Curiosity Creates Winter 2019

THE MAGAZINE OF THE FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE AT QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY

FALL 2019

INSIDE Building a better battery: Alumnus David Bradwell is co-inventor of a technology that could change the world Slip sliding away: Alumna Emily Colombo makes a splash!

Homecoming 2019 was a hit! We share some of our favourite images

PLUS Our Tech ‘n’ Tinker Trailer hit the road in its new Curiosity Creates—inspired design!

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Contents 1 Dean’s message Dr. Kevin Deluzio discusses the future of engineering education and the important contributions engineers can make regardless of the path they choose

FALL 2019 DEAN

Kevin Deluzio, Sc’88, MSc’90, PhD’98 DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Adam Walker COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Matt Mills CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Matt Mills Jordan Whitehouse GRAPHIC DESIGN

Walker Design + Communications PHOTOGRAPHY

Reinier deSmit Matt Mills CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Matt Mills Nanci Corrigan

2 Nanotech pioneers Professor Carlos Escobedo’s work in microsystems and microstructures is giving new hope in the quest for better early detection 4 Movers and shakers Alumna Erum Afsar’s career has involved bringing communities together, both physically and socially. She has been named one of the Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine and one of the Next 10 Albertans to Watch by Alberta Venture magazine 6 3D-printed motion Professor Brian Amsden’s research team is looking to a future where we will be able to print living replacement parts for the human body 8 Sustainable energy This liquid metal battery, co-invented by alumnus David Bradwell, could be the key to a sustainable future based on renewable energy 10 Remote control Some yearn to be astronauts, alumnus Ed Birchnall wanted to be in mission control 12 Diverse perspectives Less than one per cent of Canadians with engineering degrees are Indigenous.

Aboriginal Access to Engineering aims to change that 14

Summer sliders Alumna Emily Colombo designs safe (and fun!) water parks all over the world

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Better engineers Queen’s Engineering’s Tech ‘n’ Tinker Trailer is sporting a new look, as it reaches out to pique children’s curiosity about the amazing world of engineering

CONTACT INFORMATION

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science Queen’s University Beamish-Munro Hall 45 Union Street Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 Tel 613.533.2055 Fax 613.533.6500 Email complete.engineer@queensu.ca

18 Alumni news Homecoming 2019 was a tremendous success! Here are some images of the highlights

We want to serve you better!

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ou have likely noticed that this is not the usual issue of The Complete Engineer, the magazine of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Queen’s University.

COVER: With the launch of our Curiosity Creates campaign we have our sites set firmly on building a better world and a brighter future for all. Visit our campaign page and view our Curiosity Creates video at: engineering.queensu.ca/curiositycreates

CURIOSITY CREATES

In this special issue, we are bringing you stories that epitomize the qualities at the heart of our new Curiosity Creates campaign. We are highlighting the rigour and curiosity that Queen’s engineers bring when striving to make our world a better place. Our goals are to show the world the power and versatility of an engineering education and to encourage an increasingly diverse group of people to pursue engineering.

We are seizing this opportunity to reexamine how we connect with our different

stakeholders and audiences to ensure that we are sharing Queen’s Engineering’s stories in a compelling and accessible way.

We want to know what kinds of stories you would like to see, whether that means student- and design-team profiles, research highlights, alumni stories, or campus life and current events updates.

Over the next few months, we will be conducting readership surveys, holding focus groups, and interviewing stakeholders to find out how we can best serve our community.

We invite your feedback. Please email your thoughts and suggestions to feedback@ engineering.queensu.ca

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

T

he complexities of our evolving

At Queen’s, we have underlined our

world and the rapid rise in

commitment to these core values through

technological innovation has led

faculty renewal and a dedicated, inter-

to substantial changes in the world of

disciplinary team that collaborates with

engineering practice. Today, more than

faculty members to develop curricula and

ever, engineers must be engaged global

leverage new educational technologies

citizens who can adapt to the rapid pace of

and approaches to learning. We have also

change and thrive while taking on some of

introduced several practices and supports

our greatest challenges and opportunities.

to promote diversity, inclusivity, and

As the co-chair of the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science, I recently worked with council members to adopt a Declaration on the Future of Engineering Education. The declaration

accessibility, and have expanded our focus on collaborative, interdisciplinary, experiential learning. We are dedicated to preparing our students to fully contribute to a brighter future for all.

obligates us to work together to drive

This fall marks the end of our 125th

substantive change in engineering education

anniversary celebrations and the beginning

to ensure that our future engineers have the

of a new era for our Faculty. We are ready

skills they need to contribute to society in

and excited to explore what our curiosity

whatever career path they choose.

will create. Together, we will eliminate the

To do so, our education programs must

gap between what is and what can be.

continuously evolve to enable our students

Thank you for reading, and best wishes for

to adapt to a rapidly transforming scope of

the holiday season.

practice. This means introducing new areas of study and learning practices that embrace technological innovation, are inclusive and accessible, and prepare students to be resilient in the face of change.

Kevin Deluzio PhD, PEng, FCAE Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

engineering.queensu.ca/curiosity creates

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CURIOSITY CREATES NANOTECH PIONEERS

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CATCHING DISEASE EARLY

WITH MICROTECHNOLOGY

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ancer is the leading cause of death in Canada. Improvement in cancer treatments is dramatically improving survival rates; however, early detection is also critical to treating this disease. Carlos Escobedo’s research in microsystems and microstructures is offering new hope through novel technologies that can provide early diagnoses for a number of cancers as well as other pathogens that have a significant impact on the lives of Canadians.

A Queen’s faculty member since 2013, Dr. Escobedo also has several years of industry experience as a manager of the mechanical engineering division at Mexico’s Innovamedica R&D, where he was part of the team that developed the first Mexican artificial heart. His current research is focused on working with sensors to detect diseases, including cancer and pathogenic infections, at the early stages.

Working at the microand nano-scale, Dr. Escobedo’s research involves the development of miniaturized technologies for analytical and diagnostic applications through the use and combination of microfluidics and optics.

“Our nanostructured-based biosensing platforms can be used for many applications with high socio-economic impact,” he says. “Our goal is to have a global impact on population health through the development of biomedical diagnostics that can be used in situ.”

The success of these sensing technologies has already been demonstrated through a label-free nanoplasmonic sensing platform built with off-the-shelf optical and electronic components. This is used for uropathogenic E. coli, which is responsible for most cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

This groundbreaking work has been recognized with

over $1 million in research grants as well as several awards, including the 2018 Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.

In 2018, Dr. Escobedo also received one of TD Bank’s 10 Most Influential Hispanic Canadians awards, and in 2019 he earned a Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science Excellence in Research Award.

ABOVE: Dr. Carlos Escobedo’s research in microsystems and microstructures offers new hope for early diagnoses for cancer.

LEFT: Biosensing platforms can help detect diseases at the early stages.

Dr. Escobedo notes that his research is at an exciting point. “We want this knowledge to have realworld applications for diagnosing ovarian and other cancers,” he says. “Our hope is to transfer our technology to a company that can bring it to market.”n

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CURIOSITY CREATES MOVERS AND SHAKERS

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BRINGING COMMUNITIES

TOGETHER As a professional engineer, Erum Afsar has a wealth of experience bringing communities together through infrastructure and transportation master planning for large cities in Canada. But she’s also an amazing community builder, serving in local government, volunteering for many causes, and mentoring the next generation of female engineers.

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rum Afsar graduated from the civil engineering program in 1995 and since that time has built a strong reputation for expertise in transportation and sustainable city planning.

During her time at the City of Regina working in asset infrastructure management, she developed plans not just for roadways, but for bikeways and pedestrian routes. The experience helped her realize the importance of future planning and how it impacts people. “There are significant safety issues around planning for how people and vehicles move,”

she says. “I learned a great deal about how to manage interactions between them.”

A move to Calgary and the private sector gave her exposure to projects that incorporated sustainability principles integrating alternative and sustainable modes of transportation for communities. These projects were in Calgary and surrounding communities.

Erum then moved on to Edmonton to work on the city’s light rail transit plan, a project that involved a great deal of consultation and no small amount of political

maneuvering. Today, she’s the director of enforcement at the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), where she ensures compliance with the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act (EGP) and that members are held to a code of ethics.

Committed to contributing to positive changes for her community, Erum serves as a municipal councillor for the Kananaskis region. She is also an active volunteer, helping younger adults become more engaged in civic affairs, raising money for early childhood literacy, and working with the Islamic Family and Social Services Association on food security, domestic violence, and youth and refugee programs. She has been recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine, one of the Next 10 Albertans to Watch by Alberta Venture magazine, and a Woman Who Inspires by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women.

Erum says that Queen’s taught her the skills she has used throughout her career to think strategically and solve problems. “I learned how to take a problem apart and figure it out,” she says.

“That’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my entire career. It means I can always learn something new.”n

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Queen’s Engineering researchers developing new ways to

3D-PRINT REPLACEMENT KNEE CARTILAGE

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he menisci, a pair of horseshoe-shaped cartilaginous pads that help to stabilize the knee joint and that act as shock absorbers between the bones of your upper and lower legs, are critical to healthy knee function.

Torn or missing menisci can cause pain, inflammation, and instability in the joint and, even with surgical intervention, can accelerate the onset and progression of osteoarthritis. Even young people with damaged menisci may endure months or years of recurring discomfort, inflammation, and surgery only to need

knee replacement surgery later in their lives.

If there were a way to replace or repair menisci more easily and definitively, long before the effects of osteoarthritis destroy the knee, years of limping around and sitting out could be saved among untold numbers of patients, and most knee replacement surgeries might be avoided altogether. A research group led by Queen’s Chemical Engineering Professor Dr. Brian Amsden is working on a solution to that problem that might one day equip doctors to make new, living menisci specific to the

dimensions and biological and mechanical qualities of each individual patient.

“Oftentimes a surgeon will cut out the portion of a meniscus that isn’t functioning,” says Amsden.

“An alternative would be to try to grow a replacement.

That’s what we’re trying to accomplish here. We’re using an additive manufacturing technique to create a scaffold with biomechanical properties that are similar to that of the meniscus.”

It could work like this: a patient’s diagnostic scans would be used to build a

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CURIOSITY CREATES

precise computer model of the needed replacement meniscus. A special 3D printer could be used to translate the model into a scaffold of tiny biodegradable polymeric fibres in just the right arrangement and shape. The scaffold could then be infused with a gel containing the patient’s stem cells differentiated to form fibrochondrocytes (meniscus cells). After a few days or weeks in a bioreactor, the cells would grow and form into living meniscal tissue in the near-perfect shape of the scaffold. The scaffold itself would dissolve in time, leaving behind only a brand-

new healthy meniscus made from the patient’s own cells and ready for implantation.

Easy, right?

There are actually many hurdles that need to be overcome to make the process work safely and reliably enough for clinical use. Firstly, the additive manufacturing process used in printing the scaffolds needs to produce extremely thin polymeric fibres within the micrometre range. Every fibre must be positioned and connected very precisely within the scaffold during the print. This is done so that the

There are well-established processes called electrospinning and solution electrospinning that can lay down really thin polymeric fibres, but they don’t allow for the precision needed to place the fibres properly for a useful scaffold. Amsden has a new piece of additive manufacturing equipment in his lab designed for a promising process called melt electrowriting (MEW).

The machine is capable of positioning and connecting the extruded fibres extremely precisely for the needed scaffold.

into the print surface without burning or otherwise losing its chemical properties due to heat. It has a very low glass transition temperature, about -60°C, below which it loses its useful chemical properties, as it becomes brittle. Most of all, it degrades in the body over time.

“The problem with PCL is that when you melt it and let it freeze again, it forms crystals that make it really brittle,” says Amsden. “If you make it thin enough, it has certain useful mechanical properties, but if you dynamically stimulate it for too long, it will just shatter.”

Amsden and his research team are working on ways to minimize these limitations by designing and testing polymers that retain more elasticity, are less prone to crystallization, and are even better suited for use in MEW.

scaffold can be porous enough to allow the patient’s cells to infiltrate and attach and yet composed of fibres thin enough that the new tissue remains strong and retains the needed mechanical properties when the scaffold dissolves.

The scaffolds are printed most often with polycaprolactone (PCL). It’s a polymer with some great qualities for this type of application. It melts to liquid at a reasonable 60°C so it can be heated to flow easily through the print head and

There’s still a long road of discovery ahead before doctors will be able to 3D-print living replacement body parts specifically tailored to individual patients, but the broader implications of the technology, once perfected, are huge. Amsden’s group is working in partnership, for example, with a research group at the University of Toronto on a similar process that could equip doctors to grow replacement atrioventricular valve leaves

for implantation in the human heart.

“Apart from organ-based bio-fabrication, another very important application we commonly see is testing drug response,” says Sean Mathew, a PhD candidate under Amsden’s supervision who is doing much of the heavy lifting on the MEW replacement meniscus project. “If we can use additive manufacturing systems to create artificial tissues, drug makers can test drug responses in living tissue in ways that are not currently possible in animal or human trials.”

“Sean’s a young guy,” says Amsden with a smile. “He’ll probably see this technology through.”n ABOVE: PhD Candidate Sean Mathew and Queen’s Chemical Engineering Professor Dr. Brian Amsden are developing ways to 3D-print replacement knee menisci that mimics the biological and mechanical properties of the real thing.

TOP LEFT: Melt electrowriting allows for unprecedented precision and flexibility in printing scaffolds upon which a patient’s own stem cells can be grown to form new menisci.

BOTTOM LEFT: Scaffolds are designed and printed in various configurations, each representing an effort to replicate the mechanical properties of the human meniscus.

>>> Learn more about Dr. Brian Amsden’s Advanced Biomaterials Laboratory (ABiL) at amsdenlab.ca

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CURIOSITY CREATES SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

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CURIOSITY CREATES

A CLEANER WAY TO POWER OUR WORLD Cleantech entrepreneur David Bradwell, Sc’05, knew early on in his education that he wanted to engineer a better world. Today, as the coinventor of a groundbreaking clean energy technology, he and his company are working to transform the energy sector and help solve some of our biggest energy problems.

D

avid Bradwell is the co-founder, chief technology officer, and senior vice president of Ambri. He co-invented the company’s technology—the liquid metal battery—while studying as a graduate student at MIT. Ambri’s liquid metal battery cells feature liquid metal and salt components. Cells operate at elevated temperatures that are maintained by the heat that

is released during charging and discharging processes.

The battery operates silently, is emissions-free, and has no moving parts. Cells avoid the common failure mechanisms of other batteries, enabling them to operate for decades with minimal loss of storage capacity. They also cost a fraction of traditional energy systems.

“We are using commonly available materials and

have taken an innovative approach to create this new type of battery that is both cost-effective and longlasting,” says David. “It can respond to grid signals in milliseconds, and is designed to turn sustainable renewable resources, such as wind and solar, from intermittent and unreliable electricity producers to on-demand generators.”

organize helped him realize his passion for developing more efficient and “greener” energy systems. “I knew that I wanted to use my science skills to make a difference in the world, and this was a way to do it. My Queen’s experience prepared me for my graduate studies at MIT, where I began working on solutions to problems that really matter to me.”

Ambri’s technology will also be used in other powergrid applications, such as peak shaving, frequency regulation, and voltage support. The company has attracted significant investment, including from Bill Gates, and is currently in the development and verification phase, with a goal to move to commercial production within a couple of years.

“To really make an impact, we need to go beyond the research and commercialize our discoveries,” says David.

“Clean technology is vital to transforming our energy sector, and to ensuring sustainable, low-cost, and efficient electrical systems for our future.” n

David was already engaged in corporate social responsibility while at Queen’s—in fact, a discussion with a participant at one of the conferences he helped

ABOVE LEFT: David Bradwell, Sc’05 BELOW LEFT AND CENTRE: Ambri’s technology can turn sustainable renewable resources into on-demand generators.

BELOW RIGHT: Ambri’s liquid metal battery

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CURIOSITY CREATES REMOTE CONTROL

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CURIOSITY CREATES

ENGINEERING NEW WAYS TO

EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE Canadian Space Agency as a robotics flight controller for Canadarm2 and Dextre (a maintenance robot) on the International Space Station. He added training responsibilities to his role in 2009, working with astronauts and flight controllers to develop and teach processes that ensure missions are completed safely and successfully.

At the age of 15, Ed Birchnall made a decision that changed his life. He enrolled in space camp and spent a week learning about astronauts, mission control, and the vast number of people and skills required to successfully complete a mission. That experience ignited a passion for space exploration—and launched a career that has led him to his current role as the supervisor of mission control and training at the Canadian Space Agency.

A

fter graduating from the engineering physics program in 1999, Ed Birchnall joined Bombardier as a systems integrator before moving on to work with CAE, a world leader in flight simulation systems. He notes that his education prepared him well for a software integration career. “The fidelity of flight simulators needs to be perfect for pilots to successfully train in them,” he says. “That means looking at the big picture and all the components of these complex systems. Engineering Physics taught me to understand and think about all of the engineering disciplines and how they come together for discovery and innovation.”

rather work in mission control than be an astronaut.

That dream came true in 2003 when he joined the

Canada’s role in space discovery and technology continues to grow. A new, smaller station known as the Lunar Gateway will feature Canadarm3, a smart robotic system with a next-generation robotic arm that will perform a number of critical functions without human intervention, as the new station will not always be crewed. The Canadian Space Agency is also launching a new initiative that will prepare Canada’s space sector for lunar exploration in orbit and

on the moon’s surface.

Ed notes that Canada has a strong reputation for innovative design.

Canadarm2, for example, originally had a 15-year design life—today, it has surpassed its life span and has even taken on new responsibilities, including “catching” commercial space vehicles delivering cargo to the space station.

“The Canadian Space Agency is a major player in global initiatives for space exploration,” he says. “This is an exciting time to be part of that team, and to be making contributions towards the next big discoveries in the universe.”n

ABOVE LEFT: Ed Birchnall (Sc’99) BELOW: Working at the Canadian Space Agency

Ed’s space camp experience helped him realize that he’d engineering.queensu.ca/curiosity creates

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CURIOSITY CREATES DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

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SUPPORTING TOMORROW’S INDIGENOUS ENGINEERS

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ndigenous communities are increasingly involved in the management of Canada’s resource sectors—but Indigenous engineers account for less than one per cent of all Canadians with engineering degrees. Aboriginal Access to Engineering is working to improve those numbers, with recruitment activities, educational resources, community partnerships, and on-campus support for future and current Indigenous students.

Working in partnership with the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre and other on-campus services, Aboriginal Access to Engineering supports students holistically across academic, community, and cultural spaces. Support includes access to tutoring, exam prep sessions, and study groups, as well as connections with industries particularly interested in the development of Indigenous engineers through summer employment, internships, and permanent positions.

Students also get together

regularly at the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre for social activities, such as shared meals and club meetings.

“Queen’s and the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science create a family atmosphere for students,” says Jacob Calderone, Sc’22, of Fort Nelson First Nation.

“I feel supported, and I know there’s always someone there if I need help.”

Brielle Thorsen, Sc’20, of Saddle Lake Cree Nation, echoes that sentiment.

“Our Indigenous student community in engineering has grown significantly in the time I’ve been here at Queen’s,” she says. “It has been amazing to see my peers in leadership roles both in Indigenous organizations like Q-AISES and in other broad-based student organizations such as the Engineering Society.

The work that my fellow students do is paving the

way for the next generation of Indigenous engineers, and we are showing that you can honour your heritage as well as being a community member and student.”

Along with support for current students, Aboriginal Access to Engineering provides educational resources for Indigenous youth, teachers, parents, and counsellors. The Aboriginal Access to Engineering educational website features culturally relevant educational materials and other online resources to help engage Indigenous youth with science and engineering.

In addition to its presence online, the outreach wing of Aboriginal Access to Engineering employs two full-time Indigenous teachers who currently collaborate with nine different partner First Nation elementary schools in STEM enrichment programming. Their work is sustained through a PromoScience grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Melanie Howard, Director of Aboriginal Access to Engineering, says that Indigenous students bring their own lived experiences to add to the diversity of the student population.

“A diverse student population, supported by staff and faculty who value inclusivity, creates a learning environment where students are challenged to think beyond their own experiences and to consider unique solutions to solving problems.”n

ABOVE: The tipi at Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre.

BELOW LEFT: Students gather for a meal at Four Directions.

BELOW RIGHT: Patrick St-Onge, Sc’18, Métis Nation of Ontario Kaitlyn Brant, Sc’16, MEng ’19, Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte

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CIVIL ENGINEERING

CURIOSITY CREATES SUMMER SLIDERS

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AROUND THE WORLD When you think of a civil engineer, you probably think about bridges, buildings, and other similar structures. So did Queen’s alumna Emily Colombo, Sc’12—until an afternoon at a water park changed her career path and landed her in what could arguably be one of the most fun jobs in the world.

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mily Colombo was working in a more traditional role with Lafarge Canada when she joined a group of friends for a water park adventure on a day off. The slides were fun, but they also brought out the curiosity in her. “I started to wonder about the technical challenges and how various factors had to be taken into account to make them fun, but also safe,” she says. Fueled by a new passion, she approached companies with her resume and landed a position with White Water West, the largest water park design firm in the world.

Emily began her new career in an engineering rotation, learning in each department about slide paths, client budgets, trends, and safety.

The company employs about 600 people around the world, with teams of engineers, architects, aquatic specialists, and others collaborating on water slide designs that are both exciting and safe.

To do so, they must factor in a number of variables, including g-forces, flowrates, and velocity.

Along with being fun, waterslides need to be designed with location and culture in mind. “What’s

popular in Asia may not be in Brazil,” says Emily.

“We also look carefully at demographic, the surrounding environment, even friction for different types of materials.” She notes, for example, that in some countries waterslides need to be designed for burkinis rather than bikinis.

Cruise ships are also a big market, with unique technical challenges for design and load capacities, especially given the limited amount of space available. Flow Riders, a type of surfing pool with artificial waves, are very popular on ships, with 18 out on the seas today.

Emily says that her favourite part of her work is going through the entire project cycle and seeing the final result. “It’s amazing to visit a park a year later and see people having a great time,” she says. “That’s an exceptionally satisfying part of my job.” And for an added perk, she, of course, gets to “test” her work.

Emily notes that her Queen’s education prepared her for working with a crossfunctional team, and says that today’s students shouldn’t feel confined to what may be considered more traditional engineering careers. “Everything has to be engineered,” she says. “Think about what you love and follow that.” n

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CURIOSITY CREATES BET TER ENGINEERS

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CURIOSITY CREATES

GETTING CURIOUS WITH THE NEXT GENERATION

A

new outreach program is infusing the Faculty’s spirit of curiosity into the next generation of engineers.

The Tech ‘n’ Tinker (TNT) Trailer, a mobile engineering design classroom that travels to schools around the Greater Kingston Area, is providing students and teachers with hands-on opportunities to learn more about the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and how they are utilized by engineers to contribute to a better world.

Boasting a full range of educational technologies, the TNT Trailer is a 24foot climate-controlled cargo trailer that has been converted into a mobile

classroom that can be used year-round. It is fully equipped with multiple display screens to support teaching and learning as well as a range of workshop materials, including 3D printers, micro-controllers, building materials, laptops, and wireless internet.

When visiting a school, the Connections outreach team delivers six workshops a day. Three of them happen inside the trailer and focus on applying an engineering design process, while the other three happen inside the school’s classroom and focus on digital literacy, coding, and robotics. As one teacher noted, “Not only did [the workshops] relate well to the curriculum in science and

math, they were engaging. I had many kids ask me how they can keep coding and if we can experiment with circuits at school. You hooked them, and this doesn’t always happen with workshops!”

The TNT Trailer is part of the Faculty’s larger outreach program called Connections, which is led by Manager Scott Compeau, Sc’08, Ed’11, MASc’15, PhD candidate.

Compeau notes that one of the primary objectives of the TNT initiative is to provide a positive learning experience and educational value for both students and teachers. “The TNT Trailer initiative, along with all of the outreach programs offered by Connections such as our Queen’s Summer

Engineering Academy, is focused on providing highquality and engaging STEM workshops that are fun and inspiring while being grounded in educational curriculum, theory, and learning skills.”

Many of Connections’ TNT workshops are purposefully designed to include lesson plans for specific grades and subject areas, making it easier for teachers to integrate them into their regular teaching practice. “These lesson plans also include ideas for student assessment and the relevant learning skills that students are strengthening while participating in the workshops, which are essential in education and in engineering,” says Compeau.

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ALUMNI NEWS

Homecoming 2019

Dean’s Pancake Breakfast: Alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends joined Dean Kevin Deluzio to connect and reminisce over breakfast in Mitchell Hall. Members of the Class of Science ‘59 were

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CURIOSITY CREATES

inducted into the Millionaires Club in recognition of their contribution of over $1 million to their class fund, the Science ‘59 Bursary. October 19, 2019

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ALUMNI NEWS

Homecoming 2019

Homecoming Football Game: Queen’s Homecoming football game against the York Lions.

October 19, 2019

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CIVIL ENGINEERING

engineering.queensu.ca/curiosity creates

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CIVIL ENGINEERING

Explore, decode, and reframe.

Innovate with rigour and curiosity to create a better world for all.

See where curiosity leads you at engineering.queensu.ca/curiositycreates

Beamish-Munro Hall, Room 200 | 45 Union Street, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 phone: 613.533.2055 | email: engineering.reception@queensu.ca

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