4 More than one hundred years of Winter 2013 Engineering teaching and research excellence Dal’s Olympic Connection Alumni de Jonge and Giles share their shining moments Partnering for Innovation Steve Corbin and Pratt & Whitney Canada work to improve aircraft manufacturing Faculty of Engineering engineering.dal.ca 2 Engineering I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in and Mark de Jonge support of your future colleagues: On top of the world our current students. We again saw a record number of new students begin this fall, as our total student popula- tion now approaches 2100. As you can imagine, we are squeezed for space but buoyed by the prospect of a new building – the first major new construction on Sexton Cam- pus since 1968. Our proposed building will be entirely student focused with state-of-the-art teaching labs, flexible design space, and lots of room for stu- dents to meet, study or just hang out. We have already had some very generous contributions from both indi- vidual alumni and companies alike, but we are still a long way from our cam- paign goals. We have momentum and I am confident that we will fund this project over the next twelve months. Some of the milestones we expect to reach this year are to see 10% of our professors with endowed or How do you make new friends when might expect, there were times when he externally funded research chairs, to you move more than halfway across found it difficult to balance his studies have 30% of our graduate students Canada? Mark de Jonge (BEng‘09) took with the sport. enrolled in our Ph.D. programs and to up kayaking. “The national team training program surpass $12M in research funding – It was shortly after his family relocated required me to train in Florida for one another positive sign of our growth. to Halifax from Calgary in 1997 that month every semester, in November and Dr. Joshua Leon, P.Eng. de Jonge took up the sport, frequenting March. The team trained in Florida from Dean of Engineering the Maskwa Aquatic Club on Kearney mid-November to mid-December and Lake. He made friends, but something from February to April, but because I Contributors else happened: he realized he had a was in school, I only trained in Florida Editorial: Mark Campbell, Nikki Comeau, passion for the sport, and that he was in November and from the beginning of Terri Mann, Amy McEvoy, Jennifer Moore. really good at it. Just two years later, de March until the end, and then I would Photography: Danny Abriel, Nick Pearce Jonge was earning his first national titles, return to Halifax in time for exams.” Design: Dave MacDonald and he has racked up an impressive 30 Given the demands of training, you For more news and events: national gold medals since then. might wonder why he chose to pursue a engineering.dal.ca De Jonge’s performance is particularly degree in engineering. “Because I knew Contact: Amy McEvoy, Communications notable given the considerable time and it would challenge me and because I Officer, Faculty of Engineering, effort he devoted to completing a BEng knew the value of the degree,” replies [email protected] or 902.494.3158 in civil engineering while training. As you de Jonge. “It was tough trying to Engineering 3 accomplish two high-level goals, but it was intense leading up to the Olympic is great, but you have to be ready to go was worth the hard work. It felt good.” trials, even more so after he broke a on the day.” Upon graduating, de Jonge found finger, preventing him from participating His hard work paid off: de Jonge employment with Stantec, a significant in the World Cup races last May. earned a bronze medal in the K-1 (kayak achievement to be sure. Even so, there “Once that happened, I had to do singles) 200m at the London games was another dream he wanted to fulfill: everything in my power to focus and put with a time of 36.657. Proud of his competing against the world’s best my nose to the grindstone. My favorite accomplishments, and inspired by this kayakers at the 2012 Olympic Games. quote is: ‘It’s how you show up at the experience, de Jonge has set his sights Last year, he made the decision to go for it showdown that counts.’ This has always on Rio in 2016. “It’s been great. You feel and began training full-time. The pressure resonated with me. All the preparation like you’re on top of the world.” Steve Giles: A Hall of Fame Story Every athlete has at least one good was training and winning story about the days when they were medals while earning just starting out. Former sprint canoeist a degree in electrical Steve Giles (BEng‘02, LLD (Hon)‘05) has engineering at several. Like the very first time he ever Dalhousie University. got in a canoe. He figures it took him 50 “I had always loved attempts before he could do it without science and math, and the boat tipping over. had earned a degree in At the time, Giles probably couldn’t Physics from Dalhousie. I have imagined he’d be competing one also knew I needed career day at the national or international options after retiring from level. Yet over a 16-year career, the canoeing, so I enrolled. New Brunswick-born, Lake Echo-raised It was hard to balance Giles made a name for himself as one the demands of sports of the top canoeists in the world. He and studies, but the long won 25 gold medals at the Canadian hours I spent training Championships, the singles 1,000m actually helped me stay World Championships title in 1998 and a focused in class.” bronze medal in the C-1 1000m flatwater Now national manager canoe race at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. of internet operations for “The bronze was the pinnacle of my EastLink, Giles says he canoeing career because that’s what misses the competition and winning, Steve Giles was inducted into the Nova Scotia you strive for,” says Giles, a four-time but not necessarily the training required Sports Hall of Fame this past November. summer games finalist. “It was always to bring home the gold. Instead, he a dream of mine to stand on that remains involved in the sport through picked up on canoeing, much to his podium. It was the same for the world the national association and as a coach. delight. But the question remains: will championships. To hear your anthem Giles’ contributions and remarkable they carry on his award-winning legacy? play and be able to say you’re the best in athletic career were honoured this “They’re both competitive. If they the world made it a great day for me.” November when he was inducted into the decide they’d like to do it, and they Giles’ accomplishments are even Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame. have the drive to succeed, I’m happy to more impressive when you realize that he Meanwhile, both of his kids have support them any way I can.” 4 Engineering Managing growth: Bursting at the seams Student enrollment is up at Dalhousie demand, existing classrooms and labs or above CGPA are guaranteed Engineering as the faculty continues to have been refurbished. Having outgrown a scholarship. experience tremendous the available classroom Ultimately, the permanent solution growth. Student In two years, space, some second-year will be to build the new $25 million enrolment has grown classes are now being Innovation and Design in Engineering steadily over the past Dalhousie held at the nearby Park and Architecture (IDEA) building – several years, from Engineering will Lane Theatres. How we which will include modern classrooms, 232 first-year students schedule classes has also state-of-the-art labs, and large flexible five years ago, to 365 need to be prepared evolved. The instructional spaces for design and collaborative last fall, when we to accommodate as day has been extended by project work. For more information welcomed our largest two hours, now from 8:30- on our capital campaign, please visit entering class to date. many as 32% more 5:30, and new scheduling http://boldambitions.dal.ca/priorities- Record enrollments students entering software is being used engineering.html at the Associated to optimize classroom Universities will also 3rd year studies. use — keeping all rooms Where are our students have implications for busy all the time. coming from? Dalhousie Engineering’s planning. In Growth has also resulted in Our students come from Nova two years, Dalhousie Engineering will Dalhousie Engineering attracting more Scotia (54%) and the other need to be prepared to accommodate as high performance students. The best Maritime provinces (9%), but many as 32% more students entering and brightest are choosing Dalhousie increasingly we are attracting 3rd year studies. Engineering because of our design- students from other parts Managing this growth has meant based curriculum. To better support of Canada (18%) as well as planning ahead and developing some our students, we have ramped-up our international students (19%). creative solutions to maximize both space scholarship drive to help fund more well- and schedules. To better meet the space qualified students. Students with a 3.85 Engineering 5 An engine like no other Commercialization on the horizon for Dal invention Dalhousie student Braden Murphy (BEng ‘10) was still in high school when he read an article in Popular Science that got him thinking about engines, and how they are configured.