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.”

For the second consecutive year Durham College (DC) has been rated as one of the top 25 colleges in Canada for research income according to Research Infosource Inc.’s, ranking of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges, which was released today.

The ranking is a significant achievement for DC’s Office of Research Services and Innovation (ORSI), which supports local businesses and industry by helping them solve their technical problems and become more competitive.

“We are very pleased and honoured to see Durham College’s achievements continue to be recognized on the list of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director of ORSI. “We continue to look for opportunities to support small- and medium-sized companies with their research and innovation needs and to provide excellent opportunities for our students to experience real-world challenges.”

“Colleges and CEGEPs have a unique place in the country’s national system of innovation,” said Ron Freedman, chief executive officer of Research Infosource. “They differentiate themselves by concentrating on practical, applied research that is focused on the needs of local firms and organizations.”

For more information and a complete list of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges please visit www.researchinfosource.com/top50_col.php

Durham College’s Centre for Food (CFF) has won second place in the prestigious Canadian Design-Build Institute (CDBI) Awards of Excellence, making it the second-best design-build project in all of Canada for 2014. The college received the award during the CDBI National Conference held in Victoria, British Columbia from October 15 to 17.

CDBI, the national voice of design-build practitioners in Canada, presents the awards annually to recognize excellence in Canada’s design-build industry and acknowledge design-build teams whose projects contribute to the growth and stature of the design-build profession.

Inspired by the college’s commitment to bring field-to-fork education and practice to the Durham Region, the vision brings locally-sourced, quality produce from field to table at  the 36,000-sq.-ft. CFF that officially opened in October 2013. Accommodating approximately 900 students studying in culinary, hospitality, event management, food science and agriculture and horticulture programs, it houses Bistro ’67, a 70-seat, full-service, green-certified teaching-inspired restaurant and Pantry, a unique retail food store that brings student-created goods straight from the culinary classroom to the community.

The CFF was brought from concept to reality by a team that included DC; Garritano Bros Limited and Gow Hastings Architects.

“Durham College is honoured to be awarded second place in such a prestigious competition,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “From concept to execution, the CFF is a blend of creativity and innovation in both the design and build aspects of the facility. It truly demonstrates our vision of the field-to-fork concept in a post-secondary setting, as well as our efforts in sustainability and social responsibility.”

From both a construction and design perspective highlights of the CFF include:

• A main atrium that draws users into the heart of the building with a two-storey living wall, serving as a central meeting place and venue for events and celebrations.
• Interior windows that provide glimpses into the labs, encouraging exploration and establishing a dynamic energy within the building.
• Steel and glass foldable partitions on either side of the atrium that allow a wine tasting lab and bake lab the flexibility to open up onto the central atrium to accommodate larger events.
• An audio visual system inside Bistro’67 that allows  diners to see their food being prepared and fins in the exterior glazed wall  that provide seating niches within this double-height space.
• Kitchen labs that offer interactive teaching platforms to enable students to observe and practice their skills in real time and state-of-the-art systems and equipment that allow students to learn how to prepare all kinds of cuisine.
• Culinary labs that open up to the main atrium in order to serve large functions and display the activities within on a daily basis. This includes high-performance surface materials in working spaces including stainless steel, hygienic wall coverings, safety flooring and ceramic tile.

“Each year the Canadian Design-Build Institute recognizes the best design-build projects in all of Canada,” said Steve Garritano, vice-president, Sales, Garritano. “As the design-builder for Durham College’s Centre for Food, I find it to be an exceptional privilege and honour to have been considered amongst the best in all of Canada for this award.”

Project submissions were evaluated primarily on the success achieved in attaining the owner/user’s project goals, as well as their success in implementing design-build best practices, with special emphasis placed on the design team’s use of innovation. The term innovation included the use of new systems; methods and processes that were cost effective; speedy; and safe while using technology to execute projects. The design quality of each project was also reviewed with aesthetics, functionality and life cycle being key considerations. Award recipients demonstrate the highest standards and principles in the design-build industry and the business community in pursuit of excellence.

“We feel very privileged to be the recipients of a CDBI Award of Excellence for the Durham College Centre for Food,” said Philip Hastings, partner at Gow Hastings Architects. “It was a pleasure to work alongside Durham College and Garritano Brothers Ltd. to develop a new approach to culinary education and translate the process of making a meal from field-to-fork into a living and breathing building. We are excited to see this building merge and grow within the surrounding agricultural landscape and local economy and serve as a showcase for sustainable technologies and innovation.”

In addition to receiving the CDBI Award of Excellence, the college also launched Field to Fork: Sowing the Seeds of our Community, a crowdfunding campaign, in support of the CFF in August 2014. The campaign is designed to support the landscaping required at the centre including the planting of trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables and arboretum; the purchase of garden tools; a walking path; new soil; and more. To find out more, please visit http://fieldtofork.durhamcollege.ca.

Durham College (DC) in partnership with the College of the North Atlantic (CNA) and the Fisheries and Marine Institute of the Memorial University of Newfoundland, in conjunction with Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), are working with the Government Technical Institute (GTI), a vocational institute in Georgetown, Guyana that provides technical skills development in a number of disciplines, to help it develop a new Automotive Electronics Technician program.

Led by the International office at DC, facilitated by CICan and funded by the Canadian government through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), the project is a three-year endeavour worth $550,000. It is part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Employment for Education (EFE) program (C-EFE), part of CICan’s overall EFE initiative, a $20-million program sponsored by DFATD, which aims to ensure a network of Canadian colleges and institutes is able to contribute to the reduction of poverty in developing countries in an effective and sustainable way.

“Our involvement in this EFE project opens up numerous opportunities for Durham College faculty and staff to gain international experience and share their expertise with colleagues outside of Canada,” said Fiona Richards, executive director of International Education at Durham College. “It also provides the opportunity for the college to engage globally in areas where it has proven to be a leader regionally and among colleges across Canada.”

Working with faculty and administrators at GTI, the three institutions are working together to develop a program responsive to the needs of Guyana’s auto industry, which has seen a significant increase in the number of cars on the road with new electronic systems.

 “The implementation of an Automotive Electronics Technician program is a true partnership, aligning with the goals of the Government Technical Institute in Georgetown,” said Ann Marie Vaughan, president and chief executive officer of the CNA. “Our goal is to enhance the program offering capability of the Guyanese institute and utilize the diverse experiences of College of the North Atlantic, the Marine Institute and Durham College in program development and implementation to promote a skilled workforce for the country.” 

Upon completion, the program will be recognized by the Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies, which co-ordinates technical and vocational education and training in the region. This means students who gain certification via the program in Guyana will have their credentials recognized across the Caribbean. In addition, the colleges will also work with Excelsior Community College in Kingston, Jamaica to share lessons learned and good practices.

To date there have been three inception trips to Guyana by DC administrators to establish the terms of the project and develop a project implementation plan. This includes the Guyana Industry Linkages Forum, which took place in Guyana on October 1 and saw C-EFE and Guyana’s Ministry of Education and Council for Technical Vocational Education and Training host industry leaders and educators as they discussed how Guyana’s technical institutes can best prepare graduates for employment. 

Durham College (DC) today announced the introduction of the new Fortus^® 360mc rapid prototyper that was recently installed inside the Integrated Manufacturing Centre (IMC) at the college’s Oshawa campus. The installation of the new machine is the result of a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) $150,000 Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) grant that was awarded to the college in April via NSERC’s College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program.

Designed for users with demanding applications for high accuracy prototyping and direct digital manufacturing, the new equipment will offer the college access to a new way of providing applied research support to local businesses and industry while further anchoring its position at the forefront of the advanced manufacturing industry.

“We are very excited to offer this new technology to businesses in the community that would like to engage in applied research with Durham College,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, Office of Research Services and Innovation (ORSI), DC. “In addition to offering a significant advantage in terms of quickly developing and refining prototypes at a low cost – allowing our industry partners to move into commercialization faster – our students will be given the opportunity to learn this cutting edge technology, an important skill they will take into the workplace upon graduation.”

Students studying in the college’s Mechanical Engineering Technician and Mechanical Engineering Technology programs will have the opportunity to gain hands-on, practical experience in rapid prototyping operations while working closely with industry during research projects. This will provide them with additional skill sets including creative designing, business process optimization and maximizing cost effectiveness.

Powered by Fused Deposition Modeling™ (FDM) technology, which is the industry’s leading additive manufacturing technology and the only one that uses production-grade thermoplastics enabling the most durable parts, the Fortus^® 360mc is the latest piece of equipment to be installed in the IMC, a world-class, industrial-grade, automated facility that houses major equipment for automatic identification (bar code and radio frequency), industrial networks, material handling and industrial robotics. Manufactured by Stratasys, the Fortus 360mc was acquired from industry partner Cimetrix Solutions.

The ARTI grant is designed to support the purchase of equipment and installations to foster and enhance the ability of colleges to undertake applied research, innovation and training in collaboration with local companies through NSERC’s CCI Program, which supports applied research that facilitates commercialization, as well as technology transfer, adaptation and adoption of new technologies.

ORSI provides an important link to the community through its support and advancement of institutional effectiveness and contribution to the economic performance of the region, using a collaborative culture of engagement that is student-centred and community-focused. ORSI is comprised of three teams – Applied Research; Institutional Research and Planning; and Program Development and Quality Assurance.

NSERC is a Canadian government agency that provides grants for research in the natural sciences and engineering. The council promotes discovery by funding research conducted by post-secondary professors and students and fosters innovation by encouraging Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research and training. 

With headquarters in Oshawa, Ont., Cimetrix has been helping commercial and academic clients for more than 20 years and is recognized as an authority in the field of additive manufacturing applications. Cimetrix will continue to play a key role in the implementation of the new equipment at the IMC, with ongoing education and support to researchers.

Durham College (DC) and WindReach Farm (WindReach) have announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will see them work together to provide students with opportunities to work directly in the fields at WindReach, allowing them to develop their food production skills via the planting of crops to be harvested for use at the college’s Centre for Food (CFF).

In addition, the MOU will see both institutions work collaboratively on the development and delivery of educational curricula for students enrolled in the college’s Horticulture – Food and Farming program, housed under the School of Science & Engineering Technology (SET); the expansion of WindReach’s current educational programs; and the enhancement of community awareness and interactions for both organizations through the agricultural development of an acre of the WindReach Farm property for food planting purposes. This includes a strong focus on the local food movement through the planting and growing of beets, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, sunflowers, Swiss chard, fennel and more that has been underway at the farm since May.

Once harvested, the produce is being used at the college’s CFF and Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired green-certified restaurant housed at the CFF. The new building, which opened to students in fall 2013, is supported by ambassador and celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy and focused on the field-to-fork concept, which is based on the harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sale and consumption of food – in particular the production of local food for local consumers.

As part of the agreement, WindReach is providing professional expertise, in-field growing space and access to field equipment, facilities and storage with the college providing faculty and lab field technologist expertise to support the program and guide students through the planting process.

“Our agreement with WindReach is providing Durham College students with the chance to develop their food production skills in a safe and inspiring environment, enhancing their learning and supporting the vision and values of both WindReach and Durham College,” said Susan Todd, dean of SET. “This opportunity for our students to gain hands-on training in a wide variety of areas related to plant propagation and fruit and vegetable production is a true reflection of the college’s commitment to bring field-to-fork to Durham Region while offering the best possible learning opportunities to our students.

“This agreement with Durham College is a stellar example of both organizations’ commitment to true partnership and collaboration. In addition to the meaningful and relevant training the students are receiving while here, they are also able to see the importance of community agencies and supporting the work they do,” said Kate Bird, chief executive officer of WindReach Farm. “In addition, the more than 20,000 visitors who attend the farm each year will be able to learn about the most current trends and research when it comes to agri-food education; especially at a time when the appetite for local and healthy food is at an all-time high. We are delighted to be working with Durham College on this project and are looking forward to a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership.”

As part of its commitment to field-to-fork, the college also recently launched Field to Fork: Sowing the Seeds of our Community, a crowdfunding campaign to support the landscaping required at the CFF including the planting of trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables and arboretum; the purchase of garden tools; a walking path; new soil; and more.