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Dr. Wahab Almuhtadi, Photonics and Laser Technology Coordinator recognized by Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC)

Dr. Wahab Almuhtadi has been recognized by the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) as the recipients of the Canadian Pacific Railway Medal. This medal was established in 1987 to honour the achievements in engineering and in the development of Canada. The CPR Medal is awarded in recognition of many years of leadership and service at the regional, branch and section levels by members of the Societies within the Institute. This medal is one of the highest engineering awards in Canada.
The EIC annually recognizes outstanding engineers amongst the membership of its member societies, both academic and industry based members, at an awards gala. The award winners will be presented at the CCTC2015 conference banquet to be held in the OMNI hotel, Montreal during the evening of 26 May 2015.

Congratulations on this prestigious award.

Opportunities Growing for Algonquin College Students on Windmill Development Group Project

windmill mou

Opportunities Growing for Algonquin College Students on Windmill Development Group Project
Morning event serves as update for multiple projects underway or starting soon on the former Domtar lands in downtown Ottawa.

(Ottawa, December 4, 2014) It’s not every day students get to contribute to the development and construction of Canada’s most sustainable mixed-use community. But as Windmill Development Group and Algonquin College come together to re-sign the MOU originally signed in March 2014, the opportunities for students are growing and taking shape.
“Hands-on projects with real-world applications give our students the skills, knowledge, and experience they expect from an Algonquin College education,” says Cheryl Jensen, President of Algonquin College. “We are so pleased to be able to connect our students and employees with Windmill Development Group on this ground-breaking project. Years from now, we will be able to look at this environmental showpiece and say, ‘Algonquin College students helped make it happen’.”
As the College and Windmill work together to transform 37 acres of land into a world-class, sustainable waterfront community near the Chaudière Bridge overlooking Parliament Hill, students from Architectural Technology, Green Architecture, Horticultural Industries, Water and Waste Water Technician, and Applied Museum Studies (just to name a few) will have a variety of projects to contribute.
“This is one of the most important projects in our City’s history, and Algonquin College and its students are honoured to be part of it,” says Richard Briginshaw, program coordinator of the Green Architecture program at Algonquin College, and Co-Chair of the Algonquin College on the Isles committee. “We strongly believe our students will play a critical role in the development of Windmill’s vision.”
Architectural Technology students have completed their site analysis and have begun preliminary design work for 10 sustainable building design projects culminating as their third year project. Environmental Management and Assessment students will be sampling and conducting their own soil and ground water research, while also analyzing past reports. Finally, Applied Museum Studies students will be completing an integrated framework and an integrated master plan of the site. Some of the upcoming opportunities for student involvement include the development of multimedia materials, the restoration of stonework, and market research.
For more information on the AC on the Isles Project and the partnership between Algonquin College and Windmill, please visit www.algonquincollege.com/isles.
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For more information, please contact:
Phil Gaudreau
Communications Officer, Algonquin College
Phone: 613-727-4623 ext 2091
Email: gaudrep@algonquincollege.com
Email preferred

 

Algonquin College Officially Announced as a Founding Member of CENGN

CENGN launch group photo

Founders from left to right: Wahab Almuhtadi, Algonquin College; Jim Ghadbane, CANARIE; Tim McLaughlin, Allstream; Robert Keates, Telus; Dennis Weiss, EWA; Janet Walden, NSERC; Ritch Dusome, CENGN; Michael McCallen, JDSU; Chris Bachalo, Juniper Networks; Bruce Lazenby, Invest Ottawa; David Ritonja, Alcatel-Lucent; Germain Lamonde, EXFO; Sam Bucci, Alcatel-Lucent; Kimberly Matheson, Carleton University; Robert Keys, BTI Systems.

(Ottawa, November 10, 2014) At the launch of the headquarters for the Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks (CENGN), Algonquin College was announced as one of the founding members of CENGN. Algonquin College has been involved as a key player in establishing CENGN for the past two years – from the concept and proposal preparation, to winning the bid, and now to CENGN’s launch.
“Algonquin College is proud to be a founding member of CENGN,” says Claude Brulé, Vice President Academic, Algonquin College. “This innovative centre will create additional hands-on learning and research opportunities for our students, and new opportunities for research and collaboration between the College and industry.”
CENGN is a consortium of industry, academia and research institutes dedicated to accelerating the commercialization of next generation communications solutions. CENGN will help bridge the gap between research and commercialization – a key component to building successful startup companies. CENGN members are collaborating to lower the barrier to entry for small and medium companies and researchers.
CENGN is an Ottawa-based not-for-profit that aims to ensure Canada maintains its position as a world leader in next generation network technologies. It has acquired $11.7 million over five years in federal government funding and will be receiving contributions from industry (cash & in-kind contribution) and from the academia (in-kind contribution) with a total of $54.7 million.
The College is a CENGN academic partner and will conduct collaborative research with industry in next generation communications. The Ciena Optophotonics lab at Algonquin College will be connected to CENGN’s testbed with the aim of accelerating research to commercialization.
“CENGN will establish Canada as a global leader in the commercialization of the technologies that will underpin the next generation of converged global communication networks,” says Professor Dr. Wahab Almuhtadi, Algonquin College representative at CENGN. “The College will make a difference in conducting applied research and providing high qualified faculty and students who will help industry from conducting research to commercialization.”

Dmitry Klishch takes second place at IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference

Mechanical Engineering Technology student Dmitry Klishch came in second place in the IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference held October 10-13th in Silicon Valley. Among the 27 research papers submitted in the annual conference. Dmitry, a second-year Mechanical Engineering Technology student was bested only by a Master’s level student from Yale University. “It was good exposure for all of us internationally and I received very good and positive feedback on my project after my second presentation to the general conference audience. It was tremendously beneficial to be able to meet the world leading engineers in humanitarian projects and hear their positive feedback on my project. I want to thank you all again and hope that these events will be carried on in the future. I am proud and honored to have had been part of this.” stated Dmitry. Well done Dmitry congratulations on your world-leading performance.

You are invited to Algonquin College’s Cyber Security Day – October 3, 2014

Join Algonquin College and its partners from the education, high technology and government sectors on October 3 in a free, one-day conference to share ideas about the hottest topics in cyber security, data privacy, ‘dark actor’ tactics, identity theft, the future of cyber security careers, and much more.
In support of International Cyber Security Month, events include a program of presentations and discussions led by leading players from Canada’s cyber security-rich community held in Algonquin’s beautiful new 700-person theatre, plus a trade show fair featuring industry vendors, activities, and technology prize giveaways.

For more information
www.algonquincollege.com/infosec/ac-cyber-security-day or to register for tickets for this event click here.
Contact Event Organizer
Craig Delmage, CISSP
tel: 613.727.4723 / email: craig.delmage@algonquincollege.com

Algonquin College Cyber Security Day information

Winners of Applied Research Day 12.1

Winners of Applied Research Day 12.1

It’s common when shopping at stores these days to get an invitation to go to a website, enter some long string of numbers, and fill out a survey for a chance to win some great prize.

But it won’t be common for much longer.

MicroMetrics, an Ottawa based company, aims to replace those surveys with in-store tablet displays that let retail companies collect the data instantly and act on it – in some cases, before the customer leaves the store.

This project, supported by students Nahed Abu Hadba; Alexander Butt-Piercey; Mark Collantes; Ian Durkin; Nigel Elton; Mila Hutchison; Matt MacLeod; Cristha Sinden-Masson; and led by Principal Investigator Eric McQuiggan, took first place at Applied Research Day 12.1, held today at Algonquin College. First prize earns the team $500! How’s that for feedback?

Second place, and $250, went to L8RCall, an app that allows you to record cellphone messages for later delivery. Keep an eye on these guys – you might be hearing about them later!

Third place went to GYMTRACK – students created a mobile app that syncs with GYMTRACK’s automated tracking system and personal trainer. The system can now provide audio feedback during your workouts – thankfully, you can adjust the volume so no one else can hear.

Applied Research Day is held every four months at Algonquin College and highlights applied research projects being done at the College. Applied Research unites students, faculty, and industry partners to solve everyday personal and business challenges.

Algonquin College Receives Over $360,000 in Funding For Cutting Edge Research Equipment

Funding will result in new User Experience Lab, 3D laser scanner for buildings, upgrades to the College’s Ciena Optophotonics Lab, and a digital microscope for wood identification.

Determine the second a user lost interest in your smartphone app. Scan a building, manipulate it digitally, and then 3D print a model. Experience what it’s like to be a network technician at one of the big phone carriers. And figure out what kind of wood you’re looking at before starting a restoration project and without cutting a piece out of it.

Thanks to over $360,000 in research funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program, Algonquin College’s Office of Applied Research and Innovation will now be able to acquire:

  • A User Experience Research Lab that would allow for detailed testing of tablet, computer, smartphone, and interactive multimedia user interfaces. The lab will include gesture controllers, a self-tracking video camera, video and audio recording for tracking of detailed user feedback, 3D Oculus Rift goggles, and a table and wall you can project your computer onto and then interact with as if they were giant touch screens. This lab is a collaboration between the College’s Health and Wellness Research Centre and the College’s Design Centre. It will be used to assist the Health and Wellness Research Centre in working with clients in the healthcare industry to refine and improve user interfaces for health applications. It will also enable the Design Centre to conduct usability testing for projects focused on user experience (UX) design using state of the art multimedia technologies.
  • A survey-grade 3D laser scanner with a range of 120 metres that can be used to create 3D digital models of buildings, structures, or other spaces. Students will now be able to capture buildings digitally, manipulate them using software, and then 3D print the building model for further analysis, as just one example of how this over $140,000 device (and other existing equipment) could be used. Other uses include surveying, forensic science, heritage and museum studies, game development, architecture, interior design, and building energy modelling.
  • Over $140,000 in equipment to upgrade the College’s Ciena Optophotonics lab. The lab contains a microcosm of the hardware and software infrastructure that makes modern telecommunications happen. This includes optical fiber communications at industry standard transmission rates counted in tens of Gigabits per second. “The equipment includes sophisticated electronics systems that will act as a live ‘window’ into the network to enable precise, real-time display of data flows and network performance” says Prof. Wahab Almuhtadi. With connections to several research networks, the equipment will enhance the applied research activities at the College by allowing faculty, students, and partners to test new equipment and to perform ‘data engineering’ studies aimed at improving the quality-of-service of their optical communications networks.
  • A digital microscope, and accompanying workstation and software, that identifies wood types. The microscope will allow students taking the Heritage Carpentry program in Perth to identify what type of wood they are working with when completing restorative work – no need to cut a sample from the piece! No other companies or organizations in Eastern or Southern Ontario have this microscope.

This equipment will be used to further the leading applied research being done at the College. Applied research unites students, employees, and real world clients to create products and solutions that address everyday challenges and result in new and innovative products and ideas. The equipment will arrive over the course of the summer and is expected to be ready to use during the fall term.

“This funding recognizes the strong opportunities for hands-on learning and the economic benefits provided by Applied Research at Algonquin College,” says Dr. Mark Hoddenbagh, Director, Applied Research and Innovation. “Our students, our employees, and our partners in the business community will benefit tremendously from the new research we can now carry out thanks to this new, cutting edge equipment. It will especially benefit our students by giving them hands-on exposure with the latest equipment in their fields of study. We are proud to be able to offer access to this leading edge equipment to our researchers and our faculty to enhance the learning outcomes for our students.”

The funding was recently announced by Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology), as part of several million dollars’ worth of funding given out to colleges across Canada under the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program. The CCI Program is managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

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For more information, please contact:

Phil Gaudreau Communications Officer, Algonquin College 613-220-7796 Email: gaudrep@algonquincollege.com

About Algonquin College – www.algonquincollege.com:

The mission of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is to transform hopes and dreams into skills and knowledge, leading to lifelong career success. Algonquin College does this by offering hands-on, digitally connected applied learning in over 185 programs. Based in Canada’s capital, the Ottawa Valley, and Saudi Arabia, Algonquin College is the largest polytechnic institute in Eastern Ontario with 18,000 full-time and 43,000 part-time and online registrants.

Are you interested in joining our Mechanical Engineering Technology student club?

The Mechanical Engineering Technology Club is geared towards competitions, design, entrepreneurship and professional networking and has been put together by students in the three-year Mechanical Engineering Technology program.

The first contest that is being put together by the club is a competition to see who can come up with the design for the most accurate and simple trebuchet. The competition will be held April 1, 2014 in the College’s gymnasium at 9:00am. Please don’t hesitate to contact Graham Falt or Sam Kelsey if you are interested in finding out more information.

The club is also looking for more members from any of the Engineering Technician or Technology programs at the College.

If you are interested in joining this club or finding out more information about the competition please contact Graham Falt (falt0003@algonquinlive.com) or Sam Kelsey (kels0023@algonquinlive.com).

Security Emergency Contact App takes top prize at Applied Research Day 11.2

New apps, trails, and other innovative products from the bright minds of Algonquin students were showcased at the Applied Research Day on December 3. Starting at 9:30 a.m., groups of students presented their projects in booths, many with hands on demonstrations for the public to see. Projects were judged by a panel and awards were given to the top three who showed an innovative solution to a common problem.

The first place prize was given to the Security Emergency Contact App, which was created by students Ryan Hughes, Nick Briglio, Alex van der Mout, Andre Drapeau, Gabriel Edwards and Keithton Li under the supervision of Professors Edmund Strange and Mel Sanschagrin. The app, created for Algonquin College Safety, Security & Emergency Management, uses GPS tracking on cell phones to alert campus security of persons in distress.

Second place was awarded to the KI Nature and Wellness Trail Signage and Development, a project created by Pembroke students Kate Ming-Sun and Ria Quik with Professors Ian Pineau and Cameron Dube. The group was tasked with designing physical activity and interpretive signage displaying the local history of the area and providing health and exercise tips along the trail (which was started as part of another Applied Research project!).

The third place prize went to PsychWizard Treatment/Response Monitoring, created by students Eric Llewellyn, Tamara Grbo, Riza Baltazar, Angela Kwok, Hamdan Al-Buhaisi and Abhishek Joshi with Professor Edmund Strange. The project aimed to take complex and sophisticated electronic health records to a computer, tablet, and smart phone, allowing them to update their medication and symptom changes prior to their next visit, and follow their treatment progress.

Applied Research Day is an event held at the College three times a year, and includes projects that are recognized on an international scale. Each unique project is designed to solve an every-day problem while creating a new product or service. Groups pair up with clients to create an innovation solution to a problem they have encountered within their business.

The event is an opportunity to acknowledge the hard work, dedication and creativity of Algonquin’s student body and showcase their achievements to the community and employers. Congratulations everyone on another successful day!