatives.

The total estimated global project budget is $325 million, with $99,855,277 coming from the Government of Canada through the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component–National and Regional Projects, and $25,144,723 coming

The new facility will include new research and laboratory teaching spaces, an adaptable shell space for university and industry collaborations, offices and meeting rooms, and a series of open public spaces to encourage group discussion and academic partnership.

A RENDERING OF THE NEW C O R E S C I E N C E FA C I L I T Y.

The research and teaching space will be 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 and labs from the Core Research Equipment and Instrument Training (CREAIT) Network. The building will also contain Technical Services’ Cryogenics Facility, the Faculty of Science’s Central Stores Facility and an aquatics facility that is part of Memorial University’s Animal Care Facilities. It will also promote inter- and multidisciplinary approaches to science and engineering, maximizing the flow of information and interaction among and within disciplines. ■■■

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A space to grow Midway through the initiative to double the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science between 2012 and 2021, incremental space in the new Core Science Facility will mean additional space for laboratories, design studios and offices. “The number of graduates from undergraduate programs is growing by five to seven per cent per year, from about 160 in 2012 to 250 in 2021,” said Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “Also, the number of graduate students will nearly double from about 360 in 2012 to 700 in 2021. The Core Science Facility will enable a significant portion of this growth with modern, world-class engineering facilities.” Dr. Dennis Peters is the head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), and outlined numerous benefits of the new facility for ECE students and professors. “The move to the new Core Science Facility will definitely enhance the teaching and learning environment,” said Dr. Peters. “Our students and professors will benefit from an increase in teaching and research laboratory space, including a teaching computer laboratory designed to accommodate a variety of teaching styles, such as flipped classroom, pair and small group work. Our students will also benefit from new junior and senior design studios.” Dr. Octavia Dobre is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Research Chair in

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Subsea Communications. She is quite excited that her department will move into the facility. “Moving to the new Core Science Facility will further motivate and encourage excellence from our students, professors and staff,” she said. “The layout of the laboratories, classrooms and offices will stimulate more collaboration between faculty and industry partners in multidisciplinary projects, as well as create more opportunities of interaction between research lab projects and teaching activities, with the involvement of both graduate and undergraduate students.” Another electrical and computer engineering professor, Dr. John Quaicoe, believes the new building will encourage collaborative research activities among the various research areas within the department. “The relocation of the electrical and computer engineering department to the new Core Science Facility will provide an opportunity for the department to have state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for teaching and research,” said Dr. Quaicoe. “It will also mean new space to facilitate innovative undergraduate teaching methodologies,” he said. The provincial and federal governments have invested a joint $125-million in the development of the Core Science Facility. When complete, the building will include new research and laboratory teaching spaces, an adaptable shell space for university and industry collaborations, offices and meeting rooms and a series of open public spaces to encourage group discussion and academic partnership. ■■■

Tender cancelled; will be revised, reissued Midway through the initiative to double the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science between 2012 and 2021, incremental space in the new Core Science Facility will mean additional space for laboratories, design studios and offices. The provincial and federal governments have invested a joint $125-million in the development of the Core Science Facility. When complete, the building will include new research and laboratory teaching spaces, an adaptable shell space for university and industry collaborations, offices and meeting rooms and a series of open public spaces to encourage group discussion and academic partnership. ■■■

CIVIL ENGINEERING

Hidden Value

From industrial garbage to offshore oil spill cleaner Each year, approximately 100,000 tons of shrimp are landed by Newfoundland and Labrador’s fish harvesters. With that comes approximately 40 per cent of unused byproduct. Although much of the industrial waste is transformed into value-added products, a research team in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science is working to find the hidden value in the remainder. “Shrimp wastes generally contain a significant percentage of protein and calcium,” said Dr. Helen Zhang, an associate professor in the faculty and the lead researcher on the project. “The relative abundance and high protein content make shrimp waste a promising resource for producing peptide-based dispersants.” Dr. Zhang and her team acquire shrimp waste from local processing plants. They then treat the raw materials to generate an environmentally friendly dispersant – a dissipating, or scattering, agent, to combat offshore oil spills. A dispersant’s key component is surfactant molecules.

When used to clean up a spill, the dispersants start working immediately to break up the oil layers, or oil slicks, into small droplets, which increases the solubility of the oil into water. Once oil hits the water, the natural bacteria, or other microorganisms, in the marine environment can degradate the oil, but it is difficult for the microorganisms to treat the layers of oil. That’s where the dispersant comes into play. “We ‘disperse’ the oil layers into smaller droplets, which is easier for biodegradation,” said Dr. Zhang. “Eventually, the dissolved oil can be converted into carbon dioxide and water. “The significantly less toxicity and effective dispersion demonstrated that this dispersant is an environmentally friendly alternative,” she continued. “It could achieve effective dispersion even at low salinity and under low temperature, which makes it applicable in harsh environments.” Dr. Zhang says she and her team use enzyme-based hydrolysis, which is the chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water. Essentially, that means

they introduce enzymes to induce the extraction of proteins from the wastes. The hydrolysate liquids then go through further treatment to become dispersants. Dr. Zhang came up with the idea to use shrimp waste as a green means of cleaning up oil spills when she was conducting biosurfactant work. “In 2002, I was investigating the chemical structures of biosurfactant molecules and how they can be produced,” she said. “From there I started to think about how the green surfactants could be applied to solve reallife environmental problems. At the time, Dr. Zhang was using the molecules for soil and groundwater remediation. When she arrived in St. John’s to take up her position at Memorial, she started to explore how the molecules might work to help clean up offshore oil spills. It was then that she adapted her existing studies to the development of green dispersants for use in the offshore oil industry. “I attempt to not only treat the shrimp wastes, but to convert them into green products, into something useful.” ■■■

WEIYUN LIN, DR. HELEN ZHANG, XING SONG AND JOY ZHU.

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Combatting oil spills Laboratory recognized worldwide for pioneering marine pollution control Dr. Bing Chen, a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, established and leads the Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory - the first of its kind in Canada. NRPOP is recognized worldwide for its pioneering research on persistent and toxic organic pollutants, such as oils and pesticides, and their pollution mitigation in cold regions and harsh marine environments. Operational or accidental releases of these pollutants, especially from petrochemical, energy and ocean industries, pose significant risks to humans and ecosystems and have long-term negative effects on aquatic environments. “There have been substantial concerns since the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Dr. Chen. “Eleven people were killed and over 10,000 square kilometres of sea covered by 4.9 million barrels of crude oil when a Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank.” The tragedy is considered the worst oil spill in U.S. history. In recent years, Dr. Chen and his team have made important research breakthroughs and significant contributions to help prevent a similar tragedy from happening again. The NRPOP consists of world-class research expertise and facilities dedicated to innovation and creativity through integrating environmental engineering approaches with nano-/bio-technologies and advanced physical/numerical modeling methods.

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Researchers have developed a series of integrated advanced oxidation processes and novel enhancement technologies, such as ultraviolet, LED and ultrasonic irradiation, hybrid catalysts (nano-size) and impinging stream reactions to remove dissolved, persistent and toxic hydrocarbons and other chemicals and bacteria from oil wastewater. “In addition to treatment technologies, we have also developed and tested new kinetics models for competitive and enhanced oxidation processes,” said Dr. Chen. “The success of our testing has attracted great attention and financial support from private and public sectors and collaboration worldwide.” NRPOP researchers are also developing a set of new bio-markers, bio-dispersants and nano-/bio-remediation technologies which are presenting new-generation, cost-effective and eco-friendly solutions for cleaning up oil spills as quickly and efficiently as possible. The work has received significant interest from the petroleum industry and regulators within Canada and beyond. “We have developed and tested bacteria and genetically mutated strains for oil degradation and biosurfactant production, and established and applied new agentbased dynamic risk-simulation-optimization coupling approaches to help responders make more efficient, real-time and optimal response decisions in cold and harsh conditions,” said Dr. Chen. High cost and low efficiency are significant hurdles for fuel cells to be economical energy alternatives. Meanwhile, industrial oily wastewater presents a major and costly treatment challenge, but is also a cheap and

DR. BING CHEN.

relatively abundant source of electrons for microbes capable of producing electricity. Dr. Chen and his team have developed new highly porous and conductive nano-materials (MOF-Sina) and applied them to create a novel microbial fuel cell to treat wastewater and generate electricity simultaneously. “We are also testing a group of selected and mutated bacteria to enhance bioelectrochemical reactions and make the fuel cell more cost-efficient,” Dr. Chen said. Dr. Chen is currently developing several new international R&D initiatives through collaboration with researchers and partners across the world, including the U.S., Norway, China and Brazil. NRPOP will continue to play a leading role in the country and increase its scientific and practical impacts on managing operational marine wastewater and responding to accidental oil spills in harsh environments worldwide. The ultimate goals of NRPOP are to support sustainable development of our energy and ocean industries and protect marine and coastal environments in the long term and to help establish Canada as one of the leading countries in the field. ■■■

ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

D R . G A R Y K A C H A N O S K I A N D D R . G LY N G E O R G E .

Dr. Glyn George receives President’s Award for his distinguished teaching

Dr. Glyn George has received the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, which recognizes continued teaching excellence and outstanding achievement in teaching effectiveness.

overall at Memorial. He has been very involved in developing and reshaping several academic regulations and policies related to the undergraduate engineering programs.

A professor of electrical and computer engineering at Memorial since 1988, Dr. George is well known for his teaching methods and organization.

Dr. George teaches core mathematics and statistics at the undergraduate level and his class sizes are some of the largest in the faculty. He has also taught one mathematics course at the graduate level.

His students know him as the professor who goes the extra mile to help them succeed by staying after class to answer questions and offering extended office hours. His colleagues respect him not only for his dedication and commitment to teaching and his students, but also for his impact on the engineering program

The 2016 Newfoundland Electrical and Computer Engineering Conference (NECEC 2016) marked its 25th anniversary this past year. This year’s conference brought together a diverse, technical program and explored a wide range of technologies, including process control, automation, electrical distribution, computer networks and consumer devices.

S TA N M A R S H A L L U P D AT E S D E L E G R AT E S O N T H E M U S K R AT FA L L S P R O J E C T.

St. John’s electrical engineering conference celebrated 25 years

“The conference is designed to provide students with an opportunity to present and build linkages with private sector companies,” said William O’Keefe, conference chair. “Over 50 presentations and eight posters were delivered during the one day conference.” The theme for this year’s conference was innovation and entrepreneurship. Keynote speakers included Emad Raskalla, founder and CEO of Bluedrop Performance

“I feel privileged to have been permitted a career here in Engineering at MUN, where I can concentrate on my strengths in (and passion for) teaching and academic service,” said Dr. George. “I am grateful to those who nominated me for this award and for their support and many kind words.” ■■■

Learning, who spoke about the skills and focus areas required to convert a good idea into a profitable and growing business. To celebrate the milestone year, the awards luncheon was replaced with a gala dinner. The speaker for the gala was Stan Marshall, president and CEO, Nalcor Energy, who provided an engaging and illuminating talk on the fiscal issues surrounding the development of the Muskrat Falls project. NECEC was organized by the Newfoundland and Labrador section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The conference brings presenters from industry and academia together to highlight the impressive work that is being done in Newfoundland and Labrador in the areas of electrical and computer engineering. More information is available at http:// necec.engr.mun.ca. ■■■

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While it may seem a little odd for an engineering professor to have an academic interest in ants and bees, Dr. Andrew Vardy is quick to point out that engineers can learn a lot from the insects. “They are interesting as inspirations to engineers because of how their colonies function,” he said. Social insect colonies are fault-tolerant, which means they can survive even if some individual members get sick or die; they are scalable, which means they have the capacity to continue even while the number of members go up or down; and they are adaptable, which means members can change their behavior in response to a changing environment.

D R . A N D R E W V A R D Y.

Strategic importance SOCIAL INSECTS PROVIDE INSIGHT FOR ROBOT DEVELOPERS

“Current robot technology is generally not fault-tolerant, scalable or adaptive,” said Dr. Vardy, who is joint appointed with the Faculty’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Faculty of Science’s Department of Computer Science. “So, it seems that robotics can learn a lot from the social insects.” Dr. Vardy’s main research area is swarm robotics, which is the development of multi-robot systems inspired by social insects that live together in colonies and build incredibly sophisticated structures given their limited individual capabilities. One recent outcome of his research is an improved algorithm for swarms of simple robots to sort objects. This is tested by deploying robots in an environment containing a random distribution of coloured pucks. “The robots have cameras to detect and classify the pucks, as well as to sense other robots, and apply relatively simple control laws to sort the pucks by colour,” he said. “For example, a simple controller picks up isolated pucks and puts them down next to clusters of pucks of the same colour. But, we can go

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further by remembering locations and programming the robots to return to previously visited clusters of pucks.” In contrast to previous work, these robots can remember places within their environment and return to them, similar to how bees and ants behave. Ultimately, Dr. Vardy says the intended application is recycling. Instead of a large dedicated recycling facility, such as the one in Robin Hood Bay in St. John’s, swarms of robots would be applied to sort out different types of plastic and metal containers. He says the inspiration from insects leads to a scalable system, which means the concept can be applied in large or small communities. “This is quite relevant in Newfoundland and Labrador where there are many small, remote communities. The remoteness of these communities is often a barrier to the use of traditional recycling methods.” Dr. Vardy says one of his students is programming robots to form into moving patterns, sweeping across an environment, such as the seabed, and capturing images. Another is looking at how a single human can control a whole swarm of semi-autonomous robots. The main purpose of the research is to program swarms of robots to modify the environment. Now that the puck-sorting robots have been tested, the researchers want to move on to building structures with robots. “One of my students is programming robots to re-shape terrain by driving across it. We want to take inspiration from insects that modify their environments to help support their colonies. Ultimately, we want to develop robot swarms that can help us clean up and re-shape our environment.” ■■■

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Breaking the ice CARD CHAIR IN ICE MECHANICS FOCUSING ON ARCTIC, SUB-ARCTIC D R . R O C K Y TAY L O R W I T H T E A M .

Dr. Rocky Taylor has had a fascination with ice since he was a kid growing up in a small community northwest of St. Anthony, N.L., known as the iceberg capital of the world. “Growing up in Raleigh, I developed an intense curiosity about nature at an early age, along with a great deal of respect for the potential hazards it can create,” he said. “In the winter, many outdoor winter activities were carried out on the ice in the harbour and nearby bays. Sea ice and icebergs were just part of the backdrop of everyday life for much of the year. Working on and around ice is something that is not only a great professional interest for me, but it also serves to keep me connected to my roots in northern Newfoundland.” These days; however, Dr. Taylor’s fascination with ice isn’t for playing children’s games. As an assistant professor (mechanical engineering) and the CARD (Centre for Arctic Resource Development) Chair in Ice Mechanics, he now collaborates with international industry and academic partners to conduct large-scale experiments and theoretical studies of ice failure processes in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.

His research focuses on three thematic areas: ice-structure interactions, ice failure properties and behaviour and field characterization of ice environmental conditions. “We have been investigating the role of temperature, interaction rate, scale and structural compliance in the synchronization of ice failures that can trigger ice-induced vibrations on structures,” said Dr. Taylor. “We have conducted experimental and numerical analyses to improve our understanding of the physics of fracture and localized changes to the ice microstructure (damage), which results in drastic changes to local ice material properties near the contact interface. To help verify that findings from desktop and laboratory studies translate to full-scale interactions, carrying out field tests and data collection programs are crucial. Building on past field work in the Northumberland Strait, the Caspian Sea and the Barents Sea, Dr. Taylor works closely with his colleagues at CARD to collect new field data offshore Labrador and in northern Newfoundland. “In our current field work, we are conducting large scale experiments to improve our understanding of fracture processes that limit loads during interactions between ice and structures/ships,” explained Dr. Taylor. “This includes the collection of new ice failure strength data to study the effects of scale and in situ conditions on ice flexural and compressive strength. “This work will significantly increase our understanding of links between ice failure processes, structural response and associated ice loads. New probabilistic approaches for modelling fracture, as well as estimating local and global design ice pressures have also been developed, which are important in helping link risk-based design methods with the underpinning physics of ice failure and ultimately in supporting the safe, economic development of resources in our new frontier offshore regions.” ■■■

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MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Wind in their sails Nain project prepares new graduates for realworld collaboration A community-based final project provided both inspiration and an opportunity to apply technical concepts they learned in class, say some recent Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science graduates. All mechanical engineering students are required to complete a final project. While there are a broad range of choices available, including both theoretical and applied projects, Sara King, along with classmates Zachary Green, Erin Perfect and Craig MacInnis, felt strongly that they wanted to work on a real-life challenge. As Ms. King explained, “Working on a real problem makes it easier to relate and to work towards a solution,” said Ms. King. “It provides you with a goal.” After a discussion with their professor, Dr. Kevin Pope, the team decided to focus their attention on an ongoing problem: how to provide reliable power to rural and remote areas of Newfoundland and Labrador. “We looked at integrating renewable energy resources into the community of Nain,” Ms. King said. “They’re an off-the-grid community, which means they aren’t connected to the provincial energy grid. Generating electricity within the community is a big problem.” The only source of energy for the residents of Nain is diesel fuel. Optimizing a renewable energy source and diesel generator power system for Nain by integrating renewable energy sources to their current system would lessen the community’s dependency on diesel, which would lower costs per household. For the project, the students worked closely with Dr. Pope and representatives from Nalcor Energy. The students considered wind energy and energy storage as the primary options for integration, and did the majority of their analysis using HOMER software, which was created for the design and optimization of hybrid energy systems.

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They also considered proper inputs, such as wind and load data, renewable energy systems manufacturer information and cost and analyzed the annual electrical load and wind resources available in Nain. After thorough research, wind turbines were deemed an economically feasible option for the community, where cost saving is measured though reduction in fuel consumption. The students also conducted an informal question-and-answer session with a Nain resident to gain a better understanding of how residents of the community would feel about the installation of wind turbines there. Once complete, the students said that they were impressed by the degree of difficulty of the project, as well as the team work required for a relatively small project such as this one. Dr. Pope isn’t surprised that the project gave the students a different experience than what they were accustomed to. Aside from the chance to apply their technical skills, applied projects help add a tangible element to students’ work. “Community projects provide students with valuable exposure to potential career paths, technological limitations and socio-economic considerations,” he said, “They’re generally quite delighted to collaborate on real-life projects and enthusiastic to apply their skills outside the classroom.” ■■■

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Safety at Sea Industrial research chair established at Memorial to improve safety at sea

based Virtual Marine Technology, which will provide in-kind support. As the research chair, Dr. Veitch will bring a strong practical perspective to the program using simulators that he and his team have developed as virtual marine environments to investigate human performance in offshore settings. Training of master’s and doctoral students will be a key element of the chair program. The students will work with Dr. Veitch, each other and industry partners to develop new marine simulation technologies in the area of safety at sea. “The simulators will have a dual purpose and will reinforce each other,” said Dr. Veitch. “They will provide a research setting to enable studies of human factors in offshore emergencies and other safety critical operations, and training tools to enable the transfer and mobilization of knowledge to the offshore workforce where it can have immediate impact.” Dr. Ray Gosine, vice-president (research), pro tempore, Memorial University, says the appointment further enhances Memorial’s reputation for excellence in ocean engineering research and education.

DR. BRIAN VEITCH.

“Memorial has a longstanding relationship with industry collaborators to develop innovative solutions to key technical challenges,” said Dr. Gosine. “The ongoing work of faculty members such as Dr. Veitch strengthens Memorial’s capacity in the area of marine simulation. Through this new appointment, Dr. Veitch and his graduate students will provide industry with critical insights into improving operational safety and effectiveness in harsh offshore environments. I wish him much success in his future research activities.”

Dr. Brian Veitch, an ocean and naval architectural engineering professor, has been appointed as the NSERC/Husky Energy Industrial Research Chair in Safety at Sea.

Dr. Veitch has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Memorial University. He completed his doctorate at the Helsinki University of Technology, and has been a professor in the Department of Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering since 1998. His current research focuses on the human elements of safety using the simulators that he and his research team have created. He says he is looking forward to fulfilling the mandate of the chair to improve safety for individuals who work at sea.

Over a five-year period, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Husky will each contribute $550,000, the Research & Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador (RDC) will contribute $500,000 and Memorial will provide $1 million in collaboration with St. John’s-

“I’m very lucky and grateful,” said Dr. Veitch. “Husky and VMT are great partners. We’re going to move this research from the lab to practical applications for the workplace. With their support, and the support of NSERC, RDC and Memorial University, our research team here has a wonderful opportunity to innovate.” ■■■

Significant investments totalling more than $2.6 million from industry, government and Memorial University will help to improve offshore safety of human and workplace performance while at sea.

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International reach The National Network for Innovative Shipbuilding and Marine Research and Training (iSMART) workshops took place at the University of British Columbia this past July and at Memorial University in September. W O R K S H O P PA R T I C I PA N T S

Meeting of the minds Memorial’s Ocean Engineering Research Centre (OERC) and the Department of Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering (ONAE) co-hosted a high-profile NATO specialist team workshop on Polar Ship Design and Safety with Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND). The workshop was formed in response to identified ship operation issues reported by the NATO Extreme Environment Capabilities Working Group. The workshop validated not only Memorial’s, but also the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science’s place as a world leader in ocean, offshore and Arctic technology. Faculty collaborated with international organizations, engaged in national and international naval projects and explored ways to expand its ONAE program. The workshop, supported by the National Research Council’s Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering (NRC-OCRE), OceansAdvance and Fleetway, was also an opportunity for Memorial and its partners, such as NRC-OCRE, C-CORE and private companies like Oceanic Consulting Corporation and American Bureau of Shipping, to showcase their advances in this field.

The main goal of the workshops was to create a formalized national network of excellence in innovative shipbuilding, marine research and training. The workshops were designed to encourage collaborative and innovative research among stakeholders from Canadian universities and colleges, research institutions, government agencies and the private sector to identify needs, capabilities and gaps in shipbuilding and marine technology and research. The Vancouver workshop highlighted the research needs and priorities of industry as well as national research experience and capacity. It also identified opportunities, challenges and gaps in the Canadian shipbuilding and marine industry with respect to research and training, and developed long-term strategies. The result will be the formulation of a plan outlining the road towards the development of a national strategic partnership in innovative shipbuilding and marine research and training. The St. John’s workshop provided an overview of the Vancouver sessions and finalized the network structure, developed research themes and leads, identified program and funding opportunities and determined action items and next steps. The workshops are financially sponsored by NSERC, Memorial University and the University of British Columbia, and supported by the Government of Canada, VARD Marine, Defence Research and Development Canada and Genoa Design International. ■■■

The team focused on topics related to ship design and operations in Arctic environments, including design of ships for strength and sustainability, machinery and fluid impacts, naval safety codes, off-board vehicle considerations, environmental compliance, winterization/survivability, human factors in cold environments, towing operations in harsh environments, assessment of the capability of non ice-strengthened vessels, reliability issues and casualty repairs. Experts from NATO’s naval engineering organizations participated in the workshop, including Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization, Netherland Ministry of Defence, US Naval Sea System Command, Defense Research and Development Canada Atlantic, and Canadian DND, among others. ■■■

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C C G S G E O R G E R . P E A R K E S I N I C E C O V E R E D W AT E R S C O M I N G T H R O U G H T H E N A R R O W S I N S T. J O H N ’ S .

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Working toward ‘greener’ ships A research project led by Memorial University’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science has the potential to make a significant impact on the worldwide shipping industry while helping protect the environment. Dr. Heather Peng, an associate professor in the Department of Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering, has developed a new computer simulation tool that could help transform how large boats operate. It’s all part of a growing area of research called green ship technology. “My research focuses on hydrodynamic performance of ships and marine structures,” Dr. Peng explained. “The program I have developed allows for optimization of a ship hull form to reduce resistance and therefore fuel consumption as well as CO2 emissions.” D R . H E AT H E R P E N G .

Globally, the marine industry is harnessing the power of new technology to allow them to operate vessels more efficiently and as environmentally friendly as possible. “Our goal is to help ship designers to build better ships with lower operational costs and emissions,” added Dr. Peng, who joined Memorial in 2008. Prior to that, she worked as a senior technical researcher in private industry in Nova Scotia and with a local company in St. John’s. She has also authored and co-authored numerous papers and reports on marine hydrodynamics. Since joining Memorial, she has secured national funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada focused on her research. Dr. Peng says her studies have already proven to have valuable industry implications. “The research led to a more efficient and accurate tool to predict ship resistance,” she said while holding a fishing vessel model made by Memorial’s Department of Technical Services, a unit within the Office of the Vice-President (Research).

Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science is well known for its leading-edge research focused on addressing industry challenges. The Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering program is unique in Canada and the only one in the world that offers a fully accredited co-operative program. Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, considers Memorial to be Canada’s premier centre for ocean engineering education and research. He says Newfoundland and Labrador’s unique geography – located in the mid-North Atlantic and close to four distinct cold ocean zones – allows researchers to conduct leading-edge research on ocean technology in harsh ocean environments. “The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science has a long proud tradition of excellence in engineering education and research,” said Dr. Naterer. “Researchers such as Dr. Peng are turning great ideas into solutions that benefit our industry partners and provincial economy.”

“The new design tool overcomes challenges in design predictions for ships with transom sterns – the flat surface that forms the stern of a vessel,” she added.

For her part, Dr. Peng says she’s proud to play a role in advancing Memorial’s reputation for green ship technology.

“With this improvement, it is now possible to optimize the design features of ships. Among further applications, I plan to extend the research to improve the energy saving for fishing vessels.”

“My next area of focus will be on ship-propeller interaction to reduce the energy consumption and environment impact due to noise and vibration from propellers,” she noted. ■■■

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PROCESS ENGINEERING

Memorial University’s research capacity in the offshore oil industry is expanding through the appointment of two new research chairs. Dr. Enamul Hossain, an associate professor of process engineering, was appointed as the Statoil Chair in Reservoir Engineering and Dr. Sohrab Zendehboudi, an assistant professor of process engineering, was appointed as the Statoil Chair in Reservoir Analysis. The research chairs will expand research and educational initiatives and mentor master’s and doctoral students to become highly-qualified personnel in the areas of study. Statoil and the Research & Development Corporation (RDC) previously announced they are each contributing $500,000 per chair over a fiveyear period. Dr. Hossain will focus on reservoir engineering, management, characterization, simulation, subsurface drilling and new technologies in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. Dr. Zendehboudi will examine long-term and optimal oil recovery methods from the province’s reservoirs, with a focus on efficient reservoir characterization methods as well as optimized oil production from complex offshore fields.

DR. ENAMUL HOSSAIN AND DR. SOHRAB ZENDEHBOUDI.

Two Statoil Chairs appointed at Memorial

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Dr. Hossain and Dr. Zendehboudi are looking forward to becoming an integral part of the growing cluster of excellence in petroleum engineering research and education at Memorial. “There is a strong industry need for more petroleum engineers who are technically capable, environmentally conscientious and fiscally prudent to face today’s challenges,” said Dr. Hossain. “We must improve efficiencies because of hydrocarbon resources limitations, and reduce the costs of reservoir exploration and development. Also, there are challenges faced by the petroleum industry in reducing the risks and uncertainties while dealing with reservoir engineering and asset management. These are areas where I plan to focus my efforts as the Statoil Chair in Reservoir Engineering.” “I am honoured and pleased to serve as the Statoil Chair in Reservoir Analysis at Memorial,” said Dr. Zendehboudi. “This new research program is exciting with challenging short- and long-term outcomes. I look forward to working in partnership with Statoil to develop an innovative research program that focuses on reservoir and fluids characterization of offshore reservoirs. One of my goals is to enhance our research and teaching environment for Memorial researchers and students in reservoir engineering, which will lead to significant theoretical and practical contributions to academia, research centres and industry.” ■■■

PROCESS ENGINEERING

New centre of excellence in risk, integrity and safety engineering at Memorial University A new interdisciplinary centre of excellence has been established in Memorial University’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. The Centre for Risk, Integrity and Safety Engineering (CRISE) will lead interdisciplinary research on safety, integrity and sustainability of industrial processes and systems, with a particular focus on harsh environment operations. The centre will engage highly qualified experts and bring together faculty and researchers from various departments and faculties and/ or schools while fostering collaboration among faculty, researchers, industry partners, and other experts, nationally and internationally. “The new centre will help to develop new knowledge and provide education and training for safe and “green” design, operation and maintenance of process facilities,” said Dr. Faisal Khan, the centre’s founding director and head of the Department of Process Engineering. The main goals of the centre are to develop new knowledge to solve complex problems related to fault detection and management,

process, safety and risk management; develop new technology to improve safety, integrity and sustainability of process operations; train highly qualified personnel for academic and industry careers; and to transfer new knowledge through technical publications, workshops, symposiums and training sessions. “As risk management techniques grow increasingly complex, and energy, mining and transportation companies continue to seek new ways to manage risk, it has become even more imperative to have a better grasp on the nature of losses that have historically occurred,” said Dr. Khan. “At CRISE, we will help the industry better understand, quantify and manage risk to survive and thrive in their processes and operations. The research in CRISE covers a wide range of theoretical and applied research activities mainly related to process safety and asset integrity management.” CRISE, which is an expansion of the Safety and Risk Engineering Group (SREG), which Dr. Khan founded in 2002, has more than 40 members, which include professors, research engineers and graduate students. Researchers in the centre are currently focused on safety and integrity challenges faced by offshore oil and mining industries operating in harsh environments, the Arctic and remote areas. “Congratulations to Dr. Faisal Khan and his team of collaborators for launching this new centre of excellence,” said Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “Initiatives like this foster multi-disciplinary collaboration among faculty, researchers, industry partners and other experts to enrich the learning environment for our graduate students.” ■■■

MEMBERS OF THE CENTRE FOR RISK INTEGRITY AND SAFETY ENGINEERING.

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Collaborating on corrosion Award-winning researcher part of $7.8 million corrosion project Dr. Faisal Khan, head, Department of Process Engineering and director, Centre for Risk, Integrity, Safety and Engineering, is part of a collaborative research project involving four universities in Alberta and Atlantic Canada. The project, Managing Microbial Corrosion in Canadian Offshore and Onshore Oil Production, received $7.8 million in federal government funding to advance a four-year research project to improve pipeline integrity.

F R O M L E F T A R E D R S . C H R I S T I N A B O T TA R O , FA I S A L K H A N A N D K E L LY H A W B O L D T.

To determine how the microbes cause corrosion, the Memorial team is hoping to identify the chemical source and how it reacts to the surface of the metal to cause corrosion. “To do this, we will use a molecular modelling approach,” said Dr. Khan. “This means we will be studying the smallest possible scale, at the molecular level, to determine how the different chemicals interact.”

The collaborative project examines microbial-induced corrosion, which is a major source of corrosion to different assets including pipelines, offshore production lines and gathering lines.

The third important activity that Memorial is involved in is risk modelling, which will determine the cause of the corrosion in terms of damage to the assets and financial losses to the companies in the short- and long-term.

Researchers at Memorial University are involved in all stages of the project, which involves identifying the microbes, studying the chemical compositions of the microbes and how they cause corrosion.

Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, is proud of the innovative and groundbreaking research that Dr. Khan and his team are conducting.

Dr. Khan and team, which includes Dr. Kelly Hawboldt, Department of Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science; and Dr. Christina Bottaro, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, will be examining how microbes cause corrosion.

“Congratulations to Drs. Khan, Hawboldt and Bottaro on this collaborative project,” he said. “Microbial-induced corrosion is a critical problem for offshore asset integrity management, safety and maintenance in Newfoundland and Labrador. This research will lead to important new understanding and solutions of benefit to industry partners.”

“We know that microbes cause corrosion, but we are examining how they cause corrosion,” said Dr. Khan. “We are identifying the chemical source and how it reacts to the surface of the metal to cause corrosion. “The risk models that we’re developing will link the corrosion process to the outcome. This will be very important for industry when evaluating their level of corrosion intervention and control, and where to focus their resources on corrosion mitigation.” 18

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The project, which is managed by Genome Atlantic, was one of 13 projects that received funding in an announcement on Dec. 13 by the federal government worth $110 million. A list of all projects: https://www.genomecanada.ca/en/news-and-events/ news-releases/13-research-projects-deploy-genomics-addresschallenges-canadas ■■■

AWA R D S Kim Keating, a Memorial alumna, member of the Board of Regents and vice-president of fabrication with St. John’s-based The Cahill Group and Dr. Greg Naterer, the Faculty’s dean, were inducted as Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) during the academy’s annual general meeting and symposium on Monday, June 27, in Winnipeg, Man. The pair joins other fellows with strong ties to the Memorial community, including faculty members, alumni and friends, who have been inducted over the years. Both Ms. Keating and Dr. Naterer have made distinguished contributions to the profession of engineering, nationally and internationally. Ms. Keating has nearly two decades of experience as an engineer in the oil and gas industry. She started work on the Hibernia Project in 1997 and held a variety of leadership positions throughout the Terra Nova development from engineering design through to construction, commissioning, production operations and field development. In her role with The Cahill Group, Ms. Keating oversaw the construction and delivery of The Hebron living quarters, the largest offshore accommodation facility built in the province, constructed to the highest offshore safety standards. She managed an 800-member multidisciplinary team and was the first female to lead a project of this magnitude in the province.

D R . G R E G N AT E R E R A N D M S . K I M K E AT I N G .

National recognition Dean, Regent inducted into Canadian Academy of Engineering

In addition to being an elected alumni representative with the Board of Regents, Ms. Keating has served on a number of advisory boards at Memorial. She is also an active volunteer and mentor in the community, working with groups such as the International Women’s Forum Newfoundland and Labrador chapter and the 150 Years Mentorship Program. She is also a former chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade. As an innovative leader in engineering education and research, Dr. Naterer has served in prominent national and international leadership roles throughout his career. He is a former chair of the Discovery Grant Committee (Mechanical Engineering) with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and is the current chair of the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science of Canada. Since his appointment as dean in 2012, Dr. Naterer has successfully led the faculty in the development and implementation of its eight-year strategic plan, Vision 2020, and the Engineering Expansion Strategic Initiative. Dr. Naterer is internationally respected for his contributions to mechanical engineering, particularly in the fields of energy systems, heat transfer and fluid mechanics. The CAE is an independent self-government organization set up nearly 30 years ago through which Canada’s most distinguished and experienced engineers provide strategic advice on matters of critical importance to Canada. Members of the CAE are nominated and elected by their peers to honorary fellowship. ■■■

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Dr. Wei Qiu, head of the Department of Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering (ONAE) at Memorial, received the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador’s (PEGNL) Teaching Award for 2016. Dr. Qiu received the award for his outstanding contributions to engineering education and his guidance of students and researchers to achieve research and learning excellence. DR. WEI QIU.

Teaching excellence

Dr. Qiu joined Memorial in 2004 as an assistant professor of ocean and naval architectural engineering. Three years later he was promoted to associate professor, and in 2013 he was promoted to professor. Since joining Memorial, he has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He has demonstrated a strong dedication and commitment to the training of highly qualified personnel, including the supervision of 33 undergraduate work-

Dr. Bing Chen, professor of civil (environmental) engineering, was among the latest inductees to the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada. The college is the country’s first national system of multidisciplinary recognition for the emerging generation of Canada’s intellectual leadership.

DR. BING CHEN.

Emerging Leader

Dr. Chen’s key areas of research include marine and coastal pollution mitigation, oil spill response and cleanup, water and wastewater treatment and environmental

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term students, 25 master’s students, 12 PhD students, six post-doctoral fellows and four research engineers. Dr. Qiu is currently teaching a course on marine propulsion to undergraduate ONAE students, and graduate courses on computational marine hydrodynamics. Dr. Qiu’s research is in the area of marine hydrodynamics and its applications to ships and offshore structures. He specializes in analyzing fluid-structure interaction problems using experimental and numerical methods including CFD (computational fluid dynamics) and potential-flow-based methods. In addition, he has been involved in numerous projects with the marine and offshore industry, government agencies and private sectors. He has published many papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings and holds several patents. He has developed software packages used by the marine and offshore industry. ■■■

decision-making. He has received many awards and distinctions, such as election to the Global Young Academy and the Terra Nova Young Innovator Award. He established and leads the Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control Laboratory — the first of its kind in Canada. The lab is recognized worldwide for its pioneering research on persistent and toxic organic pollutants, such as oils and pesticides, and their pollution mitigation in cold regions and harsh marine environments. ■■■

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2016 Dean’s Awards Dr. Lihong Zhang F R O M L E F T A R E D R . K A M R A N B E H D I N A N , PA S T P R E S I D E N T O F C S M E A N D C H A I R O F

Dean’s Award for Research Excellence

C S M E H O N O R S A N D A W A R D S C O M M I T T E E ; D R . A L I D O L O TA B A D I , C U R R E N T P R E S I D E N T O F C S M E ; A N D D R . P O P E AT C S M E ’ S 2 0 1 6 I N T E R N AT I O N A L C O N G R E S S I N K E L O W N A , B . C .

Dr. Weimin Huang

Dr. Kevin Pope honoured with national award The Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME) has awarded Dr. Kevin Pope, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the CSME I.W. Smith Award for his outstanding achievement in creative mechanical engineering. “I’m grateful to receive this award and happy to see that my work is being positively recognized by CSME,” said Dr. Pope. “I’m also very thankful for the guidance and support I’ve received from supervisors and colleagues throughout my career.” Dr. Pope joined Memorial in 2013. He obtained a B.Eng. in energy systems engineering; a MASc. in mechanical engineering, which focused on the transient behaviour of wind turbines; and a PhD in mechanical engineering,

which focused on physiochemical characterization, multiphase flow and heat transfer for thermochemical energy conversion and storage (Clean Energy Research Laboratory), all from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). Before joining Memorial, he investigated sustainable energy systems for large urban areas by examining the effects of different socioeconomic development pathways on resource demands and infrastructure needs. In addition to being a member of CSME, Dr. Pope is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and serves on its Thermophysics Technical Committee and Publicity Subcommittee. The I. W. Smith Award was established in 1977 to honour Professor I. W. Smith, who devoted a lifetime to teaching mechanical engineering at the University of Toronto. It is awarded annually for outstanding achievement in creative mechanical engineering within 10 years of undergraduate graduation. ■■■

Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence

Dr. Brian Veitch Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision

Matthew Curtis Dean’s Award for Exemplary Service

Vanessa Coish Dean’s Award for Exemplary Service

Gary Follett Dean’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Faculty

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Professors honoured by Society Drs. Faisal Khan, Lesley James and Stephen Butt from the faculty’s Department of Process Engineering received prestigious awards from the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

DR. ALI NASIRI.

Professor received international award for brazing technology Dr. Ali Nasiri, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded the Robert L. Peaslee Brazing Award.” The award is presented by the American Welding Society to the professor who submits the best original contribution to the society for the technology of brazing. Brazing is a metal-joining technology in which two or more metals are joined by melting in a manufacturing process. Dr. Nasiri’s paper, “Interfacial microstructure of laser brazed AZ31B magnesium to Sn-plated steel sheet,” investigates the brazeability, interfacial microstructure and mechanical integrity of laser-brazed magnesium alloys to steel sheets using a micron-thick layer of Sn (tin) on the steel to act as the interlayer element. “In this study, we successfully developed, for the first time, a diode laser brazing technology to join immiscible steel-magnesium alloys,” said Dr. Nasiri. “It is expected that the development of this laser-brazing technology for joining of steel-magnesium alloy combinations with a strong metallurgical bond will facilitate increased applications and use of magnesium alloys in the manufacturing industry.” This is the third time that Dr. Nasiri has won this award. The award is sponsored by the Wall Colmonoy Corporation. It honours Robert L. Peaslee, a mechanical engineer who discovered and developed diffusion brazing – a process of active brazing, involving titanium, and diffusion brazing – for his many years of dedicated service to the industry. In place of foils, powder mixtures can be used to affect diffusion-brazed joints. ■■■

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Dr. Fasial Khan, head of the Department of Process Engineering, received the SPE Canada Award – Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Social Responsibility Award for his outstanding accomplishments in the field of environmental protection, health, or safety in oil and gas exploration, drilling, or production operations. This award was formerly known as the Health, Safety, and Environment Award. Dr. Lesley James, Chevron Chair in Petroleum Engineering, received the prestigious and highly competitive SPE Regional Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty for her excellence in teaching, research and contributions to the petroleum engineering profession as well as special effectiveness in advising and guiding students.

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

DR. LESLEY JAMES.

Dr. Stephen Butt received the SPE Canada Award – Drilling Engineering Award for his outstanding achievement or contributions to the advancement of petroleum engineering in the area of drilling.

D R . S T E P H E N B U T T.

“My congratulations to Drs. Khan, James and Butt on these prestigious national awards,” said Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “They are exceptionally talented professors and researchers in our faculty and are truly deserving of these awards.” The awards are presented annually based on the recommendation of the regional director or the regional award committee. ■■■

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International reach Jinghua Nie, the faculty’s manager, international programs, has won the prestigious Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) Chair’s Award for Meritorious Service for her outstanding service to international education at Memorial University. D R . FA I S A L K H A N .

Dr. Faisal Khan appointed as foreign expert Dr. Faisal Khan, department head, process engineering, and director of Memorial’s new Centre for Risk, Integrity and Safety Engineering, has been appointed as an academic advisor in the area of safety and risk engineering by the Chinese Higher Education, the authority that administers higher education and research in academic and research institutions in China. In his new role, Dr. Khan, with his colleague Dr. Mingjian Zuo, a professor at the University of Alberta, will engage with Chinese academics and scientists to lead the development of risk assessment and dynamic reliability models and methods to study safety and reliability of the high-speed train control system, which is an integral part of China’s high-speed trains.

Ms. Nie manages recruitment of international students and helps them adjust to their new life at Memorial and their studies. Each year on average, she engages with about 150 students. For her, the award is not only about doing her job, but also about her commitment to student success for the past seven years. The CBIE Chair’s Award for Meritorious Service is awarded to two individuals annually and recognizes outstanding service to international education primarily focused within the individual’s institution or organization. Some of the other criteria of the award include service to students, faculty and staff that has substantially improved quality of international education experiences; works with imagination, enthusiasm and excellence; creative in their approach to work given available resources; and often goes beyond the call of duty. ■■■

The project, which is being carried out by the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), aims to promote applied research and make an impact in the high tech industry, such as the safety and reliability of high-speed trains. The initiative is a flagship program to help build the reputation of the Chinese Higher Education System and develop worldclass universities in China. The project involves both local and national governments allocating large amounts of funding to build new research centres, improve facilities, hold international conferences, attract world-renowned faculty and visiting scholars and help Chinese faculty attend conferences abroad. Since joining Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science in 2002 as an associate professor, Dr. Khan has worked on safety and risk engineering and extended his research scope by applying risk-engineering concepts to safety, asset integrity management, pollution prevention and renewable energy. He has also developed new advanced risk-based safety and integrity management methodologies and models. ■■■

FROM LEFT ARE KAREN MCBRIDE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CBIE; JINGHUA NIE AND SONJA KNUTSON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, CBIE AND DIRECTOR, I N T E R N AT I O N A L C E N T R E , M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y.

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Education thought leader David E. Goldberg, Jerry S. Dobrovolny Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Founder & CEO at ThreeJoy Associates, Inc., presented, “What’s love got to do with it? Educating the professional of the future,” as part of the 2016 F.W. Angel Memorial Lecture. The talk focused on how we, as a society, live in fast-paced times and, increasingly, higher education is having trouble keeping up. Employers seek “well-rounded” professionals with communications, collaboration and soft skills in addition to technical skills. At the same time that students, parents and a growing cadre of critics question the value of higher education, non-traditional institutions and entrepreneurs disrupt the status quo with new modalities, often times using the Internet and educational technology as a primary means of innovation.

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F.W. Angel Memorial Lecture focused on educating the professional of the future

Borrowing from experiences in engineering education, Dr. Goldberg’s talk suggested that change is needed, but the missing variables in the education of 21st Century professionals are not to be found in changes in content, curriculum, pedagogy, or EdTech. Instead, he said, the changes are deeply human and emotional. Dr. Goldberg believes that education must better balance the teaching of knowledge with joy, courage, trust, connection, openness and love. The F.W. Angel Memorial Lecture Series was established at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1967 through the generosity of the family of the late F.W. Angel and the firms with which he was associated. The biennial series enables the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science to bring an outstanding person to Memorial’s St. John’s campus to speak on topics related to the profession of engineering; stimulating interest in this field among students, the academic community and the general public. ■■■

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Speaking of Engineering ...

A D A M K E AT I N G .

Public Lecture Series continues to cover diverse topics The Faculty and the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador co-sponsor the Speaking of Engineering Lecture Series to bring engineering related topics of interest to the people of the province. Three lectures were held this past year. A N D R E W W AY.

In March, mechanical engineering student Adam Keating and computer science student Andrew Way presented on OpenLoop, a multidisciplinary team of engineering, physics and computer science students from Memorial and five other universities on a global design competition to develop an advanced form of transportation called HyperLoop. In May, Dr. Richard Moore, an airborne atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA, presented on how NASA studies the interaction between atmospheric aerosols and cloud formation, which are important for resolving key processes governing Earth’s radiation balance, air quality and climate. Dr. Moore’s presentation highlighted one of the North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study (NAAMES) field campaigns that is one of a series of Earth expeditions currently being conducted to better understand our world, climate and how it is changing.

DR. RICHARD MOORE.

In November, Dr. Bilal Ayyub, director of the Center for Technology and Systems Management, University of Maryland, presented on how risks are managed for natural disasters. Dr. Ayyub provided a resilience definition that meets a set of requirements with clear relationships to reliability and risk as key relevant metrics. Such metrics provide a sound basis for the development of effective decision-making tools for multi-hazard environments. The presentation also examined recovery, with its classifications based on level, spatial and temporal considerations. ■■■

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Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science held 4th annual open house The faculty’s fourth annual open house was part of National Engineering and Geoscience month. The open house is an opportunity for the public, potential students and their parents, kids and the media to learn what Memorial engineering has to offer. Visitors were greeted with information booths represented by various groups and departments associated with Memorial Engineering. Representatives from the Engineering Undergraduate Student Society; Memorial Baja Team; the local chapter of Engineers Without Borders; Engineering Cooperative Education; Memorial Student Recruitment; the St. John’s Chapter of Tetra Society of North America; the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering and Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador greeted visitors in the main foyer of the S.J. Carew (Engineering) Building. The ever popular, Nao, the faculty’s humanoid robot, was also in the main foyer and spoke to visitors about the cool world of Memorial engineering and what faculty and students work on as part of the program’s curriculum. Visitors also participated in lab tours where they were given a close up look at the faculty’s wave towing tank; machine shop; Autonomous Ocean Systems Laboratory; rescue craft simulator; structures laboratory; sand bed erosion facility, among others. ■■■

Summer camps for budding engineers It was another successful summer for the faculty’s summer outreach programming. Throughout the months of June, July and August, interactive and exciting engineering themed curriculum was delivered to over 250 children, ages four through 18. Offerings included our well-established Robotics and Junior Engineers, Girl Quest and ArcticENGINEER programs as well new partnerships with the Women in Resource Development Corporation, The St. John’s Boys and Girls Club and schools within the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District. Participants were involved in a wide variety of hands-on learning activities, demonstrations and fun group challenges that allowed them to practice teamwork, analysis, creative thinking strategies and problem solving skills. To engage youth with robotics, programming, design and build activities, a combination of new and existing resources were utilized. In addition, faculty members, technical staff and undergraduate students all played valuable roles in the delivery of the programs. “Youth outreach is critical to the growth of our faculty,” explained Kathryn Hong, co-ordinator for Outreach Activities. “Ensuring that young people from diverse backgrounds have access to inspiring engineering experiences will have a lasting impact on their future goals.” ■■■

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O P E N L O O P P O D – VA C U U M C H A M B E R T E S T I N G . P H O T O C R E D I T: J O E B A R N A R D

I N S E T: M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y M E M B E R S W I T H T H E P O D AT S PA C E X H E A D Q U A R T E R S . P H O T O C R E D I T: D E B A S H I S H S A H A

Floating on air Top 10 finish for Hyperloop Pod Team Nine students from Memorial University travelled to Texas in January 2016 and presented their design for a prototype of a highspeed ground transport vehicle that floats on air bearings in a vacuum tube. They were participating in the SpaceX hyperloop pod competition created by Canadian-American billionaire inventor and entrepreneur, Elon Musk. The students were part of an alliance of six universities, including Cornell, Northeastern, Harvey Mudd, Michigan and Princeton, combining their talent and resources to compete in the design competition as one team: OpenLoop. Their ultimate goal: to design, build and test a scaled down hyperloop pod. Out of more than 1,200 applicants, OpenLoop was selected as one of 125 design finalists representing 130 colleges and 20 countries. SpaceX chose 20 teams to go forward; OpenLoop was not one of them. But that wasn’t the end of the team’s story. On the final night, SpaceX got in touch with the OpenLoop team, giving them 12 hours to prove the feasibility of the pod’s design, and when those changes were made, their design was approved to move forward to the next phase of the competition: building the pod. After devoting nearly 10 months to the building the pod, the team travelled to LA this past January to test their pod on a milelong track built adjacent to SpaceX’s Hawthorne, California, headquarters against 27 other teams from around the world. The event marked the first time the newest mode of transportation, hyperloop, was tested anywhere in the world.

“We finished the competition having completed all tests to get into the tube to test our pod, which was more than 100 checklist items,” said Adam Keating, fifth-year mechanical engineering student and project lead, OpenLoop. “We were cleared for tube access, but the organizers were unable to schedule us in due to scheduling constraints.” Overall, OpenLoop was one of only 10 teams to surpass all the safety, operation and performance checkpoints required to make an official hyperloop run. The team successfully completed vacuum chamber testing, levitation testing, translational and braking testing as well as controls verification during their week at SpaceX. After the competition, Northeastern and Memorial University students decided to form a new alliance named Paradigm to continue with the pod and compete in the second competition, which is scheduled for this summer. Also, Paradigm received news that their final design package was so well done that they are going to be admitted straight through to the final stage of the competition. While they didn’t get to test their pod in the mile-long tube in January 2017, Mr. Keating is very pleased with their success to-date. “To be one of the pioneers of this new technology on such a global stage is an amazing accomplishment. I am very proud of the hard work from the entire team over the past 18 months and I am excited to make history this summer in the second competition.” ■■■

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Dynamic duo Katy Warren and Peter Snow represented Memorial well and won second place in the re-engineering category at the 2016 Canadian Engineering Competition (CEC). Ms. Warren, a fourth-year electrical engineering student, and Mr. Snow, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, secured their place at the national competition when they won first place in the re-engineering category at the 2016 Atlantic Canadian Competition (AEC). Like AEC, CEC is divided into seven categories: communications, senior design, junior design, debate, consulting, innovative design and re-engineering. For the re-engineering category, teams were given a relevant design and asked to re-engineer it under a new set of constraints. Teams had eight hours to fabricate a design and presentation taking into account all relevant aspects of the engineering process such as material availability and finances. Each design was judged based on practicality, originality, feasibility and marketability. For this year’s re-engineering competition, the challenge centred around the da Vinci Surgical System – a set of four robotic arms controlled by a surgeon when doing minimally invasive procedures. Currently, the robotic arms have to be in the same room as the patient since the control console and the robotic arms are attached. “The first design challenge was to make it possible to air drop the robot console at the site of a natural disaster, move it over any terrain it might encounter, then control it from anywhere in the world,” said Ms. Warren. “We were lucky to have a mix of skills – I have an

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K AT Y W A R R E N A N D P E T E R S N O W.

electrical background and Peter has a mechanical background – so we divided the challenge into separate elements relevant to our own programs.” The second half of the challenge was to design a method to record how the robotic arms and the surgeon work together when performing surgical procedures to make a training tool for new surgeons using the system. “Since neither of us has experience creating simulations, we focused on the architecture of how our program would be laid out if we really did create one,” explained Ms. Warren. “We also focused on ensuring we fully understood the processes we would use to record the surgeon’s movements and inputs as well as the video from the surgery itself.” Ms. Warren and Mr. Snow are thrilled with how they worked together as a team, each bringing their own strengths to the challenge. “We both had such a great time and learned so much,” said Mr. Snow. “It was impressive once again to see how everyone had a different and innovative perspective on the same problem. I couldn’t have had a better partner and we are both definitely looking forward to experiencing it again.” ■■■

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Memorial University CSME Student Chapter held the first annual MUN CSME Design Competition The Memorial University CSME Student Chapter held its debut public event - the first annual MUN CSME Design Competition. MITCHELL SPENCE AND DR. AMGAD HUSSEIN, H E A D O F T H E D E PA R T M E N T O F C I V I L E N G I N E E R I N G .

Canstruction According to the Community Food Sharing Association’s website, there are currently thousands of people in Newfoundland and Labrador who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, and children in our schools who are distracted because they are hungry. While browsing the Internet looking for a way to volunteer in his local community, fifth-year civil engineering student Mitchell Spence visited the local food bank’s website and knew exactly how he could make a difference. “I did some research online and came upon Canstruction, which is a unique charity that hosts competitions, exhibitions and events that showcase colossal structures made out of full cans of food,” said Mr. Spence. “I am studying to become a civil engineer and thought it was a perfect match.” Mr. Spence organized a Canstruction event on Memorial campus in partnership with the community food sharing association. To participate, students from Memorial and the Marine Institute registered teams of between five and seven people at canstructionnl. com. There was no cost for students to register and participate.

The event began with a meet and greet, where presenters socialized with attendees over refreshments. Following the meet and greet, six teams of senior engineering students presented their design projects to an audience of professors, professionals and fellow students. With excellent showings from all the competing teams, judges selected “Micro-Hydraulic Arm Design and Development” as the winning project. The project consisted of a 3D-printed robotic arm, designed and fabricated by Nathan Ash, Kyle Doody, Landon Fisher and Nicholas Martin. For the demonstration, the robotic arm, which was controlled by a joystick and hydraulic mechanisms, lifted a whiteboard eraser. The winning team was awarded a monetary prize, and commemorated with an entry on the MUN CSME Design Competition plaque, to be mounted in the S. J. Carew Building. The MUN CSME Student Chapter is very grateful for the financial support of the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers, as well as the financial support and guidance of the Memorial University’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, and thrilled by the success of its first event, and looks forward to many more. ■■■

On event day, cansculptures made out of canned food were built and displayed by participating teams of students. “After the event, all food was handed over to the local food bank and distributed across the province according to need,” said Mr. Spence.

W I N N E R S N AT H A N A S H , N I C H O L A S M A R T I N , L A N D O N F I S H E R AND KYLE DOODY WITH MUN CSME PRESIDENT BRIAN PEACH.

For more information, please visit www.canstructionnl.com. ■■■

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Engineering a career Each term, more than 400 engineering students secure co-op work term placements, nationally and internationally. During these times of economic uncertainty, however, engineering students are demonstrating more independent, entrepreneurial and creative job seeking efforts. “The majority of students in my class have started to think outside of the box if we define “the box” as the default option of securing a work term,” said Joshua Shaw, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student who is currently on his third work term. J O S H U A S H A W.

He encourages his fellow students to be resourceful and persistent. “Finding and securing my own work terms haven’t been easy, but have been valuable learning experiences for me and students should treat them as such,” said Mr. Shaw. “Applying to the internal postings on My MUNLife – the online job posting system that the Engineering Co-op Education Office uses to post co-op job opportunities – alone is not enough.” Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, echoes Mr. Shaw’s advice to students. “We recognize the stress on students when seeking work terms, but encourage them to be positive and pursue work opportunities within and outside the province,” he said. “Being creative and proactive in seeking out job opportunities is an important skill for students to develop, since engineers will move from job to job throughout their careers.”

prior to graduation. Mr. Shaw says he would not have enrolled at Memorial if its engineering program was not a co-operative program. Engineering Co-op Education Office members work tirelessly each semester to find work term opportunities for students and assist with resumés and interview preparation. However, they cannot secure the jobs for students; ultimately, the employer decides who to interview and hire. The faculty has launched several initiatives to add further opportunities for students on co-op terms. A new Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship provides entrepreneurial work terms for students. New community-based, experiential work terms offer students the opportunity to gain experience in their profession, and reinforce social and ethical values of the engineering profession by contributing to community activities. Students can also apply for a research assistantship with a professor.

Mr. Shaw is currently working at DECA Aviation.

A new co-op job database has also been launched, called JobFinder@ MUN. It collects and displays engineering co-op positions posted on several popular external career websites for students to easily access.

“When I spoke with the operations manager at DECA, I indicated my interest in the aviation field and that I would be simultaneously earning a private pilot licence if I secured a work term with DECA,” he said.

In addition, the faculties of business administration and engineering and applied science have created a new international fund to support students on international work-term placements.

“My willingness to relocate and my enthusiasm for the industry resonated well.”

“Persistence and perseverance are important skills to develop and will serve our students well throughout their careers,” said Dr. Naterer.

Memorial’s engineering program is rigorous: students must successfully complete at least four work terms and eight academic study terms to graduate.

“Our co-op program was recently awarded a six-year accreditation by the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education. The association was impressed with the quality of our co-op programs and placement rates. We deeply care about student success and the continuing strong reputation of our co-op programs.” ■■■

Due to the co-op component, students gain up to two years of invaluable industry work experience and networking opportunities

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ENGINEERING SOCIETY A PRESENTING CHEQUE TO SPECIAL GUESTS TINA HAND AND HILARY WILLIAMS.

Annual Winter Charity Ball held in support of families of kids battling cancer For 10 years, engineering undergraduate students have been holding an annual Charity Ball fundraiser in support of local charities. The event has made positive impact on the community and gained popularity in recent years.

have a network of generous companies, family and friends who really helped us make this event happen.”

During the 10th annual Charity Ball, Engineering Student Society A raised more than $20,000 in support of the Dr. Jack Hand Legacy Foundation.

“Society A is a team of 14 students who truly went above and beyond to make this event as successful as it was,” said Ms. Matthews. “We were all very passionate about the work the foundation does for families in the province, and when you get a group of young leaders together amazing things can happen!”

Dr. Jack Hand was a compassionate medical doctor, who devoted his time to helping families in the province with children battling cancer, until his passing in 2012. His memorial foundation is devoted to continuing his legacy by providing financial assistance to those parents so that they don’t have financial worries when their child is undergoing treatments. Erin Matthews, president of the society, was quite pleased with how the event went and how much was raised. “The lower price of oil was a large concern for us when contacting companies for sponsorships,” said Ms. Matthews. “However, we

Planning for the event begins months in advance.

The event took place at the Johnson GEO CENTRE and included a cocktail reception, live music, silent and live auctions and a threecourse dinner. “A lot of hard work and planning goes into this annual event, and our students are commended on an excellent job in bringing the community together to support such an important foundation,” said Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “Giving back to the community is very important and we are so proud of our students.” ■■■

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Baja team improved speed and confidence at international competition In 2016, Memorial’s Baja SAE team moved up six spots over the previous year and achieved their highest ranking to date during the competition in Rochester, N.Y. The Baja SAE international competition consists of three regional competitions that simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges. Students are tasked to design and build an off-road vehicle that is pushed to its limits in events such as acceleration, hill climbing, maneuverability, suspension and traction and endurance racing. Finishing 36th out of 98 teams, the team’s overall performance was impressive; however, their proudest achievement was being one of only seven teams to make it into the design finals. “The team set numerical targets for the range of percentile male and female drivers the car could accommodate and how the suspension changed the wheel angle as the car went over bumps,” said Dr. Geoff Rideout, a mechanical engineering professor and the team’s advisor. “Through the use of ergonomic data and 3-D computer modeling, they designed adjustable seat and pedals, and found optimum sizes for the suspension components.” “They also reduced the mass of the drive train by using carbon fibre instead of steel,” Dr. Rideout continued. “They improved the car’s braking system by using different master cylinders, and reduced gearbox mass by removing excess materials from the gears. Application of design principles from their courses reassured them that the changes would be beneficial.” The team also prepared poster boards with computer assisted drawings

to illustrate design elements that couldn’t easily be explained just by looking at the car, and had numerical calculations. Another highlight was the suspension and traction event. “The car’s performance in the suspension and traction event was extremely good,” said Dr. Rideout. “We completed the entire course with no penalties, negotiating obstacles that left many other cars stuck or broken.” Jumana Joury co-captained the team with Jeremy Andrews and says the team had many highlights. “Obviously, qualifying for design finals was the biggest highlight,” she said. “We saw huge improvement in our design performance from placing 42nd last year to qualifying in the top teams this year. With the improved design changes, the vehicle was much more robust and had better handling, ride quality and overall performance during the race. We passed technical inspection on the first day and qualified to race early in the competition allowing us the chance to compete in all dynamic events twice. “One major accomplishment in the dynamic event was completing the tough suspension and traction track at a competitive time. We placed 28th overall in that category, and finished the four-hour endurance race with 26 laps.” Baja team members included Jumana Joury, Jeremy Andrews, Kevin King, Tristan Grech, Ben Morgan, Jordan Wilson, Patrick Glavine, Douglas Gibbons, Brittany Freake, Christina Brimingham and Nick Henderson. The team is thankful for the support they received from their generous sponsors this year: the Angus Bruneau Student LIFE Program; Atlantic Trailer and Equipment; Briggs & Stratton; Cimetrix Solutions Inc.; GJ Cahill; Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science; Hickman Automotive Group; Marine Atlantic; MUN Students’ Union; Michelin Canada; Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador; QTC Metric Gears; Russel Metals Inc.; SAE International; United Sail Works; and VR3 Engineering. If you wish to sponsor Team Memorial Baja, please visit the team’s Go Fund Me page at www.gofundme.com/qbt3cc8. ■■■

TEAM MEMORIAL BAJA.

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Rajib Dey awarded prestigious Chancellor’s Award with Fry Family Foundation Leadership Award Rajib Dey had more than one reason to celebrate when he received his doctor of philosophy degree (PhD) at Memorial University this past October. Mr. Dey was also awarded the prestigious Chancellor’s Graduate Award with the Fry Family Foundation Award. “It was such a wonderful feeling and hard to explain,” he said. “I am really honoured to receive this prestigious award and to be considered as one of Memorial’s most outstanding graduate student leaders. “It’s a great achievement for any graduate student who is involved in various leadership roles in addition to his/her study and research.” The Chancellor’s Graduate Award is awarded to given at convocation to the student of the graduating class who has demonstrated the greatest leadership contribution to graduate student life and other areas of the community during his or her university years. The Fry Family Foundation Leadership Award is presented to a graduate student who has been selected as Memorial University of Newfoundland’s most outstanding graduate student leader. This award is given at convocation to the student who has been selected to receive the Chancellor Award which is the most prestigious leadership recognition awarded by Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Mr. Dey is originally from Bangladesh but has made his home in St. John’s since arriving at Memorial almost eight years ago. He has been very effective balancing his studies with his leadership initiatives. He was president of the Engineering Graduate Students’ Society, and prior to becoming president; he was its special events co-ordinator. He was also president of the Teaching Assistants’ Union of Memorial University. He organized the DCL conference for the Public Service Alliance of Canada in 2012; he was treasurer of the Bangladesh Students’ Association of Memorial University; an event organizer with the Hindu Temple Association in St. John’s; and member of various committees. Mr. Dey’s research focus is on geotechnical engineering. For his thesis, he developed an analytical and numerical approach to successfully model large-scale landslides in sensitive clay slopes explaining the true failure mechanisms. Generally, landslides are always a potential hazard and a great threat to many communities and infrastructure in both onshore and offshore environments,” he explained. “Slides in sensitive clay could be progressive in nature and a large scale slope failure might occur in a very short period. The consequences of a catastrophic slope failure could be very devastating in both cases and might have significant

FROM LEFT ARE DR. GARY KACHANOSKI, PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR, M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y; R A J I B D E Y A N D D R . S U S A N K N I G H T, C H A N C E L L O R , M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y.

impacts, rising economic, safety, and regulatory and environmental issues. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand the mechanisms involved in large scale slope failure through sensitive clay layers to mitigate the risk of landslides and its consequences.” Dr. Bipul Hawlader supervised Mr. Dey and is very proud of Mr. Dey’s work ethic both inside and outside of his studies. “Impressed by Rajib’s performance as a master’s student, he was transferred to the PhD program before completion of his master’s degree,” said Dr. Hawlader. “In addition to his great academic achievements, he made significant contributions to leadership and volunteering activities at Memorial. His research on landslides in sensitive clay could explain the complex nature of large-scale landslides commonly occurring in eastern Canada in onshore and offshore environments.” ■■■

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Positive Reinforcement Having grown up in historic Isfahan, Iran’s No. 1 tourist destination due to the city’s stunning array of art and architecture, Javad Hashemi appears to be a product of his environment when it comes to making his mark on the world.

society locally and nationally. We are lucky to have him at Memorial.”

Mr. Hashemi arrived at Memorial University in 2012 to complete his PhD in the development and application of new engineering tools and technologies for safety and integrity management in the oil and gas industry, with the purpose of improving safety of people, assets and the environment.

“When someone is a leader, it helps him or her to stay focused on personal and professional goals and to be productive,” he said. “Being a leader forces one to learn how to communicate effectively with others to ensure that one doesn’t have to face challenges alone.”

Soon after his arrival, he began volunteering for various events and societies and became known as an effective leader. Dr. Leonard Lye, associate dean, graduate studies, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, says he first met Mr. Hashemi when he offered to help with Memorial’s Three-Minute Thesis Competition a couple of years ago.

Mr. Hashemi has won numerous awards that recognize his impact on the community and the individuals he meets. Most recently, he received the Dr. Leonard Lye Award for Leadership and The Irshad Khan Scholarship for Safety and Risk Engineering.

“He was very helpful,” said Dr. Lye. “He has been also involved with the Society of Petroleum Engineers since 2013, first as vice-president and is the current president. Javad leads an active society and has been instrumental in increasing the profile of the 34

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Mr. Hashemi doesn’t think he was born with leadership skills; he says they are acquired or learned.

The Dr. Leonard Lye Award for Leadership recognizes outstanding contributions by graduate students in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. The Irshad Khan Scholarship for Safety and Risk Engineering is awarded to a full-time graduate student who has excelled in the area of safety and risk engineering.

J AVA D H A S H E M I .

Being named the recipient of an award is a “huge honour,” Mr. Hashemi, says, but not for the reasons you might think. “Winning an award means that there are great people with beautiful beliefs in their community who care about other people’s growth by recognizing their success,” he said. “Winning awards is not only a very rewarding accomplishment to validate my success, but it is also a commitment for me to work harder towards my goals.” He is also quick to point out that awards don’t just recognize individual effort. He says without the support from his peers, he would not have the opportunity to develop to a point to meet the awards’ criteria. In the coming months, Mr. Hashemi is on track to complete his PhD. He also hopes to work on projects related to risk, integrity and safety assessment of oil and gas projects. “I want to become a reliable safety and risk assessment specialist that others rely upon for the most current information.” ■■■

ALUMNI

Entrepreneurial engineers LARRY PUDDISTER.

Four alumni of Memorial’s engineering faculty were included in Atlantic Business Magazine’s 50 top Atlantic Canadian CEOs for 2016 — and one as CEO of the Year. Larry Puddister, co-chairman, Pennecon Ltd., and CEO, Newcrete, was named CEO of the Year; and Terry Hussey, CEO, Vigilant Management; Jason Muise, managing director, Technip Canada Ltd.; and Richard Tiller, president and CEO, Tiller Group of Companies were also named top CEOs. Individuals were chosen by a nomination and judging process.

He eventually moved back to the province to work for an IT consulting firm but started his own company in 2010. The decision wasn’t an easy one for Mr. Hussey, but it was a passionate one when he decided to make it a reality.

All four Newfoundland natives moved on to successful careers and eventually started their own companies in their home province.

Mr. Muise graduated from Memorial with a bachelor’s in civil engineering and then a master’s in structural engineering from the University of Toronto. After he obtained his master’s he worked for a large steel fabrication company in Toronto, Canron Construction. He and his family were able to return home for a short time before Mr. Muise took a job with Terra Nova and moved to Paris where at the time engineering for Terra Nova was primarily done.

Atlantic Canada’s top CEO Larry Puddister graduated with a civil engineering degree. While in school he completed all of his work terms with McNamara and accepted a job as a project manager with the company upon graduation.

In 2007, he returned to St. John’s and became project manager for the North Amethyst Project – the first subsea satellite development in Eastern Canada. In 2012, Mr. Muise became the managing director of Technip Canada.

In 1997 he started his own business, Northland Contracting. In 2005 he merged his company with Pennecon Ltd. Currently, Mr. Puddister is cochair of the board of directors and coowner of Pennecon Ltd.

Mr. Tiller graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering. He started his career with Structural Consultants Ltd., a small St. John’s-based structural engineering consulting firm.

Mr. Hussey graduated with an electrical engineering degree and then obtained a master of business administration. Shortly after, he moved to the U.K. to work with a software testing company for their Canadian expansion.

Afterwards, he worked for several different companies before accepting an overseas assignment with BFL Consultants Ltd. A year later, he returned home and established Tiller Engineering Inc. ■■■

T E R R Y H U S S E Y.

JASON MUISE.

RICHARD TILLER.

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

FA C U LT Y O F ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND S T. J O H N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S , N L CANADA A1B 3X5