Opt!ons Alumni Magazine 2011

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Division of Engineering Science Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering University of Toronto

November/December 2011

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A Message from the Chair A Year in Review Taking a Walk Down Memory Lane The Future Looks Promising Meet this Year’s CEMF Scholarship Winner Special Events

Joy Chen (EngSci 1T3) prepares for midterms in the EngSci Common Room

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Welcome

A Message from the Chair

Honours & AccoladesOur distinguished alumni are recipients of some of the world’s most prestigious honours and awards, including the Order of Canada and USA/NASA Outstanding Achievement Awards. This year, the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering recognized the following EngSci alumni.

The Division of Engineering Science is a place of innovation and excellence. As an EngSci alumnus and the new Division Chair, I am delighted to rejoin this dynamic and vibrant program. This fall we began anew—greeting new students, helping upper years gain real-world experience in their Majors, and reviewing and refreshing our curriculum.

This fall we also welcomed two new Associate Chairs, Professor Costas Sarris (Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering) and Dr. James Davis (University of Toronto Institute of Aerospace Studies). They both teach in our foundation curriculum and they provide the breadth of perspective, depth of knowledge and vision that is needed to advance our mission. They join our two Senior Lecturers, Lisa Romkey and Jason Foster, and an excellent and dedicated administrative and counselling team. I am thrilled to be working with such a wonderful group.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Opt!ons, which has been redesigned to better showcase the achievements of our friends, classmates and colleagues. Their accomplishments are victories for all of us affiliated with Engineering Science at the University of Toronto.

Mark Kortschot, Chair

Feature by Jennifer Lancaster

A Year in Review

K.C. Smith photo by Dr. Kostas Pagiamtzis

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Feature by Jennifer Lancaster

A Year in Review

Kenneth Carless (K.C.) Smith (EngPhys 5T4, MASc 5T6, PhD 6T0)

In recognition for his substantial contributions to Canadian Microelectronics through a lifetime of accomplishments, Professor Smith was awarded the Engineering Alumni Medal, the Engineering Alumni Association’s (EAA) highest honour. Academic, author, entrepreneur and dedicated volunteer, Smith joins other EngSci distinguished inductees including Bernard Etkin (EngPhys 4T1), William Blundell (EngPhys 4T9), Dr. Philip Lapp (EngPhys 5T0) and Frank Hooper (EngPhys 4T6).

Tony Shen (EngSci 8T0) Francis Shen (EngSci 8T1, MASc 8T3)

Leaders in the competitive field of telecommunications, Tony and Francis Shen—co-CEO’s of Aastra Technologies —recognized early on the need to evolve and develop innovative products to meet consumer demand. In 1999, Aastra Technologies Ltd became the largest seller of caller ID add-on units in North America. Under the leadership of the Shen brothers, Aastra has become one of the biggest players in the enterprise voice-communications market. Their achievements have earned them entry into the EAA Hall of Distinction.

Alvin Mok (EngSci 0T3)

In September 2011, Mok’s volunteer commitment to the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering was recognized with a 2011 University of Toronto Arbor Award. This annual award is presented to a select number of alumni who exhibit a high level of personal dedication to U of T. Even though Mok lives and works out of Bermuda, he frequently participates as a keynote speaker at orientation events and fosters connections between EngSci students and his company.

New ScholarshipEngSci graduates acquire unparalleled technical skills through the rigour and intensity of this internationally recognized program. They emerge with an ability to analyze complex problems and craft elegant solutions that are both concrete and actionable.

To celebrate EngSci students and the 75th Anniversary of the Division of Engineering Science, former Chairs of the Division came together to create a new scholarship that recognizes the outstanding academic achievement and extra-curricular involvement of a student completing the Foundation Years.

This year, Ana Klimovic (EngSci 1T3) was named the inaugural Chairs’ Scholar. Klimovic stands out among her fellow classmates academically and is involved in a variety of activities both on campus and in the community. A member of the Skule™ Orchestra, executive on the Global Engineering Research Student Network, a mentor for the Galbraith Society and Engineering Science students, and a tutor of French, Klimovic is truly deserving of being named the first Chairs’ Scholar.

A special thank you to the former EngSci Chairs who made this scholarship possible. At present, Engineering Science only has a limited number of scholarships available for its students even though it is one of the largest disciplines in the Faculty. Mark Kortschot (EngSci 8T4), the Division’s new Chair, hopes to increase student scholarships and awards during his term.

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A Steady Road to SuccessA troublemaker with poor grades and a preference for football over studying doesn’t describe the typical Engineering Science student. For Dr. Philip Lapp (EngPhys 5T0), doing well in high school wasn’t a priority. His parents intervened and to show his appreciation for their support, he set out to ace his final year.

After graduation, Dr. Lapp hitchhiked to California with $5 in his pocket. When he arrived in San Francisco, he arranged to have his marks mailed to him. To his surprise, he discovered that he had aced his exams—ranking first in both math and science. This achievement motivated him to return home and enroll in Engineering Physics at the University of Toronto. “I chose Engineering Physics because it offered flexibility with the various Option choices,” says Dr. Lapp.

He credits Ajax, a satellite campus established to handle additional enrollment following WWII, with his successful completion of first year. “It was a good study environment. I was the youngest in my class. Almost everyone else was a seasoned war veteran and extremely dedicated to their studies. I fed off of their energy.”

As one of the top students in his class, Dr. Lapp developed a close personal relationship with EngSci Division Chair K.B. Jackson. Professor Jackson encouraged Dr. Lapp to attend graduate school at MIT where he went on to complete his ScD in Instrumentation in 1954. Not one to forget his roots, Dr. Lapp while working as the System

Engineer for the Guided Missile Division of de Havilland later hired Professor Jackson when he retired from U of T. Dr. Lapp eventually became Chief Engineer at de Havilland, then Director of Technical Operations and then Senior Vice President of Spar Aerospace Limited—retiring as Deputy Chair.

Recognized internationally as an expert in aerospace and communications science and technology, Dr. Lapp is the recipient of numerous awards, medals and distinctions. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada; awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees from McMaster University, Carlton University and York University; and appointed Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Ryerson University, and the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute. Dr. Lapp was also later elected President of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

In 1984, he was awarded the Gold Medal by the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, the Centennial Medal and the Golden Jubilee Medal. During the same year, Dr. Lapp was also recognized by the University of Toronto’s Engineering Alumni Association with the Engineering Alumni Medal—the highest honour bestowed on graduates by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

Feature by Jennifer Lancaster & Jen Hsu

Taking a Walk Down Memory Lane

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Feature by Jennifer Lancaster & Jen Hsu

Taking a Walk Down Memory Lane

“I wanted to be a teacher. There was no doubt in my mind this was what I wanted to do with my life”

More Than Just Another ProfessorIt can take years, even decades for some to figure out what they want to do after high school. For Bill Burgess that was never a question.

“I wanted to be a teacher. There was no doubt in my mind this was what I wanted to do with my life,” says Burgess, who taught physical chemistry to Engineering Science students for five decades.

“It was my uncle who persuaded me to study engineering at university. It was his belief that this field would give me several options and he was right. I acquired such a diverse skill set and was still able to teach at the end of the day.”

Upon completing his PhD at Cornell, Burgess joined the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto. He was immediately assigned to teach chemistry in the newly formed Engineering Physics program—known today of course as Engineering Science —and has been associated with the program ever since.

“I met Bill in the fall of 1980 in my first year of Engineering Science. He quickly gained my admiration. Not only did I respect him for his knowledge but I also valued the genuine interest he had in my educational welfare, as well as that of all of my classmates,” says Professor Kortschot, Chair of the Division of Engineering Science.

Burgess was known for going above and beyond the call of duty by scheduling extra tutorials for students before exams and starting the Under 60 Club, which provided additional tutelage to students struggling to keep their averages above 60 percent. He retired in 1989, but continued lecturing for many years and finally worked as a TA while Professor Kortschot, his former student, taught the course. Today, the annual large-class teaching award in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry is named in his honour.

Although he is enjoying his retirement, when asked what he misses most about teaching, Burgess fondly explains, “inspiring EngSci students.”

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Student Research by Jen Hsu

The Future Looks Promising

The Engineering Science program provides abundant support and opportunity for undergraduate research —giving our students a vehicle to set themselves apart as experienced and competitive academics.

Alice Ye (EngSci 1T4), ESROP Fellowship

“Working with researchers at the University of Ottawa, I got a chance to use a variety of mechanisms to convert excited electrons into radical species capable of oxidizing organic dyes. This is important, as we can take advantage of this property to remove polluting organic dyes from water. I had an excellent and rewarding experience this summer. This was certainly an amazing and great educational opportunity.”

Cassie Rosen (EngSci 1T4), NUS Fellowship

“This summer I got to experiment with different methods to grow ZnO nanofilms and wires to be used in a hydrogen gas sensor. My supervisors were great and very patient. They definitely helped improve my skills in chemistry.”

Sebastian Kosch (EngSci 1T3), E4TW Fellowship

“I had the privilege to work for the Citizen Lab, which is part of the OpenNet Initiative—a project that aims to document the state of affairs in Internet censorship. I had the fortunate opportunity to create code for a new database that speeds up analysis while reducing errors introduced by earlier manual data compilation. From the first day, I felt like part of the team.”

Fiona Macleod (EngSci 1T3), NSERC-CREATE

“I conducted research in the Human Mobility Research Centre, a collaboration between Queen’s University and Kingston General Hospital. My work related to computer-assisted orthopedic surgery, such as designing new surgical equipment and methods. One project I got to work on was designing a surgical instrument for computer assisted wrist surgery. The device is expected to be in hospitals by the summer of 2012.”

During the summer of 2011, nine students received Engineering Science Research Opportunity (ESROP) Fellowships, seven obtained National University of Singapore (NUS) Fellowships, three earned Engineering for the World (E4TW) Fellowships and 15 won NSERC awards.

In the following excerpts, four student researchers from EngSci discuss their projects and reflect on their experiences in the lab and field.

Background image taken by Cassie Rosen using the Scanning Electron Microscope that she worked with during the summer.

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Student Spotlight by Sara-Marni Hubbard

Meet this Year’s CEMF Scholarship Winner

Vivian Hui (EngSci 1T2+PEY) is the Ontario recipient of the 2011 Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation Scholarship. CEMF gives out eight scholarships to Canadian women in engineering programs every year and we spoke with Vivian to find out her thoughts on being one of this year’s winners.

important to encourage women to pursue technical and scientific fields that can provide them with challenging and enriching experiences.

The CEMF scholarship is awarded to young women who are proven leaders and active volunteers. Can you tell us about the achievements that led to you being awarded the CEMF scholarship?

I am the co-president of Eyes of Hope, a club at the University of Toronto. We are dedicated to helping at-risk youth through volunteering activities such as Habitat for Humanity, sandwich runs for the homeless and art workshops with homeless youth. I am also part of Leaders of Tomorrow at U of T, and have been involved in activities such as the Organizational Leadership Certificate program.

Scholarship recipients are required to give a presentation to high school students. Can you briefly tell us your plans for this presentation?

As a high school student, I heard little about engineering and the opportunities that come from an engineering degree. Fortunately, I ended up enrolling in an engineering program despite my limited exposure. However, I hope that more high school students and more young women can be exposed to this profession. My presentation will touch on the variety of careers and opportunities for engineers, the social responsibility of engineers and a demonstration of an engineering principle. Through my presentation, I hope to let young women know that they should not be discouraged to apply to engineering programs due to societal stereotypes. I feel strongly that the profession will provide women with opportunities to reach out to different areas, to realize their strengths and create new possibilities.

How does this scholarship help you excel in your studies and/or how does it help you meet your goals?

I have always enjoyed challenging my leadership potential and CEMF provides me with the opportunity to promote engineering to other young women. In addition to getting a chance to meet the other scholarship winners, I also had an opportunity to meet female engineers in the industry. The considerable level of engagement in community issues demonstrated by these women inspired me, and I hope to inspire other young women in the same way.

The CEMF scholarship is for women in engineering. Why do you think it is important to have a scholarship that specifically supports women in engineering?

Engineering is still very male-dominated and there is often a gender stereotype associated with the profession. By recognizing the efforts of women who are demonstrating leadership in engineering and in society, CEMF encourages young women to pursue a profession that may seem inaccessible because of gender stereotypes. I believe that in today’s society, social change does not only require leadership, it also requires innovation. Women can enact change with their strengths in encouraging cooperation and encouraging the social impacts of technology. CEMF helps support this kind of change in the engineering community. Furthermore, I think it is also

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Division of Engineering Science Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering University of Toronto

Bahen Centre for Information Technology 40 St. George Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2E4

Tel: 416.978.8634 Fax: 416.978.0828

www.engsci.utoronto.ca

Special Events

EngSci 12th Annual Alumni Dinner

Friday, April 20th 2012

Hart House, Great Hall 6:00 p.m. Reception, 6:30 p.m. Dinner

Ticket sales and registration: www.alumni.utoronto.ca/engscidinner

EngSci Spring Reunion Luncheon

Saturday, June 2nd 2012

Bahen Centre, 2nd Floor Atrium Noon to 2:00 p.m.

Visit the Division’s website at engsci.utoronto.ca in the New Year for an announcement regarding all Spring Reunion events, including the EngSci luncheon.

!Opt!ons is the alumni magazine for the Division of Engineering Science. The magazine’s name refers not only to the eight different Options (Majors) EngSci students choose from, but also to the wide range of career paths available to our graduates.

Opt!ons—featuring stories about the excellence and achievements of alumni and current students—is published annually. By showcasing the leadership and innovation of EngSci students and graduates, Opt!ions intends to engage with our community and the Engineering world at large. Your comments are welcome and should be directed to [email protected]

Publisher: Mark Kortschot, Editor: Jen Hsu, Contributing Editors: Sara-Marni Hubbard, Jennifer Lancaster & Erin Macnab, Design: Mark Neil Balson