A research project that may significantly boost clean biofuel production in Canada is among three Waterloo Engineering initiatives to receive funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Duane Cronin, a mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor, is the new executive director for the Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research (WatCAR). He succeeds Amir Khajepour, also of mechanical and mechatronics engineering, who held the position for more than three years.
John Wen, a Waterloo mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor, has been awarded funding from BioFuelNet Canada for his grant proposal entitled Emission Performance and Catalytic Combustion of Fuel Blended with 3-OH Methyl Esters. Wen will receive initial funding of $68,000 towards his research into developing next generation biofuels. [BioFuelNet Canada's website]
Ibraheem Khan (MASc, PhD, mechanical) presented his Waterloo Engineering research on shape memory alloys during his keynote address at the Medical Manufacturing Innovations Conference held in Toronto at the end of October. Khan's doctoral thesis was on the discovery of Multiple Memory Material Technology for which he and Norman Zhou, a mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor, are co-inventors. Kahn is currently president and CTO of Smarter Alloys and a research associate at the University of Waterloo's Centre for Advanced Materials Joining.
Nigel Swytink-Binnema, a mechanical engineering master's student, won the top award in the poster presentation/competition at the Canadian Wind Energy Association meeting and annual research meeting of the NSERC-funded Wind Energy Strategic Network (WESNet) held in Toronto from October 15 to 18. The poster was judged by faculty members from the 16 universities participating in the cross-Canada network. Swytink-Binnema is supervised by WESNet member David Johnson who is a Waterloo mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor.
Anwar Hasan, an electrical and computer engineering professor, has been appointed associate dean, research and external partnerships. His three-year term begins January 1, 2013. Hasan will succeed Rick Culham who has served in the role for the past four years.
"I am extremely grateful to Rick for his dedicated service to Engineering and want to thank him for his significant efforts in developing new opportunities and raising our profile during his term as Associate Dean," said Engineering Dean Pearl Sullivan in a memo to engineering staff and faculty.
Sanjeev Bedi of mechanical and mechatronics engineering, Mark Pritzker of chemical engineering, and Mark Smucker of management sciences received the Faculty's Teaching Excellence Award, which recognizes outstanding teaching and commitment to the enrichment of Waterloo Engineering education.
Two engineering students will be honoured with the university's Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Studies Designation at fall convocation on October 20. One of three of the designations for a master's student will be awarded to Mohammad Rostami of electrical and computer engineering. Thomasz Glawdel of mechanical and mechatronics engineering will receive one of the three designations for a PhD student.