U of T Engineering Professor Kamran Behdinan (MIE) has been named the NSERC Chair in Multidisciplinary Engineering Design. In his role, Professor Behdinan will establish real-world multidisciplinary senior design projects, which will utilize industrial collaboration and support. The projects will span all nine undergraduate engineering programs at U of T’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. The establishment of multidisciplinary design projects will further unite design initiatives across the Faculty and encourage collaboration, design and innovation. The projects will encourage students to approach design on a national and international scale, addressing pressing issues such as sustainability.
“As the inaugural NSERC Chair in Multidisciplinary Engineering Design, I look forward to strengthening U of T Engineering students’ design education,” said Professor Behdinan. “We will encourage our students to provide innovative solutions to critical challenges that are being addressed by industry.” Professor Behdinan is currently the Director of the newly established Institute for Multidisciplinary Design & Innovation in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering. The Institute, which opened in January, facilitates engineering student learning and industry collaboration.
As a researcher, Professor Behdinan’s focus is on improving aerospace and automotive systems by refining multi-scale simulation of nano-structured materials. He was previously the NSERC Engineering Design Chair-holder at Ryerson University. In addition, he serves as the President of the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering.
“On behalf of the Faculty, I would like to congratulate and extend our gratitude to Professor Kamran Behdinan, who will bring tremendous expertise to his new role,” said Engineering Dean Cristina Amon. “The support from NSERC, design faculty and industry partners are of critical importance to the Faculty, as we join efforts to enhance our multidisciplinary design education curriculum.”
The new chair was made possible thanks to the generous financial support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the following industrial sponsors: AMD, Bombardier, Cameco Corporation, Canadian Tire, Defence Research and Development Canada, Ford, Goodrich, Magna International, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Sensor Technology, Teknion, Thermodyne Engineering and the University Health Network. “During the development of any innovation, the design stage is arguably the most important for delivering a product that meets the needs of the consumer,” said Suzanne Fortier, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). “As the NSERC Chair in Multidisciplinary Engineering Design, Dr. Behdinan is leading the integration of design education within all of the University of Toronto’s engineering departments. The students who receive training under these enhanced programs will find themselves in a unique position to understand and contribute to the needs of Canadian industries.”
