Engineering

Driving cybersecurity evolution

Meitong Pan, examines an FPGA board used to implement complex digital computations.

Companies are well aware of the environmental benefits of electrifying vehicle fleets, but how much is known about the security of these systems?

A University of Windsor researcher aims to dig deeper through the investigation of cybersecurity issues that arise when using electric vehicle fleets with battery charging infrastructure.

“The environmental, geopolitical and financial advantages of electric vehicles are well-studied and addressed in many research publications. However, security of these systems is not given the full attention that it requires,” says Dr. Mitra Mirhassani, the project lead and associate professor who specializes in electrical engineering.

Amazon announced in fall 2019 the largest order of electric delivery vehicles ever, according to David Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of operations. The world’s largest retailer purchased 100,000 electric delivery vans from Rivian, a Michigan-based start-up. While companies like Amazon are making the switch to electric fleets, municipalities are preparing with plans to add infrastructure to accommodate the surge in consumer and corporate investments in alternative fuels. The City of Windsor is looking to set up 11 dual-port electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the municipality, according to a 2019 city council report.

A natural changemaker

Pamela Nadin-McIntyre with a drilling team during a visit to Canadian Natural Resources Limited’s

Pamela Nadin-Mcintyre was introduced to the importance of innovation and its role in business at a young age.

As a daughter of a Windsor tool and die business owner, she remembers watching her dad brainstorm and execute countless ideas to drive business and stay competitive.

Decades later and three provinces away, she is the innovation lead — in addition to safety, technical safety, and risk management — for Canada’s largest independent crude oil and natural gas producer, Canadian Natural Resources Limited (Canadian Natural).

“My dad’s the one who really helped push me in this direction,” says Nadin- McIntyre BASc ’86.

In addition to ensuring the right systems are in place to maintain the safety of people across Canadian Natural’s operations, she leads dedicated teams that are focused on improving the company’s environmental performance through technology and innovation. And for someone who is passionate about the environment, it’s more than just a job.

UWindsor satellite design leading student competition

Male student using a telescope in a lab.

A team from the University of Windsor received top marks from the judges in the design review portion of the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge, in October in Quebec City.

The competition requires students to develop a satellite that can take a photo from space when commanded to do so by amateur radio operators around the world. It is intended to advance space education in Canada, inspiring students to pursue science and engineering educations and careers.

The satellites will undergo full launch and space environmental qualification testing, with the goal of launching the winning satellite into orbit.

In Quebec, teams conducted 2.5-hour presentations to a panel of industry experts.

Adjunct professor to head ozone research body

A UWindsor adjunct professor will be the first Canadian to lead an international educational and scientific organization dedicated to ozone technology.

Saad Y. JasimSaad Y. Jasim was inaugurated as the president of the International Ozone Association during its World Congress and Exhibition, held Oct. 20 to 25 in Nice, France. He will start his two-year term as president in January 2020.

“It will be my duty to provide education and knowledge to different sectors in the world and make sure that knowledge transfer is the aim of our work,” says Dr. Jasim, who has served as a UWindsor adjunct professor since 1996. “I would like to make a difference. That is what I believe I was able to do in places like Windsor and Walkerton, Ont.”

Jasim introduced ozone to drinking water in Windsor in 2001 when he served as the Windsor Utilities Commission’s director of water quality and production. Since then, the City of Windsor has repeatedly won Best Tasting Water in a competition organized by the Ontario Water Works Association. In 2004, Jasim designed an ozone system in Leamington for a 14-acre greenhouse, recycling more than 25,000 gallons of discharged water.

Students tour local companies as part of annual Manufacturing Day

UWindsor Engineering students visits to Active Industrial Solutions and Valiant TMS

UWindsor Engineering students had the opportunity to participate in Manufacturing Day thanks to the Office of Experiential Learning.

On Oct. 4, Career Development and Experiential Learning organized a bus tour for 46 engineering students to tour manufacturing facilities and learn about their career options.

The annual event is coordinated locally by Workforce WindsorEssex.

Stephanie Dupley, career advisor in CDEL, said students were enthusiastic about their visits to Active Industrial Solutions and Valiant TMS.

UWindsorENG grad inducted into alumni Hall of Fame

Steve Ray

UWindsor Engineering alumnus Steve Ray has been inducted into UWindsor's Alumni Sports Hall of Fame for his outstanding performances in volleyball.

The 34th annual Alumni Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Awards Presentation was held Oct. 6.

Following Sunday’s ceremonies, the Hall of Fame now boasts a distinguished membership of 135 inductees, 31 Sport Achievement recipients and 39 Team Achievement recipients.

Engineering prof recognized as leader in energy sustainability

Rupp Carriveau poses in front of windmills

What if electric vehicles are in every Canadian driveway? Solar shingles on every roof? What if you purchase your energy from your neighbour and not your utility?

His work to advance the nation’s energy economy has won a University of Windsor engineering professor recognition as a Canadian leader in sustainability.

Rupp Carriveau was among 50 honourees to receive a Canada Clean50 award during a ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 3, at the Clean50 Summit in Toronto. The awards are distributed annually to thought leaders and advocates and sustainability trailblazers in industry, academia, government.

Dr. Carriveau was chosen after a rigorous selection process conducted by search firm Delta Management from a pool of approximately 750 nominees across Canada.

Engineering prof joins accreditation board

Waguih ElMaraghy Picture

Engineers Canada has appointed Waguih ElMaraghy, UWindsor professor of mechanical, automotive, and materials engineering, as a member-at-large on the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board.

He began a three-year term July 1.

The members of the board are volunteers drawn from academia, the public sector, and private industry, who develop criteria for the accreditation of the country’s undergraduate engineering programs.

Dr. ElMaraghy will attend the next meeting of the board Sept. 13 in St. John’s, N.L.

Rocketry students reach new heights in international competition

mechanical engineering students holding their rocket in the hands

A team of mechanical engineering students placed fifth in the world's largest intercollegiate rocket engineering competition.

The Spaceport America Cup attracted 121 teams worldwide to compete June 18 to 22, 2019 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. University of Windsor Rocketry Team member Katarina Berg says the competition has multiple categories based on motor type and either a target altitude of 10,000 or 30,000 feet. The UWindsor team chose to compete in the 30,000 commercial off the shelf motor, solid propulsion category against 19 teams.

“We came in fifth in our category and 31st in the overall competition. Our actual apogee was 26,517 feet,” Berg says. “It was absolutely an amazing experience to be able to connect with and learn from universities all over the world. To see all the different approaches to the same common problem is very intriguing.” 

History Channel seeks out engineering prof for expertise on Windsor Hum

Engineering professor Colin Novak is been filmed by History Channel

A new History Channel show about the world’s most fascinating and inexplicable mysteries featured a University of Windsor engineering professor and his investigation into one of Windsor’s infamous enigmas — the Windsor Hum.

The intermittent rumbling sound has plagued local residents for the past seven years. In 2013, Colin Novak, an associate professor in the mechanical, automotive, and materials engineering department, was contracted by the Government of Canada to lead a study on the source of the hum.

A Los Angeles film crew from UnXplained, a show hosted and produced by William Shatner, visited campus to learn more about Dr. Novak’s Noise Vibration and Harshness-Sound Quality Group, which set up low-frequency noise monitoring stations across the city’s west end and portable infrasound arrays to record noise within the hum’s frequency range.