Sydney Goodfellow / en 老司机直播, Harvard collaborate on substance to repel blood clots and bacteria /news/u-t-harvard-collaborate-substance-repel-blood-clots-and-bacteria <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">老司机直播, Harvard collaborate on substance to repel blood clots and bacteria </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-12-04T08:15:41-05:00" title="Thursday, December 4, 2014 - 08:15" class="datetime">Thu, 12/04/2014 - 08:15</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Glass slides dipped in blood to demonstrate the effectiveness of the nonstick material (photo by Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/luke-ng" hreflang="en">Luke Ng</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sydney-goodfellow" hreflang="en">Sydney Goodfellow</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Luke Ng &amp; Sydney Goodfellow</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/collaboration" hreflang="en">Collaboration</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/more-news" hreflang="en">More News</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Engineering a surface so slippery a gecko couldn't climb it</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Engineering a surface that is so slippery even geckos can鈥檛 stick to it may sound like a fun science fair project.</p> <p>But new surface-coating technology developed by materials science and engineering professor<strong> Ben Hatton</strong>, together with colleagues at Harvard University鈥檚 Wyss Institute, does just that 鈥 and its slick properties have the potential to save lives.</p> <p>Published recently in <a href="http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v32/n11/full/nbt.3020.html"><em>Nature Biotechnology</em></a>, Hatton鈥檚 innovative design prevents blood from clotting on medical devices such as catheters, dialysis equipment and heart-lung machines, which is a common problem and can be dangerous.</p> <p>Blood clotting is an important process in your body, where platelets and proteins in the blood aggregate to seal a wound. However, blood also clots on foreign objects in the body, like catheter tubing, and this clotting can cause blockage of flow or blood clots flowing elsewhere in the body.</p> <p>To counteract these negative effects, doctors and nurses often give patients blood thinners, but these medications can be difficult for those who are elderly, sick or severely wounded.</p> <p>The problem is so significant it is sparking a number of innovative remedies 鈥 including <a href="http://news.utoronto.ca/making-medical-devices-safer-manning-award-paul-santerre">award-winning work</a> by Professor <strong>Paul Santerre</strong> on a method of infusing anti-clotting macromolecules into medical devices during the manufacturing process.</p> <p>The new coating developed by Professor Hatton and his colleagues matches perfluorcarbons 鈥 a liquid that is chemically similar to Teflon 鈥 to a uniquely-engineered surface. The result is an ultra-low-adhesion, slippery material that repels blood, stopping the clotting process before it starts.</p> <p>鈥淢aking an inert surface for blood contact is really a huge benefit for a wide range of medical procedures 鈥 we really just want blood to ignore that surface and not clot,鈥 said Professor Hatton in a recent CBC Radio Quirks &amp; Quarks interview. (<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/popupaudio.html?clipIds=2559926960">Listen here</a>)</p> <p>To demonstrate this, the research team tested the coating on over 20 different medical surfaces and with <em>in vivo</em> tests. The results were promising: much less blood clot formation for the eight-hour duration of the experiments, without the use of blood thinners.</p> <p>In addition to blood, Hatton鈥檚 technology has also shown to have profound antimicrobial applications 鈥 if liquids can鈥檛 stick to it, it turns out bacteria have a hard time as well.</p> <p>鈥淢ost antimicrobial materials function by releasing a chemical that kills bacteria on contact,鈥 said Hatton, explaining that some bacteria become resistant to these products.</p> <p>鈥淥ur approach is different in that the surface of the material is just too slippery for bacteria to adhere to, so no chemical release may be needed.鈥</p> <p>Aside from blood and bacteria, the Harvard research team also brought a gecko into the lab to test the coating鈥檚 slippery potential. The gecko 鈥 a creature whose footpads are known for their ability to scale smooth walls and stick to almost any material 鈥 was also unable to get a grip, sliding off when tilted.</p> <p>鈥淚 think this is going to make everybody鈥檚 life a whole lot easier in the medical community and for patients as well,鈥 said Professor Hatton. 鈥淓veryone&nbsp;but&nbsp;geckos, that is.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-12-04-blood-clotting.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 04 Dec 2014 13:15:41 +0000 sgupta 6681 at What nature can teach us about solar energy /news/what-nature-can-teach-us-about-solar-energy <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">What nature can teach us about solar energy</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-09-29T09:11:26-04:00" title="Monday, September 29, 2014 - 09:11" class="datetime">Mon, 09/29/2014 - 09:11</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Solar energy expert Ted Sargent is leading the upcoming symposium, Bio-Inspired Ideas for Sustainable Energy</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sydney-goodfellow" hreflang="en">Sydney Goodfellow</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Sydney Goodfellow</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/connaught" hreflang="en">Connaught</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Solar energy experts to gather at 老司机直播 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> <em>Two thousand metres below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, tiny bacteria survive in near&nbsp;darkness by harvesting the dim light released from hydrothermal vents.</em></p> <p> <em>As humans increasingly look to the sun as a renewable energy source, what better model than these bacteria and other remarkably efficient organisms found in nature?</em></p> <p> <em>From October 8 to&nbsp;9, a group of world experts in solar cell research are gathering at the University of Toronto to explore the question: what can plants teach humans about solar energy?</em></p> <p> <em>Hosted as part of the $1-million 2014 Connaught Global Challenge, the symposium, <a href="http://www.light.utoronto.ca/connaught.html">Bio-Inspired Ideas for Sustainable Energy</a>, includes invited talks, poster sessions, industry networking and a public talk by special guest Sir Richard Friend of Cambridge University.</em></p> <p> <em>To learn more about the event, 老司机直播 Engineering鈥檚 <strong>Sydney Goodfellow</strong> spoke with <strong>Ted Sargent</strong>, 老司机直播 Engineering鈥檚 vice-dean, research.</em></p> <p> <strong>Finding new solutions to our global energy crisis is no easy task 鈥 why is the Connaught Global Challenge symposium unique?</strong></p> <p> This symposium is exciting because great minds from around the world are converging in Toronto, and it鈥檚 a&nbsp;whole new combination of brainpower. These aren鈥檛 just leaders from one field, they鈥檙e from a whole range of different fields, and they鈥檙e coming here to learn from each other, to work towards a common goal.</p> <p> People in the field of quantum biology and photobiology 鈥 specialists in the mechanisms underpinning photosynthesis 鈥 have been saying for a long time that we should look to nature to make our energy production more efficient, but nobody鈥檚 been asking how. At this symposium, we are coming together to learn from each other. Our goal is to see projects and partnerships emerge from it that will lead to further progress in solar energy 鈥 both electricity and stored fuels.</p> <p> <strong>With all of these world experts converging in Toronto, could you share who at the University of Toronto and across the city may benefit from attending?</strong></p> <p> The symposium is very inclusive. Many of the attendees will be engineering and science graduate students, but it鈥檚 open across campus and appeals to a number of different fields. The more people who join from different academic and professional backgrounds the better, from physicists to materials scientists to political and environmental science students interested in energy policy.</p> <p> <strong>Part of the symposium is a public lecture with Sir Richard Friend. Who is Sir Friend and what can we expect from his lecture?</strong></p> <p> [Sir Richard Friend] is a pioneer in plastic electronics, or flexible electronics. He鈥檚 had a tremendous amount of global success with turning flexible plastic materials into active devices for displays, lasing&nbsp;and energy conversion.</p> <p> Sparked by the ideas of photobiologists, Richard says in the abstract for his lecture that, when it comes to solar energy, nature has us beat every time: they reproduce and propagate naturally with only the power of the sun; they鈥檙e extremely efficient at using a broad spectrum of light and they remove carbon dioxide from the air in the process.</p> <p> He is both inspiring and inspired by the general thrust of the symposium. We invited him to think big, to lay out the vision for the next few decades of energy generation, in particular in the role of renewable resources and natural energy production.</p> <p> <strong>What are the intended outcomes of this conference?</strong></p> <p> We seek to spark a new field. This symposium is, at its core, a conversation between some of the world鈥檚 energy leaders, and the next stage will be to begin collaboration across traditional [research] boundaries to solve problems together. When the conference is done, we鈥檒l set to work towards these goals 鈥 advances in clean energy technology that are crucial to society鈥檚 future.</p> <p> In my research group, we create solar cells based on plastic flexible spray coating. We make cells that are particularly good at absorbing more of the sun鈥檚 spectrum, from the visible into the infrared. We get our inspiration from nature, because nature is great at harvesting the full rainbow spectrum of sun. Algae, for example, stack themselves in layers 鈥 a green layer, a blue layer, and so on 鈥 until they make up the full spectrum. They鈥檙e extremely efficient in handling the sun鈥檚 broad spectrum, and we gain inspiration and learn from them.</p> <p> In addition, we work with soft materials that you spray down as a coating. But because they鈥檙e soft, they have all sorts of imperfections. This makes it hard for electrons to travel across their surface, but plants have these same imperfections and they transport energy very well. We鈥檙e trying to improve our electron transport abilities by looking at how nature does it. We鈥檙e also looking into antenna technology, modeling again off of plants, which will increase the rate at which our materials are able to absorb light.</p> <p> <a href="http://www.engineering.utoronto.ca/About/Engineering_Events/Bio-Inspired_Ideas_for_Sustainable_Energy_-_Connaught_Symposium.htm">Learn more about the Connaught Global Challenge Symposium: Bio-Inspired Ideas for Sustainable Energy</a>.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-09-26-sargent.jpg</div> </div> Mon, 29 Sep 2014 13:11:26 +0000 sgupta 6515 at Three big ideas from the opening of 老司机直播鈥檚 new advanced materials lab /news/three-big-ideas-opening-u-t%E2%80%99s-new-advanced-materials-lab <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Three big ideas from the opening of 老司机直播鈥檚 new advanced materials lab</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-07-18T12:01:05-04:00" title="Friday, July 18, 2014 - 12:01" class="datetime">Fri, 07/18/2014 - 12:01</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Not your average ribbon cutting. Indy champ H茅lio Castroneves (left) and Professor Doug Perovic carve the name of 老司机直播鈥檚 newest lab on a ribbon at nano-scale (photo by Roberta Baker).</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/rj-taylor" hreflang="en">RJ Taylor</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sydney-goodfellow" hreflang="en">Sydney Goodfellow</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Sydney Goodfellow and RJ Taylor</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/materials" hreflang="en">materials</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When three-time Indy 500 winner H茅lio Castroneves speeds around the track at this month鈥檚 Indy races, he鈥檒l be driving a racecar propelled by decades of materials research that makes it faster, safer and more efficient.</p> <p>But with the opening of a new $20-million materials lab at the University of Toronto, the technology in Castroneves鈥 car could soon feel as old-fashioned as your grandma鈥檚 station wagon.</p> <p>On July 17, Castroneves joined 老司机直播 Engineering to unveil the Ontario Centre for Characterization of Advanced Materials (OCCAM) 鈥 a high-tech facility that enables researchers to explore and develop novel materials that could be used in electronics, renewable fuels, construction, disease treatment and even futuristic racecar design.</p> <p>Funded by the <a href="http://www.innovation.ca">Canada Foundation for Innovation</a> (CFI), the <a href="https://www.ontario.ca/ministry-research-innovation">Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation </a>(MRI) and <a href="http://hitachi-htc.ca">Hitachi High-Technologies Canada</a>, OCCAM offers highly specialized tools to understand and manipulate matter at the atomic scale. The centre also emphasizes collaborative and multidisciplinary projects, anticipating over 350 different research programs annually involving academic researchers and private companies.</p> <p>"This is expensive equipment to purchase and operate, but the new centre makes it available to everyone, from industry to academia,鈥 said Professor <strong>Charles Mims</strong> (ChemE), a co-principal investigator for OCCAM alongside Professor <strong>Doug Perovic</strong> (MSE). The facility is a joint initiative between the Department of Materials Science &amp; Engineering (MSE) and the Department of Chemical Engineering &amp; Applied Chemistry (ChemE).</p> <p>To celebrate OCCAM鈥檚 grand opening, Castroneves used one of the lab鈥檚 high-power electron microscopes to 鈥渃ut鈥 the centre鈥檚 name into a ribbon at nano-scale. The width of each letter was nearly 1,000 times smaller than a human hair.</p> <p>The MSE logo will also be featured on the front of the racecar of Castroneves 鈥 part of the Hitachi-sponsored Penske Team 鈥 at this weekend鈥檚 <a href="http://www.hondaindytoronto.com">Honda Indy Toronto</a> races.</p> <p>鈥淥CCAM is a shining example of how 老司机直播 Engineering, in partnership with industry and government, is pursuing innovative solutions to some of world鈥檚 greatest challenges in health, city life and energy,鈥 said Dean <strong>Cristina Amon</strong>. 鈥淲e are profoundly grateful to CFI, MRI and Hitachi for their contribution to the creation of this unique world-class facility.鈥</p> <p class="rtecenter"><img alt="MSE logo callout on race car" src="/sites/default/files/OCCAM_racecar_calledout_logo.jpg" style="width: 480px; height: 276px"><br> <em>Don鈥檛 miss MSE鈥檚 logo on the front of Castroneves鈥 racecar in the Honda Indy Toronto races this weekend.</em></p> <p><strong>Three big (and small) ideas enabled by OCCAM:</strong></p> <p>1. <em>Car accidents that no longer kill people</em></p> <p>鈥淲e have the technology today to make vehicles so safe that car accidents no longer kill people,鈥 shared Professor Perovic. But if we have the means, why aren鈥檛 we using them? According to Perovic, the answer is cost 鈥 cost of materials and cost of manufacturing. That鈥檚 why, through OCCAM, he has partnered with Toronto-based <a href="http://www.integran.com">Integran Technologies</a> to develop newer, inexpensive methods of boosting vehicle safety and efficiency.</p> <p>Integran is the only company in the world that can coat plastic and carbon fibre with nano-metals, allowing them to make virtually any material significantly stronger with one coating. While they are continuing to find ways of reducing cost, Integran鈥檚 technology has the potential for impact beyond the auto industry, from better spacecraft to lighter and more durable bicycles.</p> <p>2. <em>Stopping blood clots with non-stick nano-materials</em></p> <p>Blood clots are essential in healing cuts, but they can be deadly for those requiring medical catheters (tubes that carry medicine or drain fluids in the body). Dangerous clots can form around the tubes in a process called thrombosis 鈥 an affiliction that leads to approximately 50,000 deaths in the United States each year.</p> <p>To reduce the risk of blood clots, Professor <strong>Paul Santerre</strong> (IBBME), <strong>Jeannette Ho</strong> (ChemE/ IBBME MASc 9T7) and a group of other medical scientists and engineers have designed a method of producing catheters that include fluorinate oligomers, the same molecules that make frying pans non-stick. Already commercially available through licensing from Santerre鈥檚 spin-off company <a href="http://www.interfacebiologics.com">Interface Biologics</a>, their invention has shown to reduce the rates of thrombosis by up to 75 per cent.</p> <p>鈥淥CCAM gives us access to tools and expertise that a small lab like us wouldn鈥檛 normally have,鈥 said Roseita Esfand, director of research and development at Interface. 鈥淐ollaborations such as this will help us to bring our technologies and products from bench to human.鈥</p> <p>3. <em>Solar fuels 鈥 If trees can do it, we can do it</em></p> <p>Professor <strong>Ben Hatton</strong> (MSE) and a group of multidisciplinary researchers are using OCCAM鈥檚 advanced equipment to design nano-materials that mimic the photosynthetic processes of plants. While plant photosynthesis uses the sun鈥檚 rays to produce sugars and carbohydrates, Hatton鈥檚 lab is hoping to make materials that produce methane and other gases.</p> <p>This technology could be used to power vehicles, houses and more 鈥 and to store energy we aren鈥檛 using for later consumption. In doing so, they could reduce, and even reverse, the detrimental impacts of fossil fuels. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still in early development stages,鈥 explained Hatton. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e excited by the advances and resources that OCCAM will provide, and we look forward to making our technology better and more efficient.鈥</p> <p>鈥淚f trees can do it,鈥 he said, 鈥渨e can do it.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/14-07-18-OCCAM.jpg</div> </div> Fri, 18 Jul 2014 16:01:05 +0000 sgupta 6370 at Engineering a new kind of rock music /news/engineering-new-kind-rock-music <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Engineering a new kind of rock music</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-07-11T09:01:52-04:00" title="Friday, July 11, 2014 - 09:01" class="datetime">Fri, 07/11/2014 - 09:01</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">It is like music, listening to the sounds that rocks release when you apply pressure to them,鈥 says Hamed Ghaffari, pictured above with Farzine Nasseri (photo by Roberta Baker) </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sydney-goodfellow" hreflang="en">Sydney Goodfellow</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Sydney Goodfellow</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">鈥淓arthquakes are complex; understanding the forces behind them can be even more so鈥</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do Beethoven and a boulder have in common?</p> <p>They both compose music 鈥 while one is enjoyed over dinner, the other could be used to predict earthquakes.</p> <p>In a recent paper published in <em>Nature Scientific Reports</em>, three researchers from 老司机直播 Engineering unveiled a new algorithm for interpreting the sound waves emitted from rock pieces when they crack and fissure. The groundbreaking research has the potential to predict seismic activity, help extract fossil fuels and more.</p> <p>In the study, Civil Engineering PhD student <strong>Hamed Ghaffari</strong> and fellow authors&nbsp;<strong>Farzine Nasseri </strong>and Professor <strong>Paul Young</strong>, used the new algorithm to examine how rock fractures in various lab scenarios.</p> <p>鈥淲hen you place a log on the fire,鈥 Ghaffari explained, 鈥測ou hear the snaps and pops of the combustion of the wood. Those same principles apply to rocks and are what we use in the lab. We induce a change in the state of the material and listen to the sound it releases.鈥</p> <p>Nasseri said the sounds give clues to where the problems 鈥 or opportunities 鈥 lie: 鈥淓very rock has a unique micro-structure mixed with fissures and pore spaces. When you apply pressure, you can hear the sound of micro-cracking in the rock and by the nature of the crackling sounds they make [you can identify] where they are and how they are moving.鈥</p> <p>Labs producing this kind of research generally employ a more conventional method for data collection, which involves the application of force to two sides of a cylindrical rock sample.</p> <p>Young and colleagues have pioneered a new method known as polyaxial loading conditions, which involves the application of force to six sides of a cubic rock sample. This more closely approximates natural earthquake conditions.</p> <p>鈥淥ur lab is unique,鈥 said Young, who oversees the laboratory where Ghaffari and Nasseri conducted their research, 鈥渁nd [it鈥檚] one of the few in the world that uses three dimensional stresses together with geophysical imaging to study rock fracturing dynamically. We apply a complex series of forces in our tests so that the results more closely resemble what actually happens in nature when a real earthquakes occurs.鈥</p> <p>In both methods of force, the applied pressure induces fracture in the rock, which spreads quickly throughout the stone. The fractures release energy in the form of a seismic wave. Ghaffari interprets these wave motions using complex network theory 鈥 a method of analyzing intricate relationships using graphical data 鈥 to learn more about the physics of micro-earthquake sources.</p> <p>鈥淓arthquakes are complex; understanding the forces behind them can be even more so,鈥 said Ghaffari. 鈥淥ur lab comes closer to approximating that complexity through 3D loading.鈥</p> <p>Despite the difficulty in understanding these complicated series of data, Ghaffari and his colleagues are passionate about finding results. The research that the lab is conducting elevates our understanding of earthquake sources, which has wide ranging implications.</p> <p>鈥淲hat is the motivation behind my research? I live by it,鈥 said Ghaffari. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 separate [myself] from it. It can be frustrating, but finding order in disorder, finding connections in things that initially don鈥檛 seem connected 鈥 that is perfection.</p> <p>鈥淚 am fascinated by the complex networks associated with rock fracture. It is like music, listening to the sounds that rocks release when you apply pressure to them.鈥</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-07-11-rock.jpg</div> </div> Fri, 11 Jul 2014 13:01:52 +0000 sgupta 6354 at Medical research pioneer Molly Shoichet receives 老司机直播's most distinguished rank /news/medical-research-pioneer-molly-shoichet-receives-u-ts-most-distinguished-rank <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Medical research pioneer Molly Shoichet receives 老司机直播's most distinguished rank</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-06-05T11:34:53-04:00" title="Thursday, June 5, 2014 - 11:34" class="datetime">Thu, 06/05/2014 - 11:34</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"> Mark Balson)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sydney-goodfellow" hreflang="en">Sydney Goodfellow</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Sydney Goodfellow</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/more-news" hreflang="en">More News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/teaching" hreflang="en">Teaching</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">"An inspirational researcher and passionate innovator"</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Nausea, vomiting, hair loss 鈥 these are just a few of the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy. Although the drugs are designed to kill cancerous cells and save lives, the potent chemicals destroy tissues and can damage the human body.</p> <p>Professor Molly Shoichet (ChemE, IBBME) is leading a multidisciplinary team of researchers who are developing new ways to administer drugs that target only cancerous tissues, leaving the healthy ones intact. This week, Shoichet received one of the University of Toronto鈥檚 most prestigious titles: University Professor. The distinguished rank is given to just two per cent of tenured faculty, serving to highlight her outstanding contributions to research and teaching.</p> <p>As a Canada Tier 1 Research Chair in Tissue Engineering, Shoichet鈥檚 research tackles a wide scope of medical-related challenges, from healing spinal cord injuries to blindness using stem cell therapy. The impact of her work extends beyond the laboratory, driven in part by her dedication to mentoring, teaching and motivating her students and colleagues.</p> <p>鈥淧rofessor Shoichet is an inspirational researcher and passionate innovator in biomedical engineering,鈥 said Engineering Dean Cristina Amon. 鈥淥n behalf of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, I offer my heartfelt congratulations for this richly-deserved recognition. We are all tremendously proud of her commitment to excellence and her pioneering discoveries.鈥</p> <p>老司机直播 Engineering鈥檚 Sydney Goodfellow spoke with Professor Shoichet about her passion for research and education.</p> <p><em>With projects ranging from stem cell therapy to treatment of disease, what sort of impacts do you expect your research to have?</em></p> <p>I have always thought that we, in academia, should focus on answering big questions and solving difficult problems. I like to think of our research as the interface of applied chemistry and applied biology. Ultimately, we aim to enhance tissue repair and functional recovery in diseases associated with stroke, spinal cord injury, blindness and breast cancer. We鈥檙e able to work in diverse fields due to the strength of our graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, technicians and collaborators.</p> <p><em>Your diverse research has received attention around the world. Can you share some of the recent projects you and your team are working on?</em></p> <p>Currently we are designing polymers 鈥 which are essentially long chains of hundreds or thousands of tiny molecules 鈥 for use in biology and medicine. We鈥檙e excited about many of our projects, like designing novel ways to deliver therapeutic biomaterials to the spinal cord, brain or eye; creating innovative hydrogels that allow us to grow cells in three-dimensional environments that mimic nature; and developing new methods for targeted drug delivery in cancer. From our lab at 老司机直播, we have the privilege of collaborating with leading experts locally, as well as those in Canada and around the world.<br> <br> <em>As a University Professor and leader of a lab that has graduated more than 100 researchers in two decades, your dedication to teaching and education is clear. How do you balance the educational and research sides of your career?</em></p> <p>Whether it鈥檚 for students in the classroom or scientists in the lab, I am fully dedicated to the academic mission of advancing knowledge. I really enjoy bringing research into the classroom and sparking imaginations.</p> <p>I have received significant support from my colleagues in the Chemical Engineering &amp; Applied Chemistry [department], which allows me to teach those subjects that I鈥檓 most adept at teaching, while providing me with the opportunity to devote meaningful time to research. As a mother of two teenage boys, I鈥檓 also blessed with a husband who supports my career aspirations. Balance is something that I strive for every day.<br> <br> <em>What motivates you to pursue your research?</em></p> <p>I also love the pursuit of knowledge. I love working with the brilliant researchers in my lab, attempting to answer questions together 鈥 questions that have long gone unanswered, or even unasked. Discovery is fascinating and wonderful.</p> <p>I also love learning about companies, their products and how they are making a difference in people鈥檚 lives.&nbsp; The raison d鈥檈tre of biomedical engineering is the same: I aspire to advance our research knowledge towards new applications in medicine. While I understand that many stars must align for this to come to fruition, this is one of my great passions and a significant motivation.</p> <p><em>If you could give yourself as a student a piece of career advice, what would it be?</em></p> <p>I encourage students to pursue their dreams. If they spend their lives doing what they love, they will spend more time doing it and thus be more likely to succeed. I have been particularly blessed with opportunities and have worked hard to bring them to fruition.</p> <p><a href="http://www.ecf.utoronto.ca/~molly/home.html">Read more about Molly Shoichet's research</a>.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/M_Shoichet.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 05 Jun 2014 15:34:53 +0000 sgupta 6235 at This car travels 1,152 kilometres on one litre of fuel /news/car-travels-1152-kilometres-one-litre-fuel <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">This car travels 1,152 kilometres on one litre of fuel</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-05-26T07:36:57-04:00" title="Monday, May 26, 2014 - 07:36" class="datetime">Mon, 05/26/2014 - 07:36</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">鈥淲hen the judges saw our engine 鈥 their jaws were locked open. Our design was like nothing they鈥檇 ever seen before,鈥 says Jonathan Hamway, co-captain, 老司机直播 Supermileage (Photo by Roberta Baker). </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sydney-goodfellow" hreflang="en">Sydney Goodfellow</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Sydney Goodfellow</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/students" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innovation" hreflang="en">Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/environment" hreflang="en">Environment</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Why 老司机直播's Jonathan Hamway believes next year's team is poised to break the record</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>&nbsp;How much do you think it costs to drive from Toronto to Vancouver in the 老司机直播 Supermileage Team鈥檚 new eco-car? Hint: it鈥檚 less than a medium latte from your favourite coffee shop.</em></p> <p><em>Unveiled at the international <a href="http://www.shell.com/global/environment-society/ecomarathon.html">Shell Eco-marathon</a> this month, the tiny car from 老司机直播 engineering students is capable of traveling 1,152 kilometres on a single litre of fuel. For a cross-country trip, that鈥檚 $4.70.</em></p> <p><em>In this year鈥檚 competition, Supermileage won two design awards and placed second overall, thanks to an engine they <a href="http://www.engineering.utoronto.ca/About/Engineering_in_the_News/Engineering_a_more_fuel-efficient_engine_from_scratch.htm?DateTime=635338539000000000&amp;PageMode=View">redesigned from scratch</a>. Taking place in Houston, TX, the packed weekend saw students compete&nbsp; from across Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Guatemala.</em></p> <p><em>老司机直播 Engineering鈥檚 <strong>Sydney Goodfellow</strong> spoke with Supermileage co-captain <strong>Jonathan Hamway</strong>&nbsp;about his experiences in this year鈥檚 competition, and why he thinks next year鈥檚 team is poised to break the record for the world鈥檚 most fuel-efficient car.</em></p> <p><strong>Your team measured nearly double the mileage of your car last year. Are these the results you expected?</strong></p> <p>Initially, we predicted the engine would reach around 1,700 kilometres per litre, but we didn鈥檛 have time to tune it, and our clutch was causing a lot of friction, so we actually ran a lot faster than we should have considering those set-backs.</p> <p>All we really wanted was to finish a race so that we could qualify for the awards. When we saw we were in first place for most of the weekend, it was just icing on the cake. We knew there was so much more that we could have achieved.</p> <p><strong>In addition to placing in second, you also won a Technical Innovation Award and the Pennzoil Tribology Award. Can you share what these awards mean?</strong></p> <p>The Technical Innovation Award is based specifically on engine design. The award [recognized] how we were able to incorporate different technologies that haven鈥檛 been put together in a small engine before.</p> <p>The Pennzoil Tribology Award was about using tribology principles, like wear and friction, and how we were able to optimize those in our engine for ultimate efficiency. [The judges] based the award on the principles we used for material selection, like lubricants, and how we put everything together to improve overall efficiency.</p> <p><strong>What was the atmosphere like at this year鈥檚 competition?</strong></p> <p>We changed the competition completely. We were the only team with a completely custom-built engine. When the judges saw our engine, their jaws were locked open. Our design was like nothing they鈥檇 ever seen before. We definitely inspired people, and that was the best part of the competition to me.</p> <p>Next year, we鈥檙e going to see a lot of teams trying what we tried. We didn鈥檛 hide anything; we told them how we designed it, built it and anything they wanted to know. It鈥檚 up to them to actually do it, knowing how much work it is.<br> <br> <strong>Fuel efficiency is a relevant topic around the world today. What impact do you think your innovations could have?</strong></p> <p>This competition is essentially about pushing the absolute limits of what you can do when you only look at fuel efficiency鈥he principles we used are very applicable. Small engines in scooters, for example, have a lot of room for improvement and could use some of our principles.</p> <p>You already see some of our designs in cars, too, like whole or partial engine deactivation in hybrids, causing the engine to switch off when you get up to speed. Our engine was actually off for most of the race.</p> <p>In terms of the actual geometries we chose 鈥 the coatings, how we mixed the fuel and created turbulence in the chamber 鈥 those are proprietary to us and haven鈥檛 been explored too much [by other small engine manufacturers], but I think they definitely should be.</p> <p>This is why soon we will be displaying the engine at several other design showcases that are more investor-based.&nbsp; That鈥檚 where we鈥檒l be talking about transforming and applying our design for other engine-powered vehicles and machines.</p> <p><strong>You鈥檝e claimed that next year鈥檚 team will break the record for the world鈥檚 most fuel-efficient vehicle 鈥 how?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>For next year鈥檚 competition, we are planning to spend more time tuning the engine and making the car鈥檚 body lighter and more aerodynamic.</p> <p>It鈥檚 not about breaking the record 鈥 that is the easy part.</p> <p>Our biggest challenge will be transferring knowledge, as a lot of our team members are graduating and leaving the team. Next year is about bringing in new talent and teaching them everything.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-05-26-super-mileage-car.jpg</div> </div> Mon, 26 May 2014 11:36:57 +0000 sgupta 6189 at Collaborative learning through better design /news/collaborative-learning-through-better-design <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Collaborative learning through better design</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-05-07T06:31:40-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - 06:31" class="datetime">Wed, 05/07/2014 - 06:31</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Slated to open in 2016, the new Engineering Centre is being designed to foster collaborative learning (image courtesy Montgomery Sisam Architects)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sydney-goodfellow" hreflang="en">Sydney Goodfellow</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Sydney Goodfellow</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/education" hreflang="en">Education</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">A glimpse into the Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship opening in 2016</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In an early morning tutorial, students are racing to complete a daily challenge. But instead of working alone in a computer lab or in extended rows of lecture seating, they鈥檙e collaborating at six small tables, surrounded by the latest learning technology.</p> <p>Welcome to a Technology-Enabled Active Learning (TEAL) room 鈥 one of several new hands-on learning spaces for 老司机直播 students at the forthcoming Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CEIE), targeted to open in 2016.</p> <p>The CEIE features prominently in the future landscape of 老司机直播鈥檚 downtown campus and showcases innovative and intentional designs that will promote collaborative, hands-on learning. Here鈥檚 a glimpse:</p> <p><strong>Light fabrication facilities</strong></p> <p>The new light fabrication facilities in the CEIE will allow students to turn their ideas into working prototypes. Large, open-concept rooms hold mechanical and electrical resources as well as 3D printers. The workspaces are conveniently located near collaborative TEAL and design rooms, so that students can quickly move between the planning and production stages of their projects.</p> <p>With supervision and resources available long after the classroom doors have closed for the day, the facilities are designed to be accessible, and will be used by students for class projects as well as clubs, co-curricular activities, and much more.</p> <p>鈥淥ur students really need a creative construction space in order to go beyond the boundaries of the coursework and into the realm of really creative design,鈥 said Professor <strong>Susan McCahan</strong>, 老司机直播 Engineering鈥檚 vice dean, undergraduate.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>TEAL rooms</strong></p> <p>鈥淭here鈥檚 a whole slew of research that suggests that collaborative problem-solving, and directed interaction between students, is much more effective as a learning pedagogy than traditional lecturing,鈥 said McCahan.</p> <p>That鈥檚 why plans include up to six TEAL rooms. The new spaces will provide an environment that鈥檚 conducive to a more active approach to learning, and one that overcomes the challenges with traditional lecture-centric classroom design.&nbsp;Designed specifically for collaborative, hands-on learning, these rooms are slated to include:</p> <ul> <li> counter-height tables that allow professors to engage eye-to-eye with students</li> <li> grouped tables to foster collaborative learning</li> <li> state-of-the-art screens around the room that are accessible to every student</li> <li> power sources for students to run tablets or laptops at their table</li> </ul> <p>McCahan hopes that these new learning spaces will help professors to 鈥渢hink more intentionally about the activities that are going on in the tutorials,鈥 and, ultimately, 鈥渢o teach differently.鈥</p> <p><strong>A centre for collaboration</strong></p> <p>According to <strong>Steve Miszuk</strong>, director of planning and infrastructure at 老司机直播 Engineering, the new building is designed to encourage collaboration throughout the entire building. Student spaces are concentrated, so individuals and teams can quickly act on new ideas 鈥 brainstorming them in the design/meet rooms, creating them in the fabrication facilities and then receiving mentorship to commercialize them in the Entrepreneurship Hatchery.</p> <p>For many of the Faculty鈥檚 interdisciplinary research labs and institutes, offices and workspaces are planned around 鈥榥erve centres,鈥 or open areas designed to facilitate interaction and dialogue.</p> <p>鈥淸The CEIE] is a chance to create a building that is entirely centred on engineering, and on the theme of collaborative learning,鈥 said Miszuk. He noted that the building will even have a 500-seat lecture hall that can be transformed from a traditional theatre to a collaborative environment for students to debate and discuss ideas in teams.</p> <p>鈥淚 think that the theme throughout the entire building is the power of collaboration in learning, creating and innovating,鈥 said McCahan. 鈥淲hether you鈥檙e talking about the collaborative lecture space, the Entrepreneurship Hatchery, or myriad other spaces, when you put people together into teams, the whole can be greater than the sum.鈥</p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rIdiN5TLUtw" width="560"></iframe></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-05-07-new-engineering-centre.jpg</div> </div> Wed, 07 May 2014 10:31:40 +0000 sgupta 6130 at Engineering a more fuel-efficient engine from scratch /news/engineering-more-fuel-efficient-engine-scratch <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Engineering a more fuel-efficient engine from scratch</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-04-24T06:43:01-04:00" title="Thursday, April 24, 2014 - 06:43" class="datetime">Thu, 04/24/2014 - 06:43</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">The 老司机直播 Supermileage Team (photo by Roberta Baker)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sydney-goodfellow" hreflang="en">Sydney Goodfellow</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Sydney Goodfellow</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/students" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/environment" hreflang="en">Environment</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Last fall, eight engineering students from the University of Toronto crowded around a small leaf-blower engine and argued whether it could power the world鈥檚 most fuel-efficient vehicle. Then they tossed it aside and started building a better one from scratch.</p> <p>Now 鈥 after their professors said it was impossible 鈥 that engine is at the heart of a new eco-car that鈥檚 headed this week to the Shell Eco-marathon in Houston, Texas. Built by the 老司机直播 Supermileage team, the vehicle will compete against other high school and university groups in a worldwide challenge for fuel efficiency.</p> <p>鈥淭hey called us crazy. I can鈥檛 tell you how many professors said it wouldn鈥檛 be possible [to create a new engine], considering we only had eight months and a limited budget,鈥 said <strong>Jonathan Hamway</strong>, co-president of this year鈥檚 老司机直播 team. 鈥淚f nothing else, that was a bigger motivator for us: we just wanted to prove them wrong.鈥</p> <p>Hamway and the Supermileage team also competed in last year鈥檚 Eco-marathon. They didn鈥檛 win, but their vehicle travelled 266 kilometres on a single litre of fuel, making it 25 times more efficient than the average Canadian car. In this year鈥檚 competition, they aim to travel even farther on less fuel, while bringing a new world record to 老司机直播.</p> <p>According to Hamway, they were the only group in North America this year to redesign their engine from the ground up 鈥 a task attempted with the help of &nbsp;George Brown student Ryan Billinger and 老司机直播 student <strong>Nikita Singarayar</strong>, who worked on it as part of a <a href="http://www.mie.utoronto.ca/industry/capstone/">Capstone Design project</a>.</p> <p>The Supermileage engine, which is unlike any other of its size, also won first prize among mechanical engineering capstone projects and took home the Wallace G. Chalmers Engineering Design Award.</p> <p>鈥淭he number one thing we looked at is keeping as much heat in the chamber as possible,鈥 explained Hamway. 鈥淪ome engines lose up to 70 per cent of their combustion energy as heat loss through the walls and as exhaust gasses.鈥</p> <p>The team combatted the issue of heat loss by finding ways to convert the heat into usable energy, which massively increased the efficiency of the engine and makes it a huge contender in Houston.</p> <p>In addition to building the motor, this year鈥檚 team also redesigned the vehicle body. They replaced last year鈥檚 heavy aluminum components with a streamlined, carbon fibre structure. This made the vehicle much lighter, while maintaining strength.</p> <p>Jonathan said the diversity of his team was the reason they achieved the seemingly impossible: 鈥淲e all come from different backgrounds, not just academically, but personally, and our experiences in life and in school all come together and complement each other.</p> <p>鈥淲e鈥檝e all been exposed to different things: it鈥檚 not just whoever鈥檚 in charge in electrical is only doing electrical; we all almost do everything, so that allows for a spread of knowledge. Everybody gets a chance to learn and be part of the team.鈥</p> <p>The Supermileage team will compete head-to-head with other teams from across Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Guatemala. You can follow the competition on Twitter with the hashtag #SEM2014.</p> <p>The 2014 team consists of co-presidents <strong>Jonathan Hamway</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>Mengqi Wang</strong>, as well as <strong>Mayukh Chakraborty</strong>, <strong>Pooya Tolideh</strong>, <strong>Pranav Kadhiresan</strong>, <strong>Jacob Shultis</strong>, <strong>Monica Lee</strong>, and <strong>Marcus Tan</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Sydney Goodfellow is a writer with the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering at the University of Toronto.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-04-23-engineers-efficient-engine.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 24 Apr 2014 10:43:01 +0000 sgupta 6068 at