Queen's innovation commons by Smith Engineering at Queen's University

Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Innovation Commons

THE PROBLEMS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW CANNOT BE SOLVED WITH YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS.

“To succeed in global markets, Canadian businesses will need to leverage Canada’s solid innovation foundation, by increasing tolerance for sharing risk, developing new business models and undertaking greater collaboration.” ElysE AllAn, President and CEO, GE Canada

The crossroads. In a world increasingly comprised of specialists in silos, it’s remarkable what can happen when people from diﬀerent fields meet to discuss common interests and realize uncommon goals.

AND, IF HISTORY HAS TAUGHT US ANYTHING, IT IS TO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. BUT, IF THAT WASN’T THE LESSON, WHAT COULD IT BE? 1

“Lack of innovation is holding Canada back; (the country) has fallen out of the top ten...we are gradually losing ground.” MAdhAvI AChAryA-TOM yEw

QuEEn’s EnGInEErInG And APPlIEd sCIEnCE

CREATE THE UNEXPECTED. here comes The sun Every child understands solar power. They discover it through innovation, using a broken bottle or magnifying glass. Perhaps that was the inspiration for Professor Praveen Jain’s work harnessing the sun’s power. As Canada research Chair for Energy and Power Electronics research (ePOwEr), dr. Jain and his students have developed a micro-inverter that will have a major impact on the future of solar energy technology. dr. Jain is developing new and more eﬃcient micro-inverters that will capture tremendous amounts of raw power, transfering it from solar panels to an electrical grid. The scalability of this innovation is staggering. Imagine powering communities large and small, whether that’s in north America or sub-saharan Africa. This is transformational engineering. This innovation – developed at Queen’s – defines Queen’s Innovation commons, as does Praveen Jain. As one of Canada’s most prolific researchers, he has over 40 patents to his credit and 30 graduate students on his team. Together, dr. Jain and Queen’s Engineering are redefining Kingston as becoming “The solar valley.”

dr. Jain with graduate students, developing advanced solar technology

TranslaTIonal research Translational Research refers to the scientific research that moves basic science results to practical applications. The Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Innovation commons: centre for Translational research and engineering will take ideas from conception to realworld usage with interdisciplinary collaboration from Faculties across the university.

QUEEN’S INNOVATION COMMONS Centre for Translational Research and Engineering

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The InspIrIng greaTness: campaIgn for Queen’s engIneerIng cabIneT mIke norrIs Chair Former deputy Chair rBC Capital Markets Tom kennedy Vice Chair – Toronto Managing director Kensington Capital Partners read gomm Vice Chair – UK senior Managing director Evercore Partners International llP evan hazell Vice Chair – Western Region Former Managing director, Investment Banking hsBC securities Jeff van sTeenbergen Vice Chair – Western Region Co-Founder & Co-Managing Partner Kern Partners ltd kIm sTurgess Vice Chair – Queen’s Initiative Campaign CEO Alberta watersMArT greg bavIngTon Executive director Queen’s Innovation Connector gordon bell Managing director, head, Mining & Metals rBC Capital Markets bob buchan Chair Elgin Mining Inc. greg heaTh Managing director Global Investment Banking rBC Capital Markets TIm kITchen Managing director, Investment Banking Barclays Capital mIchelle lalonde Executive search and Assessment Consultant russell reynolds Associates brIan lIvIngsTon Former vice-President Corporate secretary & General Counsel Imperial Oil ltd. rIck mccreary senior vP, Corporate development Barrick Gold Corporation sue rIddell rose CEO Perpetual Energy mIke serbInIs Chief Executive Oﬃcer Kobo Inc. andrew shaughnessy Partner Torys llP barry sTewarT Former Executive vice-President suncor Energy mary ann Turcke EvP Customer service Bell Canada

QuEEn’s EnGInEErInG And APPlIEd sCIEnCE

Jack Diamond, principal of Diamond Schmitt Architects, is the visionary responsible for the design of Queen’s Innovation Commons. One of Canada’s leading architectural practices, Diamond Schmitt Architects created the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto and the new Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg among other notable commissions. Mr. Diamond is a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and an officer of the Order of Canada.

Queen’s Innovation commons is designed to be the enabling agent for the enhancement and collaboration of all engineering disciplines – a vital initiative for Queen’s celebrated engineers. It is an honour to play a part in this exceptional endeavour. Canada, and the world beyond, will feel the impact of this unique Centre and humanity will be the benefactor of what is born here. For those of you reading this document, there’s something else I would like you to know; this design is informed and inspired by the legacy and current Engineering innovation at Queen’s. we have included in our planning Queen’s technology because we believe it will contribute immensely to its success. There is much to be proud of at Queen’s, but surely tomorrow, the Queen’s Innovation commons will be the envy of universities across Canada and around the world.

a.J. dIamond Toronto, June 2013

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“Ontario’s Leading Innovation Centre... For this bold initiative, I cannot imagine a worthier university, faculty, or student body than Queen’s Engineers.” MIKE nOrrIs, sc’75

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“Innovation is the ability to turn knowledge into new and improved goods and services. Currently Canada receives a ‘D’ grade and ranks 14th out of 17 countries.” COnFErEnCE BOArd OF CAnAdA

Innovation is a key driver for the Canadian and global economy. It is the core of all we do at Queen’s Engineering, in our programs of study, and in our research. It is reﬂected in the work we do, how we work, the quality of that work, and the way we translate it into broader societal beneﬁt. Queen’s engineers are dynamic leaders and entrepreneurs. we build businesses, we drive change, and we innovate! The students of today collaborate and create at an ever increasing pace across disciplines and distance. The Queen’s Innovation commons will provide a formal yet lively setting for engineering students to work alongside those in business , arts and science, medicine and health sciences; their collective goal: to innovate and to solve problems. This dramatic new facility will expand the university’s ability to deliver unique experiential learning opportunities to our students at both the undergraduate and graduate level, setting a standard in teaching and research for others to follow. To bring this idea to life, we need two things. First, a great architect aligned with our vision. In Jack diamond, one of Canada’s finest architects, we have found a partner of unsurpassed creativity and integrity. second, we need you. All that remains to bring the Queen’s Innovation commons to life is the commitment of donors who are willing to invest in our future leaders by providing the best environment for learning, discovery, and innovation; donors who understand that the future for innovation in Canada can be right here in the heart of Queen’s Engineering. help us to make the vision a reality!

Top: Classroom middle left: design studio

kImberly a. woodhouse, ph. d., p. eng. dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied science

bottom right: Flexible labs CEnTrE FOr TrAnslATIOnAl rEsEArCh And EnGInEErInG

Top right: Financially dependent on the success of this fundraising initiative, is the Innovation Atrium, an interactive Engineering exhibition atrium and ‘indoor avenue’ between Clergy and union. bottom left: Innovation space bottom right: learning Commons

s the centerpiece of the Inspiring Greatness Campaign, the Queen’s Innovation commons will be a sustainable 70,000 square foot interdisciplinary, leading-edge teaching and research facility. Featuring integrated research clusters from across the faculty, the Queen’s Innovation commons will also include spaces dedicated to Bioengineering, Innovation and design – and a suite for Mechanical and Materials. Queen’s Innovation commons will be the centre of the Queen’s Engineering community, combining new undergraduate facilities, laboratories and design studios to bring together professors, undergraduate and graduate students from a number of faculties to collaborate in a dynamic academic and social environment. The Queen’s Innovation commons will dramatically enhance our innovation programming and research across all disciplines to attract the best students and finest faculty. As such, this initiative represents an unprecedented and transformational leap toward the future of engineering in this century. ThIs Is The TurnIng poInT for Queen’s engIneerIng, and we need you now.

a home for The new Queen’s InnovaTIon connecTor Building on the strong existing linkages between the Faculty of Engineering and Applied science and Queen’s school of Business, we are developing an innovation program that is unique in Canada. A truly joint venture between the Faculty and the school, this initiative is now being integrated into other academic areas such as health sciences and Arts and science. The Queen’s Innovation Connector (QIC), working with regional, national and international partners, extends well

QuEEn’s EnGInEErInG And APPlIEd sCIEnCE

beyond the borders of the university and Ontario to provide a bold new national model of innovation and entrepreneurship, meeting the changing needs of students, researchers and industry. The Queen’s Innovation Connector will challenge students and faculty to develop and take innovative ideas and products to market and launch social initiatives for the benefit of our university, our community and our world.

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Even though its economy is stable compared to many other developed countries, Canada has been steadily falling behind in innovation.

while Canada can boast a university system that is comparable to the finest in the world, there are few that speak about innovation and collaboration in the same sentence.

The Queen’s Innovation commons will be unique – bringing different disciplines together under one roof where Engineering graduate and undergraduate students will collaborate with researchers, professors and industry practitioners to drive innovation forward in Canada.

WHY NOW? 14

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By accepting the challenge to design this facility, Queen’s has attracted one of Canada’s finest architectural firms in diamond schmitt Architects.

Canada’s ability to compete in the global marketplace will depend largely on its ability to continually innovate within our traditional sectors while also tapping into emerging sectors.

Canadian students are among the top performers in the world, according to an international educational survey of half a million 15-year-olds in more than 70 countries.

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history. Queen’s Engineering is renowned for the collaborative nature of its graduates, which explains why so many have become corporate leaders.

Inspiring Greatness, the program of renewal for Queen’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied science, is aimed at refreshing the curriculum, teaching innovation and entrepreneurship, creating state-of-the-art facilities, and attracting and keeping top faculty. The university’s ability to lead is entirely dependent on its ability to manage the demand on enrolment. we do not want to turn away solid candidates; students who will, if given the opportunity, become great engineers – Queen’s Engineers.

WHYHERE? 16

QuEEn’s EnGInEErInG And APPlIEd sCIEnCE

At some point, the sinking of Canada’s stature in innovation will stop. we believe, and trust you do too, that Queen’s Engineering should be cited as the turnaround – and this initiative is a commitment to make that happen sooner than later.

we have a long history of innovation and collaboration. Queen’s Engineering’s exceptional reputation, nationally and internationally, is both our foundation and our inspiration.

left: Aerial rendering with union street at the bottom. below: Aerial rendering with Clergy street at the bottom.

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“Engineers are core to the needed changes in our world. Innovation will be key to these changes, and engineers will drive innovation. My investment in the Queen’s Innovation Commons is an investment in the development of innovative solutions for a sustainable future.” rOss BEATy, Chairman, Pan American silver Corporation; Executive Chairman, Alterra Power Corporation; and Queen’s parent

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GIVING PEOPLE AFOOT TO STAND ON

QuEEn’s EnGInEErInG And APPlIEd sCIEnCE

Around the world, countless people have lost a foot to disease, accidents or war. In developing countries those numbers are staggering, and the cost of a prosthetic foot is well beyond what individuals or the state can aﬀord. The technical challenges of creating an artificial foot are compounded by the diverse topography these amputees must negotiate. whether their homeland is flat, hilly or mountainous, they must be mobile to earn a living to feed themselves and their families. while necessity is the mother of invention, it must be true that some of us create necessity as a way to serve the lives of thousands of people they’ll never meet. As the scientific leader of a global research team, Mechanical and Materials Engineering professor dr. Tim Bryant is one of these individuals. From Thailand to El salvador, a novel prosthetic foot is giving individuals mobility, which enables them to earn a living as ‘able-bodied’ individuals. Brilliant in its apparent simplicity, The niagara Foot can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of other prosthetics and making improved mobility available to those who previously were unable to take advantage of improved technologies in these devices. A native of Parry sound, dr. Bryant has spent his entire academic career, from undergrad to faculty member, at Queen’s, and is currently a co-director of our human Mobility research Centre. The finest education the next generation of engineering students can have is from individuals like Tim Bryant who, every day, demonstrate the power to change history through innovation.

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QUEEN’S SUMMER INNOVATION INITIATIVE (QSII) conTInuIng a TradITIon of crITIcal ThInkIng Queen’s alumni believe in the indefinable but potent mixture of collaboration, problem solving and a commitment to innovation – the essential ingredients of QsII. The Queen’s summer Innovation Initiative represents a quantum leap for these qualities by bringing Engineering and Applied science undergrads together with students from Queen’s school of Business, The Faculty of Arts and science and the Faculty of health sciences. Kimberly woodhouse, dean of the Faculty of Engineering & Applied science, and Queen’s school of Business Associate dean and professor, Elspeth Murray, created the initiative to fill a vital need. Its goal is to develop the innovators and entrepreneurs who will lead the next generation in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world. The Initiative supports start-up company incubators that students can use as a springboard for success in a broader, global context. As dean woodhouse says, “Companies and industry leaders have told us that they need critical thinkers who know not just how to solve problems, but which questions to ask.”

QsII ’13 In 2013, the Queen’s summer Innovation Initiative $30,000 First Prize-winning start-up was the Charge Centre, a portable cell phone and tablet battery-charging station. In five weeks, the Charge Centre’s creators, rico Garcia, Michael Campbell and Jason Caldwell (two engineers and an economics student) developed five prototypes of their product. says Greg Bavington, Executive director of The Queen’s Innovation Connector, “we take them through all kinds of training in two weeks... some of them will drop their idea like a bad habit, because what they learn in the training is not every good idea is a good business.” The Charge Centre is already up and running in four local eateries and the trio are looking at expanding production and marketing.

The Innovation Initiative’s winning Charge Centre prototype at work. 22

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“The value of diversity on a team, and the value of having access to Queen’s top-notch prototyping facilities and our new maker space, sparQ labs, were very apparent in the pitches.” says Bavington. “The range of industries and interests covered by this year’s teams was tremendous.”

APSC 100: LEADERSHIP 101 By pairing first-year engineering students with those in their third and fourth year, Queen’s is developing tomorrow’s leaders from the ground up.

“...a great chance to get involved in a more professional capacity...”

The older students become Project Managers to the young men and women who are tasked with an open-ended engineering design problem. These young students work, in teams of three to five, with community partners on real-world projects. Each team presents progress updates and a final engineering report. Oﬃcially, the course is tagged APsC100, Engineering Practice, but for the 40-some upper-year students it employs as project managers it may as well be dubbed “leadership 101.” “we receive more applications than we can take,” says Brian Frank, sc’97, Msc’99, Phd’02, the duPont Canada Chair in Engineering Education research and development. “The Project Managers are outstanding students who are strong academically, have wonderful engineering and leadership experience, with great people and communication skills. Most of all, they love helping other students.” One of these project managers was danielle demers, a recently graduated Geological Engineering student. danielle worked with four teams totalling 18 students, to design an assistive technology centre for the h’art school of smiles, a non-profit organization in Kingston. The school is committed to helping adults with intellectual disabilities reach their highest potential through arts and education. Of the experience, danielle says, “I saw this project management role as a great chance to get involved in a more professional capacity but still with the opportunity to develop relationships with First years.” her role as a mentor responsible for evaluating the students’ oral and written work and ensuring the teams remain focused and on schedule with their project is only part of danielle’s task. “More importantly,” says demers, “I’m providing leadership and guidance.” like other project managers, demers feels the experience she’s gained in leadership, time management and conflict resolution will help her after graduation. she’s right, says Brian Frank. “Many of them take on really interesting positions following graduation, some with top quality consulting firms where they become responsible for multi-million-dollar projects.” Ironically, while the course was developed for the benefit of first-year engineering students, there are very real and practical benefits for our upper-year engineering students. Imagine the diﬀerence leadership 101 could make if everyone who applied to the program could be accommodated! 23

laser breakThrough, from dIscovery To sTarT-up From feature films as early as Goldfinger to today’s surgery, laser technology has evolved from fantasy to fact, from entertainment to the frontiers of science. In 2012, a significant breakthrough in optical measurement technology was developed at Queen’s by principal investigator dr. James Fraser and then doctoral candidate, Paul webster, Bsc ’06 (EngPhys), Phd ’13 (Physics, EngPhys & Astronomy). The work of these extraordinary physicists has opened up an exciting new world for high-power lasers, one with an immediate application in manufacturing that will eventually be applied to health science and research. Today, Paul webster Phd is CEO of laser depth dynamics. The company provides this technology to manufacturers for precision depth measurements using industrial lasers. By using the firm’s ld-600 you can gauge the depth the laser beam penetrates to a degree finer than the width of a human hair in materials as diverse as metal, semiconductors, plastics – or even tissue. webster credits his success to Queen’s, “It was a transformative experience for me. It helped me answer many questions about how the world works, technically and otherwise.”

for more InformaTIon FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE

Beamish-Munro Hall, Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6 1 800 267-7837 x32160 jane.mcmillan@queensu.ca

Creative: scott Thornley + Company sTCstorytellers.com

IT’S TIME TO GIVE CANADIAN INNOVATION A HOME – RIGHT HERE AT QUEEN’S.