Collaborative workshop brings Engineering and Architecture students together for computational design and digital fabrication of timber systems
Prof. Aryan Rezaei Rad with finished product from Robot Made: 2024. (Photo by AnnaLisa Meyboom)
Robot Made is an innovative hands-on project combining research and active learning to involve both Engineering and Architecture students, at undergraduate and graduate levels, in the process of computational design and digital fabrication. This unique initiative's 2024 iteration focused on exploring techniques for designing, simulating, and digitally fabricating timber systems.
L to R: U of T CivMin Prof. Aryan Rezaei Rad, UBC Prof. AnnaLisa Meyboom and Daniels Faculty's Nicholas Hoban.
The course kicked off with classroom sessions - workshops, where participants delved into advanced wood design, robotic kinematics and systems, exploring digital workflows and engineering tools like parametric robot control (PRC) and COMPAS_FEA. The course then shifted into high gear as students moved to their computers, crafting custom designs through scripting and hands-on modelling.
The real excitement unfolded when digital met physical — students stepped into the Kuka robotic cell, driving industrial robots to fabricate their creations. In the final days, the digitally crafted design came to life in a thrilling build, as the class collaboratively assembled a full-scale structure, experiencing the transformative power of digital fabrication and automation.
The Design Build course was designed by Nicholas Steven Hoban from John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto; Professor AnnaLisa Meyboom from School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia; and Professor Aryan Rezaei Rad from the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto.
Robot routing of wood material to create pre-planned pieces for assembly into the final form.
Robot Made 2024 culminated in the installation of a pavilion at the University of Toronto, showcasing the collaborative efforts of the participants. This experience was particularly valuable as it brought the design-to-fabrication process, typically confined to industrial settings, into an academic environment. Through this Design Build course, students were able to explore cutting-edge applications in timber construction while developing advanced skills in design and assembly techniques.
Robot Made marked the first time students from both the Engineering and Architecture faculties at the University of Toronto collaborated to innovate in material usage, pushing the boundaries of construction methodologies. The resulting experimental structure exemplifies the potential of combining Design for Assembly principles with high-precision robotic fabrication and engineering-integrated computational design.
Robot Made forms part of a broader investigation into wood and mass timber construction, encompassing design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA), as well as the development of open-source digital frameworks. These frameworks integrate simulation-based engineering science and timber engineering, considering the role of integrated data workflows and digital fabrication technologies in shaping the future of building with wood-based products.
September 4, 2024 | Toronto Star
Alumnus Phil Feldman (CivE 5T9) takes a trip down memory lane with a visit to U of T Camp on Gull Lake.
Phil Feldman (CivE 5T9) visits the old bunkhouse at Camp on August 14, 2024. Feldman went to what was then called Survey Camp in August of 1957 for a three-week class, but at the Dorset location. (Photo by Phill Snel)
Some 65 years after graduating from U of T with a civil engineering degree, alumnus Phil Feldman (CivE 5T9) made a visit to Camp, thrilling students with his energy and baffling them with old technology.
Phil Feldman at Survey Camp in 1957.
Phil Feldman and partner at Survey Camp 1957.
A pleasant surprise appeared for CivMin students at this year’s Camp 1 on August 14, 2024 when Feldman arrived with Engineering Dean Chris Yip. Feldman eagerly took in the sights as students worked in the field and classrooms, also exploring the new bunkhouse. A highlight was certainly visiting the old, original bunkhouse replete with a century of monuments on the ceiling and rafters.
Feldman baffled students with his slide rule and marvelled at the newest technology for topographic mapping. As he recalled fewer electronics in his day, “Back in 1957 we did star shots and sun shots, with calculations in our field book, to figure out our latitude and longitude.”
The now 86-year-old retired school teacher recalls his three-week course, then called Survey Camp, required a great deal of hiking through the woods and canoeing to various locations to complete the assignments. At the time, enrolment was so great, the course was held simultaneously at the Gull Lake location as well as at Dorset. Feldman attended at Dorset, so did not stay in the large, one-room bunkhouse known to most at Camp. Instead, the lodge had two roommates to a room, which he recalled as very comfortable.
After graduation in 1959, Feldman worked as a civil engineer for a few different companies in the Scarborough area, as well as a consulting engineer, before becoming a private contractor. Later, in 1962, there was a large push to hire teachers. He recalls his tutoring experience, along with his skills as an engineer, made him a fantastic candidate to teach science and math. A six-week course in the summer allowed him to begin his career as a public school teacher, following up with a second six-week course the next summer, giving him permanent teaching credentials. A teaching career spanning 33 years saw him begin in Scarborough, move to North York, then finish in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) due to amalgamation.
Phil Feldman (CivE 5T9, left) shows off a slide rule to students in the new bunkhouse. (Photo by Phill Snel)
Phil Feldman (CivE 5T9, left) shows his iron ring to Professors Lesley Warren, Matt Roorda and Chris Yip at Camp on Gull Lake. (Photo by Phill Snel)
The octogenarian, who sports a hat emblazoned with “Made in 1937” remarks, “Back in our day there was only four women in all of Engineering. It sure has changed.”
As the balance nears parity in the Faculty, Camp has changed too with new facilities. What was once a large, one-room bunkhouse for only male students has been ameliorated to include new facilities with flexible use spaces. The newer bunkhouse, first opened in 2021, has six separate spaces allowing for greater mix of genders and age groups too, along with greater privacy. The new shower rooms are a decided improvement over what was once a shower hall.
The series of fortuitous events leading to the day at Camp began with Feldman chatting with Dean Yip about Camp. They later met so the alumnus could deliver his field book and some photos from his Survey Camp days. Yip remarked, “Wonderful memories of days past. Really honoured that he has gifted his field book and some photos to the Faculty.” Adding, “What wonderful cursive handwriting. Wow.”
As a result, the pair made a day trip to Camp on Gull Lake with Feldman remarking, “It was a wonderful day for me!”
Before leaving, they joined in a group photo for Camp 1 as part of U of T Camp tradition.
A group photo of students, professors, staff and guests at Camp 1 on August 14, 2024. (Photo by Phill Snel)
By Phill Snel
Learn more about Camp on the CivMin website
Michel Herrera Viyella with his poster at UnERD.
Undergraduate student, Michel Herrera Viyella (Year 2, ElecE) won the award for best overall poster presentation at the Undergraduate Engineering Research Day (UnERD), hosted by the Faculty of Engineering.
Herrera Viyella reflects, “With over 130 competitors from all four years, I am pleased to say I won the award for best overall poster presentation, a feat that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of CivMin Prof. Daman Panesar and Dr. Marani.”
Responding, Prof. Panesar notes, “Michel was an outstanding UTEA undergrad student with me – I taught him CIV100 in the Fall 2023 term, and then was excited to have him as a researcher with my team all summer. We are super proud of his early achievements.”
August 29, 2024 | CBC News
Our Professor Emeritus Ken Selby passed away at age 89 in Toronto on August 15, 2024. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Anne, three children and seven grandchildren.
Ken completed his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering (CivE 5T7), as well as an MBA, at the University of Toronto and a PhD at the University of Illinois. As a professor at U of T, he was a faculty member of Civil Engineering from 1963 to his retirement in 1997. His focus was on construction-related courses.
He began at U of T as Senior Ford Fellow in 1963, becoming assistant professor in 1964, rising to associate professor in 1967 and gained promotion to full professor in 1988.
A scholarship in Ken’s name was established upon his retirement:
Kenneth A. Selby Scholarship in Construction Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering. This scholarship was established in 1997 by Kenneth A. Selby, BASc, MBA, PhD (ILL), PEng. The award is granted to a student entering fourth-year Civil Engineering and based on financial need. Academic achievement in the program and particular ability and creativity in the field of construction engineering, specifically second and third-year construction engineering-related courses will also be considered.
Anne Selby recalls, “He also enjoyed arbitration and mediation in construction disputes during his last active years. During sabbaticals, and generally, Ken enjoyed active work appointments in relevant formal experiences in the civil engineering field.” Further adding, “Sometimes life is too busy, though Ken thoroughly enjoyed his Civil Engineering career and contacts.”
There will be an interment service on Friday September 20, 2024 at 1 p.m. at Park Lawn Cemetery, followed by a Life Celebration at the Old Mill 2-4 p.m.
Faculty Council will offer a memorial tribute at its next meeting on October 24.
The annual course, CME 358 Civil And Mineral Practicals (CAMP), is fully underway.
Students use total stations on the Highway Curve during Camp 1. (Photo by Phill Snel, CivMin)
Every August sees the annual trek for third-year students in the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering (CivMin) to the University of Toronto Camp on Gull Lake, near Minden, Ont., some 200 kms northeast of Toronto.
Students learn to take water samples from various locations and specific depths on Gull Lake, using a Van Dorn. (Photo by Phill Snel, CivMin)
Attending Camp is a time-honoured tradition for CivMin students, with the current annual course, CME358 Civil And Mineral Practicals (aka CAMP) evolving over its century-plus progression. What was a six-week survey camp in 1920, is now a two-week session of three rotations. Currently, the three components offered include: Surveying for Topographic Mapping (Topo), Sustainable Water Systems Analysis (Systems) and Layout for the Construction of a Highway Curve (Highway Curve). August sees two sessions of Camp offered.
Camp is a beloved and integral part of every Civil & Mineral Engineering student’s education. Since the inaugural Camp in September 1920, the program has provided a journey of self-discovery, connections with others, and a creative, innovative environment that complements conventional classroom learning with hands-on experience in the field, enabling students to engage in collaborative exercises to solve challenging engineering problems. Group work in the field in this remote location has provided our students a glimpse of real-world work experience while still in school.
It’s not all work, though. Students thoroughly enjoy swimming and canoeing in their free time, especially in the evenings after dinner as a respite from the hot day in the field. Gull Lake, a long freshwater body of water, provides ample opportunities for a variety of class-related fieldwork and for convivial times.
During Camp 1 (August 4-16) there were a few special visitors. For the first time in her role as Chair, Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou, along with new Professors Trevor Carey and Mohamed Basheer, Director of Student Services Shawn Mitchell, and Mel Duhamel,Director of Technical Services and Operations, visited U of T Camp on Gull Lake to learn more about the territory, the on-site teachings and its traditions.
TOP IMAGE L to R: Prof. Trevor Carey, Prof. Lesley Warren (gesturing), Prof. Marianne Hatzopoulou, Prof. Mohammed Basheer and Shawn Mitchell on the Camp’s pontoon boat, used to collect water samples at various points on Gull Lake. LOWER IMAGE: CivMin students use their downtime, after completing their second rotation at Camp 1, to swim and canoe on Gull Lake from the Camp’s large dock. (Photos by Phill Snel, CivMin)
A surprise visit from Engineering Dean Chris Yip on Wednesday, August 14 saw him accompany alumnus Phil Feldman (CivE 5T9) for a tour. Feldman had his then three-week visit to Survey Camp in August of 1957, but at the Dorset site due to class sizes not allowing everyone at Gull Lake at the same time. Feldman baffled students with his slide rule and marvelled at the newest technology for topographic mapping. As he recalled fewer electronics in his day, “Back then we did star shots and sun shots, with calculations in our field book, to figure out our latitude and longitude.”
Memories of Camp remain strong with our alumni, even some 65 years after graduation. Many return to see the monuments in the form murals, sculptural fixtures or amenities left behind by their graduating year.
Professor Sarah Haines (L) and Professor Mohammed Basheer.
Two CivMin professors, Mohammed Basheer and Sarah Haines, are included among eight projects from U of T Engineering supported by the Connaught New Researcher Awards, which helps early-career faculty members establish their research programs.
The eight projects are:
Creation of next generation vaccines against sexually transmitted infections — Professor Aereas Aung (BME)
Integrated hydrological-statistical method and tool for landslide susceptibility mapping in a changing climate — Professor Mohammed Basheer(CivMin)
Development of equitable pulse oximeters — Professor Daniel Franklin (BME)
Open Plenums & Indoor Environments (OPEN): Evaluating the Impact of Return Air Systems on Indoor Environmental Quality — Professor Sarah Haines (CivMin)
Productively Surmounting the Memory Wall with Task Parallelism — Professor Mark Jeffrey (ECE)
Affinity-directed dynamic polymer materials for biomarker sensing — Professor Caitlin Maikawa (BME)
Learning the Language of Metal-Organic Frameworks Topology — Professor Mohamad Moosavi (ChemE)
But I could be fired! How early career engineers hold the public paramount from organizationally subordinate locations — Professor Cindy Rottmann (ISTEP)
Professor Evan Bentz (photo by Rick Chard)
Though he didn’t know it at the time, Professor Evan Bentz (CivMin) was on his way to being an educator before he had even finished his undergraduate degree.
“My friends would ask me to help them learn the material, and I would basically run tutorials before our exams,” he says.
“From that, I learned how much fun it can be to teach.”
On July 1, Bentz was appointed vice-dean, undergraduate for the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.
In his new role, Bentz will build on the same passion for delivering quality education he experienced as an undergrad, and which has earned him honours such as the Faculty Teaching Award and the Civil Engineering Professor of the Year Award.
It also led him to serve as associate chair, undergraduate in the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering since 2016, and to both serve on and chair the Faculty’s Academic Appeals Board and the Faculty Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
Bentz likens good teaching to the performance of an actor on stage.
“A stage actor gives the same play every night to a different audience — we perform a different play, or lecture, every day to the same audience, or class,” he says.
“We are both telling a story and we both need to hold people’s attention. And we both get that instant thrill of connection that comes when we can see that what we are doing is helping someone understand something new.”
Bentz says that some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing both professors and students these days stem from changes in technology.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned a lot about delivering material remotely, as opposed to the traditional in-person model,” he says.
“Online courses can work really well, and there is certainly a demand from students for some material to be delivered this way.
“On the other hand, some courses really don’t work well online, for example, those where there is a significant practical or hands-on component. There’s an opportunity to capitalize on the best of what online can offer in a way that is consistent with our educational values and goals.”
Another emerging technology that raises both pros and cons for Bentz is the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI).
“We’re training our students not just to work in the engineering profession as it exists today, but as it will be 20 years from now,” he says.
“We don’t know where AI will be in 20 years, but it does have the potential to disrupt our whole profession. Besides, engineers are the ones who are building these systems, so it’s something we should be thinking about carefully, and our programs may need to change as a result.”
Overall, Bentz is feeling optimistic about his new role, and says he takes a lot of inspiration from the trust his students place in him.
“If you think about it, over the course of an undergraduate degree, you go from being 17 years old to being 21 or 22,” he says.
“There’s a lot you learn in that time about being an adult, and about navigating new friendships and relationships and so on. Much of that happens outside of class, of course, but we can do our best to create an environment where everyone is supported and can grow together as a community.”
passed away at age 89 in Toronto on August 15, 2024. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Anne, three children and seven grandchildren.
