News and Events

A UWindsor professor will engage in an exchange of ideas, culture, and exploration as the 2024 Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Computers, Science, and Engineering at Florida Polytechnic University.

Jalal Ahamed, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering, will embark on a four-month journey collaborating with other fellows along with current faculty and graduate students.

“It is a unique opportunity for us to expand and advance our knowledge by going beyond our boundaries to learn from others through research, teaching, and exchange of ideas in a collaborative environment,” Dr. Ahamed says. “It will help us propel a solid and long-lasting academic collaboration between the institutions.”

As the Fulbright Canada Research Chair, he will be working closely with Chris Kelley, is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Florida Poly, on research regarding wearable sensing systems for Parkinson’s care. Dr. Kelley specializes in controls, while Ahmad specializes in wearable sensors for human movements.

A partnership with automotive powertrain manufacturer Vitesco Technologies will see researchers at the University of Windsor develop a more environmentally sustainable and economically viable motor for electric vehicles.

“Our research will help our industry partners to mass produce advanced, lower cost, and sustainable electric machines and gain a competitive advantage in the global electric vehicle marketplace,” says electrical and computer engineering professor Narayan Kar, director of the Centre for Hybrid Automotive Research and Green Energy (CHARGE) lab. “Sustainable production of this technology will reduce EV ownership cost, while addressing the rare earth permanent magnet supply chain risks.”

Electric motors primarily use rare earth-based magnets, but these elements pose several difficulties. They are expensive, accounting for 20 to 30 per cent of the total cost of the motors; are limited in quantity; and their extraction and refinement process can cause environmental damage.

Dr. Kar’s team will develop an electric drive unit with a rare earth free or reduced magnet motor, which will help produce a sustainable solution with lower costs, fewer carbon dioxide emissions, less supply chain risks, and a better ratio of cost to performance.

Participating in the Elevate Scholars program sparked a love of research in civil engineering student Mariah Saad, leading to an honourable mention for her paper at the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering Conference, June 5 to 7 in Niagara Falls.

The second-year student has been a part of the Elevate Scholars program since her first year of post-secondary study. Elevate scholarships afford opportunities to students from equity-deserving groups: those who identify as Black, female, non-binary, or Indigenous. Beneficiaries receive a $5,000 scholarship and upon completion of their first year, a $10,000 summer internship to conduct research with a faculty member.

Development of a new engine launched the UWindsor Rocketry Team to success in the Spaceport America Cup, placing second among the 10 Canadian universities in the competition.

A record 122 teams from around the globe made the trek to southern New Mexico to test their technical prowess, June 17 to 22.

The Windsor team of about 45 students from diverse disciplines including engineering and business tackled every aspect of the project: construction of the main body, airbrakes, fins, propulsion, avionics, test flight and operation, and project management and finance.

Entered into the category with a target elevation of 10,000 feet, its entry reached an altitude of 10,372 feet, and was recovered with no damage for a finish of 27th overall.

Engineering major Alessia Pernasilici, the team’s vice-president, credited work on its first-ever fully student-designed hybrid engine.