Two U of T Engineering graduate students were nationally recognized at the annual AUTO21 Conference in Toronto recently for contributions to Canadian automotive research and development.

The students,  Phillip Mireault (MechE MASc 1T4) and Manuel Ramos (MechE MASc 1T4) were awarded first place in the Toyota Canada-AUTO21 HQP Poster Competition, taking home a $4,500 prize. The competition is open to student researchers within the AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence program. Nearly 60 teams took part in the competition. This is the second year in a row that Mechanical Engineering graduate students have won the competition.

The University of Toronto team contributes to the Mitigating GDI Particulate Emissions Through Ethanol Blends project, under the supervision of Professor James Wallace (MIE).

“Toyota is pleased to support the HQP Poster Competition as it recognizes the next generation of leaders in automotive engineering,” said Sandy Di Felice, Director of External Affairs, Toyota Canada Inc. “Working with AUTO21 allows Toyota insight into the collaborative research project opportunities that advance Canada’s contribution to the domestic and global auto industry.”

“Our Highly Qualified People (HQP) or student researchers are among some of Canada’s top minds and future leaders,” said Peter Frise, AUTO21 Scientific Director and CEO. “Working on collaborative projects with industry, each student demonstrates cutting-edge knowledge and expertise as they contribute to a sustainable automotive industry for Canada.”

The annual HQP Poster Competition boasts a total prize purse of approximately $15,000. Sixteen semi-finalist teams were selected from the initial pool of entrants, with each team member receiving a $50 bookstore voucher. The semi-finalists provided an oral defence of their research poster and the final winners were selected upon this evaluation. The U of T Engineering winners received a cash prize to be divided amongst the team members. Judges include senior industry, government and R&D experts.