Eight of Durham Region’s largest employers came together with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) on Tuesday, May 10 for the region’s first-ever Idea Summit. The one-day conference, which was held at the Durham College (DC) Centre for Food, provided a platform for the development of a new strategy aimed at creating jobs and stimulating investment and innovation in the region.

360 Insights, AECOM, DC, General Motors of Canada, Lakeridge Health, Ontario Power Generation, Spark Innovation Centre, and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, were all in attendance along with the OCC and the leadership from chambers of commerce and boards of trade across Durham Region. The chief executive officers from each of the employers committed a combined 90 employees and partners to be part of the full-day discussion, which was full of energy, engagement and discussion about how to move the community forward.

A number of objectives were identified as priorities for the coming months, which will be guided by the steering group of CEOs to ensure momentum is sustained and results realized. Among the objectives is to establish a common and clear vision for Durham Region that is endorsed and supported by all levels of government, business and other organizations, and the broader community; ‘collision’ (or hackathon) events that bring different community partners together to discuss and find solutions for issues of importance to the community; and the establishment of a mentoring network of senior leaders for small- and medium-sized start-ups and entrepreneurs. The CEO steering group will identify individuals and groups to take leadership on specific actions, and will be looking to the broader community for support moving forward.

Although Durham Region benefits from a highly skilled and well-educated workforce and has some of the lowest industrial and commercial land prices in the Greater Toronto Area, the region lags its local counterparts in job creation. At present, statistics show there are only 67 jobs in the region for every 100 employable workers, compared to 86 in Halton Region, 91 in York Region, 100 in Peel and more than 124 in Toronto. The summit is the first step in what is expected to be an ongoing process designed to create the conditions necessary to increase job growth and investment in the area via a long-term dialogue that will provide recommendations to all levels of government on ways to improve Durham Region’s competitiveness and help attract investment opportunities.

To ensure diversity among attendees, each partner was asked to provide 12 representatives from within their organization, resulting in a strategic dialogue focused on the importance of innovation, economic and social diversification for the region and its surrounding areas.

The day began with a keynote address by John Baker, president and chief executive officer of Desire2Learn, a highly successful online learning systems software company, followed by facilitated sessions and a moderated panel discussion on growing innovation and entrepreneurship.  The panel discussion featured three successful Durham-based entrepreneurs: Jason Atkins from 360 Insights, Jeff Quipp of Search Engine People, and Russ Montague of Nerd Block and ShirtPunch.

“It is clear that Durham Region is in an early maturation stage of an innovative economy and therefore it is critical that our local business leaders come together to develop a new community vision to drive innovation, growth, productivity and workforce development,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC, speaking on behalf of the participating organizations. “Together we are proud to play a role in this community-wide effort, which will lead to positive change and innovation throughout the region.” 

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Media contact:

Bob Neufeld
DC Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 6219
robert.neufeld@durhamcollege.ca

On Thursday, April 28, Durham College’s (DC) Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) hosted its sixth annual Research Day at the Oshawa campus. Staff members from ORSIE were joined by the DC Leadership Team, student and faculty researchers and local business partners to share the importance of applied research on campus. With a focus on projects in areas of local and provincial economic importance, such as agriculture, health care, energy efficiency and wearable technology, the dynamic forum allowed DC’s research community to showcase its most up-to-date applied research and innovation projects.

This year’s event featured the first public unveiling of the As Real As It Gets (ARAIG) wearable gaming suit. Developed by Inventing Future Technology Inc. (IFTech), an Oshawa-based startup company, in collaboration with DC and the Spark Centre, ARAIG is designed to take the immersive gaming experience to a whole new level by stimulating an individual’s senses with localized directional feedback.

“The research culture at DC supports and encourages individuals at all levels of experience to take part in and lead interdisciplinary research projects, which provides excellent learning opportunities for our students,” said Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic. “For a student studying in the Computer Programmer or Game Development program, imagine the excitement and pride they would feel in being a part of the interactive, wearable technology we saw demonstrated here today.”

The keynote address for the event was delivered by Dr. Darren Levine, manager of the Innovation and Research Unit, Commissioner’s Office in the Social Services Department at The Regional Municipality of Durham. Dr. Levine stressed the importance of unlocking creative potential by having employers give their employees the courage, space, tools and resources to share their ideas – resulting in possibilities for change, improvement and research.

Research Day concluded by honouring both student and faculty researchers for their contribution to applied research projects on campus.

The following students received the Outstanding Student Researcher Awards:

• Third place – Samander Mirzad, third-year Electronics Engineering Technology student
• Second place – Alison Mitchell, second-year Social Service Worker student
• First place – Andrew Prandovsky, third-year Electronic Engineering Technology student

Several DC faculty members were also honoured for their work in promoting applied research:

• Ali Taileb, School of Science, Engineering & Technology
• Anna Rodrigues, School of Media, Art & Design
• Clair Cornish, School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology
• Fabiola Longo, School of Health & Community Services
• Keri-Ellen Walcer, School of Business, IT & Management
• Vlad Chiriac, School of Justice & Emergency Services

“Research and innovation has always been at the heart of what we do as one of Ontario’s leading post-secondary institutions,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “The applied research opportunities offered at DC, in conjunction with our FastStart DC and Accelerator programs, are invaluable to students entering the workforce as employers are looking for graduates with innovative skills that meet market demands.”

ORSIE continues to be instrumental in ensuring academic quality and building successful partnerships. A broad range of research and scholarly initiatives will continue to be supported for the benefit of faculty, students, industry and the community.

Durham College (DC) students got a chance to flex their problem-solving muscles and confront a major sustainability challenge this week when they took part in the first-ever DC Hackathon on April 26. The event, which took place at the college’s Oshawa campus in conjunction with DC’s annual Research Day, was hosted by FastStartDC, an entrepreneurship training program offered by the college, and co-sponsored by a number of local organizations including Spark Centre, Bereskin & Parr, GM Canada, ORION, and Durham Regional Economic Development,  the organization tasked with promoting economic growth and development in Durham Region.

For the uninitiated, a hackathon is a short, intensive session where teams are given a problem, and bring their own skills and resources to solve challenges. With support from the college’s sustainability office, the DC Hackathon focused on the impact of climate change and how current patterns of human activity can be changed to promote better environmental sustainability. More than 60 students from DC’s various academic schools participated in the event, where they were divided into teams and encouraged to come up with whatever ideas were feasible to solve the challenge. Whether it was building an app, creating a plan of action, presenting an oral report or designing a product prototype, all options were on the table.

“Our first-ever hackathon was a huge success and really underscored DC’s commitment to give our students the opportunity to take on high-level research challenges,” said Rebecca Holmes, entrepreneurship co-ordinator at FastStart DC. “Sustainability is very important to the college and the students enjoyed meeting their counterparts from many different programs as they worked together and created innovative new ideas to solve the challenge, all in a single day.”

The students weren’t alone as they developed their potential solutions. Holmes said advisors from the hackathon’s sponsors and representatives from other local industry groups were on hand to serve as volunteer mentors for participants, providing advice and serving as a valuable resource throughout the day’s activities.

“I think the day was amazing, it was a lot of fun,” said Brittany Charlton, third-year Law Clerk Advanced student. “I got to meet a lot of new people and tackle a challenging environmental problem. I’d definitely take part again if it were to come up next year.”

All teams who participated in the event were eligible to win valuable prizes, including $1,000 cash, three passes to Discovery 16, a major innovation-to-commercialization conference taking place next month in Toronto, and a swag bag filled with a variety of high-tech goodies. The final results will be announced on Thursday, April 28 as part of DC’s Research Day events.

“Thanks to our sponsors and all the students who participated in today’s event,” said Holmes. “And for those who missed the deadline and weren’t able to participate, rest assured that the FastStart DC team is already planning to make the hackathon an annual event.”

LEGO robots once again took over the shared Durham College (DC) and University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) campus on January 16, as the institutions co-hosted the annual FIRST LEGO League’s (FLL) Ontario East Provincial Championships. FIRST is an acronym that means For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.

Nearly 400 students; more than 1,000 parents, siblings and coaches; and 200 volunteers, judges and referees gathered at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre for the competition.

“As a college that prides itself on innovation, it is inspiring to watch some of Ontario’s brightest young minds enjoy using science and technology to analyze current challenges, develop novel solutions and bring their ideas to life using modern machinery and robotics,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “Once again, we were pleased to welcome competitors and their families to our shared campus to participate in this fun-filled competition.”

The event encouraged students between the ages of nine and 14 to apply math and science concepts to research, design, build and program autonomous robots using LEGO Mindstorms software. In addition, it showcased the 2015 FLL project mission titled TRASH TREK. The mission challenged students to evaluate trash from collection, to sorting, to smart production and reuse. After choosing a piece of trash as their focus, competitors identified a problem with the way it is currently handled,  found out what was being done to solve the problem and designed an innovative solution of their own, which they presented to the judges.

“The shared campus of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Durham College is an ideal venue for a competition, which encourages critical thinking and inspires young students to push the boundaries of innovation,” said President Tim McTiernan, UOIT. “We are proud to support creative ways of learning by co-hosting the FLL competition each year.”

At the end of a day filled with tough and thrilling competition, team Ctrl-Z from Bayview Glen School in Toronto was crowned the winner and awarded the opportunity to compete in a choice of five international championships taking place this spring in Arkansas, Australia, California, the Philippines and Spain.

“We always have a great time when we bring the FLL tournament to DC and UOIT,” said Dave Ellis, director, FIRST LEGO League Ontario. “The Ontario East Provincial Championship is a key part of the overall season each year; we really appreciate the support offered by both academic institutions as we work to foster a love of science, technology, engineering and math concepts.”

Awards list

Champions Award	Team Name
Champions Award 1st Place Champions Award 2nd Place Champions Award 3rd Place	Bayview Glen High Tech Comet Warriors

Playoff Award	High Tech
Gracious Professionalism Teamwork Inspiration	The Garment Grabbers GAB Legenz Robobic Quintet
Robot Performance Award	Maniacs mechanics
Strategy and Innovation	WASD
Programming	Sibling Rivalry
Mechanical Design	Intelligent Robo
Presentation	Sixers
Innovative Solution	Richland Huskies
Research	UTS FOREV3R
Judges Award	Les Popcorns!
Rising Star Award	Adam Beck Quark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information about FLL, please visit http://www.firstroboticscanada.org/.

Durham College (DC) continues to invest in the future with its Living Green initiative. Its dedication to encouraging sustainable behaviours and sharing responsibility for social, environmental and economic stewardship is reflected in a new video that highlights the college’s initiatives.

“When it comes to sustainability, it is our duty as an educational institution to foster stewardship of the resources and land we live on,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “In 2009, we made a commitment to incorporating sustainability into all aspects of the college. We want to lead by example, demonstrating environmental responsibility for our students so they can run the organizations of tomorrow with conservation in mind.”

Highlights of DC’s sustainability in action include achieving a Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) Bronze rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in 2012. Since then, the Living Green initiative has been working to enhance the environmental sustainability of campus operations, planning, curriculum, research and innovation.

In addition, DC’s Sustainability Committee, which includes over 20 students and employees from a wide range of departments and programs, continually supports new efforts to reduce the college’s carbon footprint. These include a campus-wide battery-recycling program as well as ensuring all electronic waste and surplus asset items are reprocessed locally in a sustainable manner.

Standard drinking fountains have been replaced with new hydration stations, which offer a touchless bottle filling system and counts the quantity of bottles diverted from landfills. To date these stations have prevented more than 191,000 plastic water bottles from being used and discarded.

DC’s Whitby campus, home to programs in the School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology, the School of Science & Engineering Technology and the Centre for Food (CFF), is also incorporating sustainability into its operations.

Students from a broad range of programs are working together to bring the field-to-fork vision and sustainable living model to life. Those studying Horticulture – Food and Farming help produce food to directly support the culinary programs and supply Bistro ’67, DC’s green-certified teaching restaurant, while students in the Construction Carpentry – Sustainable program recycle wood skids from shipping and receiving to create artisan cheeseboards that are sold at the CFF’s Pantry.

“Students studying at the Whitby campus are learning about sustainability within their curriculum,” said Susan Todd, executive dean, School of Science & Engineering Technology. “And it’s not just in the theoretical sense, they’re also getting hands-on experience.”

To learn more about sustainability at DC, read the Conservation and Demand Management Plan available on the college’s website.

 

On November 23 Durham College (DC)’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) welcomed faculty researchers to its Whitby campus to share their current and future applied research initiatives at its Whitby Fall Research Showcase. Projects in the areas of agriculture, craft brewing and new energy technology were highlighted.

“There are some amazing applied research projects taking place at the college’s Whitby campus,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, ORSIE. “This showcase was our chance to share the work being done by faculty with the support of our students, as we partner with industry and local businesses to provide innovative solutions and advance the research agenda in a number of unique areas.”

Agricultural research projects:

Dr. Ross Stevenson, faculty researcher from the School of Science & Engineering Technology, discussed his project to find a suitable variety of okra that can be grown locally, which, given the increasing demand for growing ethno-cultural vegetables, brings research opportunities to Durham College.

Greg Moran, faculty researcher and research co-ordinator from the School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology and Shane Jones, faculty researcher from the School of Science & Engineering Technology, shared their cold-frame technology research, which will allow fresh vegetables and greens to be grown year round, even during cold Canadian winters.

Dr. Riaz Shah, faculty researcher from the School of Science & Engineering Technology, spoke about the pest management research that he is planning with local apple growers and also discussed the research equipment he will be using including a reach-in incubator and Potter Spray Tower.

New energy technology:

Faculty researchers Lauren Fuentes and Phil Jarvis from the School of Science & Engineering Technology, shared details about research being undertaken at the Whitby campus’s Smart House project, while faculty researcher Dr. Ali Taileb from the School of Science & Engineering Technology announced a new energy technology project and discussed the type of research this will support; Ray King, principal inventor at Dynacurrent Technologies Inc. was also on hand to discuss where the new energy technology will lead.

Craft brewing:

Chris Gillis, manager of applied research business development, ORSIE, shared his work with the craft beer industry, outlining their specific research needs, while illustrating how DC’s new brew line capabilities will help in supporting craft brewers.

For more information about applied research at DC, please visit ORSIE’s webpage.

Durham College (DC) announced that its Office of Research Services and Innovation (ORSI) has been awarded $29,527 in research funding from the Ontario government through the Ontario Human Capital Research and Innovation Fund (OHCRIF).

The awarded funding is based on a proposal developed by Kay Corbier, principal investigator and professor with the School of Health & Community Services. One of 17 proposals selected, out of 94 submissions, the project will see Corbier, along with a team of DC faculty members, undertake a research project that seeks to introduce and evaluate the use of simulation as a teaching methodology  in the curriculum for the college’s Developmental Services Worker (DSW) program.

Titled The Experience of Simulation and the Perception of Preparedness of Developmental Service Worker Students to Practice in Field Placement Practicum, it will evaluate the perceptions of second-year DSW students at the beginning and end of their field placement to gauge the impact of simulated activities taught in a Personal Support Skills course in preparation for students to use those skills with clients.

“DSWs require a specific and unique set of skills to provide quality support to people with developmental disabilities,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, ORSI. “We are pleased to receive this funding which will enable us to determine the most effective way to teach our students those skills while enabling us to test simulation as a teaching tool that can be employed in DSW course work. All of this is in line with our commitment to fully prepare our graduates for future careers.”

With an overall objective to support research and innovation projects that identify ways to help people prepare for, return to or keep employment and become productive participants in the labour force, all OHCRIF-funded research and innovation projects must align with Ontario priorities.

In particular, one of Ontario’s research priorities for 2014-2015 is to investigate learning environments and teaching quality, which Corbier’s project seeks to address.

“Research in the pedagogy of learning applicable to the DSW field is scarce,” said Corbier. “Specifically, there is little research on the effectiveness of the use of simulation in teaching support skills in the developmental services field. We hope that by exploring simulation as an educational tool we can improve our teaching quality and advance our field.”

The project brings together a large internal and external team. Marie McEwan, DC simulation specialist, played a key role in the design, development and co-ordination of the simulation activity being used as the basis for the project with additional internal support coming from ORSI, The Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment and two research assistants/graduates from the college’s DSW program.

Within the community, the Region of Durham Adult Community Support Services Program, Community Living Oshawa/Clarington, the Provincial Human Resources Strategy Core Competency Implementation Team and the Standardized Patient Program from the University of Toronto are also participating.

Durham College (DC) welcomed its partners from the Government Technical Institute (GTI) of Guyana earlier this fall as part of the ongoing development of GTI’s new automotive electronics program.

Principal Carl Benn and faculty member Edward Cort of GTI were invited to spend a week at the college, learning more about how DC works with the industry to develop relevant programming to provide graduates with the right skills for the labour market. The approach will be adapted to help develop market driven programs that will produce graduates who are employable across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

“Participating in these kinds of international partnerships allows Durham College to continue internationalizing as an institution by providing opportunities for staff and faculty to work together with colleagues from Guyana and learn from each other,” said Fiona Richards, executive director of International Business Development. “Though not every person is able to get on a plane and travel, having our partners come to Durham College for a week long immersion allows for conversation and sharing of good practices within an international context on campus.”

The project is part of the Education for Employment in CARICOM, and is funded by the Skills for Employment initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. Facilitated by Colleges and Institutes Canada, project partners include the College of the North Atlantic and the Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland.

“The strength of Durham College’s programs and integrity as an institution are being recognized internationally as a standard to be achieved,” said Richards. “Durham College is proud to be able to participate in the development of education globally. “

Durham College (DC) recently welcomed another opportunity to internationalize its campus when it hosted three delegates working on the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU) School of Medicine (SOM) project in the Philippines. The delegates were visiting as part of an endeavour that will see the college share its knowledge of and expertise in the Biomedical Engineering Technology program to help the university create its own.

Estimated to last 20 years, the project will see the partnership between the two schools grow and evolve, with the potential for future mentoring exchange programs with students and faculty, incorporating continued support in both teaching protocols and technological advancements.

“The Canadian Association of Rural Physicians approached us to work on this partnership project,” said Susan Todd, dean of the School of Science & Engineering Technology (SET), DC. “We were flattered and excited but when I met the team from the Philippines I knew instantly it was a good fit. Their staff are committed to health care and developing sustainable solutions. They are innovative, passionate and their teaching philosophy is similar to ours. I am looking forward to a long relationship with the ADZU.”

As the first-ever Biomedical Engineering Technology program in the province, designed 10 years ago, DC’s program remains one of only three in the Ontario system today. As a well-recognized program serving hospitals and device manufacturers across Ontario, DC graduates are well-versed in the electronics and safety aspects of medical equipment, and understand their role as health care professionals.

“We hope to build a relationship with Durham College,” said Dr. Fortunato Cristobal, one of the visiting delegates. “We want to work together to help ADZU SOM achieve its own biomedical engineering degree program and put into place all of the best practices currently being used at the college. If we can help them build on their training and experience with the technology, it will help the school build a reputation and those students will stay in the impoverished community and provide assistance.”

The Durham College (DC) Office of Research Services and Innovation (ORSI) has received $20,000 in additional funding from Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) to support its ongoing applied research work with IFTech Inventing Future Technology Inc. (IFTech), an Oshawa-based start-up company that specializes in wearable technology related to immersive gaming and virtual world simulation.

Received via OCE’s Voucher for Innovation and Productivity (VIP), which allows eligible companies to gain access to expertise and resources from colleges, universities and research hospitals to support commercialization, innovation, productivity, e-business and research and development, the funding will see DC faculty and student researchers continue their work on IFTech’s multi-sensory stimulation device – As Real As It Gets (ARAIG).

“ORSI, along with the college’s talented faculty and students, is pleased to be able to continue our exciting work with IFTech as we support the ongoing research and development of ARAIG,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, ORSI. “We have made great applied research progress since June – including offering students from our School of Science & Engineering Technology the opportunity to gain hands-on research and work experience – and we look forward to working together to bring ARAIG to market in the coming months.”

The college has been working with IFTech since June when it received an initial $20,000 in funding via an OCE VIP toward the introduction of an applied research project designed to support IFTech’s growth and expansion into the wearable technology marketplace with a focus on bringing ARAIG to a manufacture-ready, commercial product.

“OCE is proud to support IFTech and the incredible work they are doing with Durham College,” said Dr. Tom Corr, president and chief executive officer, OCE. “I had a chance to see their impressive technology up close and personal at our Discovery conference this year and I think it has terrific potential in a variety of applications.”

A wireless gaming suit, ARAIG immerses individuals into the reality of a gaming world by interacting with users to increase their immersion based on situations and/or interactions occurring within a range of media environments. The media environment, activities and interaction taking place in a virtual world translate into tangible sensory stimulations that affect the user’s interaction with the environment, resulting in the user being more aware of the virtual world through his or her heightened sensitivity.

The new funding will allow the college to conduct applied research specific to the creation of the wireless communications protocol of ARAIG – a component critical to the commercialization of the device. Under the project, the college will develop a wireless communication system between ARAIG’s sensors. Once completed, IFTech will own a universal wireless communication protocol that will allow it to use ARAIG for any application in any market appropriate to its sensory technology.

It will also allow IFTech to benefit from skills and expertise provided by the college’s faculty and student researchers including access to technical input, know-how and applied scientific research and development knowledge.

“Innovation is not just about an idea as there are thousands of innovative ideas that do not make it to market,” said Michael Stanfield, founder and co-chief executive offer, IFTech. “Theory, research, applied science, finance, market and business are required pillars to support the success of new innovations and we are very excited to be working with Durham College on this project. The college has proven to be a great fit with IFTech with its high-tech facilities, knowledgeable and experienced project leads and students that are adept at handling our applied research needs. We look forward to a continued working relationship with Durham College as our company grows.”