University of Windsor engineering professor Kemal Tepe is pictured in the Wireless Communication and Information Processing Lab.University of Windsor engineering professor Kemal Tepe is pictured in the Wireless Communication and Information Processing Lab.

UWindsor researchers highlight automotive advances

Positioned in the middle of Narayan Kar’s lab sits an electric motor from the Ford Motor Company: a machine that had been scrutinized by researchers and engineers for countless hours.

Yet, the University of Windsor engineering professor has set out to take that motor and make it even better.

“Our work will never end and this will always be an open-ended problem,” said Dr. Kar. “There will always be an opportunity to make them lighter, compact and more efficient.”

Kar was among a group of University of Windsor researchers exhibiting their work at the 2017 annual conference of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), June 14 at Caesars Windsor.

Kar’s lab, the Centre for Hybrid Automotive Research and Green Energy (CHARGE), had a booth showcasing electric vehicle science and engineering. If its research progresses as planned, it will be utilized in Ford’s future electric vehicles.

The Faculty of Engineering also had a booth to highlight its expertise in vehicle-to-vehicle communication, alternative fuels, crashworthiness and metal forming.

To make the existing motor more efficient, Kar said his researchers are “going back to the basics” and examining new materials to be used in its design and construction.

Electric motors have been around for more than 100 years, Kar explained, but making the motor more compact and lighter to increase the driving range of a consumer vehicle poses a great challenge to engineers.

Along with improving the electric motor, Kar’s team is working to improve the device that controls the performance of the motor.

“We are developing a lot of new algorithms to control the electric machines in a more efficient and higher-performing way,” he said.

Once the motor is designed and prototyped, Kar’s team will examine its performance on an advanced tester provided by D&V Electronics. Even the testing equipment has undergone improvements to enhance its ability to diagnose issues with an electric motor.

“The algorithms we are developing will help the tester to test electric vehicle motors comprehensively,” Kar said. “We have taken a smart tester and are making it even smarter.”

UWindsor researchers Chunyan Lai (left) and Guodong Feng (second from right) meet with Ontario economic development minister Brad Duguid, APMA chair Roy Verstraete, and government auto advisor Ray Tanguay at the association’s conference on Wednesday, June 14.

UWindsor researchers Chunyan Lai (left) and Guodong Feng (second from right) meet with Ontario economic development minister Brad Duguid, APMA chair Roy Verstraete, and government auto advisor Ray Tanguay at the association’s conference on Wednesday, June 14.

Next door to CHARGE Labs in the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering and Innovation is professor Kemal Tepe’s Wireless Communication and Information Processing Lab.

Dr. Tepe said he used the APMA conference and exhibition as an opportunity to showcase his team’s research into autonomous driving through vehicle-to-vehicle communication, connected vehicles and network security with his colleagues Mitra Mirhassani and Huapeng Wu.

“Right now we have the technology to have level three autonomy in vehicles with lane change detection, blind spot detection and active cruise control,” he said. “But moving to level four or five autonomy requires a little more sophistication.”

Tepe said level five autonomy would allow drivers to program in their destination and have the vehicle do all the navigating, but the computing power doesn’t exist yet to make it feasible for consumers.

“The problem is running the algorithms, or the car’s brain, fast enough to do these calculations in real time and to interact with other vehicles,” Tepe said. “Most of the autonomous vehicles on the road right now, the trunk is filled with computers.”

Another focus is the security aspect of vehicle-to-vehicle communication under the UwinSecurity research group with Drs. Mirhassani and Wu.

“When a vehicle starts to communicate it can tell another vehicle its speed, direction and some other pieces of information which would help you divert around congestion ahead on the highway,” Tepe said.

“But in any environment, there are malicious users who may tamper with the communication device, so my research is focusing on identifying that malicious user in the network and removing the unwanted data from the system.”

While it may still be a few years away, Tepe said autonomous vehicles would make roads much safer.

“The current projection in the automotive industry is that we would get rid of 80 per cent of accidents,” Tepe said. “Plus, if there is an autonomous vehicle is that is reliable and cheap enough, I’d much rather be doing something else during my one-hour commute every day than focusing on driving.”

Ayesha Mian AkramAyesha Mian Akram, the recipient of a scholarship honouring the late Bert Weeks, holds a birthday cake celebrating the former mayor’s centenary.

Scholarship to honour late Windsor mayor’s record of service

Former Windsor mayor, the late Bert Weeks, left a legacy of community service and generosity that will continue well into the future thanks to a scholarship established by his family in his honour.

Weeks family members and friends gathered on campus Friday to announce the Bert Weeks graduate scholarship, marking what would have been the former mayor’s 100th birthday on July 1 with a celebratory cake.

Scholarship recipient and sociology PhD candidate Ayesha Mian Akram says funding allows students to concentrate on their work with less concern about finances. Her research into enforcement of employment standards recently placed her among the five winners of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s annual Storytellers contest.

“It’s an honour to be recognized as the recipient of the Dr. Bert Weeks Scholarship,” she said. “This funding will help me focus on justice-oriented research projects that will benefit the community.”

The $5,000 gift was funded jointly by Unifor locals 444, 200, and 2486, as well as members of the Weeks family, with two-to-one fund matching through the Ontario Graduate Scholarship program, providing a total of $15,000 for student support.

Bert Weeks served as mayor of Windsor from 1975 to 1982 and was a noted advocate for social justice causes and for the beautification of the city’s waterfront. The Bert Weeks Memorial Garden was named in his honour.

mangoA mango tasting party Tuesday outside Essex Hall will raise money for the Canadian World Education Foundation.

Celebration of mangoes to bear charitable fruit

One cup of mango provides 100 per cent of a person’s daily recommended vitamin C with zero fat, sodium, or cholesterol. A party’s worth of mangoes can provide a child with an education, says biochemistry professor Siyaram Pandey.

He invites the entire campus community to his mango party at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, outside the front entrance to Essex Hall. Admission is by donation; the annual event offers guests a taste of several varieties of the tropical fruit and raises funds for the Canadian World Education Foundation.

The charity sponsors educational opportunities for orphaned schoolchildren in India, Kenya, and Tanzania. Dr. Pandey says the parties have raised thousands of dollars for the cause since he started hosting them 10 years ago.

Fiona Du, Stephanie Parent, Jacqueline Christie, Sylvia Verhaegen-Tingle, Marlene Kemski, Ryan Kenney, Marcin Pulcer, Susan HoligaContestants Fiona Du, Stephanie Parent, Jacqueline Christie, Sylvia Verhaegen-Tingle, Marlene Kemski, Ryan Kenney, Marcin Pulcer, and Susan Holiga pose with their entries in the IT Services cupcake competition.

Cupcake competition a sweet deal for campus food bank

A bake-off in Information Technology Services showed off the skills of staff competitors while supporting the student food bank.

The cupcake contest boasted eight entries and raised $210 plus donations of canned goods for the charity, which is administered by Iona College and based in Canterbury College. About 40 members of the IT Services staff turned out to sample the goodies, and provost Douglas Kneale formally judged winners based on three criteria:

  • Originality to Sylvia Verhaegen-Tingle for her vegan creation;
  • Presentation to Fiona Du for her watermelon-styled cupcakes; and
  • Taste to Marlene Kemski for her “Canadian Eh!” recipe combining dark chocolate with cherry whiskey, maple whiskey and candied bacon.

Executive director Ryan Kenney says he hopes to engage his department in more events like this, building team spirit while benefiting the community.

Canada flagA film crew invites UWindsor students to wish Canada a happy 150th birthday.

Film crew to capture what UWindsor students love about Canada

The UWindsor Social Media Street Team will be out Thursday, June 22, to capture on video what students love about Canada — and you’re invited!

Those hoping to manifest their pride should wear either UWindsor gear, red and white Canadian clothing, or a costume that celebrates Canadian culture. Recording sessions will run 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

To sign up for the video shoot, fill out the online application. Students selected to participate will be contacted with a time slot and filming location.

For more information, connect with social media co-ordinator Tim Brunet at 519-253-3000, ext. 4046, or e-mail tbrunet@uwindsor.ca.

Douglas Kneale, Edwin Tam, Linda Breschuk, Ming Zheng, Mehrdad SaifProvost Douglas Kneale (left) and dean Mehrdad Saif (right) congratulate engineering Medals of Excellence recipients Edwin Tam, Linda Breschuk, and Ming Zheng. Missing: Mike Wang.

Ceremony recognizes engineering faculty and staff

Several engineering faculty and staff members were honoured for their commitment to innovation, teaching and service at a ceremony on June 13.

Mehrdad Saif, the dean of engineering, handed out four awards for outstanding faculty and staff performances in research, teaching and service at the engineering faculty’s 2017 Medals of Excellence Ceremony held in the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation.

Linda Breschuk received the staff service award for being “the silent hero and strength behind the scenes for undergraduate support.” Breschuk, secretary to the associate dean, academic, completed 41 years of service earlier this month.

“She is one of the most hard-working individuals in the Faculty of Engineering and deals with faculty, students and staff with sincerity, honesty and professionalism,” a nominator wrote.

In addition to supporting undergraduate students, Breschuk facilitates the make-up and supplemental exam process and helps run the Iron Ring ceremony — an event where iron rings are given to graduating engineering students.

Edwin Tam, engineering’s assistant dean of student affairs for the last decade, received the faculty service award.

“Under his guidance, recruitment and outreach in Windsor, Essex County and beyond has grown by leaps and bounds,” Dr. Saif said.

Dr. Tam shepherded the faculty’s YSTOP initiative into an ongoing, successful outreach program with the assistance of Mike Konstantino, Shelly Scurr and dedicated undergraduate and graduate students. The outreach program encourages children and high schoolers to consider STEM-related post-secondary education through events like Go Eng Girl, Girl Guide Badge Day, Massey Day and high school visits to campus as well as the modules and activities delivered to secondary school science classes.

Tam has taught courses in sustainability and has served on a number of university committees. He also received the Daimler Chrysler Canada 3E fellowship for developing engineering-related curriculum.

Professor Ming Zheng was honoured for his innovative research in clean combustion engine technologies. Dr. Zheng was recently named an NSERC/Ford Industrial Research Chair in Clean Combustion Engine Innovations and was a Canada Research Chair in Clean Diesel Engine Technologies from 2003 to 2013.

In 2015, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) named Zheng an SAE Fellow in recognition of his achievements in engineering and leadership. Zheng joined the university 15 years ago and led the team that established the Clean Combustion Engine Laboratory. His research centre has won recognition worldwide for innovations in clean and efficient combustion engines and raised more than $12 million from industry and governmental sources. The lab houses more than $10 million worth of research equipment, half contributed by industry.

Mike Wang, professor in the Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering, received the teaching award for his dedication to students and wide-ranging teaching abilities. His graduate courses, including Industrial Experimentation and Applied Statistics, are always in high demand.

“Whenever there was a need to have someone cover a course for whatever reason, Mike was one who always stepped up to the plate,” Dr. Saif said.

Dr. Wang joined the University of Windsor in 1999. He’s a recipient of the Dudley Best Paper Award from the International Journal of Production Research and the Shingo International Manufacturing Excellence Paper Award.

Wang has also served on numerous committees both within and outside of the university and has been the associate editor of the Journal of Manufacturing Systems within the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

UWindsor provost Douglas Kneale joined Saif in congratulating the recipients, who were chosen from nominations submitted by department heads and colleagues. This was the third annual engineering Medals of Excellence ceremony.

View more photos from the ceremony on the UWindsor Engineering Facebook page.

brown bag lunch with apple and water bottleThe 2017 Lunch and Learn Summer Series presents sessions on the theme “Take Charge of Stress.”

Lunchtime sessions to help employees handle stress

A series of workshops offered by the Department of Human Resources is designed to provide employees with practical information on how to manage stress.

“Take Charge of Stress” is the theme of the 2017 Lunch and Learn Summer Series. It builds on a campaign of the Workplace Wellness Committee and will include 40-minute sessions on:

  • Stress-Relieving Stretches
  • Get Moving to Relieve Stress
  • Are You Techno-stressed?
  • Take the Stress Out of Cooking
  • Meditate to Relieve Stress

The events are free to UWindsor staff and faculty. Bring a lunch, and organizers will provide fresh fruit and bottled water.

Find a description of each session — including dates, times, locations and facilitators. Register to attend on the HR website.

Symposium to explore intersect of energy and natural resources

The University of Windsor will host a symposium this week exploring the technological, political, and financial aspects of the sustainable production and use of energy this week.

The Energy and Natural Resources 2017 conference, June 22 and 23 in the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation, will focus on the interconnectivity between energy and the environment, with discussion of:

  • impacts of water desalination;
  • petroleum exploration around the Great Lakes;
  • financing of renewable projects;
  • new technologies in power generation; and
  • opportunities to address climate change.

Visit the conference website for more information.