A Self-Assessment and Strategic Planning Document prepared by John Preston, Chair

A Self-Assessment and Strategic Planning Document
prepared by John Preston, Chair
Department of Engineering Physics
McMaster University
January 2014
Table of Contents
A brief history
2
Faculty Complement
5
Demographics
6
Engineering Physics programs in Canada
8
Peer Departments Comparisons
9
Undergraduate Curriculum
12
Graduate Curriculum
19
Discussion of Teaching Pressures:
23
The Engineering Physics Advisory Council
26
Graduate Student Advisory Council
28
Alumni Outreach Forum reboot
29
Research Coop and High School Internships
30
The MacGyver File Initiative
31
Professional Skills Workshop Course
32
Updated Scorecard
34
Appendix A: Departmental Resources
35
1
Engineering Physics at McMaster: a brief history
The department of Engineering Physics has a proud tradition at McMaster and in many
respects is ideally suited to making major strides in the coming decades. The
department has always held an interest in energy, a topic or universally recognized
importance. Moreover, for over 30 years Engineering Physics at McMaster has been
linking fundamental material science to performance in optical and electronic devices.
In a very real sense, EP was doing nano before it came to be called nano. The
department has recently rejuvenated its efforts in biomedical research and has linked
those efforts into both the existing departmental activities and to those of the rest of
the faculty and university.
As a small, research intensive department, we have routinely shared a wonderful
working relationship with our graduate students. We have also involved a relatively
high fraction of our undergraduates in our research activities. This has led to a special
environment in which our best graduate students get great opportunities to mentor,
while are top undergraduates obtain a wealth of non-curricular training.
Engineering Physics at McMaster is a small, interdisciplinary department that spans a
broad range of expertise from fundamental materials to innovative system analysis. It
has a mission and a proven track record of transforming breakthrough scientific
advances into engineering outcomes that improve society.
A review of our past shows that McMaster’s Engineering Physics department has made
impressive contributions to the telecom laser, plasma processing of materials,
superconducting devices and application of lasers to environmental testing. These are
important, substantive achievements often carried out with limited resources. More
recently the department has become much more ambitious.
Over the past two decades, Engineering Physics has worked closely with colleagues in
Materials Science and Engineering and other departments to transform the capacity at
McMaster to make revolutionary breakthroughs in advanced technologies. Key
infrastructure (making use of major CFI/provincial investments) includes advanced
semiconductor growth & processing (Weather, 1999), state-of-the-art microscopy
(Botton, 2004), world-leading utilization of positrons for materials studies (Mascher
,2009), advanced photovoltaic facilities (Kleinman, 2009) and revolutionary analysis
capabilities for nuclear materials (Luxat, 2009). Combined with numerous smaller
2
investments, the net result has been about $100 million investment in the analytic tools
necessary to understand manufacturing on an atomistic scale.
These resources are feeding into active research programs that will make seminal
contributions to next generation nuclear power plants, high-efficiency low cost solar
modules, high efficiency lighting and display technologies, advanced medical diagnostics
and treatment and many other areas. They will do this by fundamental studies of new
materials, nanowire & nanomembrane growth, improved understanding of how heat
and fluid flow occur in complex systems.
The department leverages our research strengths to provide a unique undergraduate
program. Quantum mechanics, semiconductor physics, neutron dynamics, non-linear
optics, advanced thermodynamics and electromagnetism, all qualify as among the most
challenging for students typically combining the challenges of being mathematically
intense and conceptually difficult. Our students are challenged to master these areas;
mastery implying they can envisage a new wavefunction or neutron distribution and
design a structure to achieve it. Mastery requires not only competence, but also
intuition and imagination.
In order to develop this mastery our students work in the reactor and in clean room
environments. They build advanced robots and fabricate solar cells. They measure
neutron moderation, measure fluid flow with doppler velocimetry and use radiography
to carry out non-destructive analysis. Their curricular training makes Eng. Physics
undergrads valued participants in our research program. The department uses summer
and co-op positions to provide research experience to over 20 undergraduates a year.
Given the modest size of our undergraduate cohort, this changes the dynamics of the
department. Our students understand our research, perhaps not entirely in terms of its
scope but granularly in terms of what graduate students do. Our graduate students,
undergraduates, staff and faculty are interlinked in a manner that is both organic and
profound. It is not surprising that about half of our graduates seek advanced degrees.
For all of the importance and contributions of faculty, staff and undergraduates, the
department is driven by its graduate program. We are research intensive and virtually
every research achievement in the department is made by a graduate student
researcher. We drive our research activities into the undergraduate experience largely
through mentorship of undergraduates by graduate students. We have superb
departmental and research staff that assist in the operations of our state-of-the-art
facilities largely through their ongoing and expert training of graduate students. Indeed,
3
the concept of managing large facilities within a student-training model is widely known
as the McMaster Model. It is an invention of the Faculty of Engineering and Engineering
Physics has made foundational contributions to the development of that model.
4
Faculty Complement
A. Buijs: Professor, Baccalaureate (European School, Karlsruhe, Germany, M. Eng, PhD (Utrecht, NL),
Particle Physics, L.E.L.
D.T. Cassidy: Professor, B.Eng. (McMaster), M.Sc. (Queen's), Ph.D. (McMaster), P.Eng., Lasers and
Electro Optics.
Q. Fang: Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Biophotonics. B. S. (Nankai);
M.S.; Ph.D. (East Carolina University), L.E.L., Biophotonics.
H.K. Haugen: Professor, B.Sc., (Acadia), M.Eng. (McMaster), Ph.D. (Aarhus), L.E.L., Denmark, Lasers and
Nonlinear Optics.
A.H. Kitai: Professor, B.Eng. (McMaster), Ph.D. (Cornell), P.Eng., Optoelectronic Materials and Devices.
R. N. Kleiman: Professor, SB (MIT), MSc., PhD. (Cornell), MicroElectroMechanical Systems.
A.P. Knights: Associate Professor, B.Sc. (DeMontfort), Ph.D. (Univ. of East Anglia), Semiconductor
Processing for Micro- and Optoelectronics.
R.R. LaPierre: Associate Professor, B.Sc. (Dalhousie), M. Eng. , Ph D. (McMaster), P. Eng.,
Molecular Beam Epitaxy, Nanostructures and Optoelectronics
J.C. Luxat: Professor and NSERC/UNENE Industrial Research Chair in Nuclear Safety Analysis, B.Sc.(Eng.)
(Cape Town), M.Sc. (Cape Town), Ph.D. (Windsor), P.Eng., Nuclear Safety, Nuclear Engineering,
Thermalhydraulics, Reactor Physics
P. Mascher: Professor and William Sinclair Chair in Optoelectronics, M.Eng., Ph.D., (Technical Univ. of
Graz, Austria), P.Eng., Optoelectronic Materials, Defects in Semiconductors, Positron Annihilation
Spectroscopy.
S. Nagasaki: Professor and a Canada Research Chair in Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Management
B.Eng., M.Eng., Ph.D. (The University of Tokyo), Safety and Security of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and
Radioactive Waste Management
D.R. Novog: Associate Professor, B.Sc.(Eng.) (Manitoba), M.Eng. (McMaster), Ph.D. (McMaster), P. Eng.
J.S. Preston: Professor and Chair, B.Eng. (McMaster), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Toronto), P.Eng., Optical Processing
of Materials.
L. Soleymani: Assistant Professor, B.Eng. (McGill), M.Sc.(University of Southern California), Ph.D.
(Toronto), Biomedical Instrumentation
A. Turak: Assistant Professor, B.Sc.(Eng) (Queen's University), Ph.D. (University of Toronto), Organic
optoelectronics
C.Q Xu: Professor, B.Sc, M.Sc. (University of Science and Technology of China), Ph. D. (University of
Tokyo), L.E.L., Optical Devices and Systems for Optical Fibre Communication
5
Demographics
The Engineering Physics Faculty has a complement of 16 faculty members. Four of the
faculty member’s expertise is associated with nuclear energy. The remaining faculty
have significant interests in
solar generated electricity (4),
Faculty Complement by Rank
nanotechnology (5), photonics
(5), novel materials (2) and
biomedical applications (2).
The department has one Tier 1
CRC holder, one prestigious
named chair and two industrial
chairs. In terms of
progression through the ranks
the department is slightly
skewed towards the higher
rank with over 62 % being at
the full Professor level.
Associate
Professor
25%
Assistant
Professor
13%
Full Professor
62%
When age and years of service are considered, the department has an unusual
demographic. Starting about 10 years ago the department had a significant number of
retirements. However, only two of the hires that took place were at a truly junior level.
Most of the incoming faculty had significant industrial experience. As a result, over 60%
of the faculty members are past or near the “rule of 85” and likely within 10 years of
retirement. Simultaneously, over 60% of the faculty have less than 10 years of service at
McMaster.
Faculty Member Age Demographics in
Engineering Physics
6
4
2
0
Faculty Member's years of service at
McMaster
6
4
2
0
6
Of the 16 faculty members of the Engineering Physics department, 2 have joint
appointments. Prof. Haugen is jointly appointed between Physics and Engineering
Physics, while Prof. Kitai’s appointment is joint with Material Science and Engineering.
7
Engineering Physics programs in Canada
Many, but not all of the major Engineering Schools in Canada offer an Engineering
Physics option. There is however a significant variation in the structure of the different
programs. The table below compares the structures through which 12 Engineering
Physics programs are offered.
University
UBC
SFU
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Western
Waterloo
McMaster
Toronto
Carleton
Queens
Polytechnique
Montreal
Home Department
Physics
School of Eng. Sci.
ECE
Phys. & Eng. Phys.
ECE
Physics
Nanotechnology
Eng. Physics
Eng. Science
Electronics
Physics and Eng. Phys.
Eng. Physics
Grad. Studies
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Comments
ECE grad. program
ECE grad. program
Physics minor
Elect. grad. program
McMaster and Ecole Polytechnique are the two Universities which have autonomous
Engineering Physics departments within their Engineering faculties. A more common
model is to leverage faculty and courses associated with the Physics Department
combined with a selection of Engineering courses shared with other departments. This
option is used at UBC, Saskatchewan, Western, and Queens. At Queen’s and
Saskatchewan , the Physics Department has been renamed as Department of Physics
and Engineering Physics. These two programs also offer Eng. Physics degrees at the
graduate level. At Alberta and Manitoba, Engineering Physics is an undergraduate
option offered by the ECE department. Carleton is similar although the home
department is referred to as Electronics. Finally, Toronto and SFU provide Engineering
Physics through Schools of Eng. Science. There is considerable overlap between the
Waterloo Nanotechnology Program and Engineering Physics. The Nanotechnology
program is operated jointly by the Faculties of Science and Engineering using faculty
associated with several departments.
In terms of size, the department at Ecole Polytechnique (Montreal) dominates the
Canadian departments. Its roster includes 29 staff listed as faculty. However, 5 of these
are in a Research Faculty category. Staff members in this category are university8
funded, hold Ph.D.’s and frequently assist in the operation of their numerous facilities.
They also participate in independent research and are eligible to hold NSERC grants.
The department also holds 4 CRC positions (3 Tier 1) and several named and industrial
chairs. Finally, the Engineering Physics department has historically benefited from a
strong relationship with the adjacent University of Montreal.
Queen’s operates its Engineering Physics graduate and undergraduate programs
through a joint department with Physics. With some caveats, it is possible to parse out
the Queen’s Engineering Physics Faculty using teaching assignments, professional
designations and research areas. The result is 14 faculty in the research areas of
photonics, nanotechnology, nuclear and ultrasonics.
Peer Department Comparisons
The McMaster Engineering Physics department was compared against the departments
at Polytechnique Montreal and Queen’s as the three strongest graduate programs in
Engineering Physics. The NSERC Award Search Engine was used to access funding
awards from NSERC. The analysis focused on the Discovery Grants due to it ubiquitous
nature in the Canadian system. The measures provided in the table below are the
average discovery grant (total discovery grants/faculty complement), the average
awarded Discovery Grant and the top Discovery Grant awarded. The number of faculty
members that do not currently hold a Discovery grant was also listed as was the average
amount of non-Discovery grants held on average by faculty members. For this last
measure, large investments associated with NSERC Strategic Networks and NSERC
CREATE programs were not included. The analysis was carried out for the 2012 fiscal
year.
Measure
Avg. Discovery Grant
Avg. Discovery Award
Top Discovery Grant
Unfunded Faculty/Total Faculty
Avg. NSERC non-Discovery Award
McMaster
$ 29,700.
$ 36,500.
$ 51,000.
3/16
$ 52, 000.
Queens
$ 25,900.
$ 36,200.
$ 60,000.
4/14
$16,400.
Montreal
$ 28,219.
$ 35,600.
$ 60,000.
5/25
$ 47,200.
While there is some variation across the three departments, the results show the similar
challenges that all are facing. The proportion of faculty not holding Discovery Grants
stands at 18%, 28% and 20% which is very high by traditional Canadian standards in top
departments. These numbers demonstrate that if small departments want to maintain
9
a “research excellence” culture, they need to be vigilant regarding faculty members that
lose their base funding. That said, it is likely that all of these numbers somewhat
overstate the issue. At McMaster, two of the researchers are well funded by other
means and supervise significant numbers of graduate students. At Queens, one of the
faculty seems to be in a teaching faculty position, while at Montreal three of the
unfunded researchers are approving nominal retirement age.
A second complementary challenge can be noted by comparing the top grants to the
average award. In all cases this ratio is significantly less than 2, consistent with the
observation that the Canadian system does not promote the development of global star
researchers. While this is a concern in all areas of Science and Engineering, it is off
particular concern in areas such as nanotechnology in which a relatively few number of
researchers worldwide have a disproportionate impact on the field.
This challenge is evidenced in the next table, which shows the average number of
publications, average citations and average faculty’s h factor in 2012. Only publications
that have resulted since the individual assumed a faculty position are counted so all
citation counts and h factors are depressed, disproportionately for junior faculty. The
comparison is with the three top Canadian departments and the top department
worldwide at Cornell. In reviewing the data that underpins the table below, it is clear
that McMaster’s numbers suffer due to the relatively large number of faculty (4) that
have only recently taken up positions at McMaster, while Montreal’s citations and hfactor measures benefit from two very highly performing emeritus faculty. However,
the striking difference is between the Cornell department and the Canadian schools.
The Cornell performance is strongly influenced by 4 outstanding researchers each of
whom attracted more than 1000 citations in 2012. In contrast, the top Canadian
researcher garnered 320 citations in the same period.
Measure
publications (2012)
citations
h factor
McMaster
4.9
74.6
11.2
Queens
2.2
50.8
8.6
Montreal
3.3
89.2
11.9
Cornell
10.2
531
29.9
The gap between Cornell and the top Canadian schools is in part attributable to the
scale of operations. The research groups at Cornell are large and well-funded as is
reflected in the number of publications per faculty member. However it is also clear
than this is insufficient to account for the difference and the data indicates that the
Cornell research is clearly is of a higher quality and impact. A key departmental
10
challenge moving forward is to mitigate the “levelling” associated with the Canadian
system and encourage our star researchers to excel.
11
Graduate and Undergraduate Teaching
Undergraduate Curriculum
Engineering Physics is a link between basic science and the traditional branches of
engineering.
Engineers often face challenges that require an understanding of many aspects of a
technical problem. To meet these challenges, Engineering Physics graduates rely on a
solid background in physics, chemistry and mathematics, as well as experience in other
engineering disciplines such as materials, mechanical, chemical, and electrical
engineering. This integrated union of disciplines is required most urgently in the
development and emerging applications of high technology, and graduates of the
engineering physics programme are frequently employed in these areas.
The Engineering Physics program retains the essential elements of the foundational
knowledge (both scientific and technological) necessary for an appreciation of the
engineering uses of light, heat, electronic charge and nuclear reactions as well as the
mathematical training to analysis such applications. These foundational courses are
focused in the 2nd and 3rd year of the program. These elements are delivered at a level
that our top students are well received and perform well in relevant graduate programs
at all top universities.
In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the utilization of numerical
simulations and other modelling tools throughout the program. The objectives of this
are threefold: 1) the students are able to gain experiential understanding of complex
engineering systems in a virtual environment, 2) the students are trained to become
adept and expert users of analytical and design software and 3) the students gain the
experience of using expert numerical tools in demonstrating their mastery of
engineering concepts in innovative design. We have moved to immediately introduce
these tools in second year, while developing an expectation that our senior students will
integrate their usage in assignments and projects.
The program offers a strong portfolio of practical hands-on experience. In some cases,
this experience is still delivered in the format of a demonstration-style experimental
component attached to a lecture course. This is frequently the case in lower years. In
upper years, the students are provided with the additional resources and latitude to
engage in a much more liberated experimental and design learning experience. In
12
senior years, there are substantial opportunities for exceptional students to move well
beyond the typical undergraduate experience. This is achieved through flexibility in
deliverables for several courses as well as separate limited enrollment courses.
Course Descriptions
2A04 Electricity and Magnetism
This course provides an introduction to electricity and magnetism including electric
fields, Gauss’s law, electric potential, capacitors, Laplace equation, Ohm’s law,
continuity equation, polarization, dielectrics, Lorenz force law, Biot-Savart law,
Ampere’s law, magnetic vector potential, magnetization, magnetic materials, Faraday’s
law, induction, Maxwell’s equations, electromagnetic waves and optics.
2C04 Computational Methods for Engineering Physics
This course provides an introduction in the application and limitations of using
numerical methods to solve physical problems. Topics include: Finite difference
method; Euler method, numerical solution of Newton’s equations of motion; Manybody problems; Numerical integration; Random walks; The percolation problem; kinetic
growth phenomena; Runge-Kutta techniques; Monte Carlo simulation.
2E04 Analog and Digital Circuits
The primary objective for this course is to generate a working knowledge of basic
electrical circuits. Students should acquire the ability to design and analyze analog and
digital electrical circuits and to simulate these circuits using software-based tools. This
course will supply the background knowledge for circuit measurements taking into
account the specifications of electrical measuring equipment. This course will also
supply the fundamentals necessary for the 3rd year course in electronic design and
analysis.
2H04 Thermodynamics
The objective of the course is to give an introduction to thermodynamics and its
statistical basis at the microscopic level, with applications. We will develop a
comprehensive description of the thermodynamic properties of physical systems,
emphasizing the close correlation between the microscopic behaviour of individual
components and the macroscopic consequences. In the tutorials, we will apply these
principles to problems originating in a modern laboratory and/or engineering
environment.
2NE3 Thermal System Design
Thermal Systems Design covers the physics and design of energy conversion
systems utilized in many engineering systems. The course presents the
13
underlying physics, thermodynamics and energy transfer applied in energy
systems design. The topics include: Energy and Work, First Law of
Thermodynamics and Application, The Second Law of Thermodynamics, Entropy
and Reversibility, Power Systems and Cycles, Design Considerations for Energy
Systems. Energy systems and their environmental applications will be
emphasized throughout the course.
2P04 Applied Mechanics
The objective of the course is to provide a background in topics in classical mechanics,
including elasticity theory, that are relevant to Engineering Physics. The background will
be provided through the use of Maple and of FlexPDE. Maple is a symbolic processor
and FlexPDE is a finite element method solver for coupled partial differential equations.
Both Maple and FlexPDE are modern engineering tools and provide for visualization of
solutions. Topics to be covered include: kinematics; static equilibrium; stress and strain;
thermal expansion; rotation of coordinate systems; FEM overview; boundary conditions;
use of MAPLE, FlexPDE, and other applications.
2QM3 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
The objective is to gain an understanding and have a working knowledge of the
fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics and their connection to ordinary
phenomena and experimental observations. Examples of topics to be covered:
Background to the development of modern physics, Blackbody radiation, photoelectric
effect, x-rays, Rutherford scattering, Bohr atom, Planck’s constant, correspondence
principle, DE Broglie waves and the wave-particle duality, Uncertainty principle and zero
point motion, Wave functions and probabilistic outcomes, Schrödinger equation,
Solution of Schrödinger equation for one dimensional systems, Harmonic oscillator.
2W03 Experiment Data Acquisition and Error Analysis
The objective of the course is to provide a background in the acquisition and analysis of
experimental information. Topics to be covered include: Error analysis, estimation,
probability distributions, test of distributions, covariance & correlation, noises. Besides
lectures, there will be a computer lab components, in which the students will learn to
use Matlab to do data processing, curve fitting, plotting histograms and probability
density functions, and FFT.
3D03 Principles of Nuclear Engineering
Forms of energy and nuclear reactions; radiation interaction with matter; elements of
energy production by fission processes and their control; introduction to nuclear reactor
design; the CANDU reactor; LWR reactors; the nuclear fuel cycle.
14
3E03 Fundamentals of Physical Optics
The objective of the course is to provide a background in physical optics. Topics to be
covered include geometrical optics, aberrations, simple optical systems, waves,
interference and diffraction, reflection and refraction, and optical constants of
materials.
3ES3 Introduction to Energy Systems
A survey course on energy systems highlighting their performance, resources and
environmental sustainability, costs, and other relevant factors over their life cycles.
Topics to be covered include: System Tools for Energy System, Economic Tools for
Energy System, Climate Change and Climate Modeling, Waste Management and Ethics.
3F03 Advanced Applications of Quantum Mechanics
Application of quantum mechanics to the electronic, optical and mechanical behaviour
of materials including the origin of band gaps in semiconductors, the application of
density of states and distribution functions to predict behaviour, the use of X-rays,
neutrons and electrons in the physical study of materials, and experimental approached
to electronic, optical and structural studies.
3G03 Optical Instrumentation
This course will provide the student with a general knowledge of the operational
principles of optical instrumentation. Through a discussion of topics in optics theory,
various industrially and scientifically relevant devices will be introduced and developed.
A design component will engage general engineering skills as well as foster an
understanding of factors involved in fabricating and designing an optical system. Lab
tours to various facilities on campus will provide insight into the scientific applications of
optics.
3O04 Introduction to Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
This course will introduce the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and heat transfer
phenomena. The principle objectives of the course are to provide an engineering
knowledge of: Fluid properties and fluid static calculations; Basic conservation
equations of continuity, energy and momentum for internal and external flows; Fluid
flow, pressure drop, and pipe network analysis using the modified Bernoulli equation;
Fluid machinery and measuring devices; Conduction, convection and radiation heat
transfer; Heat exchanger calculations.
3PN4 Semiconductor junction devices
This course provides fundamental in-depth knowledge of the physical principles and
operational characteristics of semiconductor devices. The major emphasis is on a review
of band theory, non-equilibrium charge carriers, junction diodes, bipolar junction
15
transistors (BJT) and related devices such as solar cells. The physics and some
applications of various versions of these devices will be considered. This course also lays
a necessary foundation for field effect transistors and specialized devices treated in the
Engineering Physics 4F03 course.
3W04 Acquisition and Analysis of Experimental Information
A systems approach to measurement in which synthesis of topics such as Fourier
transforms, signal processing and enhancement, data reduction, modelling and
simulation is undertaken.
4A06: Design and Synthesis Project
Students will be required to work in groups on a given project. The project will involve
the design, construction, evaluation, and refinement of a device to meet a need. The
project is not to be assembly of kits. Application of knowledge and skills presented in
the undergraduate programme, use of modern engineering tools, team work, project
management, ingenuity, and synthesis are expected. Any project that includes parts
from commercially available kits must include elements that demonstrate in a nontrivial manner the expected application of knowledge, skills, use of modern engineering
tools, ingenuity, and synthesis.
4D03/6D03: Nuclear Reactor Systems Analysis
Introduction to nuclear energy; nuclear physics and chain reactions; reactor statics and
kinetics; multigroup analysis; core composition changes; numerical methods;
miscellaneous topics.
To aid the student in understanding modern nuclear engineering; to develop skills for
analysing neutron characteristics of fission reactors.
4ES3 Special Topics in Energy Systems
To deepen the knowledge on sustainability (environmental, economic and social
sustainability) in energy systems.
4F03/6F03 Organic Semiconductor and Advanced Semiconductor Devices
This course is designed to give an in-depth investigation of advanced semiconductor
devices, with a focus on novel materials. Using the common thread of transistor
architectures, this course will cover aspects of fabrication, operation and design for
modern semiconductor devices, highlighting traditional, nanoscale and excitonic/organic
device physics.
16
4H04 Special Studies in Engineering Physics
A special program of studies to be arranged by mutual consent of a professor and the
student with approval of the department chair, to carry out experiments and/or
theoretical investigations. A written report and oral defence are required.
4I03/6I03 Introduction to Biophotonics
This is a survey course on the basic principles of light interaction with biological systems
and specific biomedical applications of photonics. In the first part of the course, basic
principles in optics and biology will be briefly covered while emphasis will be on more
advanced topics such as lasers and photo detectors, light-tissue interaction, and
photobiology. The remaining part of the course will be focused on specific biomedical
applications using photonics technology.
4L04/6L04 Industrial Monitoring and Detection Techniques
This course covers the basic concepts of detection, error detection, precision and
statistical processing of detection data. Analysis of data and Design of control system
are introduced. Principles associated with monitoring and detection methods used in
industry are studied.
4MD3/6MD3 Advanced Materials and Next-Generation Devices
This course is designed to give an in-depth investigation of advanced semiconductor
devices, with a focus on novel materials. Examining transistor and diode architectures,
this course will cover aspects of fabrication, operation and design for modern
semiconductor devices, highlighting traditional, nanoscale and excitonic/organic device
physics.
4NE3 Advanced Nuclear Engineering
The course provides an advanced overview of multi-disciplinary areas in nuclear
engineering. A review of the main past, present and future reactor types is presented
with a critical focus on the following topics: Fission energy generation, distribution and
conversion, Single phase and two-phase heat transfer and transport in a nuclear reactor,
Thermal margins and safety limits, Power system thermodynamic cycles including the
Rankine and Brayton cycle. Characteristics and performance of nuclear fuels and fuel
cycles, and nuclear reactor structural materials, including aging and degradation
mechanisms, Structural integrity of components, with an introduction to leak-beforebreak (LBB) concepts.
4P03/6P03 Nuclear Power Plant Systems and Operation
This course is a self-study course. Students will receive a CD-ROM with the full course
contents and supporting documentation. This CANDU Overview course includes:
lectures in science fundamentals; lectures in CANDU power-plant systems and their
17
operation; self-study of the text and course material; problem-solving assignments to
reinforce the understanding and application of the course material; operation of a
CANDU-9 power-plant simulator.
4S03/6S03 Introduction to Lasers and Electro-Optics
The material covered in this course includes the basic description of light in terms of
electro-magnetic fields. Relevant aspects of geometric and physical optics as well as
physics of radiation will be reviewed. The propagation of light through materials and the
optical response of materials are used to introduce non-linear optical phenomena,
including optical amplification. The properties of resonators and the basic operation of
lasers are discussed and the unique properties of laser radiation are described. These
topics are described in the context of representative laser systems and their industrial
applications as well as optical mirrors, detectors, modulators, optical fibers, etc.
4U04 Modern and Applied Physics Laboratory
Selected advanced experiments in two areas of applied physics, chosen from among:
lasers and optical communications; semiconductor fabrication (solar cells); computer
systems; nuclear engineering.
4X03/6X03 Introduction to Photovoltaics
This course covers: introduction to solar cells, review of properties of sunlight, review of
p-n junction physics; cell characterization: I-V curve under dark and illumination
conditions,
cell efficiency, solar cell device analysis (for thick and thin cells). It also includes a PV
technology overview: Single crystalline Si cells, Micro-, poly-, and multi-crystalline Si
cells, Amorphous Si cells, III-V multijunction cells, Concentrator PV, Organic solar cells.
4Z03/6Z03 Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology
The objective of this course is to give an introduction to the theory and technology of
micro/nanofabrication. Two thirds of the course is lecture-based, where the theory of
basic processing techniques from the formation of semiconductor wafer material to the
finished device assembly will be discussed. One third of the lectures will be based in a
classroom PC cluster. State-of-the-art process simulators are used to virtually fabricate
semiconductor chips and subsequently test their electronic properties.
18
Graduate Curriculum
Our graduate level courses represent the state-of-the-art in the application of modern
physics. Our core strengths are in the general areas of photonics, nano- and microdevices, and nuclear engineering. Rather than prescribing a set of required courses, we
allow students to choose the courses that best fir their research interests in consultation
with their supervisor, supervisory committee (for Ph.D.), or Graduate Associate Chair.
Courses
In the field of photonics and nano- and micro-devices, the department offers courses in
optical communications (6K03), industrial monitoring and detection techniques (6L04),
biophotonics (6I03), lasers and electro-optics (6S03), laser physics (721), photovoltaics
(6X03), microelectromechanical systems (719/752), advanced modeling of
semiconductor device fabrication (720), semiconductor diode laser physics (723),
optoelectronic device physics (726), advanced materials and next generation devices
(6MD3), thin film growth and deposition (730), thin film characterization (730),
nonlinear optics (734), and solid-state electronics (782).
In the nuclear field, students may choose from nuclear reactor analysis (6D03),
advanced nuclear engineering (6NE3), nuclear power plant system and operation
(6P03), nuclear reactor dynamics and control (710), nuclear safety analysis and reactor
accidents (713), nuclear reactor safety design (714), advanced nuclear reactor
thermalhydraulics (715), nuclear reactor heat transport system design (716), reactor
heat transport system design (716), reactor heat transport system simulation and
analysis (718), advanced reactor physics and analysis (727), nuclear fuel engineering
(783) and nuclear fuel management (784).
Description of Research Areas
The photonics and nano- and micro-devices specialization in our department grew out
of a demonstrated need in industry for highly qualified personnel in this area. It is an
area in which Canada, led by Nortel, JDSU and other companies, had a strong
international presence. With the decline in the telecommunications sector, researchers
in the photonics and optoelectronics areas have looked to other areas, particularly the
biomedical field. This field of research is strongly interdisciplinary in nature, and the
mixture of basic and applied sciences makes the field ideally suited to the nature of
Engineering Physics. Other growth areas in our department include photovoltaics,
microelectromechanical systems and Si photonics, and even the traditional
telecommunications pursuits are doing well again.
19
Historically, our department grew out of an Industrial Research Chair in Optoelectronic
and Microelectronic Devices co-sponsored by NSERC and Nortel which was held by John
Simmons until 1999. This appointment provided a strong foundation for the more
diverse activities in photonics and optoelectronics which exist today. We have had a
number of new appointments in the department in the past few years. Dr. Chang-qing
Xu, who had formerly been with Nangyang Technological University in Singapore and
with Oki Electric Industry company in Japan, brought new expertise in photonic devices
and optical sensors. Dr. Andy Knights’ appointment bolstered our activities in silicon
photonics. With the retirement of Dave Thompson, who had led our semiconductor
materials growth efforts since the beginning, the hiring of Dr. Ray LaPierre recruited
from JDS Uniphase was a key addition to our faculty. Dr. Rafael Kleiman, who was
recruited from Bell Laboratories (Lucent) has taken over the Directorship of McMaster’s
Centre for Emerging Device Technologies (CEDT). Dr. Kleiman has brought a new
research dimension of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which fits nicely with
existing research efforts and enhances our ability to tackle various problems in the
biomedical and high-tech industrial areas. In addition, a new appointment in the area of
biophotonics with Qiyin Fang has expanded our photonics research. Finally, the recent
hiring of Dr. Ayse Turak and Dr. Leyla Soleymani has bolstered our research in organic
semiconductors and sensors.
All of the department’s faculty members and graduate students who are in the
photonics and optoelectronics field are also members of the Centre for Emerging Device
Technologies (CEDT). This centre serves as an organized forum for all McMaster
researchers in this area. It is responsible for the operation of some of the centralized
facilities that include the molecular beam epitaxial growth and cleanroom facilities.
Engineering Physics also boasts strong graduate programs in the nuclear field with a
proud tradition. Nuclear engineering at McMaster is directly concerned with the
release, control and use of all types of energy from nuclear sources. Nuclear science
and engineering extend to research in physics, chemistry, nuclear medicine, geology,
geography and biology, environmental studies and materials research. The engineering
applications of nuclear processes predominantly lie in the domain of the nuclear option
in Engineering Physics. The foci for nuclear engineering research and education in the
department are nuclear systems, nuclear reactor analysis, nuclear safety analysis,
nuclear instrumentation, nuclear reactor thermalhydraulics, non-destructive testing,
and special topics in advanced nuclear science and engineering (such as thermonuclear
fusion). Other nuclear engineering related activities include heat transfer, flow induced
20
vibrations and fluid mechanics (Mechanical Engineering), and expert systems (Computer
Science). The department’s activities are complemented by joint research with these
other departments and with industry. The nuclear program continues to grow in our
department with the recent hire of Adriaan Buijs and Shinya Nagasaki.
Situated on campus is the McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR), a 5MW plate-type
swimming pool reactor (historically operated at 2 MW but recently moved to 3 MW)
with irradiation, remote handling, real-time neutron radiography, and extensive
beamtube facilities. McMaster's involvement in nuclear education and research dates
back to the 1950’s decision to build the McMaster Nuclear Reactor. Over the years this
important facility has been used for research by scientists from around the world, and it
has helped build McMaster's reputation as a centre of excellence in nuclear technology.
The department is the official home base for the University Network of Excellence in
Nuclear Engineering (UNENE), an industry-university-NSERC initiative sponsoring 7
industrial research chairs and a total annual research-dominated annual budget of about
$3.0M. Other important facilities and capabilities include gamma counting laboratories,
irradiation facilities, short-lived activation analysis, delayed neutron counting, prompt
gamma activation analysis, real-time neutron radiography (the only one in Canada), and
isotope production facilities
An NSERC/UNENE Industrial Research Chair in Nuclear Safety Analysis at McMaster
University was established in May, 2004 with the appointment of Dr. John C. Luxat as
the chair holder and Dave Novog as Associate Chair. The recruitment of Dr. Luxat has
added considerable strength to our nuclear engineering efforts. The Industrial Research
Chair is focused on research into nuclear safety analysis methods with nuclear safety
thermalhydraulics as a sub-topic. The scope of the research covers many disciplines
reflecting the multi-disciplinary nature of nuclear safety analysis. This requires academic
knowledge and skills that can be found in the Department of Engineering Physics at
McMaster University. The Chair program enhances and extends this knowledge and
skills base while providing a link to the Canadian nuclear industry. The Chair program
has enabled McMaster University to continue building a robust, innovative and
sustainable faculty research network and will make significant long term contributions
to the Canadian nuclear industry and the international nuclear academic community.
Faculty and staff at the University have expertise in a wide range of nuclear-related
disciplines, including nuclear engineering, nuclear medicine, health and radiation
physics, thermalhydraulics, and materials. McMaster has world-leading expertise in
nuclear theory, and faculty are involved in state-of-the-art experimental research, often
21
in collaboration with physicists and engineers in other countries. Extensive web sites are
maintained (http://nuceng.mcmaster.ca, http://canteach.candu.org, and
www.unene.ca), which provide access to a large and growing source of research and
educational material related to the Canadian nuclear enterprise.
Our graduates in the nuclear field are skilled in nuclear reactor physics, reactor thermal
hydraulics, reactor safety, nuclear instrumentation, nuclear environmental quality, and
related topics. These topics are important for nuclear power plant design, operation,
safety analysis, and industrial applications of nuclear techniques. Because of the
expertise gap and pending retirements in the nuclear industry, there is an accelerating
need for new highly qualified personnel and for upgrading professionals currently in the
field. Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Ontario Power Generation, Bruce Power, and the
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (the federal regulator) all have expressed the dire
need for increased professional development opportunities in southern Ontario. Our
graduate programs satisfy this need.
The knowledge, skills and innovation acquired by graduates in the nuclear field are
applied to nuclear safety issues of critical importance to industry in improving safe
operation and competitiveness of nuclear power generation. Novel research will
improve quantification of safety margins, help regain operating margins of nuclear
generating units, improve the quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness of nuclear safety
analysis and support the development of advanced CANDU reactor designs. This will
contribute to improving the safety, reliability and competitiveness of nuclear power as
an environmentally beneficial contributor to Canada’s energy supply and will enhance
the competitiveness of Canadian nuclear technology in global markets.
Today, McMaster has significant expertise in a range of nuclear fields. The coupling of
McMaster's in-depth research and educational programs with key facilities including the
campus reactor, a 3 MV Single-Ended Van De Graaff Accelerator and the renowned
McMaster Medical Centre makes the university one of the world's leading centres of
nuclear training and expertise.
22
Discussion of Teaching Pressures: Undergraduate and Graduate
The current Engineering Physics undergraduate program requires that 32 3-unit courses
be taught by Engineering Physics faculty. This number includes two sections of the firstyear Physics courses delivered to all Engineering undergraduates by the Physics
Department. As noted above, the department has an equivalent faculty complement of
15, however the Departmental Chair historically teaches one course, while the Director
of the Centre for Emerging Devices and Technologies typically teaches two. As a result
of this, there is a total teaching capacity of 42 3-unit courses associated with the
departmental faculty roster.
Of course, this number is anticipated to be diminished by Research Leaves,
Administrative Leaves, Maternity Leaves, other absences as well as University
appointments that require teaching relief. Looking at recent past data as well as a
projection for the next academic year provides a reasonable assessment of the teaching
capacity of the department where each teaching unit is a 3-unit undergraduate course
or equivalent.
teaching units
2012-13
35.5
2013-14
33.5
2014-15
32
Within the Faculty of Engineering, the standard teaching load is two 3-unit
undergraduate courses and one graduate course per academic year. It is immediately
obvious from the above analysis that the undergraduate teaching requirements are
much larger than 2/3 of the teaching capacity of the faculty.
Use of Sessionals
To address the challenges associated with the undergraduate program, the department
makes extensive use of sessional lecturers. Fortunately, our connections with the
UNENE training program provide access to exceptional sessional lecturers to assist in the
delivery of undergraduate nuclear courses. Currently, Dr. Ben Rouben is teaching 4P03
and 4D03, while Victor Snell is teaching 4NE3. We also have 3 other sessionals (Dr.
Mathew Ball, Dr. Avery Yuen and Dr. Chris Haapermaki) delivering undergraduate
courses in nuclear, quantum mechanics and photonics respectively. All of these
sessional lecturers are qualified, dedicated individuals that are providing excellent value
to Engineering Physics students. The key issue is that none of them has a long term
commitment to the program.
23
Reduction/Sharing of Courses
We are currently phasing out two courses as well as combining our senior optics course
with a very similar course offered by the Physics department.
Implications for the Graduate Program
For several years the stress provided by the undergraduate teaching load has led to
compromises in delivering graduate courses for Engineering Physics students. Ten
senior undergraduate courses are cross-listed as 600 level course. Our experience is
that these courses are an ideal introduction for graduate students admitted from other
undergraduate programs. In addition, the aggressive use of sessionals has enabled an
average of seven 700-level courses to be offered each year. This is approximately half
of the optimal number of graduate courses that the department should be able to offer
its graduate students and is inconsistent with our desire to offer a world-class graduate
program.
Summary of Teaching Challenges
As a small, research intensive department, we have routinely shared a wonderful
working relationship with our graduate students. We have also involved a relatively
high fraction of our undergraduates in our research activities. This has led to a special
environment in which our best graduate students get great opportunities to mentor,
while are top undergraduates obtain a wealth of non-curricular training.
There are however challenges. Our undergraduate program is often viewed as
impractical and highly theoretical. While Eng. Physics routinely attracts a fair
complement of outstanding undergraduates, the current structure of admission to level
2 ensures that the department also consistently has a disproportionate share of the
Faculty’s weakest students. The challenges associated with the undergraduate program
have distracted the department from its commitment to graduate education and both
the number and quality of our graduate offerings need to be addressed.
24
Initiatives
Advisory Council
The department has been active in identifying and recruiting exceptional individuals
who can assist our strategic planning. The Engineering Physics Advisory Council will
meet annually in the spring. The Council will receive a report from the chair that
outlines departmental performance in training at the undergraduate and graduate
levels, key research achievements and opportunities and outreach to the industrial and
general communities. The Council’s input may also be sought through ad-hoc
communications regarding specific issues through the year.
The Advisory Council will be expected to provide an industry, entrepreneurial and
leadership perspective on key department initiatives. The Council will also be a valued
resource for the identification of new opportunities, the availability of new resources
and the identification of relevant trends from a national and international perspective.
The Council will track the progress strategic initiatives with emphasis on the reputation
of the Department and its graduates.
25
The Engineering Physics Advisory Council
NOTE: This is a confidential listing of those invited to serve on the Council. A finalized
list of the inaugural Council will be provided upon confirmation by the candidates.
Engineering Physics Advisory Board
H. Douglas Barber
As an Athlone Fellow and NATO Scholar, Doug Barber received his Ph.D. from Imperial
College, University of London in 1965. In 1973, Barber was one of the founders of Linear
Technology Inc., now known as Gennum Corporation, which designs, manufactures and
markets microcircuits. Dr. Barber was President and CEO until he retired in 2000. Doug
Barber was a part-time Engineering Physics Professor at McMaster University from 1968
to 1994. In 2001 he was appointed Distinguished Professor-in-Residence. Dr. Barber is
an Officer of the Order of Canada and has been involved in numerous advisory
committees and corporate directorships, DALSA Inc, NetAccess Systems Inc. ,Micralyne,
AllerGen NCE Inc. and The Institute of Quantum Computing .
Mr. Bob Berger
The Berger family founded MW Canada in 1963. Bob Berger, third generation at the
helm, brings energy and dedication to the task of running the business. A graduate of
the Philadelphia School of Textiles, Bob is continuously searching for processes and
equipment that provide new products to his customers. A vertically integrated textile
mill, MW Canada is able to shift gears quickly in sampling and production. New fabrics
are created on a CAD system and sampled in the weaveroom utilizing a variety of warp
and weft yarns on a wide range of looms. Depending on customer needs, dry and wet
textile processing can produce standard or unique end products. MW Canada is a
founding industrial partner in NRC Printable Electronics (PE) initiative.
Dr. Gary Kugler
Dr. Kugler chairs the Board of the The Nuclear Waste Management Organization
(NWMO). NWMO was established in 2002 to assume responsibility for the long-term
management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel. Previously, Dr. Kugler was Senior VicePresident of Nuclear Products and Services at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL),
where he was responsible for AECL's commercial operations. During his 34 years with
AECL, he held various technical, project management, business development and
executive positions. Prior to joining AECL, he served as a pilot in the Canadian Air Force.
Dr. Kugler is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors' Director Education
Program and also serves on the Board of Ontario Power Generation. He holds an
Honours B.Sc. in Physics and a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics from McMaster University.
26
Dr. Hamid Arabzedah
President and CEO of RANOVUS Inc. Ranovus is a leading solutions provider of multiterabit interconnect for data center and communications networks. Ranovus' disruptive
innovation in Quantum Dot Multi-Wavelength Laser combined with advanced digital and
photonics integrated circuit technologies set a new industry benchmark for the scalable,
high capacity, power efficient, low latency and cost effective interconnect solutions.
Mr. Steve Tritchew
Mr. Tritchew joined WESCAM in 1994. In his current role, Mr. Tritchew is responsible for
internal technology and product development. Mr. Tritchew has worked in the
aerospace and telecommunications industries since 1983, and prior to joining WESCAM
he held several positions at Spar Aerospace including R&D Manager. Mr. Tritchew also
spent several years in the development and production of fiber optic components and
test instrumentation at Northern Telecom and Antel Optronics. Mr. Tritchew has a
Master of Applied Physics degree from Caltech and a BS in Engineering from McMaster
University.
Ms. Susan Tandan
Susan Tandan is a patent agent and partner at Gowlings. She has held positions in
private practice as well as in-house with a research-based biotechnology company. Her
practice focuses on providing services and advice relating to patent protection, both
locally and internationally, particularly with respect to life science technologies,
including biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemical, gene and protein-related
technologies, diagnostics, agricultural, clean-tech and medical devices. She works with a
broad range of clients including research-based organizations such as universities,
hospitals and government, as well as industry clients at various stages from start-up to
established business.
Mr. Mark Zimny
Mark Zimny was born in Poland and first developed his interest for robotics through his
passion of motorcycles and physics science. Mark founded Promation Engineering Ltd.
in 1995 to develop tooling and robotic systems initially for the automotive industry. The
company products succeeded in domestic market and in export to US and other
countries. He founded Promation Nuclear Ltd. in 2009 as the natural extension of an
existing robotic company for exclusive attention to the nuclear market. Promation
Nuclear succeeds in nuclear market delivering tooling, machinery and engineering
expertise and is becoming a leader within its industry. Mark was awarded Product
Development Award by Business Development Bank of Canada, and he received official
recognition from Ontario Minister of Small Business and Consumer Services.
27
Graduate Student Advisory Council
In order to facilitate feedback from graduate students to the department regarding
issues, concerns and activities, the department has requested that the graduate
students form an Advisory Council. The Council’s mandate will be to discuss issues and
provide feedback and proposals to improve the department’s activities especially with
respect to the graduate program. Some of the initial areas to be considered are:
- Appropriate stipend levels
- Professional department seminars
- Expanding departmental colloquium
- Structure and scheduling of PhD comprehensives
- Introduction of new students to department
- Award and assignment of departmental RAs, TAs
- Seating/office space issues
- Issues with facility services (garbage, light, heating/cooling)
Graduate Student Advisory Council representatives will sit at two designated
departmental meetings each year, as well as participating as required at other meetings.
The initial composition of the Graduate Student Advisory Council is:
Gabriel Devenyi (chair)
Ken Leung
David Hummel
Abhi Ramphal
Ross Anthony
Brad Statham
Jason Ackert
This initial (self-selected) council has good representation from the different research
areas within the department. It is largely a senior group of Doctoral students, so
recruitment of students studying at the Masters level will be a priority as well as
diversification of the Council.
28
Alumni Outreach Forum reboot
For many years, the Engineering Physics department held an Alumni Forum Event in
which alumni were recruited to sit on a panel and respond to questions regarding career
development, life-work balance, the value of graduate level training, building a career
network, identifying strong mentors and other issues. The annual event and
accompanying social evening was typically a highlight of the academic year both for the
students and alumni. Local groups of alumni would participate informally as a
mechanism for staying in contact.
The event was discontinued 5 years ago based in part on scheduling issues as well as the
launching of a Faculty-wide event with a similar theme. While the Faculty-event has
been a success, it was noted that it did not meet the same needs as the Departmental
event. Specifically, students graduating from boutique programs such as Engineering
Physics benefit disproportionately from advice and mentorship from alumni with the
same background. The event has been updated and re-launched this year to great
success.
In addition to their interaction with the students, the alumni are consulted by the Chair
and Departmental representatives regarding curriculum changes, employment
opportunities, program satisfaction and accreditation issues.
29
Research Coop and High School Internships
Historically, the Engineering Physics Department has attracted a disproportionate share
of the exceptional students from Level 1 Engineering. In many respects, this is not
surprising. The same mixture of electrodynamics, nuclear physics, quantum mechanics
and thermodynamics that many undergraduate students find daunting is precisely the
combination that would attract many students with strong aptitudes for physics and
mathematics. This cohort of strong students also has a strong proclivity to continue on
to graduate studies either at McMaster or elsewhere. In marketing the undergraduate
program, the department has undervalued the pathway described above. Instead, it has
emphasised the ability of academically average students to find meaningful employment
and the department’s efforts to assist them in this pursuit. The Research Coop and High
School Internships represent two activities to market the undergraduate program based
on its linkages to the strength of the department, its strong record in research.
The High School Research Internship program is intended to attract exceptional students
into first-year engineering at McMaster who are interested in a research-based career
and open to enrolling in Eng. Physics. It is operated as a competition, in which high
school students prepare a short video describing their research aspirations and ideas.
As a competition, it is hardly unique many physics departments run similar
competitions. What sets the Engineering Physics competition apart is the prize. While
most such competitions provide gift cards or I-pods as rewards, our competition
launches the research career of the winner. Arlene Dosen and Deborah McIvor had a
great response promoting the idea to high school teachers attending the Science
Teachers' Association of Ontario annual workshop and we look forward to receiving
some great videos in the spring.
Research Coop at this point is simply the traditional McMaster Coop with the traditional
industrial placements replaced by research-based positions. We anticipate that these
positions will be in university laboratories, government labs and at industrial sites. The
key challenge in launching the initiative is to provide a meaningful research experience
in the summer following Level 1. The department will work with faculty with strong
research records to provide the necessary funding for a pilot program this coming
spring. Information sessions have been announced for the first year students that will
take place in early January. Over time, additional resources will be provided to assist
the student’s success in research. These resources will be available to all Engineering
students through the MacGyver File Initiative.
30
The MacGyver File Initiative
MacGyver was the name of a TV series and its lead character in the late 1980’s.
It was an action-adventure show in which the lead character inevitably escaped from an
apparently impossible situation by innovating an engineering-based solutions with
materials at hand. While most of our current undergraduates have never watch the
show, most understand that to MacGyver something means to generate a resourceful
solution with available materials.
The MacGyver File Initiative is based partly on the recognition that researchers
routinely have to generate new solutions to issues that arise in the course of their
research. This very practical component to research training can be challenging to
address in a traditional curriculum. The MacGyver File Initiative will utilize peer-peer
training (with both undergraduates & graduate students), specialized seminars, access
to web-based resources on a broad range of subjects. (making a good ohmic contact,
operating vacuum systems, cleaving a semiconductor wafer, laying out a printed circuit
board, aligning a laser) Training sessions can be in a wide range of format, however
where possible elements of the training or at least resources will be documented in an
accessible wiki-type format. The Initiative is expected to be a helpful resource for
student engaged in experiential based projects and for beginning graduate students.
31
Professional Skills Workshop Course
Background:
We are proposing a workshop style course for new graduate students to give
them some professional soft skills to ensure their success in the graduate
program. Four situations motivated this proposal:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Recent self-evaluation of the graduate program through the review
process of IQAP
Concerns of faculty members regarding new students’ abilities (e.g.
presentation skills, library usage, etc) and uneven opportunities for
students to gain these skills
Recognition of the changing research landscape (i.e. open access, use of
social media, etc)
Desire to have a department wide course that brings together students
from differing research areas
After some brainstorming at the department level, we went through a
consultation process with current graduate students for topics and on the
structure of the course.
Proposed structure:
The course is designed for all new graduate students to be taken in their first and
second semester at McMaster. It is intended to be informal with 1-1.5hr per
session. Each session will consist of a presentation by an expert speaker/panel,
followed by a roundtable discussion by the students, with case studies related to
the main topic. These experts will be culled from assets around the university,
trying to avoid duplication of services. As the sessions will be offered either over
breakfast or lunch, there will be refreshments available.
12 sessions will be offered over the two semesters (a few key sessions will be
offered twice for students starting in the winter semester) where students will be
obligated to attend 9.
Potential topics include:
32
1) communication/presentation skills
a) elevator pitches
b) speaking with impact
c) knowing your audience
2) libraries
a) services
b) journal storage
c) printing
3) research skills
a) web of science
b) effective strategic googling
c) literature reviews
4) etiquette
5) adapting to new environments
6) citations and citation management
software
7) plagiarism and ethical use of
information
8) open access publishing and vanity
presses
9) research integrity
10) publishing in the time of social media
11) interviewing skills
12) CV writing
13) organizing ideas: how to write a paper
for publication
a) the voice in writing
b) co-authorship “rules”
14) applying for scholarships/writing
proposals
15) collaborating/networking
16) time management
17) graphic design
18) cover letter writing
a) resume
b) scholarship
c) article
d) emails
19) what can I do with my degree (alumni
panel)
a) academia
b) industry
c) business -- master's to business
20) career development and career
planning
a) timelines
b) how to find companies
c) how to position/sell your
research to industry/other
disciplines
d) researching
companies/departments: reading
annual reports
Assessment:
A key expectation of this proposed course is on improving presentation skills. Therefore
students will be expected to give two presentations during the course. One will be a
short presentation (~10mins) on which of the topics they found most interesting,
summarizing the key learnings, and how they plan to apply them to their research life.
The second will be a literature review of their research project. For each presentation,
there will be a peer assessment component, as well as a forum for constructive criticism
from the group and the faculty advisor. Collectively the students will select one
presentation to be given at a department wide event, in recognition of their success.
Pilot program:
To assess the proposed course, we are planning a pilot version to be offered in the
winter semester for our current graduate student population. We will offer three (3)
topics and after each consult the students to assess the format, the topics and the time
slot.
33
The Eng. Physics Scorecard (updated for January 1, 2014)
Action
Responsibility
Improve learning and the Student Experience
1.1 Peer to Peer practicum
Chair & EP
training
Undergraduate
leadership
1.2 UG Research Coop
Chair
Timeline
Progress
January start
at a pilot level
First workshop being
planned
Sept. 2014 start
1.3 Graduate Skills
Development Course
1.4 Direct recruitment:
High School Contest
Turek
Sept. 2014
information sessions in
January
Pilot launch in spring
Soleymani
Jan. 2014
Competition underway
1.5 Marketing Activities
Soleymani, Coordinator
May 2014
New site completed
ongoing
May 2014
have reduced requests
for redundant
information
have completed tours
of space
scheduled for spring
Dec. 2013
on-hold
Jan 2014 (pilot)
on agenda with Grad.
council
to be addressed
Improve Efficiencies and Moral
2.1 Improved data
Chair and Comanagement
ordinator
2.2 Space audit and
renovation strategy
2.3 Departmental Awards &
Accolades
Chair and Coordinator
Chair and Coordinator
Increase Research Productivity and Impact
3.1 Supplemental Activity
Chair
Report
(rewarding good behaviour)
3.2 grad. student research
Knights
achievement incentives
3.3 Research Focus Workshop Chair
(opportunities & strategies)
3.4 Direct entry Ph.D.
Chair, LaPierre
(marketing & logistics)
May 2014
May 2014
May 2014
to be addressed in
departmental meeting
34
APPENDIX A: DEPARTMENTAL RESOURCES
(note this appendix has been copied from the self-study submitted for the recently completed IQAP
review of the Engineering Physics Graduate Program. It constituted Section 5 in that self-study.)
Human and Financial Resources
Faculty
There are 15 full-time core professors (Adrian Kitai and Harold Haugen, who both hold joint faculty
positions in another department, are weighted at 50%). Since the last review in 2005, the department
has had five faculty members retire (Jackson (adjunct), Jessop, Thompson, Chang, Berezin). At the same
time, we have added five new faculty members (Buijs, Turak, Soleymani, Fang, Nagasaki). This
represents a steady faculty complement since the last appraisal. This demonstrates that sufficient
financial resources are available for faculty hiring and retention.
The Department of Engineering Physics has six associate members who are faculty members in related
academic departments at McMaster who participate in the graduate program through co-supervision or
membership on supervisory committees. There are also nine adjunct faculty members from other
universities, industrial or government laboratories. Their involvement in the graduate program is
typically as a research collaborator and a member of a Ph.D. student’s supervisory committee. Only
those members involved in the teaching of graduate courses or graduate student supervision (or cosupervision) are listed in the table below.
The graduate programs do not have formal declarations of separate fields. However, the natural
grouping of faculty members and students according to their research interests (and shared equipment
needs) leads to an informal grouping of students and faculty along the fields of photonics, nano- and
micro-devices, and nuclear engineering. In the Table below, we indicate the research focus of each
faculty member according to these fields.
In the following table, faculty members are also categorized as follows:
Category 1:
tenured or tenure-track core faculty members whose graduate involvement is
exclusively in the graduate program under review. For this purpose the master’s and doctoral streams
of a program are considered as a single program. Membership in the graduate program, not the home
unit, is the defining issue.
Category 2:
non-tenure-track core faculty members whose graduate involvement is exclusively in
the graduate program under review.
Category 3:
tenured or tenure-track core faculty members who are involved in teaching and/or
supervision in other graduate program(s) in addition to being a core member of the graduate program
under review.
Category 4:
non-tenure track core faculty members who are involved in teaching and/or supervision
in other graduate program(s) in addition to being a core member of the graduate program under review.
Category 5:
other core faculty: this category may include emeritus professors with supervisory
35
privileges and persons appointed from government laboratories or industry as adjunct professors.
Category 6:
non-core faculty who participate in the teaching of graduate courses.
Electronic copies of CVs of our faculty members can be provided on request.
Faculty Members by Field
Fields
Faculty Name &
Category of
Appointment
1
Supervisory
Privileges 2
Photoni
cs
Nanoand
MicroDevices
M/F
Home Unit
Adriaan Buijs,
Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
Daniel Cassidy,
Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
x
x
Rafael Kleiman,
Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
x
x
John Luxat,
Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
Peter Mascher,
Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
x
x
John Preston,
Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
x
x
Chang Xu,
Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
x
x
Shinya Nagasaki,
Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
Qiyin Fang,
Associate Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
x
Andrew Knights,
Associate Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
x
x
Ray LaPierre, Associate
Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
x
x
David Novog,
Associate Professor
M
Engineering
Physics
Full
Nuclear
Category 1
x
x
x
x
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Leyla Soleymani,
Assistant Professor
F
Engineering
Physics
Full
x
x
Ayse Turak,
Assistant Professor
F
Engineering
Physics
Full
Harold Haugen,
Professor
M
Joint
Appointment
with
Engineering
Physics, and
Physics and
Astronomy
Full
x
Adrian Kitai, Professor
M
Joint
appointment
with
Engineering
Physics, and
Materials
Science and
Engineering
Full
x
Jamal Deen,
Associate
M
Electrical and
Computer
Engineering
Full with cosupervision
Mohamed Hamed,
Associate
M
Mechanical
Engineering
Full with cosupervision
Joe Hayward,
Associate
M
N/A
Full with cosupervision
Marilyn Lightstone,
Associate
F
Mechanical
Engineering
Full with cosupervision
Kalai Saravanamuttu,
Associate
F
Chemistry
Full with cosupervision
Benjamin Rouben,
Adjunct
M
Engineering
Physics
Full with cosupervision
x
Nik Popov,
Adjunct
M
Engineering
Physics
Full with cosupervision
x
Victor Snell,
Adjunct
M
Engineering
Physics
Full with cosupervision
x
x
Category 3
x
Category 5
x
x
x
x
x
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Paul Jessop,
Emeritus
M
Engineering
Physics
Full with cosupervision
x
x
David Thompson,
Emeritus
M
Engineering
Physics
Full with cosupervision
x
x
1
This is the budget unit paying the salary: department, school, research centre or institute, or other.
2
Indicates the level of supervisory privileges held by each faculty member: e.g., full, master’s only, co-supervision only, etc.
Support Staff
The department directly employs three full-time technicians whose duties involve supervision of
undergraduate laboratories, acquisition and maintenance of undergraduate laboratory equipment,
safety oversight, and IT support. This number has been constant for many years. Barry Diacon is the
technician responsible for the nuclear engineering area. The other two technicians are Glen Leinweber,
whose specialty is electronics, and Peter Jonasson, who is responsible for the micro-devices laboratories
and is also our IT expert. Although their primary responsibility is maintenance of the undergraduate
labs, the technicians also provide valuable assistance to the research efforts of Engineering Physics
faculty members and graduate students. All three of them have a good working relationship with the
students and provide them with practical hands-on advice. They are also effective in instilling a culture
of safety in the students.
The department is also home to a large number of research staff, including postdoctoral fellows, who
are hired from research budgets or through research centres. Currently, our departmental directory
lists six post-doctoral fellows.
Administration
The departmental administrative staff includes Marilyn Marlow as graduate secretary, Samantha
Kandilas as undergraduate secretary and Alexa Huang as department administrator. They have friendly
engaging personalities that make the department a welcoming place for students to come to when they
need help with administrative matters. Much of the success of our academic programs can be credited
to their dedication, attention to detail, and genuine concern for the best interests of our students.
Physical Facilities and Space
Library
McMaster University Library’s holdings currently total 2 million volumes and the total annual
expenditure on books (excluding Health Sciences) is $700,000. The collections of books, print journals
and reference resources for students in Engineering Phyics, and Engineering in general, are housed in
the H.G. Thode Library of Science & Engineering. At the present time the Library purchases more than
200 new books annually to support the teaching and research programs in the Faculty of Engineering.
For the most part, these monographs are in print format but an increasing number are in electronic
format. McMaster University Library’s extensive holdings of reports, surveys, data and other
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publications of provincial, national and international governments and non-governmental organizations
may also provide support for our programs.
.
The Library has purchased or subscribes to a range of electronic resources, including research databases,
full text journals, monographs, numeric data and government publications. In addition, the Library
identifies and provides access to select material freely available through the Internet. Such material
includes open access journals and e-books.
McMaster University Libraries participate in national and regional consortium licenses for access to fulltext electronic resources, and whenever possible, registers for campus-wide electronic access instead of
print subscriptions. All full-text journals are accessible through the Library’s online catalogue and
through the e-journals portal. McMaster University students, faculty and staff may access electronic
research databases and full-text electronic books and journals from on campus or off-campus via the
Library’s proxy server. Currently the McMaster community has access to over 430,000 electronic
resources, including approximately 45,000 full-text electronic journals and more than 300,000 e-books
including the Digital Engineering Library (McGraw-Hill), and the complete suite of Springer e-books since
2005.
The H.G. Thode Library of Science & Engineering is currently open 100 hours per week during the term
with extended hours during examination periods.
There are 693 public seats available in the Thode Library with five group study rooms available for
collaborative work. More than 170 public stations are available for student use in all campus libraries.
Wireless access is available for laptop users in most public areas of the libraries. Printing and scanning is
available and all workstations may be used whenever the Library is open. All libraries offer a laptop
lending program.
The Thode Library Learning Commons opened in September 2008 with 38 public stations, 8 multimedia
stations (with provision for grid computing) and 30 laptops for loan, as well as a self-checkout machine.
The Reactor Café, with seating for 94, opened in October 2008. In 2007 the library introduced "Library
Liaison @ Mac" whereby librarians work closely with academic departments to, among other things,
teach information literacy skills to undergraduates, graduates and other researchers and ensure that
library resources meet the research and teaching needs of the departments. In 2008/09, librarians
taught 451 information literacy sessions, making contact with over 15,750 students. Information literacy
classes are taught in two library e-classrooms (the Wong Electronic Classroom in Mills Library and the
Health Sciences Library e-classroom) which can accommodate 20+ students for hands-on workshops,
and in-campus lecture halls and classrooms. Library staff provide research assistance in person and
virtually (by telephone, e-mail and online at http://library.mcmaster.ca/justask/index.htm and on
Second Life). IT (Information Technology) assistance is provided by student consultants at the IT Help
Desks in each library.
For items not available in McMaster's Libraries, students can use a web-based interlibrary loan system
to borrow books, theses or government publications or obtain copies of journal articles from libraries
within Canada and elsewhere. McMaster University has recently become a member of CRL (Center for
Research Libraries). This membership provides McMaster users with access to extensive and unique
collections, opportunities for sharing resources while avoiding unnecessary costs. Materials are
delivered electronically or through interlibrary loan – with a 3 day guarantee. Since the Center has over
four million newspapers, journals, dissertations, archives, government publications and other traditional
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and digital resources for research and teaching, our membership dramatically increases our access to
print scholarly literature, some of which is difficult or impossible to obtain through other means.
Lab Space
The total research space that is available to the 16 faculty members in Engineering Physics exceeds
2,000 m2. This currently supports a high level of research productivity.
Experimental research in Engineering Physics is dependent upon the availability of very expensive
equipment. Fortunately, faculty members within the Department of Engineering Physics have been
successful in obtaining funds to acquire major new pieces of equipment and maintain existing facilities.
In addition, close collaboration with industrial and government laboratories provides access to
additional facilities, beyond those available at McMaster. The Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council (NSERC) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) represent recent major
sources of research support. In addition, many faculty members have received substantial support from
a number of provincial and federal programs. These external funds over the years have supported an
extensive set of facilities for materials growth and characterization, and well as in photonics, nano- and
micro-devices, and nuclear research.
All of the department’s faculty members and graduate students who are in the photonics and nano- and
micro-devices field are also members of the Centre for Emerging Device Technologies (CEDT). The CEDT
serves as an organized forum for all McMaster researchers in this area and is responsible for operation
of some of the central facilities for thin film growth, device fabrication, and characterization. It also
organizes a series of informal graduate student seminars and more advanced seminars in collaboration
with the Engineering Physics Department. Considerable detail is available on the CEDT website
(http://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/cedt/). In brief, the key capabilities comprise a molecular beam epitaxy
(MBE) machine, three chemical vapour deposition machines, and a class 10000 clean room with various
fabrication and analytical setups. In addition to the shared CEDT facilities, individual professors have a
wide range of technical capabilities in their respective laboratories aimed at their specific research and
development targets. Individual websites for Engineering Physics professors give details on their
respective research capabilities. One of the main on-going concerns is maintaining the equipment in
good working order and ensuring proper safety measures. Maintenance and training associated with
the CEDT equipment is currently provided by three technicians supported by the centre. As a general
statement, we feel that our facilities provide extensive opportunities for our graduate students.
The capabilities of the larger Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research (BIMR) are also of direct
interest to Engineering Physics. Details on the facilities are available on the BIMR website
(http://www.brockhouse.mcmaster.ca/). In particular, the Engineering Physics Department makes use of
the BIMR Photonics Research Laboratories (PRL) which are run by two Engineering Physics faculty
members, John Preston and Harold Haugen. The PRL houses two amplified ultrafast (femtosecond) laser
systems and associated equipment. In addition to photonics capabilities, the electron microscope
facilities of the BIMR are key to advanced materials characterization. A JEOL field emission TEM/STEM
and aberration–corrected Titan STEM provide versatile analytical instruments with a very high
brightness electron source for in-depth materials analysis. The BIMR’s optical and x-ray characterization
laboratories are also utilized by Engineering Physics faculty.
A recent (2008) CFI award of $5.9M to Peter Mascher will create a new positron beam spectroscopy
facility tied to our nuclear reactor for materials analysis. Another CFI award of $9.2M in the same year
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was made to John Luxat for development and analysis of nuclear materials. These two awards will
significantly expand our nuclear lab facilities and related research. Finally, a recent expansion of the
CEDT facilities, also supported by CFI ($13M in 2008 awarded to Rafael Kleiman), includes a
metalorganic chemical vapour deposition system, expansion of the cleanroom, and equipment for solar
cell fabrication and testing.
Our recent faculty appointments have represented a considerable strengthening of our technical
capabilities, with an expansion into new sub-areas. They have all been very successful in attracting startup funds. This has led to new laboratory capabilities specific to MEMS (Kleiman), materials processing
(LaPierre), silicon photonics (Knights), nonlinear optical devices using dielectric materials and
waveguides (Xu), organic electronics (Turak) and sensors (Soleymani).
McMaster University is also very well equipped to support the nuclear engineering program. Our pooltype nuclear reactor (http://mnr.mcmaster.ca/) is based on enriched uranium and operates at powers
up to 5 MW. It is situated centrally on campus and offers students a first-hand experience with reactor
technology. The associated facilities include, for example, capabilities for in-core irradiation, neutron
activation analysis, prompt gamma analysis, neutron radiography, and a remote handling hot-cell. There
is also an accelerator laboratory on campus which houses a 3MV Model KN Van De Graaff Accelerator, a
1.25MV Tandetron, and a Single-Ion Microbeam.
Computer Facilities
Faculty and graduate students are provided with an account that gives them access to electronic mail
facilities, internet, and software packages for which the university has a site license. Personal
computers have become ubiquitous in the laboratories, being used to control equipment and record
data. Graduate students have access to central PC clusters that are maintained by the Faculty of
Engineering, but rarely use them because of the abundance of computers in the research labs or
availability of their own desktop or laptop computer. The availability of an adequate number of PCs for
graduate students is not an issue for our program.
The addition of Dr. John Luxat to our faculty complement has greatly enhanced our computer expertise.
A Beowulf Linux high performance computing cluster has been acquired. The cluster consists of two
high power computer nodes, each consisting of 4 AMD Opteron 64-bit processors (4 processors per
node). This computational facility will be used to undertake research in “best estimate and uncertainty”
methods for nuclear safety analysis. This research will also be extended to address modular distributed
computing with specific emphasis on large scale simulations for safety analysis of nuclear power
generating stations. This will help support both research and the training of graduate students in the
area of nuclear safety analysis. A number of industry standard codes from the U.S., AECL and OPG have
been in-house for more than 7 years and the acquisition of additional codes from OPG is in progress.
McMaster also houses the Research & High-Performance Computing Support group which provides
computing support to the research and high-performance computing communities. Their services
include desktop and server system administration, web application programming, data visualization
programming, data analysis programming, database design, personnel management, and almost any
other kind of computer support you might need to support your research endeavours. SHARCNET, also
at McMaster, is one of seven high performance computing consortia in Canada that operates under the
umbrella of Compute/Calcul Canada.
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Office Space
The “home” of the Engineering Physics Department is on the third floor of the John Hodgins Engineering
Annex Building (JHE Annex). The main department office, eight faculty offices, three undergraduate
laboratories, six research laboratories, the clean room facilities, and office space for approximately
twenty graduate students and several research staff are clustered in this area. The remainder of the
department’s space is distributed according to activities. There are research labs in the Arthur Bourns
Building (ABB) and the Burke Science Building (BSB), both of which are adjacent to JHE. Drs. Novog and
Nagasaki have their office in the Nuclear Research Building to facilitate reactor-related research and
development. Drs. Preston and Haugen have lab space in ABB. This is their preference since it puts them
in close proximity to collaborators in the Physics Department and the Brockhouse Institute for Materials
Research and the Photonics Research Lab. Drs. Fang and Soleymani have their office and labs located in
the Engineering Technology Building, as this places them in close proximity to the biomedical facilities
used for their research.
All full-time Master’s and Ph.D. students in the department have office space (i.e., a desk) provided. For
a majority of them this is shared space in a large room that is set aside exclusively for student offices.
Three such rooms are located in JHE and one is in ETB. Several graduate students have their office space
within their supervisor’s research lab. The availability of graduate student office space has been an
ongoing concern, especially as our numbers have increased. The recent acquisition of space in ETB has
taken some of the pressure off, but office space for graduate students remains tight. This means that
we usually cannot offer office space to overtime students.
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