Rocking it on the ice and in class: CivMin first-year student balances varsity curling with demanding Engineering academic schedule
Stella Armstrong (Year 1 MinE) in curling action for the U of T Varsity Blues. (Photos by Varsity Blues)
CivMin chatted with first-year student Stella Armstrong about her move to Toronto while simultaneously taking on competitive sports and an Engineering program, along with sticking with what she knows – the lucky socks!
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m from Ottawa, Ontario and I’ve been curling out of Ottawa since I was about eight years old. When I decided to come to U of T for [Lassonde] Mineral Engineering, I saw they had a varsity curling team. So, I decided to join and I’m hoping to play on the team for the next four years as well.
I wasn’t sure exactly if I wanted to continue curling once I got to university, especially because I know the engineering workload is very, very hard and very difficult [to coordinate with a competitive athletic schedule]. I was a bit unsure at first, but I’m very glad I decided to do it because it provides a really good balance. I’m happy that I did join the team – it’s just a great community overall as well.
Did you come and visit to talk with some of the coaching staff beforehand? Yes. When I came here, it was for an event called GLEE [Girls’ Leadership in Engineering Experience]. It was girls in engineering, and when I arrived here I had reached out to one of the coaches. I was already in contact with the main coach over the summer time, so I was just talking to them about my experience curling and what the team is like here. I was able to have that communication with them and able to talk to them, then I was able to try out for the team at the beginning of the year. Now I’m on the team.
How did you wind up deciding to apply to Mineral Engineering? I was always fascinated with nature, our environment, and how everything works, but I also really liked math. Around grade 12, I knew I really wanted to do something in that field. Then, when I was applying to universities, the mineral program really stood out to me at U of T, and I also really was interested in the environmental engineering minor.
It was definitely something I’m not super familiar with, but something I was interested in and wanted to want to get a little more information about. And, so far after first semester, I’m 100% sold. I love Mineral Engineering.
Currently your first-year class is receiving guest speaker for your MIN191 course, where each week different alumni come and tell you about their personal journey at school and their career path. How has this been going for you? I really like them, because a lot of people will come in and I feel it’s a very real conversation we’re having. We really get to understand what it’s like working in the mining industry, and we get to see all these different perspectives from different people and their experience here.
They are actually U of T grads, of course, who have themselves experienced first-year engineering. They tell us how it was like for them and what it’s like transitioning from the education side an institution, then working in the real world and in the field. It’s really amazing how, especially as first-year students, we’re able to see how this journey progresses and what life is like after school. I thoroughly enjoy it.
Have you heard some things from some of these speakers that might be different than what you had preconceived about the industry in some ways? I think something that stood out to me was the concept that there’s so many opportunities after school. Going into Mineral Engineering I thought I might be restricted about my options after having this degree. But you’re able to see there’s a lot of different things you can do. You could go into accounting. You can go into consulting. There are many, many fields you can go into.
I think by understanding this, and knowing there’s so many different possibilities available after taking our degree, it is very enlightening and something that brings me a lot of comfort to know.
The last few speakers showed the class a great number of travel photos. Is this aspect of the business something that appeals to you? Yes! That’s a yes, 100%. I’d love to travel. I love being outdoors and nature. I remember the last presentation we just had, our presenter was talking about the different places she was able to visit and that was something that stood out to me. I’m so excited because I’m someone who loves to travel. Having that opportunity is definitely something that I’m excited for.
Being from out of town, not originally from Toronto, how did you find fitting into the city? Were you apprehensive about moving to Toronto, a bigger city? I was excited because I think it’s definitely some place I’d like to go for my education – having all these different opportunities and whatnot. It’s definitely different at first, but I do like the idea there’s always people around. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is or what day it is, it’s always busy and it’s very lively, which I really appreciate.
There’s definitely a transition, especially from Ottawa, but I like it so far.
You’re living downtown in residence.What have you found you liked about Chestnut Residence? Right now I’m in Chestnut Residence, so am pretty much right downtown. We’re right next to the Eaton Centre, so it’s very, very busy down here.
I also love it here because you’re able to meet other Engineering students, so having the chance to collaborate with each other, and learn from each other, is a great opportunity. And I’ve met so many people at Chestnut, so many friends. It’s also amazing, too. There’s a lot going on with the other Engineering students and with all your similar school work.
But if you ever just want to relax and hang out with friends, you could just walk down the hall and see people. It just really gives you a good social aspect to meet new people, build connections and just have a great community of friends to rely on. So I’ve really enjoyed that.
Do you have any classes you’re taking that are really standing out or that you really like? I like all of my classes this semester. Actually I’m super interested in them all.
I really like my insight to mineral engineering class because I think it it used to be a second year program, but now it’s first year. I think it’s extremely beneficial because, again, I was super interested in the mining industry and this degree, but I don’t really know too much about it. So, being able to really understand it and get a good insight into it first year is I think is amazing – it’s quite unique.
I’m really interested in my other classes too, like physical chemistry and calculus and all of the generic classes that most people take. But I I like all of my classes right now, yeah.
You’re varsity athlete and in an engineering program. It’s very demanding. How is training, practice and competition? How does that work out schedule wise for you? What we typically do is have league games every Wednesday night and we also have practices on weekends. For the most part it’s very manageable. At first it was a little rough, especially with the whole transitioning into the university lifestyle and leaving home and whatnot. But now it’s just kind of part of the routine.
I usually allocate certain hours of my weekend to studying, and then the other parts I go to curling and there’s a bit of a commute as well, but it just becomes a routine I find and it’s very manageable. If you we’re able to really focus and put the effort in, then it all works out.
Is there a certain library space, or somewhere else on campus, you like to go? I really like the Gerstein Library. I usually go there during exam season when I’m able to go there in the morning and get some work done. Then I usually go and eat.
The Second Cup [coffee stand] in Myhal is a regular for me. I think I go there every single day, because it’s a part of my meal plan, but I really enjoy it. I like Myhal altogether. I really like how bright it is. There’s lots of windows. There’s a lot of light in there and it just overall brings a really good environment and I really like spending my time there.
Your dining plan is flexible, so you can eat all over campus, right? Yes, we can eat just almost anywhere with our meal plan, which is amazing to me. I really enjoy the fact I can try different things and be able to eat at different locations, so that’s very nice thing.
Ohh, and I like eating at MedSci [Medical Science Building cafeteria]. I really like the tuna poke ball. It’s usually my go to, but I’ve tried everything else there – the pasta, the burgers and whatnot, so I’ve had a little bit of it all.
Has there been an adjustment from playing in Ottawa to Toronto or the area? Well, I find that because the curling community is so small, most of the people I am playing against from universities are the same people I competed against back home. I used to travel all the time from Ottawa to come play in Toronto. A lot of the Ontario teams we played against this season are actually people I used to play against when I was younger. It’s nice seeing familiar faces and curling against people, but I think the transition it’s a little different. It’s a little on the competitive side. It’s different because the coaching style is a little different, the training’s different, but overall I think it’s a very smooth transition and it’s quite similar.
Do you have any routines or superstitions with your curling activities? Yes. I like wearing the same pair of socks. I have these curling socks and I like wearing for games. I usually have the same routine every time for every game. I’m a little superstitious, I’d say, but it’s just all about the mentality.
It’s a very mental game, right? So you have to be more mentally prepared. I find so just reassuring yourself that you know you’re gonna do the best you can. No one plays 100%, but just reassure yourself and just always have a positive attitude on the ice. That’s what I like to do going into every game.
I won these socks when I was younger. I did Little Rocks and I was in little bonspiels and I’d always have like a raffle table. I remember the first thing I won at these bonspiels were these curling socks – they were huge. They still fit now, but I just started wearing them every time to competitions and just became my lucky socks, as I now call them.
By Phill Snel
L to R: Marianne Hatzopolou, Sam Richardson, Jordyn Tripp and Daria Khachi. CivMin’s Sam Richardson (second from left, MASc candidate) receives the Donald Tong Graduate Scholarship at the DIALOG offices in Toronto on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. At right is DIALOG’s Daria Khachi (Partner, Structural Engineer), Jordyn Tripp (CivE MASc 2T0), along with Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou (left, Chair, Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering). (Photo by Phill Snel, CivMin/University of Toronto)
The annual award was presented by company partner Daria Kachi and EIT Jordyn Tripp (CivE PhD 2T0) at a ceremony in the company’s downtown Toronto office on February 27. Richardson is the sixth recipient of this award since its inception in 2019.
“I’m very pleased to have been awarded this recognition for an engineering student who shows not only a strong academic background, but also good communication and community service experiences as well,” says Richardson. “Donald Tong was clearly an inspirational person who will always be remembered by the company, and I’m proud this award can carry on his memory, and his traits, that made him such a recognizable person.”
As an undergraduate student in engineering, Richardson was also simultaneously a varsity soccer player, balancing a demanding academic schedule with competitive athletic endeavours. “I was balancing that extracurricular side with engineering studies, and then along came Covid. So I then got involved with making some COVID-19 test result calls for a hospital, which added significantly to my community service profile. As well, I’ve always been involved in coaching soccer throughout my life – a lifelong passion. During the pandemic, it had to turn to virtual coaching, but I still got to keep that involvement going.”
Peering into the future, he says, “My aspirations, after completing my MASc, is to go into industry and work on complex and innovative projects. That’s where I align with DIALOG and what they do. I have some experience in the multidisciplinary approach through my previous co-ops; I like that way of working, where you’re working directly with other sorts of engineers, whether it’s mechanical or electrical engineers, and also working with architects.”
Richardson’s current ambitions at U of T are clear, “I’m currently pursuing my MASc under the supervision of Professor Jeffrey Packer. I’m working on a computer program which helps check and design planar HSS welded connections. This software will be available as a web app and used to create design tables to help simplify the design process of HSS welded connections.”
CivMin’s Chair, Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou, adds, “This scholarship is an indication of the trust you have placed in us and of your support to our departmental strength in structural engineering. Your donation helps us acknowledge the great things our students are doing; they push us to share and disseminate stories about student excellence and raise our profile nationally and internationally. Most importantly, this scholarship allows us to honour the legacy of Donald Tong and continue to strengthen the bridges between industry and academia.”
Donald Tong (Photo courtesy of Dialog)
The award is named for Dialog’s long-time structural team member Donald Tong, who tragically passed away in 2018 after a courageous battle with cancer. In an online description, Dialog provides insight into the motivation for the award: Donald epitomized the integrated design culture at the heart of DIALOG. He started his career as an interior designer, followed by a stint as an architectural technologist, before he found his passion in structural engineering. It is our hope that future structural engineers will embody Donald’s creative, wide-ranging design spirit.
Jane Tong, Donald’s daughter also present for the event, is continuing the family legacy of engineering as a career.
Luke Calabretta poses by a sign for Simcoe Hall at U of T, where Governing Council meets. (supplied photo)
Luke Calabretta, a third-year Civil Engineering student, has been elected to serve on Governing Council at U of T for the 2024-2025 period. He is one of the two full-time undergraduate students from professional faculties, as part of the total of eight students elected. Calabretta received 147 votes to secure his position.
“I’m honoured to have earned the trust of my constituents,” expresses Calabretta . “I decided to run because I wanted to improve the quality of the student experience at the University of Toronto. I look forward to contributing towards solutions that make life easier for all students – in particular those related to affordability.”
For past experience, and ability to draw on his chosen field, Calabretta relays, “Within the CivMin community, I have previously been involved in Civ Club, Troitsky Bridge Design Team as well as founding my own club related to energy. Civil engineering is a broad field, we have a unique ability to see the big picture – I look forward to bringing this perspective to the Governing Council.”
CivMin Professor Matthew Roorda is leading the group of researchers from U of T, McMaster University and York University
The City Logistics for the Urban Economy (CLUE) research group aims to reshape urban freight logistics to better support the modern economy. (Photo: Joaquin Corbalan)
Professor Matthew Roorda (CivMin) is leading an academic collaboration between 10 faculty researchers and more than 50 graduate students from the University of Toronto, McMaster University and York University. Together, the City Logistics for the Urban Economy (CLUE) is confronting the pressing challenge of rethinking urban freight logistics.
The rise of e-commerce and home delivery has brought convenience to consumers, but it has also exacerbated challenges in urban freight logistics. As the transportation and delivery industry continues to expand, freight emissions are growing rapidly, outpacing those of passenger vehicles.
With a commitment to sustainability and equity, the research group’s focus is to reshape the landscape of urban goods transportation, addressing four main areas: congestion, emissions, safety concerns and the equitable distribution of benefits and burdens.
CLUE began in 2020, and since then, 10 faculty researchers — along with 12 research sponsors, including federal, regional, non-governmental organization, and industry partners — have worked on more than 24 projects.
One research theme that the group is examining is the equity and environmental justice implications of the rise of e-commerce and home delivery.
“Questions around winners and losers in the transition from brick-and-mortar to delivery, as well as the distribution of emissions from delivery vehicles, are being explored,” says Roorda.
Through their various research projects, CLUE aims to quantify the influence on communities most impacted by freight logistics, particularly those living near highways and loading facilities.
Image outlining the impact of commercial vehicles in comparison to passenger vehicles across the Greater Toronto Area. (Image courtesy: Marianne Hatzopoulou)
Data collection and science also play a crucial role in CLUE’s research. The group is currently developing their Freight Data Warehouse, a repository for large data sets such as GPS traces of commercial vehicles, with the aim of enabling further research using this valuable data.
“The goal is to build visualization dashboards to provide insights into greenhouse gas emissions, traffic patterns and travel speeds, empowering policymakers, and the public to make informed decisions,” says Roorda.
“We have seen impact of our off-peak delivery pilot project on government policy changes, such as allowing night-time deliveries across Ontario” says Roorda.
To collect evidence of the impact of that change in policy, CLUE conducted community surveys after night-time deliveries were permitted to help assess the noise impact on residents and developed a freight transportation model to assess the greenhouse gas emissions impact.
The Off-peak Delivery Pilot project used logistics databases from Walmart, Loblaws and LCBO, as well as community surveys and collision analysis. (Photo courtesy: Georgii Shipin)
CLUE also introduced a new truck driving simulator, where novice truck drivers can be trained to navigate extremely challenging urban areas safely, considering pedestrians and cyclists. The goal of this initiative is to enhance safety standards within the freight and logistics industry, another key research theme for the group.
“Everyone makes mistakes while driving, but when you’re driving a huge truck in the city, you need to drive perfectly or else you put people at risk. It’s a very challenging job,” says Roorda.
By proposing innovative solutions like new delivery models, curbside loading zone technology and lifting restrictions on late-night goods deliveries, CLUE seeks to make the goods movement network more efficient and less impactful on urban environments.
Yee Ka Wong, a ChemE postdoctoral fellow, adjusts an air quality measurement system installed near a major roadway in Toronto for the IMPACT and SWAPIT projects. (Photo credit: Cheol-Heon Jeong)
U of T Engineering researchers have launched two major air quality studies to assess non-tailpipe emissions and winter air pollutants. The studies will involve collecting data at notable landmarks across the city of Toronto, including at the CN Tower, two U of T campuses, Toronto Pearson International Airport and High Park. The forthcoming findings could inform future work focused on understanding possible links between air pollutants and adverse health outcomes.
For the Improved Assessment and Characterization of Traffic Emissions (IMPACT) study, Professors Greg Evans (ChemE, ISTEP), Marianne Hatzopoulou (CivMin) and Arthur Chan (ChemE) will investigate variations in the concentrations of non-exhaust emissions — such as those arising from brake, tire and road wear — across Toronto.
“The good news is that vehicle technologies have improved to the point where tailpipe emissions from cars have dropped significantly. Unfortunately, at the same time, we’re seeing a steady increase in non-tailpipe emissions,” says Evans.
“More and more Canadian drivers are choosing to buy heavier vehicles, such as pickup trucks and SUVs, where more brake and tire wear is needed to slow them down. As brake pads and tires wear out, they shed lots of particles that end up in the water and in the air. It’s important to understand our exposure to these emissions.”
In a separate study running in parallel to the IMPACT project, Evans, Hatzopoulou and Chan will be contributing to the Study of Winter Air Pollution in Toronto (SWAPIT), led by Environment and Climate Change Canada, to explore air pollution in colder months.
Notably, the SWAPIT project is among only a few air quality studies to be completed in the winter and it is the largest wintertime urban air quality research ever undertaken globally, in terms of the number of pollutants measured.
“Most air quality research has been conducted during the summer, when smog and wildfires are most prevalent, but air pollution continues to be an issue in colder months,” says Evans. “And some pollutants are found in higher concentrations in the winter.”
Evans points out that some vehicle emission treatment systems are designed to function during warmer seasons, such as exhaust treatment for diesel-fuelled vehicles, which are much less effective at extracting nitrogen oxides when temperatures drop.
Additionally, stagnant winter air confounds the problem.
“On summer days, when we have higher winds, vehicle emissions are more quickly dispersed and diluted, and we don’t see them in such high concentrations as we move further from major roadways,” says Evans. “However, stagnant air is more common in winter, which causes pollutants to linger around those roads, creating higher concentrations that can persist for a kilometre or more away from the road.
“If we find that the pollutant levels and chemistry vary depending on the season, we have to consider what this means. It could, for example, raise questions about whether we need to push for better emission treatment systems or better ways to keep our windscreens frost-free without pulling in potentially polluted outside air. Of course, electrifying our vehicles over the coming decade will go a long way to addressing these issues.”
Cheol-Heon Jeong, a ChemE senior research associate, examines an air quality measurement system installed for the IMPACT and SWAPIT projects. (Photo credit: Yee Ka Wong)
To get at answers to the questions posed by the IMPACT and SWAPIT projects, researchers have installed air quality measurement systems across Toronto, including on 40 roadside poles and atop the CN Tower. Heavily instrumented sites will also be set up at the U of T St. George and Scarborough campuses, High Park and Evergreen Brick Works. As well, the U of T Engineering team will use mobile labs — vehicles fitted with measurement systems — to collect samples as they navigate specific routes around the city.
Over a six-week period, spanning from late January into early March, the measurement systems will be collecting air samples at timed intervals. The team will be analyzing the samples for airborne particulate matter, including metals. With the AirSENCE monitoring technology created at U of T, researchers will also measure gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and ozone.
To better understand how pollutant concentrations might vary, U of T Engineering researchers will be setting up systems at varying distances from major roadways, including Highway 401. And the team will be taking advantage of the access to the CN Tower to install testing stations at varying heights to assess pollutant concentrations at different altitudes.
The findings from the IMPACT and SWAPIT projects will add to U of T Engineering’s comprehensive body of knowledge aimed at enhancing the understanding of urban air pollution and its impacts on human health and the environment.
Evans hopes the IMPACT and SWAPIT initiatives will give researchers a clearer picture of air pollution in the city.
“Hopefully, what we learn will support future epidemiology to ask questions around health outcomes,” he says. “For instance, what are the health impacts in locations where the non-tailpipe emissions are higher? Is there an association between non-tailpipe emissions and various health impacts? What is the impact of stagnant air on our exposure to traffic pollutants?
“We can use the data we collect to form new questions and think about the bigger implications, particularly what health benefits we can expect over the coming decade as we reduce emissions from fossil fuel combustion.”
Second-year CivMin students had a meet-and-greet with the robot Spot and a presentation on the present and the future of robotics in the construction setting during the Management of Construction class.
Karimi delivered an impactful presentation and demonstrated a real robot named Spot. During the class students had the opportunity to interact with and operate Spot, gaining insights into autonomous mobile robots and their successful applications in construction. This robot can autonomously navigate construction environments, automating capturing by 3D scanning of the site and surveying.
“We are dedicated to advancing collaborative research focused on autonomous mobile construction robots. Starting with a baseline platform, we aim to develop key visual artificial intelligences (visual AIs) in partnership with Pomerleau to enhance the usability of such robotic solutions, ” says Kim.
Pomerleau, a leading force in the Canadian construction industry, is dedicated to innovative and sustainable construction techniques. Currently, the company manages two construction projects at U of T’s St. George Campus. As part of the collaborative research between Pomerleau and the CivMin department, Karimi will also lead educational sessions for Professor Kim’s PhD students on robot operations and the complexities of the Robot Operating System (ROS). “The outcome of our research will be demonstrated and tested on real sites, validating its future potential,” added Kim.
Jadesola Babalola-Lucas participated in Blueprint in summer 2023 and continued with its yearlong engagement program, Prepare. (Photo: Submitted)
Jadesola Babalola-Lucas, 16, has felt an affinity for math and science since she was in elementary school, but it was not until the summer of 2020 that she discovered her passion for engineering.
“I was stuck at home because of COVID-19 and watching a lot of TV, especially the Smithsonian Channel,” says Babalola-Lucas, who is now in Grade 11.“And I kid you not,I had an epiphany watching Planes That Changed the World.”
She was struck by aeronautical feats involved in the design of aircrafts such as the SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest air-breathing crewed aircraft, and the way the engineers overcame their challenges with creativity.
“Ibegan to understand how interdisciplinary engineering really is, and it was at that moment that I realized engineers really do make the world go round,” says Babalola-Lucas. “Who wouldn’t want to be a part of something that big?”
A few years later, Babalola-Lucas stumbled upon a posting for Blueprint, U of T Engineering’s summer academic enrichment program for highly motivated Black high school students who are passionate about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). She could not pass up the opportunity to apply and step closer to her goal of studying either materials science or mechanical engineering, and then pursuing graduate studies in aerospace engineering.
The four-week Engineering Outreach program introduces students who have just finished Grades 10 and 11 to the engineering design process. Through course offerings, hands-on activities and collaborative projects, participants apply what they have learned to create innovative solutions for global issues.
Students are also connected with mentors, who are current undergraduate engineering students — some of whom have even gone through the Blueprint program. The mentors help participants understand the day-to-day experience of studying STEM in university.
Blueprint students continue their engagement with U of T Engineering over the next school year through two programs — Prepare for Grade 11 students and My Academic Planning Sessions (MAPS) for Grade 12 students. Through October to March, weekly virtual sessions guide the prospective university students through the obstacles they may face during their high-school-to-university transition.
Additionally, Blueprint participants who are accepted into a U of T Engineering undergraduate program are eligible to receive one of five fully funded entrance scholarships that is renewable for four years.
“Blueprint allows Black students to meet successful individuals with similar racial and academic backgrounds. We do this by inviting Black STEM professionals and current engineering students as guest speakers over the summer and yearlong engagement,” says Cassandra Abraham, a coordinator at Engineering Outreach and Blueprint director.
“This representation can be empowering, instilling a sense of belonging and motivating students to pursue STEM careers.”
The program is also structured in a variety of ways to facilitate connection among peers. At the start of the summer, students are divided into groups based on their hobbies and interests — information that is collected during the onboarding process. This encourages students to communicate and form friendships, says Abraham.
When Shenile Ellis, 17, first applied to Blueprint, the then-Grade 11 student thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more about different engineering disciplines.
She knew she was interested in mechanical engineering since she enjoyed the design process of 3D modelling and seeing projects come to life. She also wanted to meet other Black students her age who were interested in STEM and get a glimpse of what it is like to learn on a university campus.
“I wasn’t sure I would get in, but when I did, I realized I should never count myself out,” she says. “One of the Blueprint leaders always told us that we were there for a reason and that we are all capable.”
Students had opportunities to code robots in the Mechatronics and Automation course. (Photo: Shenile Ellis)
For Christine Martins-Ezeifeaku, 17, some of the most memorable moments from the summer were the hands-on activities that were a part of the two courses: Engineering and Human Health, and Mechatronics and Automation.
“In the biomedical engineering lab, we got to do many things we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do in a typical high school experience,” she says. “We got to diagnose sickle cell anemia and create E. coli bacteria.
“Getting to code the robots in the mechatronics lab and seeing them move after we finished was also an amazing experience.”
While Martins-Ezeifeaku has always gravitated towards working with computers and sees herself studying computer engineering or computer science at university in the fall, she knows first-hand the importance of seeing people like herself in the technology field.
“In Grade 10, I took a computer science course that was taught by a teacher who is a Black woman, and I was surprised at first because I wasn’t expecting her,” she says. “I loved that class; it really sparked my interest.
“Everyone who has helped me work towards the technology field has been really encouraging.”
As part of a month-long engineering design challenge, Blueprint participants were placed in groups and tasked with designing a solution to a client’s problem. This culminated with a presentation in front of judges, U of T Engineering Dean Chris Yip, graduate students and family members at the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
“I really enjoyed the project because it allowed me to work on my presentation and teamwork skills,” says Ellis. “The experience also gave us experience that we could use in a first-year engineering design course.”
Babalola-Lucas was part of a team tasked to create a product that reduced locusts on a farm in Jamaica. Together, they designed and built an ultrasonic 40 kHz speaker with a high-enough frequency to disrupt the locust, but too high for humans to hear, so it didn’t affect human quality of life or wildlife.
“It was really innovative for us, and we ended up winning the competition, which was an extraordinary moment for me,” she says. “The entire experience was also an important lesson because I learned that no engineer works alone. You need to know how to work with anyone and everyone. You need to know how to collaborate. Blueprint taught me that from day one.
“I think any Black student who knows they love STEM should join Blueprint.You’re not only going to be exposed to the different disciplines within engineering, but you’re also going to experience a taste of campus life and learn how to study like a university student. You won’t regret it.”
Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou leads research collaboration to optimize investments in transportation infrastructure for social, environmental and economic outcomes
CivMin Chair, Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou, is leading The Road to Net Zero, a new collaboration that will engage with communities to help quantify how investments in transportation infrastructure can lower emissions, improve public health and enhance equity. (Photo by Phill Snel, CivMin)
New funding from the Government of Canadawill support a multidisciplinary collaboration designed to inform strategic, evidence-based investments in transportation infrastructure across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
By combining computer modelling with participatory data collection and community engagement, the team will quantify how transformations in transportation infrastructure can achieve shifts in travel behaviour that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health and enhance equity.
“Changes to our transportation networks are not only about reducing commute times or getting cars off the road — they also affect where people choose to live and the quality of life that they have in different neighbourhoods,” says CivMin Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou who founded Positive Zero Transport Futures in 2022 and is leading the new project.
“If we want to fully understand the impacts of our choices, we need to combine our expertise in spatial and temporal modelling of emissions with community-based techniques that enable us to paint a more holistic picture.”
Collaborators on the project include U of T Engineering Professors Shoshanna Saxe (CivMin), Khandker Nurul Habib (CivMin), Eric Miller (CivMin), Greg Evans (ChemE, ISTEP), Jeff Brook (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, ChemE) as well as Professors John Robinson (Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy) and Erica DiRuggiero (Dalla Lana School of Public Health).
The project also includes a number of partners outside U of T, such as environmental NGO Pollution Probe, the City of Toronto and various community associations.
“Transportation is an issue that affects everybody, and multidisciplinary collaboration has always been a hallmark of our approach,” says Judy Farvolden, Managing Director of the Mobility Network.
“This project is a great example of the way that academic research can be strengthened and augmented with insights from the communities that are impacted by these changes. We can then bring this knowledge to our partners in government to make informed, evidence-based decisions that can lead to better outcomes for all.”
The funding from the Government of Canada accounts for more than $800,000 of the project’s $1.2 million budget. Other sources of funding include the Dean’s Strategic Fund, which helped launch Positive Zero Transport Futures, as well as the Mobility Network.
“These important investments are essential to driving infrastructure solutions that make a difference in communities,” says The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.
“With research and data, we can strengthen housing and infrastructure to make a positive impact for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”
