Durham College (DC) announced today that construction on the first-ever greenhouse at its Centre for Food (CFF), a new learning facility created in direct response to the demand of the local culinary, hospitality, tourism, agriculture and horticulture sectors, has begun. This build marks a significant milestone in the college’s commitment to field to fork, which is the vision of bringing locally sourced, quality produce from field to table.

Being built for use by students in the college’s horticulture programs, the greenhouse is designed to accommodate multi-laboratory classes and provide students with a better understanding of the full potential of growing plants and produce all year long.

A major donation by the Alger family contributed immensely to the remarkable learning centre becoming a reality. DC President Don Lovisa, and the entire college community, is very grateful to the Alger family for its continued stalwart support of opportunity, accessibility and excellence to the benefit of DC students who primarily live in Durham Region.

Part of the college’s ongoing landscaping at the CFF, the greenhouse is located to the south of the 36,000-sq.-ft. CFF and will accommodate students studying in both the Horticulture – Food and Farming and Horticulture – Technician programs.

The two-year Horticulture – Food and Farming program offers students a hands-on opportunity to become familiar with the concepts of food production including plant propagation; soil and plant nutrition; fruit and vegetable production under field, greenhouse, garden and container conditions; food and agriculture regulations; and more. The two-year Horticulture Technician program focuses on the art, science and business of horticulture with students studying arboriculture; aspects of growing plants outdoors, indoors and in a greenhouse environment; landscape construction and design fundamentals; nursery management; and more

“The construction of the greenhouse at the CFF symbolizes an exciting new phase of learning for our horticulture students here at the Whitby campus,” said Susan Todd, dean of the School of Science & Engineering Technology. “In addition to the theory of horticulture learned in the classroom, the new greenhouse will provide students with a unique opportunity to gain a hands-on understanding of greenhouse design, required control measures, energy consumption and how to work in a controlled environment in both operational and plant production modes.”

The CFF, which opened to students in September 2013, houses both Bistro ’67, a teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a unique retail store that brings student-created goods straight from the culinary classroom to the community. The greenhouses will be used to grow vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers for use by the college’s culinary students at both locations, helping the college solidify its commitment to 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, a concept that has been adopted and applied to a diverse range of programs.

The comprehensive development of the CFF vision, such as the addition of the greenhouse, is continually underway and includes extensive landscaping of the grounds surrounding the building. This will strengthen the link between the college and the community and provide students with an outdoor extension to the indoor classroom, connecting them to sustainable practices; enriching their curriculum; and enhancing their environmental consciousness.

Future expansion plans at the CFF include agricultural fields, a pollinator garden, an arboretum and much more.

 

Durham College (DC) played host to the Ontario Simulation Network (SIM-one) on June 17 when the organization hosted a workshop titled PSW & Simulation Regional Workshop: Unlocking the Potential of Simulation at Living Lab 2 at the Whitby campus.

SIM-one, an active supporter of the college’s Personal Support Worker (PSW) program, offered the workshop to Durham College faculty and staff and other interprofessional health-care providers in Durham Region who interact with seniors and PSWs. Aimed at improving access to training, it focused on how PSWs can assist seniors aging at home using the latest simulation equipment.

“We were thrilled when SIM-one approached us with the idea of Durham College hosting this workshop,” said Deborah Schuh, program co-ordinator, PSW program. “It provided an opportunity to showcase the successes within our PSW program and was a great way to promote interprofessional collaboration between faculty from our PSW, Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant and paramedic programs. In addition, it helped to increase awareness of the important role a PSW plays as a valued member of the health-care team who promotes and maintains quality of life for our seniors.”

With DC faculty members Deborah Schuh, Kevin Griffith and Laura Maybury from the School of Health & Community Services and Marie McEwan, the Clinical Simulation Program Advisor for Durham College/UOIT, assisting with the activities, the goal of the workshop was to improve the understanding, attitudes and skills needed for the effective use of simulation techniques by the participants.  

DC’s Living Lab 2 was donated to the college in January 2011 by Durham Custom Homes. A 1940s-built home with low ceilings, narrow hallways and smaller room sizes, it provides a realistic depiction of the current living environments of many seniors and is an ideal learning environment for students. In March 2013, the college received $46,500 in funding from SIM-one and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through the Seniors Care Strategy to purchase PSW-specific simulation equipment for installation in the home.

“Living Lab 2, or the PSW Senior’s House as we call it, has been a buzz since SIM-one was provided an update on how it is enhancing student learning,” added Schuh. “It is equipped with both high- and low-fidelity simulators with funds received from SIM-one and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through the Seniors Care Strategy and I am pleased to say that the simulators have been incorporated into an innovative and unique senior’s home care community simulation experience for more than 70 recent PSW student grads.”

Durham College (DC) announced recently its intent to partner with IFTech, an Oshawa-based start-up company specializing in wearable technology. The college’s Office of Research Services and Innovation (ORSI), with support from DC faculty researchers and staff, will be working with IFTech on an applied research project designed to support the company’s growth and expansion into the wearable technology marketplace. A grant application for the project is currently being finalized with the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).

In particular, the college will be assisting IFTech with bringing its flagship invention, As Real As It Gets (ARAIG), to a manufacture-ready, commercial product. A multi-sensory stimulation device, ARAIG is a wearable suit that immerses individuals into the reality of a gaming world by stimulating the senses with localized directional feedback. Providing physics to the body, it leaves the mobility of the user unfettered and provides a new level of immersion in terms of how games and virtual simulations are experienced.

“ORSI, along with our faculty and staff, is excited to work with IFTech on bringing such a unique technology product to market,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, ORSI. “This project will provide a wonderful opportunity for our students, faculty and staff to pursue applied research in an area that is both new to the college and the current consumer marketplace including the chance for them to gain significant on-the-job research and work experience.”

A 3D-scale model of the ARAIG titled Legion One Exoskeleton, created in collaboration with Cimetrix Solutions Inc. an Oshawa-based company that specializes in providing professional grade 3D printing solutions, will be revealed on Tuesday, May 13 inside the Spark Zone at the OCE Discovery event. The event, which is taking place in Toronto on Monday, May 12 and May 13, will mark the first time IFTech has publicly shown the design. Attendees will have an opportunity to speak directly with Brodie and Michael Stanfield, co-founders and co-chief executive officers of IFTech and co-creators of ARAIG, and provide feedback. 

“IFTech sees this as the beginning of a relationship that will continue for many years to come,” said Brodie Stanfield. “We see Durham College being involved in many current and future projects and are excited to be partnering with some of the brightest minds in Durham Region in order to rapidly move forward on our research and development.”  

In addition to its new relationship with the college, IFTech has also been working directly with innovation experts from Spark Centre over the last year to advance its commercialization plans. 

“IFTech and its flagship product ARAIG will revolutionize a video gamer’s experience,” said Dennis Croft, executive director, Spark Centre. “Durham College’s deep expertise in applied research will greatly advance the timeline for a commercial-ready, high-quality product for IFTech.” 

Durham College faculty, staff, student researchers, industry collaborators and other guests joined the college’s Office of Research Services and Innovation (ORSI) on Thursday, May 1 for the fourth-annual Research Day on campus.

Designed to provide a first-hand look at the innovative applied research projects the college currently has underway, the event highlighted research in the areas of engineering technology, education, gaming, information technology, social innovation and agriculture.

With the college recently receiving funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada that will see ORSI develop new agricultural research projects that will assist local growers in tackling challenges related to pest management, crop integration and plant propagation, the event will feature a keynote presentation by Jim Sheehan, president, Durham Foods, who will discuss why the need to improve processes, create new systems and ultimately invest in research and development has never been so critical to small- and medium sized businesses.

“Since its inception, ORSI has created a strong applied research agenda for Durham College,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, ORSI. “An agenda designed to respond to the significant business and industry need for practical solutions through applied research and innovation activities while remaining focused on providing unique and real-world experiences to students.”

The college also celebrated the success of ORSI; recognized all student and faculty researchers and its Research Advisory Committee and Research Ethics Board; and honoured the top student and faculty researchers of the academic year.

Philip Jarvis from the School of Science & Engineering Technology, was named the Top Faculty Researcher for 2013-2014 with Stephen Forbes from the School of Business, IT & Management, coming in second and Anna Rodrigues from the School of Media, Art & Design, finishing third.

In addition, Ryan King, a third-year Electronics Engineering Technology program student was named as the winner of the Top Student Researcher Award.

Steven Ruttle, a third-year student in the Electronics Engineering Technology program was named as the second place winner and Kenneth Gardner, a second-year Electronics Engineering Technology program student, finished third.

Providing an important link to the community through its support and advancement of institutional effectiveness and contribution to the economic performance of the region, ORSI offers a collaborative culture of engagement that is student-centered and community-focused.

The Durham College (DC) Leadership Team and students from the Construction Carpentry – Sustainable program have developed a strong relationship with Habitat for Humanity in the Durham Region assisting with the most recent building project located at 372 Centre Street South in Oshawa.

Habitat for Humanity works in more than 300 communities across Canada constructing affordable housing for families in need. This partnering between Habitat and DC has not only allowed students to gain hands-on experience outside of the classroom but has also provided a way for DC to give back to its community.

“The first phase was four homes and the Durham College students were a valuable asset to have as they were able to do the trusses because they all have their fall-arrest certification,” said Habitat volunteer co-ordinator Patty Knight. Fall-arrest certification is training received through the Construction Carpentry – Sustainable program that allows individuals to work safely at a height of three metres or higher and is certification that typical volunteers rarely have.

So far, students have assisted with the first phase of the Centre Street build which included the construction of four homes at the project site, and on April 11, several DC staff members also made their way down to the project site to see the students’ incredible work. Staff members assisted with additional tasks such as drywalling, mudding and installation of electric boxes. DC president Don Lovisa was one of the many staff members on hand.

“It’s important for us to give back to the community,” said Lovisa. “We ask a lot of our community so we have to give back and this is an opportunity to do that. It also allows us to come out as a team, get away from our desks, have fun and share a few laughs.”

Despite a tougher than normal winter, the Centre Street project is set to be completed in August and the inclusion of DC students from more programs including Mechanical Techniques – Plumbing and Electrical Technician – Instrumentation and Control is currently being developed.

For information on how you can assist Habitat for Humanity in the Durham Region either through charitable donation or volunteer work, please visit www.habitatdurham.com. 

When the Durham College (DC) Whitby campus opened in 1993, it primarily served as a home for programs from the School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology.

Fast forward 21 years later and the more than 270,000-square-foot campus offers 14 apprenticeship programs including 11 that are Red Seal as well as numerous trade-related diploma and certificate programs; living lab environments in areas including solar cell systems, wind turbines and geothermal technology systems; expanded shop areas for green building trades and technology; and most recently the 36,000-square-foot Centre for Food, which opened to students in the fall of 2013.

One of the many additions and improvements that have taken place over the years includes the donation of a residential home in January 2011, which was donated by Durham Custom Homes under the college’s three-phase Building for our Future initiative. The 1940s-built home was initially used as a learning lab for students in the college’s energy programs. However, the home’s low ceilings, narrow hallways and smaller room sizes, which offer a realistic depiction of the current living environment of many seniors, have since proven to be an ideal learning environment for students in the Personal Support Worker (PSW) program, which focuses heavily on assistance with mobility, medications and nutrition as well as household care in retirement residences, hospitals, long-term care facilities and personal homes.

In March 2013, the college received $46,500 in funding from the Ontario Simulation Network (SIM-one) and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through the Seniors Care Strategy, to purchase PSW-specific simulation equipment for installation in the home, known by the college as Living Lab 2.

Developed with the aim of providing students with a setting related directly to senior care in a realistic home environment, the first PSW students entered the bungalow at the end of November 2013 to be tested in the new, simulated community experience while completing their 120 hours of community practicum.

“The home is providing PSW students with additional opportunities to apply skills related to activities of daily living to seniors within their community,” said Deborah Schuh, PSW program co-ordinator. “The equipment is enabling Durham College to prepare our students with skills designed to evolve as the PSW scope of practice changes, enabling them to adapt in order to meet the demanding future of health care in Ontario, such as care related to dementia and other neurological disorders such as stroke.”

Going forward, additional programs from the School of Health & Community Services and the School of Justice & Emergency Services are also interested in using the unique space provided at the Whitby campus.

“To have students from programs such as PSW, Practical Nursing, Paramedic, Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant working in the learning space would be ideal,” said Schuh. “These opportunities for students to work together would enhance the learning environment with the sharing of skills and knowledge while fostering the understanding and appreciation of each other’s important role as part of a health-care team.”

Durham College has been rated as one of the top colleges in Canada for research income according to Research Infosource Inc.’s, ranking of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges, which was released on October 23.

Improving by 17 spots from its 2011 ranking, Durham College moved into the top 25 research colleges in Canada. The ranking is a significant achievement for the 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 recognized on the list of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director of ORSI. “Thank you to the small- and medium-sized companies who have trusted us to support their research and innovation needs, providing excellent opportunities for our students to experience real-world challenges.”

Canada’s colleges are important and growing research performers in the country’s national system of innovation,” said Ron Freedman, chief executive officer of Research Infosource. “Colleges are clearly on the move, as evidenced by their strong year-on-year growth.”

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

It’s only a matter of time before everyone will get to see what they’ve been cooking up at the Center for Food (CFF). After more than three years, the CFF located at Durham College’s Whitby campus, is in its final phase of construction and on track to hitting its scheduled date of completion.

Opening this September, the state-of-the-art facility will accommodate more than 900 students pursuing careers in sectors such as hospitality, tourism, culinary, agriculture and horticulture.

This 36,000-square-foot establishment will be stocked with a full-service, green-certified teaching restaurant, retail store featuring student-made edibles, lecture theatre complete with cooking equipment, lounge, classrooms, meeting spaces and a living hotel lab.

As the official fall opening of the new building approaches, Michelle Darling, manager, Planning and Project Management, says it’s an eventful time to be a part of the building of the CFF.

“Lots of exciting ideas are being presented by faculty in support of the academic programs that will be delivered in the Centre for Food,” she said.

Aside from some environmental challenges of high winds and rain, all has gone off without a hitch.

“It speaks to the quality and care that went into the installation and co-ordination of the construction of the site,” said Darling.

This far into phase three, the curtain wall framing, ductwork, plumbing, sprinklers fire protection and basement are 90 per cent complete, with delivery of freezers and coolers not far behind. 

Welcoming close to 500 guests to its Oshawa campus in the name of science, Durham College participated in the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s (UOIT) sixth annual Science Rendezvous on May 11 at the university’s Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Research Centre (ERC) for a day of fun-based learning, free food and prizes.

A popular tradition since 2008, the event is Ontario’s largest public science festival with many interactive educational workshops that students, children and parents alike enjoyed together while expanding their knowledge.

Durham College hosted a household science display with numerous activities including refraction; making batteries with fruit and vegetables; exploring scientific compounds in foods such as cereal; and making objects disappear.

School of Science & Engineering Technology faculty member Laura Benninger has volunteered for the Science Rendezvous since its inception and helped organize and run this year’s events.

“The Science Rendezvous was able to reach the goal of exposing the public, and children especially, to science in both an entertaining and educational sense,” said Benninger. “I strongly believe in bringing science into the community and showing that science and technology are fun!”

In addition to the college’s activities, participants had the opportunity to race bottle rockets; handle robotics; compete in a tower building competition, enjoy liquid nitrogen ice-cream; examine forensic evidence from a crime scene; isolate their own DNA; and many other activities. 

Continuing Durham College’s tradition of incredible results at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC), four students proved they have the skills to succeed this week, winning four provincial medals, including two gold, one silver and one bronze, at the 2013 OTSC, which was  hosted by Skills Canada – Ontario from May 6 to 8 in Waterloo, Ont.

Second-year Mechanical Technician – Mechanical Maintenance and Control student Mitch Tempro took home a gold medal in the Industrial Mechanic Millwright category and Michael Mills, a Level 3 – Advanced Tool and Die apprenticeship program student, won gold in the Precision Machining competition.

In addition, Don Reid, a Level 2 – Intermediate Plumber apprenticeship student, won silver in the Plumbing division while third-year Computer Systems Technology student Conner Saunders claimed bronze in the IT & Network Systems Administration category.

“I want to congratulate all of the Durham College students who enjoyed incredible success at the annual Skills Ontario competition,” said Don Lovisa, president of Durham College.  “It is very impressive to return home with two golds, one silver and one bronze medal and this truly demonstrates the high quality of our students and the teaching and skills offered by the college.”

In total, nine students from Durham College took part in the provincial event. As winners in their respective categories, Tempro and Mills will next compete at the 19th annual Skills Canada National Competition, being held in Vancouver, B.C. from Wednesday, June 5 to Saturday, June 8.

“I would also like to recognize our faculty members responsible for teaching and guiding these students and leading them to achieving these well-deserved honours,” added Lovisa.  “Well done everyone and good luck to Mitch and Michael as they represent Durham College at Skills Canada.”

Skills Canada – Ontario is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of the skilled trades and technologies as viable, first-choice career options to Ontario youth. With the support of partners, it encourages young people to consider a career in the skilled trades and technologies through programs and initiatives such as in-school presentations, qualifying and provincial skills competitions.