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From Durham to Disney

Jessica Stoiku conducted a phone interview for The Chronicle with the Pedersens about their journey. Photo by Alex Kang

They’ve made the leap from Durham College to Disney.

Husband and wife Celeste and Chris Pedersen graduated from Durham’s animation program a year apart in 2007 and 2008. Although they’ve been working on different timelines, the couple found their way from Durham Region to California, and have been working for Walt Disney Studios since 2013. Their passion and dedication has led them to working on Disney’s latest film, Moana, which opened in theatres Nov. 23.

The Chronicle conducted a phone interview with the Pedersens about their journey.

What is the day in the life like for you at the studio?

Celeste: I guess it starts the same. We live pretty close to the studio so we drive in the morning or sometimes we walk, which is great because California is beautiful and sunny. My work is shot-based, so we’ll have meetings with my department. We’ll have shots assigned to us. So again reviewing the work that we’ve done.

Chris: While Celeste is more of the shot side of production, I’m more of the character side. So I’m more rigorous. I create the controls and build for the animators to  actually pose, move the characters to bring them to life. I work closely with the look department and modelling and animations. So we work together to create this character. We have team meetings often – we get together and touch base to make sure everything is going smoothly.

What has been your favourite part about working on the film?

Celeste: Just working at Disney for me has been like a dream since I was little. Being here and working with some of the people I’ve looked up to is just incredible. To see the stuff you’ve been working on actually on screen is incredible.

Chris: I second that. It’s pretty incredible working with the people that have been working at the studio for as long as I remember watching movies growing up. A lot of those people are still working here. It’s pretty incredible. I like being challenged a lot. They’re always pushing the envelope here to make the best quality films. I love just the challenge of that.

Have you ever had something you were working on go completely wrong?

Chris: There are always little challenges here and there. I wouldn’t say there was anything that went sort of completely wrong. Story changes. Sometimes characters come and go, so we adapt to those changes. We do our best to foresee those things…and work together to troubleshoot them.

Celeste: We’re [in] a very collaborative environment. People come together really quick to try and work through it.

How has Durham College helped you get to where you are today?

Celeste: I’ve always wanted to work for Disney. Going to school at Durham helped prepare me to get into this field.

Chris: Growing up I always loved watching the Disney movies, but animation was never something as a child I kind of thought myself getting into. I always found myself leaning toward engineering. I loved Lego and building and creating things. That’s similar to what I do now. My job is very technical. There’s a lot of building, inventing and coming up creative solutions, which I really like.

Who inspired you along the way during your time at Durham College?

Celeste: All the teachers were incredible at Durham. They were all very supportive, very encouraging. I always doubt myself. Am I good enough to do that? You get discouraged sometimes, but the teachers are always there to support you and tell you, ‘you can do it.’ They’re the ones that got me my first job outside of school, and I was very appreciative of that.

Chris: They’re always so super supportive. One moment though that sort of stood out for me was in third year animation class. I remember working on an animation shot. I just remember something clicking for me with animation and all of a sudden I understood it and that was sort of a milestone point for me with my student career. I feel that sort of launched me into feeling confident with animation. Getting my first job was really dependant on Durham and the teachers. The fact that the course was so well rounded it allowed me personally going into a more technical path. It also gave me the base knowledge to pursue that.

This story was edited for style, length and clarity.

Jessica Stoiku

Jessica Stoiku is a second year journalism student at Durham College. With a passion for writing, she enjoys exposing the arts and culture stories of people within the community for The Chronicle. She hopes to work for a publication that focuses on human interest and issues on a broader scale.

Leave for Change international opportunity for all staff coming to DC in new year

On November 18, Durham College (DC) President Don Lovisa signed an agreement with Uniterra, Canada’s largest international volunteer cooperation program, to introduce an exciting professional development opportunity called Leave for Change.

The agreement will enable interested DC employees to transform their vacations into short-term professional and personal development experiences of three to four weeks in a developing country. During their assignments employees would contribute their skills and expertise to an established development project. Employees would be paired with a professional from a non-governmental organization and receive support from other professionals in a host country, including Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia, Malawi, Vietnam, Nepal, Mongolia and several others.

The Durham College Leave for Change program is currently in the initial stages of implementation with the college planning to host information sessions starting in January for interested employees. This program is open to all employees.

“This is a fabulous opportunity for all DC employees to learn from international experiences, while contributing to the social and economic stability of developing foreign communities. Those experiences will assist in advancing the internationalization of our college, a key pillar of our strategic vision,” Lovisa said. “In supporting this program, DC is fostering a more inclusive learning environment while enabling employees to develop a wider global perspective,” he added.

Celebrating the official signing, in the back row from left, were DC staffers: Larissa Strong, manager, international student support, Durham College International (DCI); Katie Boone, manager, international partnerships and contract training, DCI; Mark Herringer, dean, international education, DCI; Sandra Bennett, associate vice-president, Human Resources; and Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic. Signing the agreement in the front row, from left, were: Don Lovisa, president, DC; and for Uniterra, Tom Tunney, senior manager, University and College Programming. Uniterra is a joint initiative of the World University Service of Canada and the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation.  

DC supports award-winning research and development in cancer care

Durham College (DC) announced recently that its applied research partner, Bykart Software Ltd. (Bykart), in conjunction with the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, has received the prestigious 2016 Quality and Innovation Award from the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario (CQCO). The award was presented at a ceremony hosted on November 16 by CQCO in partnership with Cancer Care Ontario, and co-sponsored by the Canadian Cancer Society – Ontario Division.

Bykart is being recognized for its Chemotherapy Appointment Reservation Management (CHARM), a revolutionary new software system, developed in partnership with DC, which is fundamentally changing the way care is delivered to cancer patients. 

When Bykart approached the college about working together in 2011, CHARM, originally developed in 2009, required significant upgrades to move its enterprise-class health care application framework beyond the chemotherapy clinics for which it was initially designed. Through collaboration with student and faculty researchers at DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), Bykart was able to deploy a suite of integrated, health care application services to complement CHARM’s existing functionality and simplify integration into existing hospital software.

The framework was then implemented at the Odette Cancer Centre and the Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Clinic, and the results were remarkable. They included:

  • An increase in the number of patients treated.
  • Reduction in unplanned over-time, which proved cost-effective as well as boosted morale among staff.
  • Savings in the cost of training since staff were involved throughout development of the product.

“CHARM was developed by a dedicated team with the desire to deliver a home-grown, cost-effective software solution to health care organizations, and its tremendous success proves that this is possible,” said Thane Fitzgerald, director of development, Bykart. “Our work with both Durham College and the experts at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre have resulted in an award-winning application suite that has been deployed at the Odette Cancer Centre and the Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Clinic. The real reward, however, is that we were able to equip staff with a system that enables them to deliver services more efficiently, thus improving the overall quality of care for people living with cancer.”

Specifically, ORSIE supported the project by delivering a unit test suite for each functional area of the new system for quality assurance; transitioning the existing database structure to a new database platform, and developing several web service interfaces to support access to the application by mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones.

“DC is proud to offer top-quality applied research facilities and resources led by a talented team of faculty and student researchers,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “Applied research opportunities not only provide an excellent platform for teaching and learning, but enable the college to be involved in leading-edge projects that support the advancement of other industries – in this case, health care. We offer congratulations to Bykart and the Odette Cancer Centre for their success and commitment to enhancing cancer care in Ontario.”

The annual Quality and Innovation Awards encourage and recognize initiatives that have led to significant improvements to the delivery of cancer care for patients across Ontario.

Earlier this year, Bykart was also awarded the 2016 Edmond Odette Prize for Innovation from the Sunnybrook Health Science Centre.

 

Prospective students get a look at their futures at DC’s annual Fall Open House

On November 12, Durham College (DC) employees, students and alumni delivered information and inspiration to more than 2,300 prospective students, as well as their friends and families, at the college’s annual Fall Open House.

Doors were open at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses, and the Pickering Learning Site, providing visitors with the opportunity to explore the facilities, take guided tours, check out support services and visit individual program classrooms and labs to speak with faculty and students.

DC President Don Lovisa was also on hand to meet with visitors and answer questions about the college.

“There is no better way to get a feel for the DC community and all that we have to offer – from programs and support services to athletics and campus life – than to attend an Open House event,” said Lovisa. “A unique energy fills the air when prospective students step on campus and see all the possibilities for their future opening up before them.”

In addition to the Open House activities, DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship held a pre-Open House event at the college’s Whitby campus for its applied research partners. The event highlighted new applied research capabilities involving the newly commissioned research brew line and growth chambers focused on agri-tech research.

DC offers more than 140 market-driven programs including five new programs being launched in 2017, two of which will serve as educational pathways from DC to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). They are:

DC Alumni Association pledges $250,000 to Centre for Collaborative Education

Durham College (DC) announced today a $250,000 commitment from the DC Alumni Association to support the Centre for Collaborative Education (CFCE) at the college’s Oshawa campus.

“This pledge is a true testament to the commitment DC alumni have to their alma mater,” said Chris Vale, president, DC Alumni Association. “I am proud of the Alumni Association’s decision to support the continued growth of the college. In particular, it underlines our belief in the importance of the Centre for Collaborative Education. We could not be prouder to be helping to build a facility where students, employees and the broader community can come together in ways that extend beyond the scope of traditional education.”

The donation, announced on November 10 at an Alumni Association networking event, is being made over a period of five years. This significant contribution serves to set the pace for the college’s Building Something Amazing fundraising campaign, which will see the college aim to raise $5 million over two years toward the construction of the CFCE. In addition to the association’s commitment to the CFCE, it has also supported the college via several other initiatives over the years including ongoing donations to scholarship and bursary programs, the Building for Our Future and Growing for Our Future capital campaigns and the annual campus holiday food drive.

“On behalf of everyone at Durham College, I extend my sincere thanks to the DC Alumni Association for this wonderful support of our new Centre for Collaborative Education,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “This generous pledge is in keeping with the loyalty and commitment the Alumni Association has demonstrated to the college time and time again. As a key member of the DC family, we are delighted to have its support as we work together toward building something amazing.”

A legacy project tied to DC’s 50th anniversary in 2017, the CFCE will be a multi-level, 75,000-square-foot-facility that will serve as an educational access point for students while bringing together local, Indigenous and global community groups and members of key business sectors. It will provide a new home for several of the college’s most innovative and ground-breaking programs including:

  • The School-College-Work Initiative and the affiliated Centre for Success program, a partnership between DC and the Durham District, Kawartha Pine Ridge District, Durham Catholic District, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District, and Trillium Lakelands District school boards, that assist in-risk students by helping them find their way to college.  
  • The Aboriginal and Student Diversity Centres.
  • Entrepreneurial, Innovation and Creative spaces including the Spark Centre, which will expand applied research opportunities for students, faculty and small- and medium-sized businesses.
  • Global, Open and Collaborative spaces that will enable faculty, students and the broader community to use technology in creative ways to gain unprecedented access to students, educators, thought leaders, subject matter experts and other visionaries from more than 40 countries around the world.
  • Health science facilities including state-of-the art classrooms and labs and a spa focused on massage therapy, cosmetology and aesthetics.
  • Foundation programs designed to prepare students for the continuation of post-secondary education at college or university.
  • Significant collaborative learning and social spaces for students, faculty, staff and community.

Congratulations to the winners of the #DCSelfie Contest

Durham College’s (DC) #DCSelfie contest received more than 780 votes, and the winners are: Diana D’Amico and Nicholas Celica.

D’Amico, who is enrolled in the Paralegal Graduate Certificate program claimed first place and won an Apple iPad mini, followed by Celica, a Paralegal student, who received a pair of Beats by Dre headphones for obtaining the second most votes.

Upon receiving their acceptance letter students were encouraged to participate in the contest by submitting a selfie photo of themselves holding a DC pennant. Once the submission period ended contestants’ selfies were posted on the competition website with visitors having the opportunity to vote for their favourites.

Congratulations to the winners of the #DCSelfie contest and a special thank you to everyone who entered the contest – welcome to DC!

Interested in attending DC but missed the September semester start? Seats are still available for programs starting in January. Visit www.durhamcollege.ca/programs-starting-in-january for a complete list of all available programs, and become a student today.

DC ranked one of Canada’s top 50 research colleges for fourth consecutive year

Durham College (DC) announced today that for the fourth year in a row it has been ranked among Canada’s top 50 research colleges by Research Infosource Inc., a Canadian research and development intelligence company.

The annual list is informed by data on research income, research intensity and research partnerships and projects at colleges across the country.

“Research and innovation have always been at the heart of what DC does as one of Ontario’s leading post-secondary institutions,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), DC. “This ranking once again proves the importance of and our commitment to prioritizing applied research on campus to enhance our students’ experiences, provide real-world solutions, and advance business and industry ideas to support our community’s economic health.”

Led by the team at ORSIE, DC continues to initiate and support a variety of research activities aimed at integrating discovery and innovation into the academic environment. The college puts particular focus on the areas of energy efficiency, agriculture, health care and wearable technology, which closely align with the college’s market-driven academic programs and research capabilities, and help support local business, industry and community organizations.

Some of DC’s most recent applied research projects include:

  • Building a novel, innovative control and monitoring system for an energy-efficient refrigeration unit as well as a pre-packaged solar electric system ideal for remote locations and applications such as radio, security cameras, telemetry or lighting where normal power is not readily available, and a power conservation module for traffic cameras.
  • Building a software application for a company using unmanned aerial vehicles for farm scouting.
  • Developing pest management strategies to control apple leaf curling midge in apple orchards.
  • Building a semi-automated harvesting system to increase productivity and reduce the labour requirements involved in the spinach harvesting process.
  • Developing a video conferencing system to connect patients with their physicians and caregivers to reduce hospital re-admissions.
  • A prototype with low-cost, non-invasive sensors and signal processing to monitor vital signs wherever Wi-Fi is available, making it possible to monitor patients in the least inhibiting way.

DC and Durham Catholic District School Board sign agreement to boost international education

Durham College (DC) and the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) announced today that they have signed a five-year academic agreement to enhance opportunities for DCDSB international students looking to pursue post-secondary education in Canada following high school graduation.

“DC prides itself on offering international students a high-quality college education and we’re proud to be working with the DCDSB to offer international high school students the opportunity to further their studies in Canada, and with Durham College in particular,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “This agreement provides a new way of engaging our educational partners in DC’s ongoing international activities and outreach and we are proud to be working with the board to provide this group of students with access to our unique academic programming and student services.”

The formal General Agreement of Co-operation (GAC), signed today by Lovisa and Anne O’Brien, director of education, DCDSB at the college’s Oshawa campus, is designed to stimulate and support educational, professional and intercultural activities and projects among students and employees of both organizations with respect to international education.

This includes the creation of an educational pathway from the DCDSB to DC, including the potential for students to pursue further post-secondary studies via the more than 450 educational pathways the college offers in partnership with universities in Ontario, across Canada and around the world. Additionally, the GAC will promote collaboration in program delivery, scholarship opportunities, international marketing, student recruitment and academic training.

“We are pleased to partner with DC as we encourage international students to discover the numerous pathways that are available through our Durham Catholic secondary schools into our local college programs,” said O’Brien. “Adopting a pathways planning mindset, our programs are designed to assist students with transition planning, and we look forward to working with international students as they prepare for the next step in their individual educational journeys here in our very own Durham Region.

In September 2016, DC welcomed more than 350 new international students, bringing the total number to over 600 students who have travelled from 42 countries around the world to study at the college.

 

Durham College names the Centre for Food after W. Galen Weston

Durham College (DC) announced today that it has named the Centre for Food (CFF) at the Whitby campus after Mr. W. Galen Weston in recognition of a $1-million grant being made to the college by the W. Garfield Weston Foundation (the Foundation). One of Canada’s most prominent business executives, Mr. W. Galen Weston is a leader in food innovation who has been at the forefront of change in the food retailing and baking industries for more than five decades. From bagging groceries in the supermarket to Executive Chairman of George Weston Limited, he has remained committed to the continued advancement of the food industry through teaching and learning.

Focused on the field-to-fork concept, the CFF opened to students in September 2013. Home to a range of complementary programs, the Centre boasts numerous sustainable features and extensive grounds including an apple orchard, agricultural planting fields and a ramped garden feature with a pollinator garden and two-acre arboretum, providing a teaching and learning environment for students, the local agri-food industry, community organizations and the general public. In addition, the grounds include an unheated hoop house, gardens and greenhouses that support applied learning and research while growing produce for use in the Centre’s kitchens and laboratories. The CFF also features Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a unique retail store for student-created goods, which are both open to the public. 

“Durham College is honoured to receive this significant gift from the W. Garfield Weston Foundation,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “On behalf of the college, in particular the hundreds of students studying in our CFF programs, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the W. Garfield Weston Foundation for its generosity. Mr. W. Galen Weston is one of Canada’s most accomplished businessmen and philanthropists and well renowned for his leadership in the food processing and distribution industries. The Weston family has long supported the field-to-fork concept and we are extremely proud to have his name linked permanently to the CFF.”

The second significant contribution made by the Foundation in the last two years, this gift is being used to establish $100,000 worth of scholarships and bursaries for students studying in a two-year field-to-fork program; develop new research and testing programs related to food product development and food processing studies; and to purchase equipment to support new research programs related to agriculture and agri-food products.

“I have spent my entire life working in the food business and have seen it evolve dramatically since my younger days working in the bakery with my father. I am proud to be supporting the innovative programs offered in the Centre for Food,” said W. Galen Weston. “These young people are the future leaders of our industry.”

“Ontario’s food and beverage manufacturing sector is the third largest in North America with manufacturing revenues of more than $35 billion and the agri-food industry is the leader for goods production in Durham Region,” added Lovisa. “This gift will enable DC to further its commitment to bring the field-to-fork philosophy to life, harness the vibrant relationships in our region’s food industry, and provide a lasting legacy that will benefit our students and the region now and in the years ahead.”

Durham College honours graduates at 2016 Fall Convocation

While the fall season meant the beginning of school for many Durham College (DC) students, it has also brought an exciting culmination of post-secondary pursuits for others. Those achievements were celebrated on October 27 at the college’s annual fall convocation, commemorating the graduation of 1,159 students from 109 programs.

The event also honoured students who earned a place on the highly regarded President’s Honour Roll as well as recipients of scholarship and leadership awards.

Graduates from the Centre for Food and the schools of Business, IT & Management; Continuing Education; Health & Community Services; Interdisciplinary Studies; Justice & Emergency Services; Media, Art & Design; Science & Engineering Technology; and Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology were awarded their diplomas and certificates in front of hundreds of family and friends.

In his address to graduates, DC President Don Lovisa encouraged students not to buy into the negative perceptions of their generation often perpetuated by the media.

“Some of you are part of the generation that’s been loosely termed as ‘millennials’ or ‘Generation Y’ and for a lot of media commentators, it’s become a handy stereotype to say that this generation has a sense of entitlement when it comes to their work and personal lives,” said Lovisa. “My advice to you is simple. Don’t accept that. Don’t accept for a minute that your generation, and those who follow you, are any less prepared, any less capable and any less willing to work than previous generations. I know this to be true because of my work at DC, and when I look at you here today, I see individuals who are ready to take on the important issues of the world and make a positive difference.”

DC also bestowed its prestigious Faculty Emeritus award to retired professor William (Bill) Marlow in recognition of his outstanding contributions and exemplary service to the college community. During his more than 30 years with the college, Marlow brought his expertise and good humour to several positions including professor and co-ordinator for the Computer Programmer Analyst program, field placement co-ordinator, and acting dean of the School of Business, IT & Management. He also served as a faculty member of DC’s Academic Council where he helped select the software and best practices that have supported the college’s evolution into a modern post-secondary institution.

With the fall convocation, Durham College now boasts more than 76,000 alumni over its 49-year history.