Enginuity Winter 2005 - The Schulich School of Engineering ...

enginuity
Winter 2005
www.schulich.ucalgary.ca
What’s In
A Name?
Seymour Schulich’s $25M
Donation Ushers in a New
Era and a New Name for
Engineering at the
University of Calgary.
PLUS:
Solar Cars Driving on
Sunshine & Becoming
World Champions!
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
and
Smart Health Care
Solutions in
Engineered Care
1

Dean’s Message
The Schulich School of Engineering has had astounding
success in the last two decades which culminated
when we reached the top three rank in Canada in
2004.
Table of
Contents:
Dean’s Message .......................................... 1
Around the SSE ............................................. 2
COVER: What’s in a Name? ..........................4
Renaming cont’d ...........................................5
Engineered Care .............................................6
Standing On Guard for Thee .........................7
Alumni Chapter ...............................................8
Students in the News ......................................9
@ CCIT: The Heart of the Matter ..................10
Engineering Excellence Awards .................11
New Director of Advancement ..................11
Soak up the Sun .............................................12
Solar Car cont’d. ...........................................13
Back Up Plan: Scoliosis Research ................14
W.I.S.E.: Meet the Dean ...............................15
Leader of Tomorrow ......................................15
enginuity Winter 2005
EDITOR
Kirk Thurbide, Manager of Communications
Schulich School of Engineering
PUBLISHER
Dr. S.C. Wirasinghe, Dean
Schulich School of Engineering
Dean's Office
Schulich School of Engineering
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 1N4
CONTRIBUTORS
Kirk Thurbide, Georgia Hasapes, University
of Calgary External Relations
Views expressed in Enginuity by guest
writers do not necessarily reflect the policy
of the Schulich School of Engineering or
the University of Calgary.
Enginuity © 2005, Schulich School of
Engineering and the Engineering Associates
Program, University of Calgary. All rights
reserved.
The editor reserves the right to select, edit
and position copy. Permission to reproduce
any part of this publication for commercial
purposes should be obtained by writing to
the editor at the above address.
Reproduction for other purposes should
acknowledge the source.
That achievement was recognized by Mr. Seymour
Schulich when he chose our school to be the first
engineering school in Canada to be named and
receive the highest ever benefaction of $50M.
I believe that the time is now optimal to seek new
leadership for the Schulich School of Engineering. Thus,
having served as Dean since January 1, 1994, it is now
time for me to step aside for the benefit of the School. I
will do so effective July 1, 2006.
I must thank President Murray Fraser posthumously for giving me the opportunity to
serve, and President Terry White as well as President Harvey Weingarten for extending
my term as Dean for the Second (5-year) and Third (3-year) terms respectively. Much
has been accomplished in
each term. I must also thank Provost and VP (Academic) Ron Bond for his continuous
support going back to when we were Dean’s together.
The Schulich School of Engineering has had, and continues to have, incredible
leadership among its Heads, Associate Deans as well as senior, junior academics and
staff. Our alumni and members of the Engineering Associates Program have given me
outstanding support. They have all, past and present, joined me in various selected
adventures on which I embarked the School, such as the new B.Sc. programs in Oil &
Gas Engineering and Software Engineering, the CCIT, the 10 Year Plan and the
“naming” to name but a few, and we are a great family. I hope that we will continue
to be completely united under new leadership.
I urge you to nurture and support this School in its totality. It is the flagship of the
University of Calgary and well on its way to be FIRST CHOICE for engineering
education and research in Canada. I wish our colleagues, the University of Calgary
and the Schulich School of Engineering outstanding success.
Sincerely,
S.C. Wirasinghe, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Around
the SSE
‣ Dr. Janet Ronsky was honoured with
the 2005 Alberta Women’s Science
Network’s (AWSN) Minerva
Mentoring Award. This award
recognizes her significant contribution
to mentoring females in the areas of
science, mathematics engineering
and technology.
Mr. Gerald Maier recieved an Honourary Degree and Mr.
‣ SSE Professors Drs. Shelley Lissel (Civil)
and Les Sudak (Mechanical &
Manufacturing) were winners of
Students’ Union ’04-’05 Teaching
Excellence Awards. Honourable
Arthur Dumont recieved the Order of the University of
Calgary at the June 10th Convocation Ceremony.
(L to R): Chancellor William Warren, Gerald Maier, Arthur
Dumont, SSE Dean S.C. Wirasinghe, President Harvey
Weingarten
mentions went to Drs. Norman Bartley
(Electrical & Computer), Lynne Cowe Falls
(Civil), and Ron Hugo (Mechanical & Manufacturing).
‣ In April, the SSE hosted Dr. A. Richard Newton, Dean, College of Engineering, UC Berkeley as part of the
Dean’s Annual Lecture Series. Dr. Newton’s lecture, “Great Works for the 21st Century: A Critical Role
for The Modern Research University” was very well received by a capacity audience of U of C Engineeirng
Alumni, engineering students, local engineering professionals, and Engineering Faculty members.
Photo Credit Stuart Gradon
2 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Schulich
Entrance
Scholarship
Recipients
1. Kevin Beary
2. Ryan Benty
3. Bradley Cooper
4. Christina De Rose
5. Luiz Del Nero
6. Danielle Derochie
7. Kevin Dorling
8. Carl Dyck
9. Ryan Edmonds
10. Heather Elliot
11. Daniel Ferguson
12. Cathy Giang
13. Kimberly Hanson
14. Brett Heintz
15. Audrey Kertesz
16. Madeline King
17. David Koleszar
18. Jennifer Kwong
19. Caitlin Logan
20. Catherine MacKinnon
21. Adarsh Madhavan
22. Lucas Makowsky
23. Andrew Maynard
24. Alex Novlesky
25. David Pesta
26. Matthew Reid
27. Maureen Saunders
28. Kyle Skea
29. Rabih Talih
30. Analie Tremblay
31. Melissa Vandekerckhove
32. Grant Paul Wiens
33. Melinda Yeoh
34. Colin Yuen
SSE First
Year Stats
‘05-’06
•1st Year Enrollment: 633
• 21 % Female, 79 % Male
•Average Entrance: 85.1%
SSE Dean, S.C. Wirasinghe, and graduate
Vicki Teskey at the June 10th Covocation
Ceremony.
Around the SSE
‣ 2005 APEGGA Summit Award recipients in the SSE, included Dr. Naser
El-Sheimy (Excellence in Education Award), and Drs. Nigel Shrive and
Janet Ronsky (AIF Research Excellence Award – as part of a team
conducting knee joint research). The annual awards event recognizes
remarkable individuals and corporate members for their accomplishments
in engineering, geology and geophysics.
‣ In May, the International Institute for Infrastructure Renewal and
Reconstruction (I 3 R 2 ) held a conference with seven other universities and
industry partners to discuss their role in rebuilding Sri Lanka and to agree on
initial plans and programs. A follow up conference was held in October
and Dean Wirasinghe will visit Sri Lanka in December.
‣ Dr. Alex De Visscher (Chemical & Petroleum) joined the SSE in May
2005 from Belgium as a CRC Tier 2 in Air Quality and Pollution Control
Engineering. Dr. De Visscher will be conducting environmental research
with CEERE.
‣ Professor Dieter Fritsch, Rector/President of Stuttgart University, along
with Dr. David Philips, Director of International Affairs, made an official
visit to the University of Calgary May 11 &12. Professor Fritsch is a specialist
in Geodesy and particularly in Photogrammetry and made a special
presentation of his research to the Department of Geomatics Engineernig.
‣ Dr. J.W. Haslett was inducted as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy
of Engineering at the CAE Annual General Meeting June 3 rd , 2005
‣ In June Dr. Chan Wirasinghe, Dean of the SSE, was named “Honorary Professor” in the Department of Civil Engineering
at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
‣ The SAE Mini Baja Off-Road Racing team completed their 2005 season with the SAE Mini Baja Midwest competition in
Dayton, Ohio (June 16th -19th). The Schulich School of Engineering Mini Baja team tied for 14th place in the 4 hour
endurance race and 26th overall at this year’s Midwest competition, making them the 2nd ranked Canadian car in the
endurance race and 3rd overall.
‣ SSE Alumnus Laura Lucier, one of five Canadian flight controllers working in mission control at the Johnson Space Center,
was monitoring data of the Discovery Shuttle to ensure the electrical, mechanical and software systems were working
properly.
‣ In August, Biomedical Engineering researchers Drs. Steven Boyd and Christopher Hunter each received research awards
from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) for their respective research in Osteoporosis and
Disc Tissue Engineering.
‣ Engineering Frosh Students raised the most money for Cystic Fibrosis and also won the Inter-Faculty Games during
U of C 101new student orientation.
‣ Dr. Christopher Hunter (Mechanical & Manufacturing) has been awarded the 2005 Ingenuity New Faculty Grant. His
application was amongst the top ten applications that were approved for funding.
‣ The SSE held 40 th Anniversary celebrations in September including an EAP Breakfast, a special edition of the Engineering
Faculty Council and a reception.
‣ Dr. Yang Gao (Geomatics) has been appointed Luojia Chair Professor of Wuhan University, China. The appointment will
further strengthen the academic collaboration between Wuhan University and the University of Calgary.
‣ At the November convocation ceremony, graduate student Jean Chen was awarded the Governor General’s Gold
Medal at the Mater’s Level. This is the second year in a row that a SSE graduate student has won this prestigious award.
‣ In October, Dr. Elizabeth Cannon was named to the Canada Foundation of Innovation (CFI) Board of Directors for a
three year term.
‣ Professors Gérard Lachapelle, Elizabeth Cannon, Adjunct Professor Richard Klukas, and Messrs. Sanjeet Singh and Rob
Watson have been selected as this year’s recipients of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute Casey Baldwin
Award for their paper entitled “Hardware Simulator Models and Methodologies for Indoor Performanc Assessment of
High Sensitivity Receivers.” This paper was done in collaboration with Spirent Communications (SW) Limited, U.K.
‣ The 6 th Annual Alberta BME Conference took place in Banff Oct. 21-23 with invited guests from Virgina, Washington and
Nova Scotia. Approximately 180 people attended the conference highlighting Alberta’s initiatives within the
Biomedical field.
‣ Dr. Frank Cheng (Mechanical & Manufacturing) joined the SSE as an Assistant Professor and CRC Chair in Pipeline
Engineering. Before joining the Department, he was a Research Scientist at the Centre of Nuclear Energy Research at
the University of New Brunswick.
‣ Dr. Simon Park (Mechanical & Manufacturing) was awarded the 2005 University of Calgary Young Innovator Award.
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
‣ Sherif S. Abdelatif Hassanien PhD Candidate, has been awarded Dean’s Special Doctoral Scholarship 2005/2006. He is
developing a stochastic approach using surrogate models for life cycle cost optimization of structural systems. Sherif
under the supervision of of Dr. Nigel Shrive.
3

Cover Story
Schulich, 65, is co-founder of Franco-
Nevada Mining Corporation,
chairman of Newmont Capital
Limited and director of Newmont
Mining Corp., the world’s largest
gold mining company. He is known
as one of Canada’s top individual
philanthropists, and has donated
more than $100 million to various
charitable organizations in the last
decade.
Seymour Schulich Has Students in Sight with Donation
ESS President, Mark Skovmose, talks with Engineering donor, Seymour Schulich.
What’s in a
Name?
On June 22 nd , 2005 the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Engineering took a
major step forward in its goal of becoming the leading engineering school
in Canada with the announcement of a record donation that will result in
dramatic improvements for engineering students beginning this fall.
More than 100 new scholarships, increased funding for field trips and
engineering clubs, three new research chairs and money to enhance
learning are all part of a $50-million contribution made to the Faculty of
Engineering – $25 million from Ontario philanthropist Seymour Schulich,
and a matching contribution of $25 million from the Government of
Alberta.
In recognition of the impact the donation will have on future generations
of engineers, the Faculty was named the Schulich School of Engineering.
Mr. Schulich is providing $25 million to the school, which will be matched
by the province’s new Access to the Future Fund, created in March to
encourage private sector donations that enhance and sustain access to
affordable and high-quality post-secondary learning opportunities.
“Advancing education is a shared responsibility and this substantial private
sector investment will go a long way to improve access and learning
opportunities for Alberta students,” said Premier Ralph Klein. “The Access
to the Future Fund was intended to provide seed money for innovations in
the post-secondary system as well as matching grants to stimulate private,
industry, corporate and other public contributions. This is one example of
the fund’s versatility and working as it was designed to do.”
Photo Credit: Stuart Gradon
His gift to the U of C will be used to
create engineering scholarships,
new research positions and
opportunities to further enhance
the student experience.
Schulich Scholarships
A total of 102 new scholarships have
been added as part of the
donation, which will greatly benefit
students.
“This donation is going to make a
huge difference because it will
help us retain and attract the very
best students and professors,”
commented SSE Dean, S.C.
Wirasinghe, on the impact of the
scholarships.
The scholarships breakdown is as
follows:
• 7 scholarships of $10,000 per year,
renewable over 3 years for
Calgary students based on
academic grades;
• 7 scholarships of $10,000 per year,
renewable over 3 years for
Calgary students based on
community service and
entrepreneurial achievements;
• 5 scholarships of $20,000 per year,
renewable over 3 years for
students from outside of Calgary
based on academic grades;
• 5 scholarships of $20,000 per year,
renewable over 3 years for
students from outside of Calgary
based on community service and
entrepreneurial achievements;
• 30 scholarships covering tuition
fees for one year for engineering
students
4 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Schulich Research Chairs
Additionally, the donation will also
help create 3 new research chairs
in Alternate Energy, Biomedical
Engineering, and Resevoir
Engineering.
The Schulich Alternate Energy
Chair aims to advance research
and development in wind energy
engineering or solar-energy
engineering. The work will likely
involve both experimentation and
modelling.
The goal of the Alvin Libin Chair in
Biomedical Engineering is to make
a significant contribution to the
improvement of safety and
quality of health care delivered to
Albertans through the SSE
“Engineered Care” initiative.
The Schulich Chair in Resevoir
Engineering and Geostatistics
Chair will be established in order
to develop improved techniques
for reservoir characterization,
geostatistical modelling and
visualization of hydrocarbon
recovery processes in particular,
and energy production processes
in general.
The new research chairs are each
supported with a minimum of
$150,000/year from the Schulich
donation with an additional
$150,000/ year from a matching
source.
“On every measure
and metric we
looked at, the Faculty
of Engineering at the
University of Calgary
has all the attributes
and hallmarks of a
great Canadian
educational and
engineering
research institution.”
- Seymour Schulich
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Better Student Experience
Mr. Schulich was very impressed
with our students and wanted to
ensure that there would be a
direct benefit for them as part of
his benefaction. As such, the
donation has alloted the
following funds to enhance
student activity in the Schulich
School of Engineering:
• $200,000 per year towards
covering expenses related to
engineering student field trips;
• $200,000 per year towards
supporting the activities of
student clubs, teams and
associations related to
engineering;
• Up to $500,000 per year to be
spent on expenses such as
student job placement, fund
raising, recruiting personnel,
course development and
learning materials.
Mark Skovmose, ESS President felt
the money would have a
tremendous positive impact for
students.
“With the support of Mr. Schulich
and the Government of Alberta, we
as students, feel confident that we
will be able to achieve greatness
for ourselves, for the SSE, for the
U of C, and for the Province of
Alberta.”
Reaction to the Donation
Reactions to the donation have
been very positive from the
University and Engineering
industry/community. Following the
announcement Dean Wirasinghe
received numerous letters of
congratulations.
“The University of Calgary is indebted to you for
bringing such recognition to your faculty.”
-Linda Black, University Legal Counsel
“I’d especially like to thank Mr. Schulich and the
Government of Alberta for donating the money
that made all this possible.”
-Kevin Dorling, Entrance Scholarship Recipient
“...other schools were considered for the honour
and donation but YOU were the successful one.”
- Noel Cleland, Associates Program Member
“This is a wonderful and spectacular win for the
University of Calgary and the Engineering
school.”
- J.E. Newall, Newall and Associates
“Congratulations to all the team who have been
instrumental in creating the ‘powerhouse’ that
Seymour Schulich saw fit to receive his $25 million
benefaction.”
- Dr. Mike Goss, Retired Professor
“This accomplishment is so very monumental and
impressive.”
- Donna Ferrara-Kerr, Chancellor’s Club
“The injection of $50 million into the faculty will
help you a lot as you move forward to become
Canada’s leading Faculty.”
- Dr. Ted Rhodes, Former Engineering Dean
“You should be congratulated on the biggest
feat in Canadian University Engineering = $50M.”
- Dr. Edward Krakiwsky, Professor Emeritus
A New Era in Engineering
President Weingarten, Mr. Seymour Schulich and ESS President, Mark Skovmose,
celebrate at the June 22nd donation announcement.
5
Photo Credit: Stuart Gradon

Research
was created to help facilitate
their work and accelerate
collaboration between the
University and Region.
“This area of research is truly
exciting, considering the potential
benefits to the partners and the
patients,” said Dr. Josh Leon,
Head of the Department Electrical
and Computer Engineering.
“Improving quality of life for
Albertans, demonstrating research
leadership and creating potential
commercial spin-offs are all
positives that will come from this
partnership.”
Photo Credit Ken Bendiktsen
Smart Technology
Stephanie Dean wears a smart band-aid, a wireless temperature monitor.
Engineered
Care
(Reprinted courtesty of University of Calgary External Relations)
In July, the University of Calgary and the Calgary Health Region
announced a partnership to research and develop new concepts and
technologies that will improve patient care and create safer health
care environments with a new generation of wireless medical devices
that will eventually be “built in” to the Region’s new South Health
Campus.
An initiative of the Centre for Bioengineering Research and Education
(CBRE), Engineered Care’s unique partnership between frontline
healthcare workers and electrical and computer engineers vaults the
University and Region into the forefront of healthcare technology.
“New techniques and devices created by these teams will have a
direct impact on patient safety,” said Dr. John Conly, Regional Clinical
Department Head of Medicine, Calgary Health Region and the U of C’s
Faculty of Medicine. “Innovations such as systems and sensors capable
of real-time monitoring of vital signs and movement, on-demand drug
delivery systems and continuous blood and fluid analysis will be built
into the Region’s South Health Campus and future health care
facilities.”
The Engineered Care initiative brings together a multi-disciplinary team
of researchers from science, engineering and medicine. The initiative
New technologies include:
• a smart band-aid or wireless
temperature system which is
placed on the patient’s temple
to continuously monitor the
patient’s body temperature and
send the information wirelessly in
real time to the nursing station
• a sensor that continuously
measures patient heart rate and
blood oxygenation sending the
data wirelessly to the nursing
station.
• remote sensors that promote
healing as well as read and
transfer information on blood
characteristics to computers,
which analyze the information
in real time
• “smart” bed sensors that trigger
an alarm at a nursing station
when a patient moves outside
of a programmed space to
alert the health care team
when a patient may be in
danger of falling
• “micro-machined” needles that
deliver medications or extract
fluids by precisely penetrating
the skin above the layer of
nerve endings, eliminating the
painful insertion of traditional
“hollow” needles
As the new technologies are
further developed, they will be
thoroughly tested on the Medical
Ward of the 21st Century, Unit 36
at the Foothills Medical Centre.
6 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Alumni Profile
Defensive Engineering
Alumnus Deborah Ng (Geo ‘99) Working Hard for the Department of National Defence
Standing On
Guard For Thee
By Kirk Thurbide
You will have 30 seconds before this message self-destructs. In talking
with Deborah Ng (Geo ’99) I have learned that there is a sensitive
nature surrounding the details of her work and for good reason, she
works for the Department of National Defence. My only fear is that I
now know too much.
A product of the Department of Geomatics Engineering, Deborah
completed her undergraduate degree in 1999 before moving onto a
Masters in Physics and Space Science (Data-fusion) from the Royal
Military College in 2002. She worked for Natural Resources Canada in
the Earth Sciences Sector as a Geomatics Engineer while studying parttime
until 2001.
Today Deborah is a Systems Engineer, Department of National Defence,
DND ADM (IM) Ottawa-Hull, working in the Engineering and Technical
Support to Military Operations. Currently working in RF communications
and design in electronic warfare applications. This includes some
research and development, prototype development and testing.
Deborah recognizes that her geomatics education gives her a unique
skill set to bring to her team.
“The other members of my team come from a strong Electrical
Engineering or DSP background (digital signal processing) but my
Geomatics Engineering background lets me bring different skills to the
table, for example GPS, GIS and satellite imaging, and RF propagation
modeling.”
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Photo Courtesy of Deborah Ng
Deborah maintains a strong
connection to the engineering
industry outside of work as well,
currently serving as the Director of
the Ottawa chapter of the
Professional Engineers of Ontario
(PEO). She is an active member of
the PEO Events and Programs
Committee, and the new chair of
the Education, Outreach and
Awards Committee. Additionally,
she gives back to her Alma Mater,
participating in the SCIberMENTOR
program at U of C for Women in
Science and Engineering.
Born and raised in Calgary,
Alberta, knowing the Engineering
program was quite strong made
the University of Calgary an easy
choice for Deborah, but
engineering wasn’t her only area
of academic interest.
“To be honest when I first applied
to the U of C I actually applied to
go into Nursing and was already
accepted, but I changed my
mind and applied to the Faculty
of Engineering in time to choose
my courses for first year. I think
both careers would be very
rewarding in different ways” says
Ng of her decision on which
degree to pursuit “I wanted to go
into a field that offered a stable
and profitable career after
graduation, but also where I
could contribute to society and
make the world a better place. I
always look at the human side of
things.”
Deborah seems like a natural fit in
the engineering field, but would
like to dispel any myths that the
profession is boring.
“I have many more exciting
adventures ahead of me. I hope
that many more young students
will know that the field of
Engineering is quite broad and
there are no boundaries where
your job or your global travels will
take you.”
7

Alumni Chapter
2005 Engineering
Alumni Excellence
Award
The Schulich School of Engineering was
honoured to present Mr. Ian Herring with the
inaugural Engineering Alumni Excellence
Award.
Engineering Alumnus Honoured
Ian Herring is the inaugural recipient of the Engineering Alumni
Excellence Award
6th Annual ESS President’s
Dinner
On October 27, 2005 the 6th Annual ESS Presidents Dinner
was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Calgary. Bringing
together ESS Presidents past and present is an important
event, as SSE Alumni Manager Pam Bergsteinssen explains.
“The event is an excellent way for the Schulich School of
Engineering to connect with its alumni. These individuals, as
past ESS Presidents, have provided excellent leadership to
our student body. They have helped shape our school and
and our engineering student culture, so we are very happy
to maintain a close relationship with such a dynamic and
impacting group.”
SSE Alumni Chapter to
Open Hong Kong Branch
In December, the SSE Alumni Chapter opened its
association to a new Hong Kong Branch. The Hong Kong
branch was established due to a growing number of
alumni in the region. The Founding Chair of the branch will
be H.K. William Lam (MSC Civil ‘81).
Ian Herring is truly an outstanding alumnus of
the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of
Engineering. Not only have his professional
and personal lives been great successes, but
his volunteer efforts are also especially
noteworthy, particularly his work with the
University of Calgary and the Schulich School
of Engineering.
Mr. Herring holds an MEng (1979) and BSc (1972)
with Distinction both in Chemical Engineering
from the University of Calgary. He is a
registered Professional Engineer in Alberta with
over 33 years of experience in the domestic
and international oil and gas industry. He has
been a Director of the Canadian Petroleum
Institute since 2003 and has undertaken
considerable volunteer activity at the
University of Calgary as noted below:
• Member of Engineering Associates Program
since 1992.
• Founding Chair of the U of C Engineering
Alumni Chapter (1997 – 2000)
• Past Chair Engineering Internship Advisory
Council (1997/8)
• Director of U of C Alumni Board (2000 to
present)
• Chair, Chapters & Branches Committee of
U of C Alumni Board (2004/5)
• U of C Chancellor’s Search Committee
Member (2005/6)
“He is so involved with the University and is a
great example of what our engineering alumni
give back to us,” said Pamela Bergsteinsson,
SSE Manager of Industry & Alumni Relations, of
Mr. Herring’s award, “He has been a terrific
ambassador for us and was very influential in
the establishment of our Engineering Alumni
Chapter.”
The Schulich School of Engineering has more
than 10,000 alumni in 84 countries around the
globe.
8 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Getting into the Rhythm
PhD student Dijana Popovic is developing algorhythms to aid in
breast cancer detection.
Making Waves
Dijana Popovic, currently in her 3rd year of PhD studies, is
the 2005 recipient of the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial
Scholarship. The award will go a long way in helping Dijana
with her research into Breast Cancer Detection.
Popovic is developing algorithms that will increase the
accuracy and the specificity of the Tissue Sensing Adaptive
Radar (TSAR) system for microwave detection of early
breast tumours. The system is being developed by an
electromagnetics group in the Department of Electrical
and Computer Engineering, run by Drs. Michal Okoniewski
and Elise Fear.
TSAR operation is based on the significant contrast in
electrical properties that exists between the normal and
diseased breast tissue. A number of antennas are scanned
around the breast to produce an image and localize the
tumours, if present. In comparison to X-ray mammography,
the TSAR system does not involve compression of the breast
and exposure to ionizing radiation, while providing better
accuracy due to the high electrical contrast between
tissues.
The process appears to have the potential to detect very
small tumors. It is expected that the TSAR equipment will be
significantly less expensive than some alternatives, such as
MRI and nuclear medicine methods; and safety is also a
benefit since the power of the radar pulses used in imaging
are less than those generated by cell phones.
Around the SSE Cont’d.
Popovic was also awarded the Killam -
Donald N. Byers Prize for submitting the best
statement of program of studies and research.
Big Thinking on Small
Scale Solutions
CMC Microsystems held their Annual
Symposium on Thursday, October 13 th in
Ottawa to explore the opportunities and
challenges presented by microsystems
integration. This year, Schulich School of
Engineering graduate students Lee Hartley and
Holly Pekau each took home awards in
different categories. Four awards were given
out from forty-one entries from across Canada.
Lee Hartley, supervised by Dr. Karen Kaler, took
home the newly added Integration Award for
his presentation on ‘Active pixel sensing &
glass microfluidics via flip-chip-on-glass hybrid
integration’. This research could lead to
disease diagnosis via computer chips. The
award recognizes the demonstration of the
most effective multi-technology and/or multidisciplinary
Microsystems project.
Also taking home an award was Holly Pekau,
supervised by Dr. James Haslett, for her
presentation of a novel sub-sampling RF front
end for next generation wireless digital radio.
The DALSA Corporation Award recognizes
novel use of microelectronic components or
microsystems.
Imed Zine El-Abidine, supervised by Dr. Michal
Okoniewski, received an honourable mention
for his presentation.
The awards are intended to be used to further
the winner’s education or training related to
microsystems.
The Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarships are open
for competition among Ph.D. students , with approximately
nine awards made annually to the top ranking students.
The award is valued at $25,000 per annum and includes a
$3000 research allowance. The award has the potential for
a second year of funding and will certainly benefit Popovic.
“I don’t have to worry about money for living expenses,”
says Popovic of the finanacial benefits of the award. “The
research money will also be extremely useful for purchasing
computer hardware.”
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
9

@ CCIT
activated. White blood cells come to battle
the problem; however they are unable to
eliminate the deposited fat. Instead, the LDL’s
are engulfed by the blood cells and
accumulate, forming a plaque. This plaque is
basically an inward bulge in the artery wall
that restricts blood flow. When a plaque
ruptures, a heart attack or stroke occurs.
Rinker notes that heart disease typically only
occurs in arteries that exhibit low levels of
shear stress, or flow recirculation. Two
common examples are the carotid artery in
the neck and the coronary arteries surrounding
the heart. Due to the relationship between the
disease and blood flow, the research team is
exploring the differences in cells exposed to
low, high, and complex fluid flows in hopes of
identifying some of the main culprits involved
in disease susceptibility.
Investigating the Heart
Dr. Kristina Rinker and Research Associate Robert Shepherd in the
CCIT Cell & Tissue Lab
@ CCIT:
The Heart of
the Matter
By: Georgia A. Hasapes
Spending the last few months moving from Colorado,
finding a house in Calgary and setting up a new lab in the
Calgary Centre for Innovative Technology (CCIT) has kept
Dr. Kristina Rinker’s schedule quite full, but it was the
perfect opportunity to accelerate her cardiovascular
research efforts and join the Department of Chemical and
Petroleum Engineering as one of the first four faculty hired
through funds provided by the Centre for Bioengineering
Research and Education.
Dr. Rinker has established a Cellular and Molecular
Bioengineering Research Laboratory (CMBRL) to investigate
the effects of certain forces inside human arteries. The
research combines engineering principles with cell and
molecular biology and biochemistry to investigate the
development of heart disease. The group focuses on cells
that make up the lining of artery walls, known as the
endothelial cells, to conduct their experiments.
Their experimental systems target the
endothelial cells in models of the vascular
environment.
“These cells are the gate-keepers to the inner
artery and are responsible for sending out the
signals to the immune system,” states Rinker,
“By manipulating blood fluid flow in our
systems to mimic the different patterns of
blood moving through arteries, responses are
generated that can be used to describe the
state of the cells.”
The results of these kinds of experiments are
important for understanding how heart
disease forms and progresses, because they
can lead to potential new treatments. By
understanding the relationship between
endothelial cells and their environment, it may
be possible to develop methods to switch off
the endothelial signals to the immune system.
This would interrupt the disease process in its
initial stages.
As the prevalence of heart disease continues
to rise, Dr. Rinker’s research team hopes to
identify targets that exhibit potential for these
new treatments.
In the mean time, incorporating a diet that is
low in saturated fat and exercising can help
reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
*Always consult with your physician prior to
making any changes to your current lifestyle.
When low-density lipo-proteins (LDLs) accumulate and
oxidize in the artery wall, the immune system becomes
10 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Around the SSE
Distinguished Lifetime Service Award
•Dr. K-P Schwartz: The 2 nd Head of the
Department of Geomatics Engineering, Dr.
Schwartz provided leadership and ensured
that the Department continued to prosper in
difficult times. A faculty member since July 1,
1982, Dr. Schwartz is currently a Professor
Emeritus in Geomatics Engineering.
Collaborative Thinking
Dr. L.J. Hahn, recipient of the inaugural Distinguished Collaborator
Award, accepts the award from SSE Dean, S.C. Wirasinghe, and Dr.
Rangaraj Rangayyan
Engineering Excellence
In June, the Schulich School of Engineering Faculty
Excellence Awards were handed out. This year the
“Distinguished Collaborator Award” and “Graduate
Education Awards” were added to the list of honours.
Award winners are listed below.
Schulich School of Engineering Excellence
Teaching Excellence Award – Dr. S. Boyd
Research Excellence Award – Dr. N. El-Sheimy
Service Excellence Award – Dr. M. Kallos
Service Excellence Award – Dr. S. Lissel
Service Excellence Award – Dr. S. Skone
Graduate Education Award – Dr. A. Chu
Graduate Education Award – Dr. A. Sessay
Graduate Education Award – Dr. G. Lachapelle
Departmental Teaching Excellence
Dr. L. Cowe Falls – Civil Engineering
Dr. S. Boyd – Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering
Dr. M. Fattouche – Electrical & Computer Engineering
Dr. A. Sen – Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Dr. K. O’Keefe – Geomatics Engineering
Distinguished Collaborator Award
•Dr. L.J. Hahn: A Senior Consulting Medical
Physicist in the Department of Diagnostic
Imaging since 1987, Dr. Hahn has been an
Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering since
1998.
New Director of
Advancement
In September, Vincent Duckworth joined the
Dean’s Office as the new Director of
Advancement for the Schulich School of
Engineering.
Vincent has over ten years of experience in
educational advancement recently serving as
the Executive Director of Development and
Alumni Affairs for the Faculty of Medicine and
Dentistry at the University of Alberta.
Additionally, Vincent led a two-year $14 million
fundraising campaign which closed at $24
million for NAIT. Vincent began his fundraising
career as the Director of Development and
Alumni Relations for the Faculty of Engineering
at the University of Alberta.
Vincent has his professional fundraising
credential, CFRE, and holds a B.Sc. in
Mechanical Engineering from the University of
Alberta.
Departmental Research Excellence
Dr. R. Wan – Civil Engineering
Dr. M. Epstein – Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering
Dr. O. Yadid-Pecht – Electrical & Computer Engineering
Dr. P. Pereira Almao – Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Dr. N. El-Sheimy – Geomatics Engineering
Donna Geekie Service Award
•Heather Herring: Among numerous other initiatives, one of
Heather’s hallmarks was her integral role in the construction
of the CCIT.
•Ella Gee: Ella has provided 20 years of dedicated service
to the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, and
has been the department’s Graduate Studies Administrator
for 15 of those years.
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
New Addition
Vincent Duckworth is looking to take Advancement to
new heights at the Schulich School of Engineering.
11

Students - International
Photo Credit: Stuart Gradon
Driving Om Sunshine
‘Soleon’ crosses the finish line, at the University of Calgary, in the North American Solar Car Challenge on July 27.
Soak up the Sun
It has been an exciting and extremely busy year for the Schulich School
of Engineering’s ‘Soleon’ Solar Car Team. Dedicated to the realization
of the University of Calgary’s first solar car, the ‘Soleon’ Team worked
diligently on first compiling an extremely comprehensive multidisciplinary
team, then building the car, then racing their finished
product. From concept to completion, the ‘Soleon’ team showed
tremendous initiative and determination in building their solar car.
The fruits of their labour were soon realized as they set out on their first
two races, the North American Solar Car Challenge and the World Solar
Challenge. These two endeavours garnered the best rookie finish in the
North American Solar Car Challenge (with the team placing 13 th ) and
ultimately would see ‘Soleon’ as world champions, placing first in the
production class with a 10 th place overall finish in the World Solar
Challenge.
“The team is happy but by no means surprised,” said Garett Brett, Soleon
Business Manager, of the team’s accomplishments, “… by the time the
core team was working together day in and day out we all knew that
we were a force to be reckoned with. ”
The ‘Soleon’ Solar Car project showed a true multi-disciplinary flare with
team contingents from engineering, business, biomechanics, computer
science, biological science, psychology, and journalism. Two faculty
advisors from Engineering helped
oversee the project, while media
representatives from University of
Calgary External Relations and
CFCN Television also helped
provide great coverage of the
team. Brett agreed that support
and contribution were integral
to the team’s success.
“We owe a significant portion of
our success to our sponsors ...
they all have been very necessary
contributors to our success.”
So what is next for ‘Soleon’?
“When [the car] returns it will be
retired from racing and may be
used for some events in the near
future. Soleon, the team, is in a
transition process and is looking for
new members and ideas as we
gear up for building a 2 nd iteration
U of C vehicle ready to showcase
Calgary technology and energy as
the best in the world.”
12 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Home Team Advantage
By Greg Harris
A jubilant University of Calgary
solar car team crossed the finish
line on their home campus on July
27th to cap a 4,000-kilometre,
nine-month odyssey.
The rookie team finished the North
American Solar Challenge in 13th
place and was the second fastest
Canadian entry behind the
University of Waterloo. Twelfth
place Auburn University held a 45-
minute advantage at the start of
today’s leg, too much for U of C
to overcome in the 290-kilometre
distance.
“It would have been nice to
crack the top 10, but we’re proud
of what we’ve been able to
accomplish in nine months,” said
Rashaad Sader, the project
manager. “And the welcome
home has been absolutely
amazing. I couldn’t believe all the
people who came out to cheer us
home.”
Hundreds of Albertans turned out
along the highway near the
bigger towns, such as Brooks and
Strathmore. From the outskirts of
Calgary, thousands lined the
busier intersections to catch a
glimpse of the raycers. Bringing it
home, the crowd at the University
of Calgary was estimated at
10,000.
First place went to the University
of Michigan (53:59:43), Soleon’s
time was 61:15:43.
World Champions!
By Greg Harris
Chalk up another continent and
3,000 kilometres for the little solarpowered
car from the University of
Calgary.
Soleon , racing in its first
Panasonic World Solar Challenge,
finished first in its Production-class
category and 10 th overall after
surging past a struggling Belgian
car on the final day of racing. The
U of C convoy drove the final 75
kilometres to the Adelaide finish
line proudly flying a full-sized
Canadian flag from its lead
vehicle.
Team members ran alongside
Soleon past the checkered flag,
as boisterous students from other
solar car teams applauded. Nuna
3, from the Netherlands won the
race 1st overall.
“We came for the experience, but
we came away with so much
more,” said Soleon team
member Colby Bell.
Over the full 3,021-kilometre
distance, the car averaged 63.9
km/h, finishing in 47 hours, 15
minutes.
Geomatics Supports Solar
Car Race
Keeping track of 28 solar cars in a
4000 km race is a daunting task
but Schulich School of
Engineering’s Department of
Geomatics Engineering helped
provide a solution.
A mobile asset management
system development engine,
known as iVCAMS3 and
developed by Dr. Yang Gao’s
Positioning and Mobile
Information Systems Group (PMIS),
has been used to support the 2005
North America Solar Challenge
(NASC) – the longest solar car
race in the world.
In partnership with CSI Wireless
Inc, all solar cars will be equipped
with CSI-built Asset-Link tracking
systems while UofC-developed
iVCAMS3 will support real-time
tracking and monitoring of all
race cars. Integrated with satellite
navigation (GPS), geospatial
information (GIS) and wireless
communication
technologies, iVCAMS3 will help
event organizers ensure the safety
and security of the solar cars and
their drivers, and enable solar car
fans to view the cars’ locations
via Internet.
Faculty advisor Josh Leon, said
Soleon’s performance was
exceptional.
“Minor troubles on our first two
days slowed us down. We finished
fourth or fifth in most of the other
legs. The team should be proud of
this race.”
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
World Champions!
Soleon team members pose with their solar car in Austrailia after a first place finish in
the production class and 10th overall in the World Solar Challenge
13
Photo Courtesy of UofC External Relations

Photo Credit: Stuart Gradon
Research
Braced for Success
Graduate Student Daniel Visser designs custom-built braces for people suffering from
scoliosis.
Back Up Plan
U of C researchers at the Calgary Centre for Innovative Technology
(CCIT) are collaborating with doctors and staff at the Alberta Children’s
Hospital (ACH) on a non-invasive, portable, 3D imaging system to
diagnose and monitor scoliosis in patients. This imaging system would
allow doctors to do more accurate testing of patients in less time and
allow patients to avoid potentially harmful x-rays during their treatment.
The researchers are also using new imaging technology to produce
customized torso braces for patients, which are used to keep mild cases
of scoliosis from progressing. Currently, standard, pre-made braces
don’t fit well enough on an estimated 40 per cent of patients and
therefore are not as effective as they could be.
Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine. A normal spine curves slightly
backward at the chest and slightly forward at the abdomen with no
lateral curving. Scoliosis involves an exaggerated, C- or S-shaped lateral
curvature of the spine associated with deformity of the ribs and
asymmetry of the trunk. While a majority of cases can be treated
effectively if detected early, severe cases that are neglected can
progress dramatically, causing pain, osteoarthritis, physical deformities
or potentially lethal complications, such as heart and lung problems.
Currently, scoliosis patients typically go for x-rays twice a year so doctors
can monitor the condition. However, this means patients are exposed
to a lot of radiation and the risk
of cancer. Instead of multiple x-
rays, a multidisciplinary group of
Calgary engineering, kinesiology
and medical researchers are
digitally imaging patients’ torsos
using an optical scanning system
and a 3D stereo radiographic
reconstruction technique. These
two technologies provide doctors
with more detail of the deformity.
“When you look at the X-ray film,
you may think that scoliosis is just
a lateral deformity of the spine,
with the spine going to the left or
to the right. However, it is actually
a three-dimensional
deformation,” says CCIT
researcher and U of C
postdoctoral fellow Dr. Philippe
Poncet, who is working on the
project with Dr. James Harder of
the Alberta Children’s Hospital; Dr.
Janet Ronsky, the Schulich School
of Engineering’s Canada
Research Chair in Biomedical
Engineering; Dr. Ron Zernicke,
Faculty of Kinesiology; and several
other U of C professors and
students as well as doctors and
staff at the Alberta Children’s
Hospital.
Testing of the new methods has
been underway since 1997. As a
part of the project, the U of C
researchers have scanned about
100 patient torsos at the Alberta
Children’s Hospital.
To date, the Calgary research
team has been able to estimate
the deformity of the spine with an
accuracy of about 10 degrees for
95 per cent of the patients and
within 5 degrees on two-thirds of
the patients.
“What we are working on now is
optimizing the technology to
further improve the accuracy,”
says Poncet. “To use it as a clinical
tool, it needs to be even more
accurate, but we are close to
what the doctors need.”
14 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

W.I.S.E.: Meet the
Dean
On September 14 th approximately 150 first year
female engineering students participated in
the Schulich School’s annual Meet the Dean
Night. This evening is special to the school
because it provides an opportunity for
incoming female engineering students to
become aware of the many programs and
services available to them throughout their
academic careers.
The students were given a special welcome by
Dr. Chan Wirasinghe, Dean of the Schulich
School of Engineering.
“In Engineering, we are a group that is
naturally diverse and you are a big part of
that,” said Dean Wirasinghe to the group of
first year female engineering students.
Additionally, students were introduced to Dr.
Josephine Hill, Chair of the Gender and
Diversity in Engineering Committee and a
number of female faculty members, as well as
representatives from the WISE undergraduate
student club.
“Events such as this are a great opportunity for
our female students to have a chance to
meet one another and learn about the
resources that are available to them,”
commented Dr. Josephine Hill on the
importance of Women in Engineering events.
Overall this event is a very fun and informal
way to welcome first year female students to
the Schulich School of Engineering.
Connecting with Students
Engineering Professor, Josephine Hill (second from left),
chats with female engineering students about the
opportunities available to them.
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Leader of Tommorow
Electrical and
Computer Engineering
Graduate Student, Ryan
Schneider, was
recognized with the
Leaders of Tomorrow
Award at the recent
ASTech Awards gala.
The 28-year-old
investigated a
technology to
accelerate computer
simulation to assist
diverse areas of
research, from
developing new cancer
diagnostic tools to
building better washing
machines.
Recognizing a huge
market for such a tool
Taking the Lead
ECE Graduate Student, Ryan
Schneider, winner of the ASTech
Learders of Tommorow Award
Students
in both industry and academia, Schneider co-founded his
own company in 2004 with another student and their
faculty supervisors. Schneider led a team of eight engineers
and software developers to bring the company’s first
product to market in less than 12 months.
His company’s flagship product is a family of flexible
hardware accelerators that can be plugged into a
computer to vastly improve performance. This specialpurpose
hardware transforms problems that would require
hours on a supercomputer into simulations that can be
completed in minutes on a modified desktop.
In Alberta, university researchers are using product
developed by Schnieder’s company to develop new
technologies for breast cancer detection and petroleum
engineers are investigating some technology for reservoir
simulation. Engineers from international companies such as
Motorola and Nokia are applying the company’s
technology in the development of modern wireless
devices, which can reduce the time it takes to complete a
complex simulation of a cellphone next to a user’s head –
to assess safety – from several hours to a few minutes.
In addition to all of this, Schneider, 28, is also president of a
high-performance computing provider he launched seven
years ago and ran while completing his undergraduate
and Master’s degrees. In his “spare time,” Schneider is
continuing his work in the Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering to complete his PhD.
15
Photo Courtesy of ASTech

THE SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
CELEBRATES THE ‘SOLEON’ SOLAR CAR TEAM
‘SOLEON’ SOLAR CAR TEAM
Rashaad Sader, Project Manager, Schulich School of Engineering
Colby Bell, Mechanical Manager, Schulich School of Engineering
Ryan Biffard, Electrical Manager, Schulich School of Engineering
Garett Brett, Business/Logistics Manager, Haskayne School of Business
Sean Hum, Race Engineer/Strategist, Schulich School of Engineering
Patrick Walsh, Manufacturing Manager, Schulich School of Engineering
Murtaza Amirali, Driver, Faculty of Science – Biology
Chad Erven, Driver, Schulich School of Engineering
Florence Hum, Driver, Alumni – Schulich School of Engineering
Natalie Panek, Driver, Schulich School of Engineering
Kyle Rebryna, Driver, Faculty of Science -Geology
Laurie Heilman Bell, Education/Communications Manager
Craig Boris, Batteries, Schulich School of Engineering
Jonathan Groen, Photographer,Faculty of Fine Arts
BJ Houghton, Geomatics, Schulich School of Engineering
Chris Tait, Gauntlet Jounalist
Shawn Zwierzchowski, Array, Schulich School of Engineering
Dan Fantini, Staff, Schulich School of Engineering
Joanna Desjardins, Ergonomics, Schulich School of Engineering
Taylor Oetelaar, Aerodynamics, Schulich School of Engineering
Adam Taylor, Chassis, Schulich School of Engineering
Lindsey Westover, Aerodynamics, Schulich School of Engineering
Travis Klassen, Suspension Lead, Schulich School of Engineering
Rob Sherwood, Brakes, Schulich School of Engineering
Andrew Meyer, Human Factors, Faculty of Psychology
Hunter Mau, Brake Team Lead, Schulich School of Engineering
Laura Wall, Brakes, Schulich School of Engineering
Dana Stovel, Brakes, Schulich School of Engineering
Sean Osis, Ergonomics/Human Factors, Faculty of Kinesiology
Russell Edworthy, Chassis, Schulich School of Engineering
Mike Orosz, Steering Team Lead, Schulich School of Engineering
Denis Ho, Steering, Schulich School of Engineering
Santiago Bernal, Egress, Schulich School of Engineering
Michael Beck, Steering, Schulich School of Engineering
Andrew Ramler, Steering, Schulich School of Engineering
Raheem Bardai, Driver/Aerodynamics, Schulich School of Engineering
Karen Cheung, Marketing, Haskayne School of Business
Karen Ho, Marketing, Haskayne School of Business
Mark Warkentin, Marketing, Haskayne School of Business
Kent Vuong, Programming, Schulich School of Engineering
Richard Chan, Programming, Schulich School of Engineering
Rodlfo Peon, Instrumentation, Schulich School of Engineering
Bobby Randhawa, Wireless, Schulich School of Engineering
Andre Genereux, Power Systems, Schulich School of Engineering
Ganesh Doluweera, Power Systems, Schulich School of Engineering
Evan Ross, Instrumentation, Schulich School of Engineering
Dave Cheung, Wireless, Schulich School of Engineering
Egor Reentov, Power Systems, Schulich School of Engineering
David Ku, Solar Power, Schulich School of Engineering
Connie Wang, Instrumentation, Schulich School of Engineering
Danny Phan, Solar Power, Schulich School of Engineering
James Snell, Embedded Systems, Department of Computer Science
Chris Dennison, Battery Systems, Schulich School of Engineering
Paul Gill, Instrumentation, Schulich School of Engineering
Jared Bancroft, Geomatics, Schulich School of Engineering
Will Leung, Software, Schulich School of Engineering
Bryan Litorco, Software, Department of Computer Science
Daniel Cook, Geomatics, Schulich School of Engineering
Greg Harris, Media Relations, U of C External Relations
Josh Leon PEng, Faculty Advisor, Schulich School of Engineering
Daryl Caswell PEng, Faculty Advisor, Schulich School of Engineering
WORLD CHAMPIONS!
World Solar Challenge - Sept. 2005
BEST ROOKIE FINISH EVER!
North American Solar Challenge - July 2005
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: ENC 202, Dean’s Office - Schulich School of Engineering,
University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, AB. T2N 1N4 - Phone: (403) 220-5738.
40064590
16 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY