Inspiring teaching and research

INSPIRING TEACHING AND RESEARCH: Advancing learning and discovery

An exceptional learning experience needs teachers and researchers who can apply their expertise, ignite imaginations, and mentor the next generation. Donor support allowed us to triple the number of chairs and professorships in the Faculty. Through endowed chairs and professorships, as well as research program funding, our faculty can augment conventional learning and discovery with new technology and experiences, such as “flipped classroom” concepts and prototyping labs. Field opportunities complement these approaches and give students real-world experiences.

Supporting new ways of learning

Evan Hazell, Sc’81, graduated from Queen’s exactly 25 years after his parents Jack, Artsci’55, MA’56, and Mary Hazell, NSc’56. When looking for a way to honour his parents, Evan worked with Queen’s to create an endowment to attract key faculty members, enrich research programs, and provide new learning concepts in and out of the classroom. The results of Mr. Hazell’s thoughtful generosity are the Hazell Research Professorship in Chemical Design and Innovation, and the Hazell Chemical Design Innovation Endowed Program Fund.

Dr. Scott Parent, Sc’91, the first Hazell Research Professor in Chemical Design and Innovation, says the investment has provided him with the opportunity to introduce new learning concepts and provide students with tools for a hands-on approach to learning. “This gift has provided me with the mandate to affect change in the Faculty, as well as resources that I need to bring it about,” he says. “I’ve been able to engage students, faculty, and staff in refining the ‘design spine’ of our Chemical Engineering and Engineering Chemistry curricula.”

Along with introducing new concepts such as the “flipped classroom” approach, Dr. Parent has developed a prototyping laboratory for APSC 200, a project-based, interdisciplinary design course. The lab gives students an unprecedented opportunity for hands-on design and implementation using the latest in technology and tools to test theories. It has also been used for community outreach initiatives, including an Engineering Summer Academy for high school students.

Dr. Parent notes that Mr. Hazell’s generous contributions are a game changer for Chemical Engineering and Engineering Chemistry. “I’ve always been interested in experiential learning concepts but haven’t always had the opportunity to apply them. The Hazell Professorship has changed this for me, and is changing how we teach and learn at Queen’s.”

Evan Hazell, Sc’81, with parents, Jack, Artsci’55, MA’56, and Mary, NSc’56

Learning in the real world: Kennedy Field Station brings theory to life

Geof Hall, Artsci’98, PhD’08

Donning a wetsuit and snorkelling in the Salmon River may seem like an odd activity for a university course—but at Queen’s it’s just part of the experiential learning opportunities at the Kennedy Field Station, a multi-use watershed facility that provides exceptional teaching, research, and outreach experiences.

The Kennedy Field Station, located on the Salmon River in Eastern Ontario, was donated to the Department of Civil Engineering in 2006 by Professor Russ Kennedy, Sc’41, DSc’93, a former head of the department. Located on 150 acres, it features a rich geological setting, along with a naturalized riverfront, a small dam, and several wells for teaching and research purposes.

“We can teach theory, but students need a real-world experience to fully understand the concepts,” says Dr. Geoffrey Hall, Artsci’98, PhD’08, and Associate Director of Queen’s Water Research Centre. “They need to get their hands dirty.” The station includes a fully-functioning classroom and wet lab, along with sensors and instrumentation within the river for studies related to watershed science, hydrogeology, and water conservation.

Dr. Hall says that the model watershed provides an unrivalled opportunity to understand water flow and the impact of engineered structures such as wells and dams. “Students get the chance to put cameras down wells to understand how they work and go snorkelling to see firsthand how structures such as dams can impact water flow. We also have sensors to monitor river flow and quantity, and weather stations to understand how events like a major storm can impact our water systems.”

Funding for the Kennedy Field Station’s activities comes, in large part, from a generous contribution from RBC’s Blue Water Project, which supports organizations that are committed to watershed protection and access to clean drinking water. The RBC Queen’s University Water Initiative is a 10-year program bringing together researchers and industry partners to expand research, training, and outreach activities focussed on sustainable watershed science, education, and protection. Outreach activities include the

Real-world, hands-on learning

Great Lakes Water Festival, an annual event that features hands-on activities to help hundreds of grade four students learn more about water health and conservation.

Dr. Hall notes that students see their time at the Kennedy Field Station as a highlight of their coursework, and that without support from donors, these real-world learning opportunities simply wouldn’t exist. “We’re so grateful to have this incredible facility,” he says. “It truly is a world-class research and teaching environment.”

Civil Engineering Department Head Kent Novakowski (left) at the Kennedy Field Station