2016 North American CDIO Meeting and Networking Event Speakers’ Information

2016 North American CDIO Meeting and Networking Event
Faculty of Engineering, University of Manitoba, March 17-18, 2016
Speakers’ Information
Gerard Lachiver, Chair, Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) - Dr. Lachiver holds a BASc in electrical engineering, MSc in
biophysics and a PhD in biophysics from the Université de Sherbrooke. He is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering at the Université de Sherbrooke. He was also Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the University for eight years. His areas of
expertise and research include intelligent control of complex systems, fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks and reinforcement learning;
engineering education and distance learning. In 2013, Gerard was appointed Director of the Bureau des Amériques - Pôle de développement,
at the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie, for a term of two years. During this time, he successfully piloted several projects of national
and international research partnerships and has demonstrated outstanding leadership in higher education teaching, as well as in the design and
assessment of academic programs. In this capacity, he guided many universities in the Americas and Europe in their curriculum change and
"training of trainers" projects. ([email protected])
Mark Torchia, Executive Director, Centre for Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) and Associate Professor – Department of
Surgery. Marks’s area of research is ‘Image Guided and Robotic Surgery’ and teaching interest is ‘The development of expertise’. Mark has
been the founder of two successful international medical device companies. He is particularly interested in the intersection of engineering and
patient care and how the achievement path from benchtop to clinical sales can be enhanced. ([email protected])
Ronald Hugo, is Professor, Associate Dean Teaching and Learning, and Li Ka Shing (Canada) Foundation Chair in Engineering Education
Innovation at the Schulich School of Engineering, Univ. of Calgary. He is also co-director of CDIO, an international engineering-education
reform initiative that now includes over 100 collaborating post-secondary institutions from around the world. His engineering education
interests include inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, and the changing landscape of engineering education brought about through
the development of on-line delivery technologies. His scientific research interests include multiphase flow, waste-heat recovery, and
compressed air energy storage, all of which relate to his role as Director of the Pipeline Engineering Centre. ([email protected])
Richard Sellens, Professor, Mechanical and Material Engn., Queens University for the last 26 years. Richard’s research interests include
Atomization, Sprays, Fluid Mechanics, Instrumentation, Image Guided Surgery, and Biomechanics. Richard became a faculty member
because he was interested in teaching, as well as research and have been active with CDIO related activities for more than 10 years.
([email protected])
Daniel Spooner, Engineer in Residence, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal. He teaches project courses (1st and 4th year). His research interest
are in product design (engineering and industrial design) and multidisciplinary teamwork. Daniel was involved in professional product design
since 1993, developed over 100 product in transportation, medical, telecommunications and consumer product fields. Daniel became involved
in CDIO since 2006 and is now a member at large on the CDIO World Council. He aims at bringing project experiences (open ended and
chaotic) to students so they can exercise critical thinking and become independent professionals. ([email protected])
Robert Renaud, PhD, Professor - Faculty of Education Since 2001 ; Adjunct Professor - College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba.
Robert received his PhD in Psychology from Western University - specializing in evaluation and assessment in education.
Robert has been working with the Curriculum Management Committee since it was formed in 2012 to prepare for the accreditation visit later
that same year. Generally, his role has been to help explore the validity evidence of the assessments that are used throughout the Engineering
program. Robert feels the best description of his background and interests can be summed up by saying that as a professor, he really doesn’t
know much about anything. But if there is something that is important to you, he can sure help you measure it.
([email protected])
Witold Kinsner, Professor, Cognitive Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Manitoba,
President, IEEE Canada, Director (Region 7), IEEE Inc. Witold’s research interests are Cognitive systems, Intelligent signal processing and
Multiobjective optimization with over 740 publications. He has been teaching a variety of courses including Microprocessor interfacing,
Embedded systems design, Automata theory, Fractal and chaos engineering and Small spacecraft design. Witold developed a computer
engineering program at the University of Manitoba a Discovery Week in Electrical and Computer Engineering for Indigenous high school
students (under the Verna Kirkness Educational Program) and has been running Space Camps for senior high schools students. He believes
that today's engineering education has many challenges and new teaching methodologies and techniques must be evaluated.
([email protected])
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Gerry Price, Chairman and CEO, Price Group, Board member Friends of Engineering, Manitoba. Gerry was born in Winnipeg and holds a
B.Sc. and a M.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manitoba as well as a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and
Applied Mechanics from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Following graduate studies, he worked as a Defense Scientific Services Officer
for the Defense Research Board in Alberta, then joined E.H. Price Limited (now Price industries Limited) in 1977. In 1986, he became
President of Price Industries following their start up in Asia Pacific, and began to lay the foundation for their expansion into the US market.
During his tenure he has launched many new product lines, factory expansions and new business units in Canada and the US. In addition to
his business interests, Gerry is a member of many community and professional associations, including Fellow of the Canadian Academy of
Engineering, the Association of Professional Engineers for the Province of Manitoba, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air
Conditioning Engineers, Business Council of Manitoba, and a founding member of the Partners Program, Faculty of Architecture and Friends
of Engineering, University of Manitoba. Gerry is on the board of many foundations and participates in numerous capital campaigns and
fundraising to support local philanthropic endeavors. ([email protected])
Marc Parlange, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, UBC. Prior to assuming his position at UBC in 2013, he served as Dean
of the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, and held faculty
appointments at Johns Hopkins University and the University of California at Davis. His research in the broad area of environmental fluid
mechanics primarily relates to the measurement and simulation of air and water flows over complex terrain, with a focus on how air
turbulence and atmospheric dynamics (atmospheric boundary layer flow) influence water evaporation and transpiration in plants and soil. He
has received numerous awards for his academic achievements, including the Macelwane Medal of the American Geophysical Union in 1997
and the Dalton Medal of the European Geosciences Union in 2007. ([email protected])
John Pacak, President and CEO, InnovoXL Inc. John is also the Vice Chair of the Board of Friends of Engineering. John's expertise is
business and technology development in the areas of minimally invasive surgical systems, medical automation, prosthetics, dental technology
and cellular processing. As the president of President and CEO of InnovoXL Inc he is instrumental in assessing new business opportunities
and developing commercialization strategies to bring new technologies to market. John is interested in engineering education because the
technologies we are developing are dependent on engineering expertise to make them a reality. John is a co-inventor of the AutoLITT concept
and he a co-founder of Monteris Medical. As well, he participated in the early development of the automated pharmaceutical admixture
technology (APAS) that evolved to become the flagship product of Intelligent Hospital Systems (now called ARxIUM).
([email protected])
Douglas (Doug) Ruth, Director, Centre for Engineering Professional Practice & Engineering Education, U of Manitoba. Doug holds BSc and
MSc degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manitoba and a PhD from the University of Waterloo. He spent four years
with Petro-Canada Research and three years with GEOTECHNICAL resources before returning to an academic position at the University of
Manitoba. Doug is a Technical Achievement Award holder from the Society of Core Analyst and has been a member of the board of SCA for
over 20 years. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Institute of Canada, and Engineers Canada. He is
currently a Professor and Dean Emeritus, Associate Dean (Design Education), NSERC Chair in Design Engineering, and Director of the
Centre for Engineering Professional Practice and Engineering Education. Doug describes himself as “a shameless promoter of all things
engineering”. ([email protected])
Ken Ferens, is Assistant Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Manitoba. He is also Adjunct
Scientist at the Telecommunications Research Laboratories (TRTech), Winnipeg. He obtained his Ph.D. in electrical and computer
engineering from the University of Manitoba in 1996. He has authored and co-authored over 80 publications in his research areas. Ken is a
senior member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE); a member of the Canadian Engineering Education Association
(CEEA); the Chair of the IEEE EduManCom Chapter; the Chair of the Center for Cognitive Intelligent Computing; and the Chair of the
Industry Focus Group (IFG) for Engineering Curriculum Review and Improvement. ([email protected])
Jillian Seniuk Cicek, PhD Candidate, Engineering/Education, U of Manitoba, Her area of research is Outcomes-Based Education (teaching
and assessment) and Student-Centered Instruction (SCI). Her background is in Education, English and Fine Arts. She is passionate about
education, and feels very fortunate to have the opportunity to focus her doctoral studies in Engineering Education. She is currently a research
assistant in the Department of Biosytems Engineering and for the Centre of Engineering Professional Practice and Engineering Education in
the Faculty of Engineering. Through these positions, she has worked with Engineering faculty, students and Industry members to advance
Engineering Education through research. ([email protected])
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J.P. Burak is the Coordinator International Programs, Coordinator of Curriculum Management Committee and Director of Hybrid
Engineering Pathways. JP has been with U of Manitoba for 13 years. He has been involved with engineering education since 1996 when
moved to Malaysia and spent six years in teaching and administration in engineering programs. ([email protected])
Sharon Sankar, Director of Admissions, Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba (formerly - Association of Professional Engineers and
Geoscientists of Manitoba, APEGM). Sharon has been with the association for over 12 years. Graduated from mechanical engineering in
1988. Likes – swimming, biking, weight training and hot yoga. ([email protected])
Farzad Rayegani, has been a full-time professor in Sheridan’s Faculty of Applied Science and Technology since 2004. Currently he is
Associate Dean of School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering & Technology and Director of Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and
Design Technologies. Farzad is credited with developing an applied research program involving students, graduates and faculty mentors to
address technological and educational need of Halton and Peel regions. Over the past 10 years, he has been simultaneously partnering with
SME enterprises on product and process innovation projects while developing an applied research program involving students, graduates and
faculty mentors to address issues of product development / refinement, process automation, systems integration and manufacturing
management. As a CDIO collaborator, Farzad is seeking to develop new curriculum structure based on a new philosophy for engineering
education in a modern, team-based, global environment. Rich in project-based, hands-on learning, he aims to produce engineers who are
‘ready to engineer’ when they graduate. As the ASME Chair on Additive Manufacturing Committee Chair, Farzad will be leading the launch
of ASME’s additive manufacturing challenge designed to give mechanical and multi-disciplinary undergraduate students around the world an
opportunity to re-engineer existing products or create new designs that minimize energy consumption and/or improve energy efficiency.
It is better to not watch Soccer with Farzad at all or keep distance while he is watching as he is very passionate about soccer.
([email protected])
Ranjan Sri Ranjan, Professor, Biosystems Engineering, U of Manitoba, since 1990.
His areas of research/teaching expertise is Soil and Water Engineering
Ranjan is always finding ways to deliver the course content in an interesting way that will enable the students to understand and retain the
material better. He started using technology to deliver all his courses back in 1992 starting from desktop computers and moving to tablets. He
started using the iPad for teaching in 2011 and has been coaching others to use it effectively in their teaching. This presentation will certainly
change the way you teach and interact with your students. ([email protected])
Subramaniam (Bala) Balakrishnan, Professor, Mechanical Engineering, U of Manitoba. Subramaniam has been with the department since
1983. His field of expertise is manufacturing automation and he teaches electives and grad courses in the area of expertise. In addition for the
past four years he has been teaching the second year core course with extensive design component that involves design, build and test from a
concept to reality design effort. ([email protected])
Vern Campbell, Engineer in Residence, U of Manitoba since 2012. He has developed a course from ground up entitled Operation Excellence
that connects industry and students together to work on a mutually agreed practical problem in definite time frame with well-defined goals
Vern Spent 10 years at Manitoba Hydro with responsibility for Strategic Planning and Quality Improvement. He then moved to General
Manage Northern Blower a custom manufacturer of industrial Fans. Presently his goal is to help graduating engineers be better problem
solvers at graduation to both enhance their careers and to increase their value to the Manitoba community. ([email protected])
Danny Mann, Professor & Head, Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba. Danny’s research expertise is in the area
of ergonomics and safety of agricultural machines. Ever since joining the Department of Biosystems Engineering, he has been interested in
teaching innovation - especially with respect to the teaching of engineering design. He was instrumental in the development of the innovative
"design trilogy" in Biosystems Engineering which introduced mandatory design process courses in each year of the curriculum. The 3-course
design trilogy is now evolved into a 4-course "design spine". ([email protected])
Paul Labossiere, Senior Instructor, Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Manitoba. This is Paul’s 7th year at this
institution. Paul has 9 years prior experience at the University of Washington in Seattle and has over 6 years experiencing consulting in the
implantable medical device field both in product development and the FDA regulatory compliance process. He is currently the capstone
design project coordinator for Mechanical Engineering and teaches courses in Machine Design, Biomechanics and Composites. Paul has
received many awards in recognition of his excellence in teaching. ([email protected])
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