U of T Engineering graduate Suneet Tuli (CivE 9T0) has a vision: to make computer technology available to people around the world, including some of the poorest.
The CEO of DataWind, a company that develops wireless web access products and services, seeks to empower millions in India with an inexpensive tablet PC: the Aakash. Retailing at less than $50, the tablet delivers the benefits of modern technology and the potential to bridge the digital divide in India and around the world.
Tuli returned to his alma mater on November 30 to speak with students and faculty about creating the Aakash and how technology, made broadly accessible, can enhance welfare and bring social change.
“The world needs inexpensive computing and Internet access. Tablets become the de-facto form factor for that,” Tuli explained.
By using inexpensive hardware and technology that utilizes cellular phone networks for Internet access, his company was able to create a device “that would be affordable within a week’s salary [in India], which is $50 (CDN).”
“And how important is affordability?” asked Tuli to the crowd. “In my opinion, the floodgates have opened. The next billion Internet users are coming. And with that, you are going to get innovation you’ve never seen before.”
“It is an honour to have Suneet Tuli here today,” said Cristina Amon, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. “It is a story that is quite familiar in our Faculty. Inspired by a culture of innovation at U of T, he is now an engineer innovating and changing the world.”
As Tuli explained, launching an inexpensive tablet in India required problem-solving on every level.
“The important things I learned at U of T is problem-solving and thinking outside the box,” Tuli said.
The event, which drew a large crowd to the Sandford Fleming Building, was hosted by The Indian Innovation Institute at the Rotman School of Management, Munk School of Global Affairs and the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.
Moving stem cell technologies from the lab to the marketplace will take time. But once commercialized, regenerative medicine could lead to curing everything from heart disease to neurodegenerative illnesses.
“What we all hope is that there will be new curative treatments for debilitating diseases,” said Professor Peter Zandstra (IBBME), a Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Bioengineering. “It’s not clear right now if our approaches will be successful, but I think there’s a lot of hope and promise.”
Professor Zandstra is the Chief Scientific Officer of the new Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM). The Toronto-based centre takes early-stage technologies from Ontario institutions and adds value to help commercialize them, he explains.
“One of the problems that we face in regenerative medicine – and there are many – is that numerous technologies that come out are too early for real commercialization, and we need this extra step of turning them into products,” he said.
The Globe and Mail will hold a live discussion with Professor Zandstra on stem cell research and commercialization on December 1 at noon. For more information and the full article, visit The Globe and Mail.
The University of Toronto celebrated the opening of the renovated Lassonde Mining Building on November 28. The transformation of the building, which first opened in 1904, converted the previously unused attic into new collaborative student design studios and teaching spaces and added a rooftop meeting room.
“We are celebrating a new chapter of mining innovation at the University of Toronto with the opening of this building,” said David Naylor, President of the University.
The new 4th and 5th floor space, known as the Goldcorp Mining Innovation Suite, provides 100 workstations for students studying mineral and civil engineering to complete engineering design projects. It will also be home to the Lassonde Institute of Mining, an interdisciplinary research institute focused on a whole spectrum of mining activities, including mineral resource identification, mine planning, excavation, as well as extraction and processing. In addition to classes, the suite will host public events ranging from small meetings to seminars and lectures.
The project was made possible by generous financial support from Dr. Pierre Lassonde, the chairman of mining giant Franco-Nevada, Goldcorp Incorporated, as well as Knowledge and Infrastructure Project (KIP) funding from the federal government matched by provincial funds.
“What we do is always for the students,” said Dr. Lassonde. Referring to the new collaborative space, he remarked, “… there is no doubt that the student experience here will be absolutely incredible.”
Wladyslaw Lizon, Member of Parliament for Mississauga East–Cooksville, was on hand at the opening to extend the federal government’s best wishes.
“Modernizing and improving research and training facilities at Canada’s university and college campuses will help us build the foundation for future growth. It will help us protect and create more jobs for Canadians and ensure we are well-positioned for future prosperity,” said Mr. Lizon.
In addition to new space, the project allowed a number of sustainable features to be added to the building. This includes photovoltaic panels that power the new suite’s lighting and computer needs. It also includes improved insulation, the addition of skylights and rain harvesting to water the surrounding grounds. An elevator was also added, making the building more physically accessible.
“The Lassonde Mining Building is an excellent example of what can be accomplished through a combination of private philanthropy, industry investment and government support,” said Cristina Amon, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.
As a major research university located in Toronto, U of T is well situated to support Canada’s mining industry, Dr. Lassonde remarked.
“We have the pulls of the industry here (in Toronto). We have the services, we have the legal firms, the equity firms, the investment bankers and we have the University that does an incredible amount of research,” stated Dr. Lassonde.
“I am confident that the University of Toronto, through the intellectual capital of its world-class engineering and physical sciences faculties, has the capacity to create an academic enterprise of unprecedented depth, focus and impact to address these challenges,” said Dean Amon.
The groundbreaking photovoltaic research being conducted by U of T Engineers was recently featured in a series on Canada’s future in solar energy that appeared in the Postmedia Network, which publishes The National Post and other daily newspapers across Canada.
Professor Ted Sargent’s (ECE) development of quantum dot solar cell technology was highlighted as an innovative sustainable energy solution. Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductors that capture light and convert it into electrical energy. Because of their small scale, the dots can be sprayed onto flexible surfaces, including plastics. This enables the production of solar cells that are less expensive than the existing silicon-based version.
In a recent paper published in Nature Materials, Professor Sargent’s lab reported 6% power conversion efficiency. Professor Sargent explains to Postmedia’s Margaret Munro that just five years earlier, the conversion efficiency was zero. As the technology reaches 10% efficiency, Professor Sargent said the opportunities for commercialization become viable. Already he has an agreement in place with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia for rights to Professor Sargent’s quantum dot solar cell technology. The license covers 38 countries in the Middle East, Western Asia, Russia and India. U of T and Professor Sargent continue to hold rights to the rest of the world.
Also profiled was PhD Candidate Graham Morse (ChemE) who is working with Professor Tim Bender (ChemE) on the development of organic solar cells. Morse created a new organic chemical compound called pentafluorophenoxy-boronsubphthalocyanine, which is a promising new material that can be used to harvest the sun’s power.
Morse is featured in “Solar technology scientists lured to leave Canada .”
Professor Bryan Karney, in a story prepared by CBC News, warns that failing to invest in water infrastructure can lead to higher costs in the long term.
“The reason why water pipes leak is really not a simplistic argument that people haven’t been paying attention. We’ve been saying that for years,” Professor Karney told CBC. “We keep patching systems and hoping somehow the problem will go away. It doesn’t. It just gets worse.”
Professor Karney’s remarks were featured in a story on the cost of water leaks, which cost Ontario 25% of its drinking water — equal to a loss of $700 million a year — according to a 2009 report. Professor Karney is a Civil Engineering Professor and Associate Dean, Cross-Disciplinary Programs.
You can read the full story on CBC’s website.
Civil Engineering graduate student Keith Cochrane has been named an inaugural Rob MacIsaac Fellow by Metrolinx, the Province of Ontario’s regional transportation agency for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
The fellowship will provide Cochrane, who is currently pursuing a Master of Applied Science degree, with the opportunity to conduct research in a public sector setting. Cochrane will study the impacts and challenges of moving freight on transit over a four-month period with guidance from his supervisors Professors Matthew Roorda and Amer Shalaby as well as senior Metrolinx staff. Following his studies, he will transition to an internship at Metrolinx related to his research.
“I am proud to be associated with these highly talented students through this fellowship program. The recipients will make a great contribution to broadening the horizons of knowledge in the field of public transportation,” said Rob MacIsaac, who served as Metrolinx’s first Chair from 2006 to 2009.
In June, Cochrane and fellow graduate students Mohamed Mahmoud and Aarshabh Misra won the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Canadian Traffic Bowl Championship. Cochrane and Misra, joined by Engineering Science undergraduate student Harvey Yang, also placed second at the 2011 International Collegiate Traffic Bowl in St Louis, Missouri. The Traffic Bowl combines traffic trivia and design challenges to test the transportation engineering skills of competitors.
“I congratulate Keith on being named a Rob MacIsaac Fellow. This opportunity will not only provide Keith with a wonderful learning experience, but will also ensure that his transportation research will be applied for the benefit of our civic region,” said Professor Brenda McCabe, Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering.
In addition to his studies, Cochrane is currently serving as the President of the Civil Engineering Graduate Students Association.