Professor Sriram Narasimhan, from the Faculty of Engineering at Waterloo, will receive $100,000 for his research into smart infrastructure. He is cross-appointed to Waterloo’s departments of civil and environmental engineering and mechanical and mechatronics engineering.
“Detecting hazards early is crucial to prevent potentially disastrous outcomes,” said Professor Narasimhan, also Canada Research Chair in Smart Infrastructure. “CFI’s investment gives us the ability to establish an experimental laboratory space to remotely assess infrastructure and conduct better research in the field.”
Professor Narasimhan aims to address the technical challenges involved in catching infrastructure failures early by using sensors and smart data acquisition technology for automatic detection of issues. These advanced monitoring and assessment technologies will evaluate, better predict and ultimately help us avoid catastrophic failures caused by natural and man-made hazards.
“When the country’s researchers have access to state-of-the-art tools and facilities, they can ask bold questions, find remarkable answers and apply them in new and often unexpected ways,” said Gilles Patry, president and CEO of CFI. “Their discoveries and innovations further Canada’s reputation as a nation known for its research excellence.”
The funds are awarded through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund, a fund developed to help universities attract and retain top research talent. More information on the Canada Foundation for Innovation is available at www.innovation.ca.
