Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

32
Interview: Nafia Al-Mutawaly and Team are Protecting the Grid In the Spotlight at Mohawk Feature: Health & Wellness get a Workout in New Program Tomorrow: Brought to you by Mohawk College Spring 2012 & RESEARCH INNOVATION

description

Mohawk College’s premier issue of Quanta, an annual publication celebratingsome of the most exciting research takingplace at the college and in the greater Hamilton region.

Transcript of Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Page 1: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Interview: Nafia Al-Mutawaly and Team are Protecting the Grid

In the Spotlight at Mohawk

Feature: Health & Wellness get a Workout in New Program

Tomorrow: Brought to you by Mohawk College

Spring 2012

&ReseaRch InnovatIon

Page 2: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Go Mobile. Free.*

before after

The Fastest Way from Zero to Apps

There’s really no denying that it’s rapidly becoming a mobile world. Touch screen phones and tablets are outselling just about... everything. Yet fewer than 20% of companies deliver their websites in a mobile-friendly way. For an instant, automatic and FREE* HTML 5 mobile browsing experience, visit weeverapps.com.

weeverapps.com. [email protected] *Free for Joomla and Wordpress sites.

Page 3: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 1

1 Welcome

2 Healthy, Well-thy and Why

6 Researcher Profiles

8 Wastewater Treatment Gets a Kick in the Carbon Footprint

12 Breast Practices

14 Music to our (Babies’) Ears

16 In a Complex Healthcare Environment, Seeing is Believing

20 Simulation-Enhanced Learning

22 Stakeholder Comments: Why is research at colleges important?

24 Power to the People: An interview with Nafia Al-Mutawaly

28 A Message from the Chief: Ted Scott

W elcome to Mohawk College’s premier issue

of Quanta, an annual publication celebrating

some of the most exciting research taking

place at the college and in the greater Hamilton region.

It’s a great word, ‘quanta’. It means distinct, fundamental

amounts of something, typically energy. A quantum of

energy would be the tiniest amount of energy possible.

A quantum leap, on the other hand, describes a chasm-

crossing bolt of insight to some previously unknown

truth or understanding. Quanta is a tribute to all the

energy expended, and the chasms crossed, by the

many R&D teams at work in the labs and offices

throughout Mohawk College.

This issue takes a look at the different types of research

conducted at Mohawk: research that’s innovative,

responsive, and applicable to industry.

Faculty-driven research in health and education provides

evidence-based results for clinicians to implement

breastfeeding guidelines more effectively in hospitals.

And it improves the health curriculum to better

prepare students for clinical practice through simulation.

Applied research projects involve industry partners –

often small businesses in emerging fields – who benefit

from our faculty’s expertise and our students’ talent.

Read about the collaborative carbon footprint modeling

research done at Mohawk with a global software

company located here in Hamilton and a new music

enculturation program that got its start at Ontario

Early Years Centres.

Quanta is a journal for, and about, the innovators – at

Mohawk, in industry and in our community – that are

doing work that makes a difference in our lives and in

our world. We hope you enjoy our premier issue.

Welcome

Contents

Pamela Hensley Valerie Mitanoff

Page 4: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Healthy,Well-thyand Why Shelley Lang coaches student

Stephanie Gaston on the pull component

of the Physical Abilities Requirement

Evaluation (PARE) circuit while student

Amber Silversmith awaits her turn.

2 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 5: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

in 2007, Mohawk Justice faculty member,

Dennis Campbell (who for 12 years has

prepared law enforcement, corrections and

law & security students for extreme physical rigors),

proposed a new program.

Dennis knew the growing physical/personal training

market well. He pointed out that, while the healthcare

and fitness arenas have many areas of overlap, there

were no programs preparing well-rounded graduates

to meet those combined needs in the marketplace.

Personal trainers (who may take anything from a

weekend course to a two-year certification) have limited

understanding of proper nutrition for a healthy

lifestyle. Nutrition counsellors may not explore social

or psychological components of wellness. And so on.

What evolved from this insight was a new Health,

Wellness & Fitness Diploma program offering a holistic

perspective on emotional health and fitness. The

curriculum deals with the psychological, physical

and emotional benefits of human health, essentially

rewriting the standards for many career paths.

The Health, Wellness & Fitness Diploma program joined

Mohawk’s syllabus in fall 2009. It’s grown from a

team of two to ten faculty and technologists. Program

expansion has exceeded the most optimistic estimates.

A PRoGRAM IS BoRn, oPPoRtunItIES ARE CREAtEdThe new program offers training for multiple in-demand

skills. As our population ages, and fitness and health

suffer, our healthcare industry calls for prevention

while simultaneously trying to reduce strain on GPs

by redistributing certain aspects of care. This new

program’s timing couldn’t be better.

Offering preventative and restorative instruction,

nutrition counselling, sports psychology, motivation,

wellness and physical training, the HWF program

produces graduates who will become ideal partners

in today’s healthcare environment.

HAndS uP. And HAndS onNo program of this nature can be conceived without

strong theoretical grounding. It includes rigorous classes

in wellness, psychology, anatomy, physical training,

exercise science and more. And an equally demanding

practical component.

Lab work, research and hands-on training in every

semester of the two-year program give students

‘work-ready’ confidence.

This dual-focus approach creates uniquely qualified

practitioners who’ll raise standards of care in numerous

health, wellness and fitness settings: corporate,

academia, research, private practice (the program’s

business studies encourage entrepreneurial students)

and more.

FACuLty IS PuMPEdFaculty members, Cassandra Cope, Dan MacLennan,

Derek Vandenbrink, Chantal Szpak, Dennis Campbell

and Nick Petrella, are enthusiastic, committed and

accomplished program leaders.

A new program takes shape at Mohawk

dennis Campbell counsels Anna Cyrus

after her attempt at the PARE circuit.

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 32 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 6: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Here are some insights into the program’s strengths,

directly from those who shaped the curriculum:

“One of the great features of the HWF program is the

hands on ‘Living Lab Experience’ which provides students

with the skills required to work in the industry.” d.C.

“There’s a lot to like about the program, but incredible

support from Mohawk has been critical to both triggering

and managing the rapid growth of the program. Our

state-of-the-art equipment is upgraded when the next

advance is made, so students graduate with the most

up-to-the-minute experience possible.” C.C.

“Our team is extremely diverse and current. We have a

finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the industries

we serve, and the support to build the program to meet

those needs.” d. V.

“The ‘Living Lab’ opportunities we offer give such great

experience to students. The classroom leads right to the

client here; students emerge with good grounding in

developing a rapport with, and understanding the

needs of, their future clients.” d.M.

“Through a very easy-to-sell co-op program, our

students are out in the community, developing corporate

wellness programs, working with law enforcement,

raising standards at health and fitness clubs and more.

Even within just a couple of years, the demand for

graduates with the skills and experience we deliver

is obvious.” C.S.

“There is a passion for research here that every

student gets exposed to. It doesn’t just come from our

co-op or lab programs. It’s the way we love to work.

It’s not that research is a requirement of some sort…

it’s a given.” n.P.

And tHE FIRSt to BEnEFIt FRoM tHE PRoGRAM wAS… MoHAwk“It’s been a rare privilege, not only to witness the

remarkable early success of the Health, Wellness &

Fitness program, but also to see how the group as a

whole has created connections and programs within the

college for everyone’s benefit,” offered Jo-Anne Procter,

Associate Dean, Justice and Wellness Studies.

“It wasn’t long before a natural partnership with our

Justice program evolved. HWF faculty, students

and co-op students work with classes of future law

enforcement, firefighters and corrections workers to

help them meet the demanding physical side of those

careers. Since cooperation between programs began,

HWF students have assisted Police Foundation students,

enabling them to pass the physical assessments required

for graduation (PREP). And HWF students, in return,

get invaluable direct, personal client experience,”

Procter concluded.

The college benefits in other ways, too. HWF regularly

presents seminars, lunch-and-learn sessions and other

community initiatives. The program has become a

healthy component of life at Mohawk.

But… tHIS IS not juSt An In-HouSE PRoGRAM! The HWF influence has grown within Mohawk, and

developed (perhaps even more rapidly) outside the

college, too, as co-op students and faculty forge an

expanding network of corporate, government and

health industry connections. Some highlights:

Chantal Szpak and

Cassandra Cope measure

body composition using

the RjL system.

4 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 7: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

• Hamilton-area high schools felt the full force of

HWF during the first annual Fit For Future (or F3)

Challenge. Over 100 athletes participated! The event

was richly applauded, and is sure to grow. Athletes

tested their potential in an environment incorporating

education and awareness. High school and college

students collaborated to promote healthy living.

• On the research front, an HWF team is currently

pursuing approval and funding to partner with a major

fitness manufacturer with the joint aim of delivering

what will be among the first mobile VO2 studies

exploring the energy cost of “functional” exercise.

Traditional VO2 testing usually involves stationary,

in-line exercises. Using new, portable, backpack-

style equipment, we can now determine how much

oxygen is needed, and how many calories are burned,

in a less-constrained fitness arena. We will explore

oxygen consumption during strength, fitness and

movement training. A more technical description

of the study: “Explore metabolic costs of

multidirectional training, through study

of loaded multidirectional movement.”

Exciting outcomes expected! Influenced by

our exemplary record of training recruits, the

Halton Regional Police Services have partnered

with HWF to offer job-specific workplace

wellness education – a program well into

implementation. And, based on that success,

several other area police services have expressed

interest in pursuing similar partnerships.

• For McMaster Innovation Park, the HWF faculty and

students initiated fitness and personal training tests

and assessments. In keeping with our mandates,

these deliver healthy living programs including

fitness, wellness and nutrition.

• One of Mohawk’s 2011 HWF co-op students,

Joanne Smith, orchestrated the Dofasco Health

& Wellness Fair, catering to over 5,500 Dofasco

employees. The event was a tremendous success.

• HWF’s ‘Core Fusion’ program develops assessment

and training plans for individuals, organizations

and amateur sports teams. The program helps

improve understanding of movement, balance and

coordination, for injury prevention and overall fitness.

We fine-tune it for the participants, from weekend

warriors to elite athletes.

• And the initiatives continue, as each faculty member

plans for the months (and students) ahead.

Recent (and exciting) HWF initiatives

It’S ALL ABout A FLyInG StARtThanks to strong partnerships between faculty and

administration, and the hard work of everyone involved,

the program is a smash success and will continue to grow

for years. The department’s expansion to ten faculty

(including five HWF program graduates!); our enrollment

increasing by 30 to 40 students each term; and more

opportunities daily all point to a wonderful future

for HWF.

Perhaps the greatest accomplishment (so far!) has

been the program’s ability to deliver grads with the

confidence, experience and vision to succeed. Offering

that flying start gives the very best result. This program

truly has the well-prepared graduate in mind.

For More iNForMATioN AbouT THe HeAlTH, WellNess &

FiTNess DiPloMA ProGrAM, To iNquire AbouT reseArcH or

PArTNersHiP PossibiliTies, or jusT To TAlk WellNess For A

WHile, PleAse coNTAcT AssociATe DeAN jo-ANNe ProcTer

THrouGH THe MoHAWk colleGe sWiTcHboArD.

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 54 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 8: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Res

earc

her

P

rofi

les

LESLIE MuRRAyThe Simulator

With 17 years experience at a

trauma hospital, a background in

research and a love for teaching,

it’s natural that Leslie Murray is

now researching the benefits of

simulation-enhanced learning as a

tool to prepare students for clinical

practice. Leslie began to make the

transition from hospital to classroom

in 1997, when she accepted a

teaching position at the Michener

Institute for Applied Health Sciences.

Leslie is currently a professor in the

collaborative Mohawk-McMaster

Medical Radiation and Rehabilitation

Sciences program and a member

of the Hamilton Health Science/

Faculty of Health Sciences

Research Ethics Board.

MARk yEndtThe Wastewater Warrior

Before joining Mohawk’s faculty

of Engineering Technology, Mark

was one of the early developers

of software for the wastewater

treatment industry. He contributed

to the development of software

used for estimating the fate of

toxic chemicals in wastewater

and predicting water treatment

plant disinfection and chemical

by-product formation. He also

started a company that developed

environmental management

software used by industrial

dischargers in Ontario and is a

past co-recipient of the Harrison

Prescott Eddy medal for Noteworthy

Research, awarded by the Water

Environment Association. Today,

Mark teaches and develops

advanced level courses in Mohawk’s

Software Development program.

He stays on the leading edge of

software development through his

involvement with iDeaWORKS and

his mentorship of students working

on collaborative applied research

projects with industry.

6 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 9: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

nAnCy MAttHEw-MAICHBest Practitioner

Nancy is a Professor in the School

of Nursing at Mohawk College

in the Mohawk-McMaster-

Conestoga Bachelor of Science in

Nursing program. She is actively

involved in the development,

implementation and evaluation

of numerous workshops to foster

evidence-informed decision-making

in students, faculty and clinical

preceptors in many organizations

and healthcare sectors. Other

research interests include knowledge

translation, clinical practice guideline

implementation and uptake, faculty

development and reflective practice.

Nancy recently completed a PhD in

Nursing (Nursing Research Sciences)

at McMaster University. She is the

recipient of the 2008, 2009 and

2010 Registered Nurses’ Association

of Ontario (RNAO) Best Practice

Guideline Doctoral Fellowship

funded by the Ministry of Health

and Long Term Care. Read about

her work exploring the processes

involved in the implementation and

uptake of the RNAO Breastfeeding

BPG and its impact at multiple levels

throughout the healthcare system.

LAuREn BRydGESBaby Maestro

Lauren is a registered Early

Childhood Educator and instructor

at Mohawk College in the Early

Childhood Education diploma

program, ECE Intensive, ECE

Apprenticeship and Continuing

Education. She also manages

Today’s Family Ontario Early Years

programs for Hamilton Mountain,

where she evaluates the needs of

families and children, develops new

programs and collaborates with

numerous agencies to enhance

services. Lauren’s commitment to

learning, professional development

and program innovation lends

itself to research, while her thirty

years of experience working with

Hamilton families make her the ideal

conduit between academia and the

community. Teaming up again with

Mohawk colleague David Gerry

and McMaster University’s

Dr. Laurel Trainor, Lauren’s next

project involves researching the

benefits of introducing the Suzuki

Early Childhood Music Program

to children aged 0-6 years at the

Ontario Early Years programs.

duAnE BEndERThe eHealth Investigator

Duane is a Principal Investigator at

the Mohawk eHealth Development

and Innovation Centre (MEDIC),

which focuses on the application

of information technology to

healthcare. With the sponsorship

of NSERC, Duane and his team are

building a reference implementation

of the national electronic healthcare

record system architecture, as

published by Canada Health Infoway,

using HL7v3. He’s also a licensed

Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) and

enterprise technology architect with

nearly 20 years practical experience

in software engineering and systems

development. Duane teaches in the

faculty of Engineering Technology

and, when not in the classroom,

enjoys hobby farming and playing

guitar in a cover band.

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 76 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 10: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

PRojECtImplementation of a Carbon Footprint Model for Wastewater Treatment

RESEARCH tEAMRajeev Goel, Mark Yendt, Andrew Blackbourn, Zahraa Khalil

PRoGRAMSoftware Development, Chemical Engineering Technology

FundInG PARtnERFederal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

WastewaterTreatmentGets a Kick in the CarbonFootprint

8 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 11: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

PRojECtImplementation of a Carbon Footprint Model for Wastewater Treatment

RESEARCH tEAMRajeev Goel, Mark Yendt, Andrew Blackbourn, Zahraa Khalil

PRoGRAMSoftware Development, Chemical Engineering Technology

FundInG PARtnERFederal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

C arbon footprint modeling of wastewater

treatment plants is used to estimate carbon

dioxide (CO2) (biogenic/non-biogenic),

nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH

4) emissions for

regulatory and inventory requirements. Such modeling

is an important part of decision-making during the

planning and designing stages of wastewater treatment

plants. Evaluations of plant configurations that can help

minimize the formation of greenhouse gases are now

being integrated into project studies.

CuRREnt APPRoACHES to CARBon FootPRInt EStIMAtIonOf the several carbon footprint modeling approaches

available for wastewater treatment, some use empirical

emission factors (IPCC, 2006), while others like

CHEApet (WERF, 2011) are based on mass balance

and mechanistic modeling. Dynamic process simulators

(based on mechanistic models for carbon, nitrogen and

phosphorus removal) are already commonly used for

plant design and optimization. These existing removal

processes incorporate most of the essential information

required to also estimate the carbon footprint of these

plants. Extending the removal models with carbon

footprint measurement capability offers the following

potential benefits:

1. Flexibility of process configurations – the process

simulator enables users to investigate any process

scheme with different operational conditions.

2. Reduced model inputs – few additional inputs are

required for carbon footprint modeling.

3. Coupling performance with carbon emission –

the trade-off between the process performance and

size of the carbon footprint can be evaluated using

process simulators.

4. Steady state and dynamic evaluation – it is

possible to evaluate the effect of change in the

plant-loading and operational conditions on the

N2O and CH

4 output.

Influent Primary Clarifier Aeration Tank Secondary Clarifier Effluent

Digested SludgeAD

FIGuRE 1. PLANT LAYOUT FOR A TEST PLANT

Implementation of a Carbon Footprint Model for Wastewater Treatment

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 98 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 12: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

FRoM IMPLEMEntAtIon to EStIMAtIonBased on these considerations, a project was

undertaken, under the FedDev Ontario program, to

implement a carbon footprint estimation model in the

GPS-X plant-wide dynamic simulator. The objective

was to develop a mechanistic, dynamic platform for

estimation, optimization and reporting of carbon

emissions and offsets for an entire wastewater

treatment plant.

The three-stage development and implementation of

the model included a review and summary of proposed/

existing carbon methodologies for wastewater

treatment plants; the formulation of a consistent

framework applicable to both wastewater treatment and

bio-solids handling; and, finally an implementation of a

carbon footprint estimation methodology within GPS-X.

Carbon emissions are classified in three categories

(Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3) according to IPCC

(2006). For each category, emissions, offsets and net

emissions are estimated based on user inputs. The

carbon footprint model was tested using a benchmark

wastewater treatment plant that had previously been

used in a carbon emission study (Enviromega Inc.,

2002). The plant configuration, as shown in Figure 1,

is a standard wastewater treatment process for

biochemical oxygen demand removal and nitrification.

The average wastewater composition and average

annual flow rate were used to run the model for steady

state conditions. The model was able to match the

important plant data after calibration. Assuming that

any organic carbon in the wastewater is from non-fossil

sources, the CO2 produced at different processes can

be completely offset. It is also clear that the flaring

of CH4 is important to reduce the CO

2 emissions from

the plant. Further CO2 offsets can be achieved for

Scope 2 if energy recovery options (from the flaring)

are considered at the plant. A breakdown of the total

emitted carbon indicates that the largest contribution

is due to the burning of natural gas for digester heating.

This case study will be expanded in the final paper

and will show the effects of energy recovery, N2O

production and solids disposal on the total carbon

footprint of the plant.

The carbon footprint model implemented in a dynamic

process simulator will help wastewater professionals

evaluate the effects of plant configuration and

operational strategies on the carbon footprint and

effluent quality side-by-side. The implementation

provides a one-platform solution to model wastewater

and solid-handling facilities for holistic assessment.

the carbon footprint model will help wastewater professionals evaluate the effects of plant configuration on greenhouse gas output.

10 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 13: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

10 | QuanTa Spring 2012

You put your heart into starting and growing your business. Yet big banks treat you like a profit centre. Not at FirstOntario. We’re different. Here, our Members are Owners. So, while we offer all the same services as a bank, we’re committed to growing your business and helping our community prosper. Which is why our decisions are made locally. And why we offer no-fee and low-fee banking for small business. We want you to grow your profits not ours. Come in and have a Small Business Chat, and start dreaming big.

Where you put your money does matter.

Our Members are Owners | FirstOntarioCU.com | 1-800-616-8878

Introducing the $25/month Flat Fee Business Account.

• No minimum balance• Unlimited transactions• No restrictions on transaction channels

IntrOdUCIng $25/month Flat Fee Business Account

Page 14: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

PRojECtImplementing Breastfeeding Best Practice Guidelines

RESEARCH tEAMNancy Matthew-Maich; Jenny Ploeg; Maureen Dobbins; Susan Jack

PRoGRAMBachelor of Science in Nursing

FundInG PARtnERRegistered Nurses’ Association of Ontario

BreastPractices

12 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 15: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Implementing and Using Best Practice Guidelines in Three Ontario Hospitals

T he Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario

(RNAO), in partnership with the Ontario

Ministry of Health, has taken a leadership role

in developing and implementing numerous guidelines

for nursing and healthcare professional practice. This

study aimed to contribute a better understanding of the

complex processes involved in implementing and using

the RNAO Breastfeeding Best Practice Guidelines (BPG)

in three acute care hospitals, and also to understand the

system impact.

Constructivist grounded theory was used to guide

the development of a theoretical model

of BPG implementation, use and

impact. Purposive and then

theoretical sampling resulted

in the recruitment of 112

healthcare providers and

clients. Triangulation of

data sources and types

occurred through in-depth

interviews (120), documents

and field notes. Concurrent

data collection/analysis occurred.

Three researchers analyzed data and

confirmed codes and categories. Member

checking was done.

Essential processes for implementing and using

the guidelines were identified and integrated into

a Knowledge Transfer Framework. They are:

1. Respected, passionate frontline leadership igniting

and supporting the changes.

2. Ongoing multifaceted strategies by frontline leaders

tailored to nurses’ readiness to change.

3. An individual change process was facilitated in nurses

with distinct phases, in which they transformed

from practising without evidence or BPGs, to using

and believing in the BPGs as a guide to daily nursing

practice. The change phases included: learning;

doubting, fearing and resisting; trusting to trial new

practices; getting outcomes feedback; believing

in and using new practices; and disseminating

new practices to colleagues and patients.

4. Ongoing evaluating and revising implementation

processes, facilitators and barriers.

The perceived impact of implementing and using the

guidelines includes enhanced nursing practice

consistent with the BPG, professional

pride and job satisfaction,

consistency of breastfeeding

practices, patient satisfaction

with hospital stay and

breastfeeding support received,

better inter-professional trust

and relationships, improved

organizational image, stronger

community partnerships and inter-

organizational resource sharing. When

the BPG was implemented without uptake,

the result was mixed messages for patients and low

satisfaction with hospital stay.

The RNAO Breastfeeding BPG resulted in important local

and system impacts when effective implementation

processes were used. Implementation processes

illuminated in this study were fundamental to the

guideline uptake in these contexts. BPG implementation

is a systems issue and needs to be viewed as such with

both implementation and evaluation efforts.

FuNDiNG: rNAo besT PrAcTice GuiDeliNe DocTorAl FelloWsHiP;

oNTArio MiNisTry oF HeAlTH AND loNG TerM cAre

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 1312 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 16: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Music to Our (Babies’) Ears

PRojECtMusic Enculturation in Infancy

RESEARCH tEAMLaurel Trainor; Céline Marie; David Gerry; Elaine Whiskin; Andrea unrau; Lauren Brydges

PRoGRAMDepartment of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (McMaster university); Music Studies and Early Childhood Education (Mohawk College)

CoMMunIty PARtnEROntario Early Years Centres

14 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 17: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

M usic is a cornerstone of human culture. It

is experienced, performed and enjoyed in

everyday life, throughout all societies, and

used to mark important occasions of all kinds, from

weddings to funerals and everything in between. The

ability of music to engender a common emotion and

engage people in cooperative social behaviour likely

explains why music is ubiquitous in religious rituals,

sporting events, cooperative work engagement,

interactions between caregivers and infants and a

near-endless list of other examples one could formulate.

Part of the power of music lies in the fact that it is

generative – it does not simply consist of a fixed set of

vocal signals, but rather a structural framework in which

an unlimited number of musical compositions is possible.

Furthermore, although there are biological constraints

that shape the range of possible musical structures (or

instruments), the particular structures used vary from

musical system to musical system and, even within a

musical system, these structures evolve from generation

to generation. For infants, learning to become full

participants in their culture, this necessarily involves

becoming sensitive to, and specialized in, the particular

musical system of that culture.

tEStInG StARtEd At 6 MontHS oF AGELeading in to this study, it was hypothesized that

musical enculturation takes place through social

interaction and participation in music making. To test

this idea, 6-month-old infants were randomly assigned

to participate for six months in one of two weekly,

hour-long music classes for infants and parents. In

the Active Classes, parents and infants learned songs

and participated in drumming rhythms; in the Passive

Classes, music was played in the background while

infants and parents engaged in other activities. A total

of 38 infants completed the musical training, as defined

by attending at least 75% of the classes. After this

participation, the infants’ sensitivity to Western tonality,

their aesthetic preferences, their brain responses to

musical sounds, and their social development were all

measured. As a benchmark, brain responses

and social development were also measured at

the beginning of the program. It was not expected

that there would be any sensitivity to Western

tonality or aesthetic preferences at 6 months of

age, so these measurements were only taken at

the 12-month mark. The parent/infant classes

took place at Ontario Early Years Centres,

which are government-sponsored

drop-in centres for preschool children

and their families.

RESuLtS ARE In – BABIES CAn BooGIEThe program results indicate that

active participation leads to earlier

enculturation to tonal pitch

structure, in other words, an

increased sensitivity to the rules

of Western music. Furthermore,

suggestive evidence that exposure

to Western classical music leads to

earlier sensitivity to aesthetic norms for

musical expression in this genre was also

noted. Intriguingly, the social context of the

musical experience appears to be crucial, such

that infants in the Active Classes, where parents

and infants participated in active music making together,

showed more positive social developmental trajectories

compared to infants in the Passive Classes. Finally, the

results indicate that differences between these two

groups can also be measured at the brain level, with

larger and/or earlier event-related potential responses

to musical sounds evident in the Active Classes group

compared to Passive Classes group after but not

before participation in the classes. Previous studies

in older children have indicated that musical exposure

and training are associated with more advanced brain

responses but the current study is the first to show

effects of musical training on sound processing in the

brain during the first year after birth.

Music Enculturation in Infants Under 12 Months

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 1514 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 18: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

PRojECtProviding visualization software for large scale health informatics communities

RESEARCH tEAMDuane Bender, H. Keith Edwards, Justin Fyfe, Paul Brown

PRoGRAMComputer Engineering Technology

FundInG PARtnERMohawk College initiative

In a ComplexHealthcare Environment,Seeing isBelieving

16 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 19: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

PRojECtProviding visualization software for large scale health informatics communities

RESEARCH tEAMDuane Bender, H. Keith Edwards, Justin Fyfe, Paul Brown

PRoGRAMComputer Engineering Technology

FundInG PARtnERMohawk College initiative

it is often difficult for users and developers

to conceptualize what is occurring within

an enterprise system. Mohawk College has

developed a Visualizer to present a graphical display

of healthcare transactions within the Electronic Health

Records system. Visualization is an important tool for

understanding complex interactions in large-scale

communities of interdependent systems.1 In the

area of health informatics, software

components from numerous

vendors frequently

work in concert to

provide services to

clients such as patients,

labs and primary care

physicians. Collections of these

software services form communities

that provide a common set of services to

specific clients and that can interact with

other communities. Visualization software such

as Mohawk’s Visualizer software can provide

important information about the complicated

interactions between the disparate components

in heterogeneous vendor communities.2 Mohawk

College has employed the Visualizer to showcase

the interactions in vendor communities at small-scale

interoperability showcases such as the COACH (Canada’s

Health Informatics Association) conference in Canada. In

this paper, we discuss how to scale the implementation

process to allow the Visualizer to demonstrate

interoperability at larger showcases such as the HIMSS

(Healthcare Information and Management Systems

Society) conference in the United States.3

RELAtEd woRk“Visualization is a sound means to facilitate

understanding of complex correlations and offers a

broad variety of concepts.”4 Visualization can also be

combined with data mining and statistics to handle large

amounts of heterogeneous data as part of an approach

known as Visual Analytics.5

Roque et al. provide a comparison of means

by which visualization can be used

to understand health records

from the viewpoint of a

physician.6 Of the six

systems discussed in

Roque, most target the

physician as the primary user.

A timeline approach allows for the

correlation of events within a patient’s

history using electronic health records.

Visualization can also be used to understand

interactions between components in large-scale

distributed systems such as the approach and

tools discussed in Howard et al.1 The Visualizer

from Mohawk takes a middle ground between these

approaches to show the infrastructure of the software

components involved in transactions on electronic

health records. The Visualizer uses a graphical display to

visually demonstrate the systems involved in healthcare

transactions using the results derived from healthcare

security audit (RFC3881 standard) messages.7

dESCRIPtIon oF CHALLEnGEMohawk College initially deployed the Visualizer at the

COACH eHealth 2008 conference in Vancouver, British

Columbia, and has demonstrated its functionality at

Providing Visualization Software for Large-Scale Health Informatics Communities

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 1716 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 20: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

several other showcases since. In 2012, Integrating the

Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) asked Mohawk to deploy the

Visualizer as part of the 2012 HIMSS conference in Las

Vegas, Nevada. HIMSS 2012 offered an opportunity to

see how well the software would scale since previous

showcases had approximately 10-20 vendors with

1-2 use cases. HIMSS 2012 had over 90 vendors with

11 different use cases, which meant a significant scaling

of the functionality of the software and the process.

IMPLEMEntAtIon And RESuLtSParticipation in HIMSS required diagram construction

and setup at the conference. The setup followed a

process of obtaining IP addresses for the individual

vendors, communicating with the vendors and scenario

managers to have them send messages to the Visualizer,

and parsing the vendor messages from the wire to tie

them to the individual components on the diagrams.

While the implementation was ultimately successful,

the implementation team was able to identify

numerous ways to make the process more efficient:

• Capture IP addresses as part of the message

• Require audit message repositories forward all

data to limit number of vendor contacts needed

• Construct a self-service sign along with a

one-page instruction sheet to more easily

communicate with vendors and allow them

to connect to the Mohawk Visualizer

• Be involved in the construction of the use cases from

the beginning of the process to allow students more

time to design the diagrams

All four of these recommendations would allow a greater

amount of detailed information about the environment

earlier in the process, which is a critical component for

successful implementation of software in a complex

environment.8, 9

ConCLuSIonS And FutuRE woRkVisualization is an important component for

the understanding of complex transactions in

heterogeneous distributed environments. In the realm

of health informatics, visualization can help healthcare

practitioners and management to better understand

the role of individual components as they relate to the

business process flow. Hence, scalability of visualization

software is of vital concern to practitioners. Mohawk’s

Visualizer software was able to scale from smaller

communities such as COACH Canada conferences to

larger gatherings such as the HIMSS conference. It also

provided four ways in which to make the implementation

of this software scalable and repeatable. Future work

will focus on the evaluation of the efficacy of these

recommendations.

REFERENCES

[1] Howard, S.L., Hong, J.W., Katchabaw, M.J., Bauer, M.A., 1995. Integrating visualization into event monitoring and analysis in distributed systems management. In Proceedings of 1995 conference of the Centre for Advanced Studies on Collaborative research (CASCON ‘95), Bennet, Gentleman, Johnson, Kidd, eds. IBM Press.

[2] Mohawk Applied Research Centre. The Visualizer: Illustrating Interoperability via Visualization of Audit Messages.

[3] Rowe, ed. Interoperability: Making the most of IT connections. http://www.himssconference.org/general/newsdisplay.aspx?nid=79501

[4] Knodel, Muthig, Naab, Zeckzer. Towards empirically validated software architecture visualization. 2006 ACM symposium.

[5] Keim, Mansmann, Schneidewind, Thomas, Ziegler. Visual analytics: Scope and challenges.

[6] Roque, Slaughter, Tkatenko. A comparison of several key information visualization systems for secondary use of electronic health record content. NAACL HLT 2010 Second Louhi Workshop.

[7] Marshall, Security Audit and Access Accountability Message XML Data Definitions for Healthcare Applications.

[8] Pressman, Software Engineering: A Practitioner’s Approach.

[9] Sommerville, Software Engineering.

18 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 21: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

18 | QuanTa Spring 2012 Apple, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

At more than 150 members and growing, The Bauhub is a mighty-marketing collective. Advertising, marketing, design, strategy, development, social media and more.

For your next project, finds us at www.thebauhub.com or (thanks to iDeaWORKS) on your iPhone®.

It took to create this ad.

157 people

002-2056 Mohawk Ad_v1.indd 1 2012-03-07 9:25 AM

Page 22: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

PRojECtSimulation-Enhanced Learning and Clinical Competence Phases I-III

RESEARCH tEAMLeslie Murray; Rae Gropper; Nicole Harnett; Kathryn Parker; Sarah Pearce; Denise MacIver; Lorraine Ramsay; Ann Ripley; Bonnie Sands; Laura Zychla

PRoGRAMMedical Radiation Sciences Program (Mohawk-McMaster), partnered with The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences (phase 1 only), Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)

FundInG PARtnERHealth Canada through the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) and the Collaborative Forum on Health Science Education

Simulation- EnhancedLearning

20 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 23: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

a lready struggling to manage human

resource shortages, healthcare and allied

health professionals now face an increasing

demand that will see workforce shortages intensify

(it is estimated) over the next twenty years.

Longer wait times and increasingly stretched and

stressed healthcare workers will result. This is bad

news for the future quality of patient care. Allied

health (AH) professionals are often called upon at

critical times for both diagnosis and treatment, so

increased wait times could also have a serious effect

on the many related fields that rely upon AH services,

support and results.

PREPARE FoR CRowdEd wAItInG RooMS (oR FInd SoLutIonS)How can educators address this healthcare human

resource shortage? Accelerated recruitment and

increased education opportunities seem imperative.

Clearly, enhanced and improved training that places

confident, qualified professionals into the workforce

expediently will offer the healthcare system

significant benefits.

But efficient education processes and opportunities

for clinical training, critical to AH workers’ development

and speedy work-readiness, are scarce and can’t

simply be created.

This study was designed to address these issues

facing the healthcare industry with a simulation-

enhanced learning program to evaluate the

performance, confidence and efficiency of allied

healthcare students in clinical patient interactions.

The study examined how students would learn using

simulated clinical communications.

SIMuLAtIon-EnHAnCEd (oR, PRACtISE MAkES PERFECt)Educators worked with students to create, explain and

explore various features of the simulation program.

Video scenarios of patient-intake situations were then

presented, discussed, analyzed and re-enacted by pairs

of AH students. Additional simulations, with students

role-playing both patient and technologist, were based

on written instructions, to encourage the growth of

students’ communication skills and their ability to work

in a clinical situation. Video analysis of the role-playing

simulations by a panel of expert evaluators resulted in

scenario-by-scenario and student-by-student ratings,

collected and examined for evidence of the proposed

program’s benefit to students.

Good nEwS FoR ALLResponses were assessed and critiqued. Feedback

received from the student partners and participating

faculty was an important aspect of this learning

experience, and resulted in amendments to the study’s

findings and improvements to plans for future study. The

research results showed that adding simulated patient

care exercises improved the efficiency of, and readiness

for, communications competencies, when compared

to those achieved by students using traditional

learning methods alone. Allied healthcare students who

participated in the simulation-enhanced learning group

of the study showed a decreased time to competency

and an increased rate of clinical readiness. This is good

news for the quality of future healthcare.

Simulation-enhanced learning in a health-care setting

Simulated learning involves role-playing exercises aimed at sharpening students’ clinical skills, while making them more comfortable communicating in one-to-one patient situations.

20 | QuanTa Spring 2012 QuanTa Spring 2012 | 21

Page 24: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Stakeholder Comments

tAMMy HwAnGExperience Manager,

Innovation Factory

“Here’s one reason why research

at colleges is so (very!) important.

The economics of research can be

daunting. The ability to partner

with experienced faculty while

offering great opportunities to

students makes it possible for

local companies to participate in

projects they may not have been,

otherwise, able to afford. Academia

also attracts government interest,

creating private, public and academic

partnerships that can really work.

It’s iF’s mandate to accelerate

innovation and having college teams

ready to hit the ground running

is a tremendous resource for us.

(Hmmm… that may be more than

one reason.)”

iNNovATioN FAcTory is HAMilToN’s

NoT-For-ProFiT reGioNAl iNNovATioN

ceNTre (ric) coMMiTTeD To builDiNG

THe ProviNce’s iNNovATioN coMMuNiTy

AND sTreNGTHeNiNG THe NexT

GeNerATioN oF jobs GeNerATors.

tIM RICHARdVP Operations,

Weever Apps

“With colleges’ practical approach

to research and education, students

gain knowledge beyond theory.

Weever Apps has partnered

with colleges on real life projects

like completing bug testing and

developing new code – as part

of a computer programming

course. The calibre of students

allows Weever Apps to confidently

hire co-op and graduating

students who have the skillsets

to immediately immerse

themselves in our varied projects.”

Weever APPs is A HAMilToN

sTArT-uP THAT HelPs orGANizATioNs

Go Mobile iNsTANTly AND AFForDAbly,

AND AN iNDusTry PArTNer WiTH

iDeAWorks AT MoHAWk colleGe.

MoHAn nAdARAjAHCEO and Founder,

PlayLab

“I strongly believe that Applied

Research is important for any

educational institution and for

businesses. In PlayLab’s case, an

Applied Research project will take

our physical curriculum/projects and

convert them into an on-line web

application in order to provide access

for parents, teachers, and students.

The project will help us scale for

growth beyond our local market,

increase our revenues, and create

more jobs while positively impacting

countless children. A real challenge

is being met and real results are

being delivered.”

PlAylAb is A burliNGToN-bAseD

sTArT-uP THAT ProviDes eDucATioNAl

eNricHMeNT ProGrAMs For cHilDreN,

AND AN iNDusTry PArTNer WiTH

iDeAWorks AT MoHAWk colleGe.

22 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 25: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

BRIAn MInAjIFaculty,

Mohawk College

“Applied Research at colleges is

important because it exposes

students to real world problems

where they can participate in

solutions and expand their learning

beyond what is covered in the

classroom. It’s also invaluable

because it gives students a glimpse

of the pressures and deadlines

faced every day after graduation

and it gives them networking

opportunities to meet potential

future employers.”

briAN MiNAji TeAcHes coMPuTer

ProGrAMMiNG iN THe eNGiNeeriNG

TecHNoloGy FAculTy AT

MoHAWk colleGe.

AndREw noRGAtEStudent,

Mohawk College

“Applied Research is extremely

important to the learning process

for students. The theories that

are taught in class can only be

conceptualized and expanded on

using specific examples. Applied

Research gives students the

opportunity to apply this base

knowledge in real world models

where methodologies have to be

relaxed and used in tandem with

critical thinking and alternative

approaches to problem solving.

This can’t be taught in a classroom.”

ANDreW NorGATe is eNrolleD iN

THe bAcHelor oF TecHNoloGy joiNT

ProGrAM AT MoHAWk colleGe AND

McMAsTer uNiversiTy.

SuzAnnE FoRtIERPresident,

NSERC

“With campuses widely distributed

across Canada enabling close links

with industry and their communities,

colleges provide a wealth of

facilities and expertise to local

companies. Through Applied

Research projects, college faculty

and students bring fresh

perspectives and advanced skills

to business innovation challenges.

This enriches college training,

builds stronger linkages and

helps companies gain practical

solutions to their problems and

a competitive advantage.”

THe NATurAl scieNces AND eNGiNeeriNG

reseArcH couNcil oF cANADA (Nserc)

suPPorTs sTuDeNTs iN THeir ADvANceD

sTuDies, ProMoTes AND suPPorTs

Discovery reseArcH, AND FosTers

iNNovATioN by eNcourAGiNG cANADiAN

coMPANies To PArTiciPATe AND iNvesT

iN PosTsecoNDAry reseArcH ProjecTs.

“ ”AnSwERInG tHE quEStIon

why is research at colleges important?

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 2322 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 26: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

dr. Al-Mutawaly (centre) with dr. Ishwar Singh,

creator of the McMaster-Mohawk Bachelor of

technology joint program, and Mehdi Alimardani

Powerto thePeople

24 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 27: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Pamela Hensley: As part of your research, you’re building a model of ontario’s power grid. why are you doing that?nafia Al-Mutawaly: Actually, it’s not just a model for

Ontario’s power grid. It’s a model for protection and

control adoptable by virtually any power grid in the

world. Why we are doing this? The power industry

was the last to get involved and implement computer

capabilities into their operations. Even as recently

as the late 90s, power grids were managed using

electro-mechanical devices invented in the 40s

or 50s! With computers, we now have the ability

to create networks between different devices,

different systems and different locations. This

networking capability is a big asset moving forward

for protection and control.

Another improvement is in the area of data

management. With the new bi-directional data

transfer capabilities, we can now upload, download,

collect, store, interpret and react to enormous

amounts of data from any system(s) in real time.

Which leads to a third improvement - speed. When we

look at computers and networking we are talking about

high-speed response and activation capabilities. Before,

when we looked at a power system, we looked at it as a

vertical system. At the top were the generating stations

(that is, nuclear, coal, etc.), and at the bottom was the

load. The part in between was the grid. It was intuitive -

a natural flow from the generator to the grid to the load.

But now, with many new sources of energy (including

wind, solar, geothermal, etc.), there are all kinds of

power-generating sources popping up in every corner

of the grid. These new inputs are creating a new type

of topology, which we call horizontal. To control the

massive number of energy sources, and to make sure

we have a proper/sustainable flow of power (because

the flow cannot be allowed to become random), we need

to have full, real time control. To achieve that, we need

a new combination of equipment and networking to help

us meet these kinds of challenges. This is what electrical

engineers call a smart grid.

PH: what is a smart grid? And is it new?nA: The term ‘smart’ started appearing in all manner

of devices and applications over the last decade or so.

We have smart phones, smart meters, smart cars… and

smart grids. In the case of smart grids, the name refers

to a grid that is equipped and networked with the ability

to make data-based decisions and adjustments without

the use of physical devices. We call it smart because the

system gives us the ability to make decisions based on

the demand and conditions within the grid. It is definitely

the way to go.

An Interview with Nafia Al-Mutawaly on a model for protection and control of the power gridOntario’s energy customers are changing their ways. They’re equipping their homes and businesses with smart meters, shifting patterns of consumption, and generating and contributing new energy sources to Ontario’s power grid. But Ontario’s grid is built on a 100-year-old foundation. Should we be worried?

Nafia Al-Mutawaly, PhD Eng, is a Professor in the Department of Electrotechnology at Mohawk College and Program Chair, Energy Engineering Technologies at McMaster University. He chats here with Pamela Hensley, Director of Research and Innovation at Mohawk’s iDeaWORKS, about his model for protection and control of smart grids. In his lab, with his team of students quietly working nearby, he explains how critical it is to modernize today’s power grids, why academia and industry make a good match, and how his research will provide utilities around the world with a model they can adapt for the future.

QuanTa Spring 2012 | 2524 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 28: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

PH: How much of the grid is currently

supplied by renewable sources and how

quickly is that changing?

nA: The latest numbers show that solar and wind power

generation went up over the last two to three years,

in response to the Green Energy Act presented by the

Ontario government [numbers for Ontario]. For example,

wind generation doubled over one year. We expect

growth in that sector to continue. Photovoltaic power

generation also increased, but not at the same rate as

wind power. As far as total power from green energy,

it meets about 3-4% of the province’s demand. There’s

a plan to shut down all coal plants within Ontario by

2014 and, obviously, that energy has to be replaced.

Current thinking is that refurbishments and new

installations within nuclear generating stations, and

increased green energy options, will replace lost

coal-produced power. Each of these options comes

with its own challenges. The nuclear industry, for

instance, is going through tough times, but when we

look at the power grid, nuclear energy is what we call

the base, providing the bulk of energy produced in

Ontario. We’re talking about 45-50% of grid power.

PH: Germany recently shut down 40% of

their nuclear capacity. How are they going

to manage this?

nA: Germany is a leader when it comes to green energy.

When you look at photovoltaic or wind generation,

Germany is ahead of the rest of the world. It’s no

surprise though, because they have been working on

green energy since the late 80s and early 90s. Their

vision is to replace nuclear stations with wind and solar.

That’s their ultimate objective.

PH: what about ontario? Are we progressive?

Are we driven by regulation?

nA: We are driven by the political environment. Just

prior to this election, one party was supporting green

energy 100% and one was promising to terminate green

initiatives. The problem with this kind of uncertainty is

that it scares investors and manufacturers. This kind

of uncertainty is not good, not healthy.

PH: that impacts you as a researcher.

nA: Yes, of course. Sustainability and stability are crucial

factors in pursuing successful research. Also, research

progress must be driven by the industry needs and

should be independent of the political environment.

We have recognized the critical need to create a modern

protection and control system, first, to replace the

existing (old and obsolete) infrastructure and, second,

to meet the requirements of new energy sources

(wind, solar) recently introduced in Ontario.

PH: why does industry need support from

academic researchers?

nA: There are many reasons. To start with, resources.

In Ontario, you have Hydro One, who have their

own group to do research. But then there are local

distribution companies who don’t have access to such

resources and yet are responsible for maintaining

and upgrading local grids. For example, a nearby local

distributor operates with a total staff of 30 people. That

includes the lineman, the dispatcher, the manager and

the CEO. For this firm, research and development require

an investment in expertise, experienced manpower and

equipment. This is where academia can help.

After personnel, there is also the equipment itself.

McMaster University and Mohawk College are building

a laboratory at a cost of $1million, which, from a

business perspective, would be prohibitive for many local

distributors. Furthermore, in the private sector, these

research contracts would be the equivalent to that of

10 or 15 full time staff. On the other hand, students

working toward their PhDs and Masters can deliver

massive contributions at a minimal cost. So it makes

good business sense for private industry to collaborate

with colleges and universities utilizing the expertise of

faculty and supervisors to undertake these projects and

produce unbiased, highly ethical solutions.

So it makes good business sense for private industry to collaborate with colleges and universities utilizing the expertise of faculty and supervisors to undertake these projects and produce unbiased, highly ethical solutions.

26 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 29: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

PH: How do you hope or expect the results of your research to impact national and international communities?nA: Many companies are producing new computers

and equipment critical to the power industry and each

one has its own topology – its own line of products, its

own software, etc. My research will be to evaluate these

various systems and to determine the advantages and

disadvantages of each. The second phase of my research

will be to integrate this equipment and ensure all

components can find common ground to communicate

and work together effectively. The challenge will be

to identify that common ground, both in hardware

and software solutions.

PH: And your findings will become a recommendation for the power industry?nA: That will be the model. We’ll present a power

protection model to the utilities that can be evaluated

and adopted by the industry. It will be a model that is

fully tested, not only through computer simulation, with

all the issues addressed. Utilities will be able to use the

model to evaluate and optimise new load, demand or

technology issues that arise in the future. In another

year or two, if a new load or generation source is

offered, they can add it to the model and retest for

a solution, with real results. Where real includes real

time, real response, real system and real equipment.

PH: you are a professor at both Mohawk College and McMaster university. How is research different at colleges and universities? nA: Mohawk, as a college, usually

applies a how-to and hands-on

philosophy. [Lab work] is a

big component in any

course, especially in

engineering. It is

equivalent [to

class time]

as far as

number of hours, and it’s on a weekly basis. At university,

in contrast, courses tend to be more theoretical in

nature. There is a lab component, but as far as weight,

as far as impact, as far as value of that course, it’s

significantly less, maybe 20-25%.

PH: do you think applied research makes a difference in the education of students?nA: Absolutely. Typically, the students involved in

applied research are the ones who stay after normal

working hours and on weekends. Passion drives them

and satisfaction is fulfilled by their research findings.

THe reseArcH TeAM iNcluDes: ProFessors NAFiA Al-MuTAWAly,

joHN vAN looN, AND vijAy kHATri; TecHNicAl suPPorT FroM

joHN ANGer AND MeHDi AliMArDANi; AND co-oP sTuDeNTs

Ali Al-zubAiDi AND lAiTH Al-MusAWi.

26 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 30: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

r esearch efforts at Mohawk continue to grow as our faculty provide

leadership while preparing students for future careers in our

community. The research our faculty engage in tends to be highly

collaborative and focused in the areas of education, health, and technology.

Mohawk research is funded by provincial and federal governments

specifically to enable business innovation. Our work supports the business

community with products and service innovations, enabling local industry to

compete globally. The college is an ideal recipient for this funding, leveraging

the many links we have with employers, particularly in the areas of health

and technology, and working with them to provide a strategic local benefit

to our economy.

The research our faculty initiate nearly always involves students. Students

are able to participate directly in three ways: 1) apply for co-operative

placements through iDeaWORKS; 2) apply for release from a program

course to take a research course; and 3) participate in class research

activities. Indirectly, students learn from their faculty the challenges and

accomplishments associated with research. Ultimately, students are better

prepared to meet the challenges of the workplace and contribute to the

community as very highly qualified graduates.

Mohawk researchers focus on “real world” problems, bringing a wealth of

industry, clinical, and hands-on experience to designing practical solutions.

Our researchers have access to a great deal of leading edge technology

and infrastructure at Mohawk, and many also collaborate with McMaster

University and numerous health science research hospitals and institutes.

Many networks exist to enable faculty research. Industry co-operative

work placements and clinical sites used by our students serve as a vital

support for the development of research activities. A web of organizations

including Innovation Factory, MaRS, the City of Hamilton (Economic

Development), the Colleges Ontario Network for Industry Innovation

(CONII) and a large number of related groups serve to funnel high potential

research opportunities to our faculty and students. Collectively, the network

of industry and healthcare institutions Mohawk has developed, since its

inception over forty years ago, has evolved to support and benefit from

the research led by our faculty.

College researchers have been active in our community, informally, for

many years. They support our students’ learning and our community in

myriad ways. In recent years, both provincial and federal governments

have recognized the value of this work and its impact on our community by

creating numerous funding opportunities exclusive to colleges and industry

partners. Mohawk has been able to trade on the excellent reputation of

our faculty to broaden the impact we have on our community. Providing

highly qualified graduates and contributing practical solutions to industry

and community-oriented challenges, Mohawk researchers are helping to

establish a “Future Ready” community.

A message from the Chief

ted ScottChief Innovation officer

28 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 31: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

LEARN exciting new technologies.

CoNNECt with industry experts in health & technology.

SHARE resources, ideas & knowledge.

Ready to operate?

AppsHealth

for

2012LEARN • CoNNECt • SHARE

May 10 & 11, 2012

Join us for Ontario’s premiere recruiting and networking event for the mHealth andeHealth industry!

Mohawk College135 Fennell Avenue WestHamilton, ON L8N 3T2

905 575-1212 ext. [email protected]

appsforhealth_jan.indd 1 12-03-07 8:02 PM

28 | QuanTa Spring 2012

Page 32: Quanta Magazine - Spring 2012

Mohawk College’s iDeaWORKS provides resources that help businesses and entrepreneurs commercialize new technologies. By pairing talented students with tech-savvy industry partners, we produce innovative software solutions, develop mobile applications, improve manufacturing processes and build prototypes. Through these collaborations, iDeaWORKS is contributing to the new spirit of entrepreneurship that is transforming the region. Along with other like-minded community organizations, we are fuelling innovation and making it easier for small companies to succeed. Contact: Valerie Mitanoff, Industry Liaison Officer [email protected] 905.575.1212 ext. 4738

| m o h a w k C o l l e g e . C a / i d e a w o r k s |

healthtechnology

entrepreneurship