On a cold winter morning, waiting for the ferry on Toronto Islands can be a miserable experience. With no heated shelter, few benches and little protection from the elements, many of the 750 island residents are left shivering outdoors.
To tackle this issue, first-year engineering students at U of T found new ways to design the docks. Their ideas – along with solutions for seven other challenges across the GTA – were showcased at a packed public event this month.
From swirly mops to freezable freezers, the one-day event was the finale of Praxis II, a unique hands-on course from the Engineering Science program that encourages students to collaborate with communities throughout the GTA.
“The term ‘praxis’ refers to the process of integrating ideas and actions, which is central to engineering design,” said Professor Jason Foster (EngSci), one of the course organizers. “In their first year, students already learn how to transform their ideas and classroom knowledge into designs that address real-world challenges.”
“Before we even started thinking about our solution, we visited the Islands and talked directly with residents,” said student Sara Maltese (EngSci 1T7), who shared her team’s ideas with CBC Radio. “We then designed an inexpensive fabric structure for shade, and a separate structure with button-activated heat.”
