By Godfrey Mungal, Dean, School of Engineering, Santa Clara University

When I studied engineering at the University of Toronto and California Institute of Technology, it was all left-brain work. My classmates and I knew that career success depended on linear, logical and analytical talents. Left-brain thinking also dominated much of my career as a professor at Stanford and initially as dean of Santa Clara University’s School of Engineering.

But the world’s engineering problems are complex and require use of both sides of the brain, so engineering schools have been changing curricula to work on the right brain too, so students will become ethical, compassionate and innovative engineers.

Engineers Without Borders emanated from the University of Colorado to create positive change for developing communities. A decade after its birth, EWB has 206 chapters, more than 100 projects in 34 countries and more than 4,000 members, many of them from universities.

Stanford’s “d school,” or institute of design, is a hub for students and faculty in engineering, medicine, business, the humanities and education to learn design thinking and work together to solve problems in a human-centered way.

Institutions like Rice and Santa Clara send students all over the world to immerse themselves in different cultures and find engineering solutions to challenges like clean water. Because of its Jesuit mission, Santa Clara has taken its curriculum one step further by requiring students to engage in service and community-based learning.

Santa Clara civil engineering junior Ashley Ciglar has built forms for concrete slabs and framed houses without power tools in Mexico, where she saw families living in shacks without water or electricity. She welled with emotion when a mother cried tears of joy upon seeing the house the students had built for her family. She created water distribution and filtration systems in Honduras and Nicaragua, has done more than 20 service projects near campus and is pursuing a fellowship to train farmers in methods to adopt organic practices.

Until they engage both sides of their brains in college, students like Ciglar do not fully understand the needs of the world, nor the solutions offered by engineering. They expand their education beyond formulas and equations to include an awareness of the real world, and how they can personally make a difference. It’s an empowering realization.

Engineering curricula are quite full at every school, but we can find innovative ways of incorporating interdisciplinary learning and right-brain focus. We also need to engage students in more and deeper discussions about ethical decision-making, globalization and concern for others.

As I like to tell first-year students, becoming a great engineer involves the head, heart and hands. You can learn the core of your profession — math, physics and science — at any university. But today’s students need to deepen their empathy for the plight of others, as Ciglar and many other engineering students at top schools do.

Read the full article at The Huffington Post.

Canadians say they appreciate the vast amount of fresh water that exists in this country, but are quite willing to waste much of it by unnecessarily disposing of things through toilets, according to results of a new study. A survey — commissioned by the Royal Bank of Canada and diversified product maker Unilever, with the endorsement of the United Nations Water For Life Decade project — had 72% of respondents saying they dispose of things such as hair, bugs, cigarette butts and food by flushing them down the toilet.

“We should stop using our toilets as garbage cans,” said Bob Sandford,  Chair of the Canadian Partnership Initiative of the UN Water for Life Decade. Sandford and others, including former Prime  Minister Jean Chretien, are part of a three-day conference in Toronto dealing with global water issues. It coincides with World Water Day on Tuesday.

Each flush of a toilet uses six to 20 litres of fresh water, noted Sandford, not to mention the energy used to move and to treat that water.

Results of the survey, released Monday, had 55% of respondents saying fresh water is Canada’s most important natural resource, and 78% claimed they make reasonable efforts to conserve it.

Other water-wasting activities survey respondents admitted to included leaving the water running while washing dishes (46%) and hosing down driveways (17%).

Sandford said the supply of water, even in Canada, is not without its limits. However, it might not be an easy point to make, especially at this time of year when lakes and rivers are at high levels from melting snow.

Bryan Karney (CivE), Chair, Division of Environmental Engineering & Energy Systems, a water supply expert teaching at the University of Toronto, said it’s difficult to imagine Canada as a whole ever experiencing a water shortage, though that is a risk in certain regions.

Karney added that if one area runs of out water, replacing it with supplies from another part of the country is not so simple.

“Moving water in any significant quantity a long distance is extraordinarily expensive,” he said. “It requires a pipeline, it requires infrastructure, it requires energy and it requires a huge, complicated process of reassessment of what that water is currently doing in its (other location).”

Read the full article at Global News.

The University of Toronto is hoping to cash in on the growing demand for micro-space technology by selling more of the small satellites it makes at its flight laboratory. The mini-satellites – the size of a suitcase or even smaller – have already been sold to countries such as Norway, Australia and Poland. They start at $600,000 and can fetch more than $3-million.

Project manager Grant Bonin (MASc candidate, UTIAS) says the lab at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies is building more small satellites than any other organization in Canada. “They’re cheaper and faster than big spacecraft,” Mr. Bonin told about 70 delegates at the annual conference of the Canadian Space Commerce Association He said more business opportunities lie ahead.

“We have about a dozen spacecraft in various stages of development,” he said in a later interview. “These are very miniaturized spacecraft whose purposes are everywhere from astronomy to telecommunications to ship tracking.” Mr. Bonin pointed out that the Canadian Space Agency has limited funds and can do only so much. The agency is currently awaiting government approval of its long-term space plan, but that is expected to be further delayed if a federal election is called.

Josh Dore, the agency’s technology development manager, said the 10-year space plan is “stuck in Ottawa” but added he’s optimistic it will see the light of day.

He told the conference the big word at the agency is “sovereignty” – which translates into keeping an eye on the Canadian North.

Arctic sovereignty was also the main topic of discussion during a video conference with Major Marc Fricker, a lecturer at Royal Military College in Kingston.

“We’re claiming that all of this acreage is ours, and yet we’d be very hard-pressed to survey it, let alone protect it,” he said.

Read the full article at The Globe and Mail.

A team of scientists including researchers from the University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Hospital have created an organic nanoparticle that is completely non-toxic, biodegradable and nimble in the way it uses light and heat to treat cancer and deliver drugs. (A nanoparticle is a minute structure with novel properties).

The findings, published online today in Nature Materials (DOI: 10.1038/NMAT2986) are significant because unlike other nanoparticles, the new nanoparticle has a unique and versatile structure that could potentially change the way tumours are treated, says principal investigator Professor Gang Zheng, of the Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) at the University of Toronto and Senior Scientist, Ontario Cancer Institute (OCI), Princess Margaret Hospital at University Health Network.

“In the lab, we combined two naturally occurring molecules (chlorophyll and lipid) to create a unique nanoparticle that shows promise for numerous diverse light-based (biophotonic) applications,” Professor Zheng said. “The structure of the nanoparticle, which is like a miniature and colourful water balloon, means it can also be filled with drugs to treat the tumor it is targeting.”

It works this way, explains first author Jonathan Lovell, a doctoral student at IBBME and OCI: “Photothermal therapy uses light and heat to destroy tumours. With the nanoparticle’s ability to absorb so much light and accumulate in tumours, a laser can rapidly heat the tumour to a temperature of 60 degrees and destroy it. The nanoparticle can also be used for photoacoustic imaging, which combines light and sound to produce a very high-resolution image that can be used to find and target tumours.”

Once the nanoparticle hits its tumour target, it becomes fluorescent to signal “mission accomplished,” he added.

This nanomaterial is also non-toxic, explained Professor Warren Chan of IBBME, another author of the paper. “Jon Lovell and Gang Zheng created a material that doesn’t have metals, [which] means no toxins, but with similar tunable properties to its metal nanostructure brother,” he said. This is the first reported organic nanostructure with such a unique feature, he noted, and so provides a significant opportunity to explore unique designs of organic nanostructures for biomedical applications without concerns regarding toxicity.

“There are many nanoparticles out there, but this one is the complete package,” said Professor Zheng, “a kind of one-stop shopping for various types of cancer imaging and treatment options that can now be mixed and matched in ways previously unimaginable. The unprecedented safety of this nanoparticle in the body is the icing on the cake. We are excited by the possibilities for its use in the clinic.”

Read the full research article on Nature Materials online.

Collaborators on this research were: Jonathan F. Lovell (Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto; Ontario Cancer Institute, University Health Network), Chen S. Jin (IBBME; OCI), Elizabeth Huynh (OCI; University of Toronto Department of Medical Biophysics); Honglin Jin (OCI; U of T Medical Biophysics); Chulhong Kim (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Optical Imaging Lab, Washington University), John L. Rubinstein (U of T Medical Biophysics; Hospital for Sick Children), Warren C. W. Chan (IBBME, CCBR), Weiguo Cao (Department of Chemistry, Shanghai University), Lihong V. Wang (Biomedical Engineering, Washington University), Gang Zheng (IBBME; OCI; U of T Medical Biophysics)

The research was financially supported by grants and fellowships from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum/Brazilian Ball Chair in Prostate Cancer Research, and in part from the Campbell Family Institute for Cancer Research and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care , and The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation.

The technology boom and a looming shortage of trained workers in the next five to ten years have set the stage for an aggressive electricity sector renewal project.

“Our success will very much be determined by our efforts to ensure our next generation is trained and equipped to drive our energy system forward,” said the Honourable Brad Duguid, Ontario Minister of Energy, in his keynote remarks at Ontario’s Electricity Future: New Skills for New Jobs. The half-day symposium, presented by the newly formed Power Engineering Education Consortium (PEEC), was held in Toronto on March 10.

The province’s energy future will remain bright, Minister Duguid indicated, thanks to the combined efforts of post-secondary institutions, industry, labour and government who are partnering in PEEC to address Ontario’s critical shortage of qualified personnel in the electricity sector.

As baby boomers retire, and Ontario approaches its target of creating 50,000 clean energy jobs by the end of 2012, Ontario will need a new and young workforce to fill these roles, the minister commented.

“We need to make sure that Ontario will be ready to meet this challenge and it starts with education and training [and] to ensure that programs are readily available to provide incentives, opportunities, the right learning environments and clear career paths for our youth.”

The PEEC partnership was founded by seven Ontario universities and eight representative groups from industry and labour. Chaired by Dr. Richard Marceau, Provost, University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, the symposium outlined a number of strategies that would see post-secondary institutions play a leading role in encouraging more young people to pursue careers in the electricity sector.

The symposium’s first panel, chaired by Amir Shalaby, Vice-President of the Ontario Power Authority, presented the main drivers for human capital: demographics of the current workforce, including a large number of retirees within the next five years; refurbishment and modernization of infrastructure; and the growth of outsourced services and consultants.

Also, “It’s global now,” said Dr. Marceau of today’s labour force, which can migrate anywhere in the world. “We need to deal with the requirement of keeping human capital here.”

PEEC aims to graduate 1,130 students in Ontario over the next five years, with an estimated investment of $12,600 per electric-power engineering graduate, for a total of $14.2 million.

“The time is now upon us to expand to the university-level the initiatives that colleges and government have undertaken to address the needs of the electricity sector for high-school and college graduates,” said Professor Cristina Amon, Dean of U of T’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and chair of the symposium’s second panel, on education, which heard from representatives of post-secondary institutions and provincial government ministries.

“PEEC’s goal is to deliver a high-quality program in electric-power engineering, leveraging the resources of seven Ontario universities, to fill in the gap [between supply and demand for electrical engineers] within five years.”

The Power Engineering Education Consortium is comprised of seven universities: McMaster University, Queen’s University, Ryerson University, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, and University of Western Ontario. PEEC is supported by eight industry and labour partners: Canadian District Energy Association, CANDU Owners’ Group, Electricity Distributors’ Association, Hydro One Networks, Ontario Power Authority, Ontario Power Generation, Power Workers’ Union, and the Society of Energy Professionals

A record number of prospective students have applied for undergraduate admission to the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering for the 2011-2012 academic year, with total applications up 12.5% from the previous year compared to 2% for the university overall. Nearly half of all applicants made the University of Toronto their first choice among engineering schools.
As of March 15, 8,631 applications for 1,150 places had been received for fall 2011 admission, which marks an all-time historic record and reflects a growth trend in applications to engineering schools. The number of applicants in Ontario who made U of T Engineering their first choice was up 18%, with an increase of 16.9% for students from outside Ontario. Applications were received from every province and the Yukon.

International applicants make up 27.2% of the pool this year, an increase of 23.0% over last year. Applications from women surged 17.2% to an unprecedented 1,757.

The incoming Class of 2015 at U of T Engineering promises to be an exceptional and high-achieving group. This year, applicants were asked the following supplementary questions to complement the traditional mark-based admission process:

• What has inspired you to pursue an engineering degree and why would you like to study at the University of Toronto?
• What skills have you developed through your extra-curricular experiences that will support your future success as both a student and an engineer?

The word “prestigious” came up again and again in students’ responses as to why they wanted to attend U of T for Engineering. Many referred to our high Canadian and world rankings. Other common responses included Toronto being a great city; a wealth of extra-curricular activities; top professors; and the Professional Experience Year (PEY) program. Some applicants referred to respected teachers or family members who had attended U of T.

“My ambition is to excel as an entrepreneur technologist,” read one response. “In order to achieve my dream, I need to be in an environment which encourages innovation and provides the requisite infrastructure. This leads me to the University of Toronto’s engineering program.

“I am drawn to University of Toronto by the promise of an interdisciplinary education; the breadth and depth of the University of Toronto’s engineering program is amazing. The intellectually charged atmosphere at the school is most conducive for academic advancement. I look forward to being challenged and pushed to explore the limits of my potential. I hope to work in teams with my peers who bring with them varied experiences, perspectives and creativity.”

Those chosen will represent the next generation of engineering leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators, in fields ranging from chemical engineering to materials science, from computer and electrical, and mechanical and industrial to civil engineering, and from engineering science to biomedical, aerospace, energy and environmental engineering.

“Not only have we seen a remarkable increase in the academic strength and diversity of our applicants, but a record number selected U of T Engineering as their first choice. This includes students from overseas,” said Cristina Amon, Dean, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. “Their choices speak directly to our highly-regarded engineering education and global reputation. I look forward to welcoming this extraordinary cohort of students to U of T Engineering.”