Physics professor Roman Maev, director general of UWindsor’s Institute for Diagnostic Imaging Research (IDIR), and his research team were joined Thursday by industry partners to announce research funding of $5,488,206 through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) program.

The IDIR’s project, Novel Quantitive Nondestructive Quality Evaluation of Advance Joining and Consolidation Manufacturing Processes, will develop and test resilient coatings and tools for their application, as well as non-destructive ultrasonic testing methods that can be done on-site for efficiency.

The initiative, involving industry partners Bombardier; Ford Canada; Canadian ElectroCoating Ltd./Narmco; Enwin Energy; and the Consortium for Aerospace Research and Innovation in Canada; will provide variations on the same technology to solve industry challenges specific to each company. The project has received the largest CRD funding package in UWindsor’s history and is unique in that companies across varied industry sectors are collaborating to share the benefits of this knowledge transfer.

CRD funding supports academic-industry research partnerships based on cash and in-kind contributions from industry partners. In addition to monetary contributions, companies can offer research support by providing space, expertise, and the use of tools and equipment, among other things.

“Through negotiation with all of our partners we’ve been able to use the same technology to find ways for each of the companies involved to benefit from non-destructive testing of materials and the use of coatings to protect materials from degradation,” said Dr. Maev.

“Being able to diagnose and fix flaws in machinery on-site will also save time and money. This is the ideal — clustering the technology so it serves many needs is a more efficient use of research resources and it benefits the most users. This project is unique because each industrial partner has its own independent interests, priorities, IP, and management style. It’s a complicated project arrangement that requires vast knowledge and experience, as well as the faith and cooperation of all partners.”

There’s more to engineering than designing bridges and cars.

“We want to show people that engineers don’t just design things, they solve the problems of the world,” says Larysa Hyzka, a fourth-year civil engineering student at the University of Windsor.

Hyzka teamed with classmate Eleane Paguaga Amador to share this message with the public by creating and hosting “I Look Like an Engineer,” a community outreach event that ended up landing the pair provincial recognition.

Paguaga Amador and Hyzka invited Windsor-Essex community leaders and students to the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation to discuss why they chose to pursue engineering and what the professions means to them.

“Story after story, we heard from speakers who believed their highest potential could be reached through engineering because it allowed them to make the lives of others easier,” says Paguaga Amador, a third-year industrial engineering student.

The event won second place in the National Engineering Month Ontario Steering Committee’s first University Student Outreach Challenge. The competition challenges students to host a public outreach event in their local community during National Engineering Month in March to “ignite passion for engineering in others and potentially improve the diversity of future engineering students.”

Hyzka and Paguaga Amador attended the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers Annual General Meeting on May 8 in Oakville to receive recognition and a cash prize of $1,500.

“I Look Like an Engineer” speakers included Peter Bziuk (BASc 1988, MASc 2003), manager of design and construction services for the County of Essex; Abby Diemer, 2017-18 Ontario Ambassador for the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students and former Windsor Women in Engineering executive; Sabrina Angco, president of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers; Julia Costa, 2017-18 president of the Windsor Engineering Student Society; and Destiny Soney, vice-president of the University of Windsor Native Student Alliance.

Paguaga Amador said Soney, an indigenous student in her third-year of environmental engineering, delivered a “poignant and powerful speech.”

“Destiny explained that the creator gave her people the job of protecting Turtle Island and her degree will help her play her part,” says Paguaga Amador. “If everyone saw engineering as a way to fulfill society’s greatest needs, then maybe more students would consider this a career path.”

To view event photos, visit Snapd Windsor.

Kristie Pearce

The Canada-United States Law Institute conferred its “Sidney Picker Jr. Award” on UWindsor law professor emerita Maureen Irish during its annual conference April 12 in Cleveland, Ohio.

The award recognizes leadership, efforts to foster Canada-United States relations, and contributions to the work of the institute. It is named to honour the founder of the institute, which is jointly operated by Case Western Reserve University and the University of Western Ontario.

Dr. Irish has taught many courses related to international trade and has served on dispute settlement panels under the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Her remarks accepting this honour will appear in an upcoming volume of the Canada-United States Law Journal.

Pear trees blooming in the heritage courtyard adjacent to the Pitt-Ferry Building bring to mind the Jesuit farmers who were the area’s first European settlers, says Craig Goodman, principal with CS&P Architects who designed the project.

Home to the University’s social work program and the Centre for Executive and Professional Education, the building includes a historic façade enclosing an outdoor courtyard, which now shelters the pear trees.

The pear enjoys a long association with Windsor, back to 1749, Goodman says, pointing to the Jesuit pear tree growing on the grounds of the Maison François Baby House museum, located across Pitt Street from the Pitt-Ferry site.

Nine Chanticleer Pear trees fill the courtyard at the University of Windsor's School of Creative Arts in homage to the Jesuit pear trees that once flourished in this region.

This variety was brought to the region by missionaries in the early 18th century and became an established feature of the local landscape.

“We couldn’t plant Jesuit pears, evidently they make quite a mess, but we did go with Chanticleer pear trees to symbolize that relationship to the heritage,” says Goodman, adding that his team worked with landscapers Bezaire & Associates.

“There are subtle touches like the positioning of the trees to resemble an orchard, which pays homage to the Jesuit settlements in the 18^th century.”

Records indicated that Charles Chauvin planted the original 12 trees,  which he carried from France, to represent recognition of the 12 Apostles of Christ.

The Heritage Courtyard is home to an orchard of nine Chanticleer Pear trees, with a bountiful undergrowth of Bruce’s White Phlox to reinforce the white blossom theme. Ferry Street is reaching the height of fragrance this week.

As announced on March 1, 2018, the Board of Governors advised the Search Committee for the Seventh President and Vice-Chancellor to renew its efforts in the coming academic year.

The first task in re-launching the search will be to issue a request for proposals for a search firm. This will be done in the fall, with the goal of having the search committee and the search firm meet in early 2019 to review the executive brief that was developed following broad community consultation, and to determine the optimal time to go back out to the market and conduct interviews.

Once again, the board wishes to express its gratitude to those who will be continuing on the search committee for their continued dedication to this task. The executive brief, the search committee membership, and the search process, along with the latest updates or announcements related to the search, can be found at http://www.uwindsor.ca/secretariat/309/search-seventh-president-and-vice-chancellor.

The University of Windsor joined a partnership of the City of Windsor and the local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association to promote health and well-being among employees situated in the downtown core.

Walking Wednesdays set participants on a weekly one-kilometre walk along the riverfront through the spring and summer. A kick-off event May 9 in Charles Clark Square welcomed University faculty and staff to join.

Vincent Georgie, director of the School of Creative Arts, endorsed the project.

“Our focus in this collaboration is to engage the downtown campus in fostering wellness for our faculty, staff and students by utilizing the downtown core and encouraging healthy activities,” he said.

Physical and mental health go hand-in-hand, said Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens: “Knowing that one in five Canadians will personally experience a mental illness during their lifetime, we are proud to work in partnership with the University of Windsor to take a stand for mental health and to bring much-needed awareness and education about mental health to our employees and our community.”

Vincent Georgie, director of the School of Creative Arts, speaks at the official 2018 launch of Walking Wednesdays, a wellness project for people working downtown.

The University of Windsor joined a partnership to promote health and well-being among employees situated in the downtown core.

Lancer day camps promise a variety of experiences all summer long, including new sessions in science discovery and biology.

The Science Discovery Camp will introduce participants from eight to 10 years old to different areas of exploration — human health, the environment, and the physical sciences are subjects for experimentation, demonstration, and play.

Biology Camp provides an introduction to diverse concepts and area of study for children between 11 and 14 years old. Learning modules include cell and cancer biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, animal behaviour, and ecology.

Sports camps are led by varsity athletes and coaches, and there are also learning opportunities in robotics, engineering, life skills, and dance. Different programs, for children ages 4 to 17, run each week from July 2 to August 24.

Register by June 1 to qualify for an early-bird discount of $20 off any camp. Find more information — including camp descriptions, fees, and registration forms — on the Lancer summer camps website.

UWindsor staff and faculty are eligible for a special deal: register your child in one camp and receive 25 per cent off a second. To claim this discount, phone the St. Denis Centre service desk at 519-253-3000, ext. 7029.