A new on-demand webinar has been released by Gap Wireless, featuring a session with Mohawk’s Industrial Research Chair for IIoT Applications, Dr. Esteve Hassan. In the webinar, Dr. Hassan answers the questions about the 5G network in Canada, showcasing use cases related to 5G’s relevance to the healthcare sector.

This webinar expands on a 5G Report published in December 2020 that also featured Dr. Hassan.The webinar is now available on-demand.

Located in Hamilton, Ontario, Mohawk College is a fully accredited, leading postsecondary institution, offering 179 programs in areas such as engineering, business, health sciences, skilled trades and apprenticeships, and much more. More than 125,000 people have graduated from Mohawk since it was founded in 1967.

As part of this initiative, Edge Factor is producing 10 Career Profile videos featuring Mohawk College graduates working locally in the skilled trades. The local companies being featured in this series of videos include Stelco, Gerrie Electric, Walters Group, Eastgate Ford, Neelands, Heartwood Renovations, Car Star, Marshall Truck & Trailer Repair, and ArcelorMittal Dofasco.

In addition, Edge Factor is creating a 15 episode series of technology videos that highlight skilled trades tools and topics featuring Mohawk College’s faculty and programs. Among the many trades that will be featured are Plumbing, Welding and Fabrication, Carpentry, Millwright, and Robotics and Motion Control.

“Mohawk is pleased to be working with Edge Factor on this exciting initiative,” said Paul Armstrong, Vice President, Academic at Mohawk College. “We look forward to seeing how this tool can introduce more people to the many training and career possibilities that exist in our city and region.”

“Edge Factor uses the power of cinematic storytelling to showcase real-life people using their heads, hands, and technology to push back the edge of what’s possible,” said Larissa Hofman, Vice President of Edge Factor. “These tools make STEAM relevant, instill soft skills, and ultimately, take people on a journey to discover how they can launch exciting local career and training pathways.”

All of the videos and interactive activities Edge Factor creates are delivered through their membership-based, online platform. Businesses and educational members of Edge Factor are equipped with tools to add Profiles on their organization and the careers and training programs they offer, to customize the local experience. Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, and Mohawk College all have access to the platform and are implementing these tools in the classrooms and homes.

Thanks to their close partnership with the Industry-Education Council of Hamilton and the City of Hamilton, all of Edge Factor’s films, TV episodes, and career exploration tools are already available for FREE to everyone in Hamilton on their smart streaming service, edgefactor.com/HamiltonON.

Go to edgefactor.com to begin the journey of career exploration today:
www.edgefactor.com/HamiltonON
For more information, contact Edge Factor at:
info@edgefactor.com
(716) 805-3343
edgefactor

The project was recently featured in the company's One Magazine. You can read the article here: http://arcelor-mittal.aewebapps.com/issues/1-magazine-vol11-no4/index.html#p=6

The 96,000 square-foot, all-electric building was designed with innovation at its heart. The facility generates 100 per cent of the energy required to power it, meeting rigorous net zero energy and carbon performance targets. The design celebrates sustainability, incorporating a highly expressive photovoltaic array, an iconic form that is highly visible to the community. The building’s energy budget, which was given equal weight to the financial budget in driving design, was devised at the inception of the project and, represents a fundamental shift in the design decision making process.

The Joyce Centre incorporates the latest in energy-efficient materials and processes, featuring solar-powered, state-of-the-art labs, workshops, open study spaces and flexible lecture theatres. The mechanical and electrical spaces, as well as the green roofs, are accessible to all and act as an extension to the learning environment. The facility has created a new paradigm for sustainable building and learning in North America and pioneers a cultural shift in occupant behaviour from open energy consumption to personal accountability.

In a region known for its steel-production, this achievement aligns with the re-emergence of Hamilton as a healthcare and educational hub.

Joanne McCallum, CEO mcCallumSather comments: “This project puts Hamilton on the map as a leader in sustainable design, and we are unbelievably proud to have been a part of it. The facility demonstrates a progressive opportunity where commitment, education, technology and the environment converge to create a living lab for sustainable learning and innovation.”

Lisa Bate, Global Sustainability Lead, Principal, B+H Architects adds, “The Joyce Centre is an excellent template for how we can extend the impact of our buildings beyond themselves and beyond boarders by creating a supporting educating culture to recognize and encourage innovation. The act of designing and building a sustainable facility is only part of the equation. The strategic role we all play in optimizing how the building is used and operated once it is built is vital to Canada’s leadership of a net zero carbon future.”

The building positions Mohawk College as a knowledge centre for carbon-neutral technologies and operations. In every way, the workings of this uniquely sustainable building are put on display and are used as an opportunity to grow, learn, and engage. The Joyce Centre communicates the principles of engineering by transparently demonstrating them, transforming it into more than just a building but a teaching tool. Students are given the opportunity to manage the operations of the building. Through data and analysis, they can observe, in real-time, the temperature, humidity, ventilation rates, thermal distribution and lighting performance in addition to other key building components.

Ron McKerlie, President, Mohawk College, adds “We appreciate the recognition The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation has received from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, raising awareness of the best practices in design and construction that can move climate action forward in Canada. The Joyce Centre is a living, breathing example of what a sustainable learning space can offer. We are proud to share that knowledge with current and future generations of Mohawk students, and with the entire country.”

We have learned a lot through the design and construction of this building and we look forward to sharing that knowledge with current and future generations of Mohawk students, as well as anyone who wants to see what the future of sustainable construction looks like.”

The facility’s commitment to sustainability is underscored by its role in determining standards for the Canadian Green Building Council Zero Carbon Buildings Framework and its contribution to the World Green Building Council’s “Advancing Net Zero” initiative, a global project which aims to ensure that all buildings are net zero carbon by 2050, with all new buildings being net-zero carbon by 2030.

An integrated team was critical to ensuring that key decisions were made early in the process with complete understanding of the design implications. Team members include RDH Building Science, Ellis Don, Mantecon Partners, TMP and MBII.

The award will be bestowed at the 2019 Festival of Architecture, President’s Dinner and Award Gala on Monday October 28^th in Toronto.

(published with permission from mcCallumSather and B+H Architects)

They wrote, photographed and designed a sponsored section, called Hamilton Unstoppable, in The Toronto Star on that day – literally making the news. The sponsored section can also be found on The Hamilton Spectator website, in the community section.

Students from the college’s Journalism, Photography and Graphic Design programs partnered with Torstar Corporation, owner of The Spec and The Star, to create the special section to promote home ownership in Hamilton. The section was included in 75,000 copies of The Star and delivered in targeted areas of Toronto. The team worked, through the Agency, with local advertisers and Hamilton Economic Development Office to produce the publication.

The team was able to be at the printing plant when their work was coming off the press.

These are all areas of strength at Mohawk College.

The investment also comes at a time when companies are more open than ever before to solving problems and seizing opportunities together, says David Santi, Dean School of Engineering Technology and Aviation at Mohawk College.

“There is a new world out there in which companies have to operate. They can’t be on their own anymore and get ahead of the game. The Supercluster will help build and sustain an ecosystem that will make Canada a leader in advanced manufacturing.”

Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) is an industry-led not-for-profit founded in December 2017 to be the engine behind the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster. It assesses, funds and monitors projects and programs under the federal government’s Innovation Supercluster Initiative.

The power of collaboration

In 2017, the Government of Canada announced it would invest up to $950 million in the Innovation Superclusters Initiative, challenging Canadian businesses of all sizes to collaborate with other innovation actors, including post-secondary and research institutions, to propose ambitious 

strategies that would transform regional economies and develop job-creating superclusters of innovation.

NGen is matching federal funds and private investments to industry-led projects across the country that leverage Canada’s strengths in advanced technology to scale our capabilities in customized manufacturing.

NGen’s 10-year targets include injecting $13.5 billion into the Canadian economy and creating 13,500 net new jobs.

“Achieving those targets requires taking on transformative projects. We are looking for ideas, products and solutions that have commercialization potential,” said Jayson Myers, CEO of NGen.

Mohawk College is perfectly positioned as a partner for companies across Ontario and beyond who need expertise in a wide variety of fields for their Supercluster-funded projects, says Santi.

“We want to see as many students and faculty as possible working on Supercluster initiatives.”

NGen, based in the McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton, also promotes technology adoption, skills improvements and greater collaboration between technology and manufacturing to help Canadian companies of all sizes navigate the global shift to advanced manufacturing. NGen aims to develop an artificial intelligence-enabled global database platform to link companies, researchers and investors so they can work together on innovation.

“Mohawk College is a critical piece of the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster because it provides the pipeline of next-generation skilled talent companies need and is a great model of how postsecondary institutions can partner with industry to the benefit of both,” said Myers.

“Raising the awareness of the capabilities of a place like Mohawk is crucial to what we are doing. Creating the links between a resource like Mohawk and manufacturers and technology companies is central to our success.”

It’s more than appropriate that the Supercluster

be centred in Hamilton, which was the country’s manufacturing powerhouse for decades. The city has reimagined and reinvented itself, just as Canada’s manufacturing sector must do in a time of disruption and transformation.

Ladle metallurgy furnace at ArcelorMittal Dofasco

ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s automation of its ladle metallurgy furnace (LMF) is among the first projects to be considered for Supercluster funding. Projects are evaluated and approved by independent expert panels.

Advanced digital technologies will revolutionize the operation of the LMF, improve the quality of products, and create a safer work environment, says Brian Benko, Vice President of Digitalization.

Traditionally, operators manually heat, alloy and sample the liquid steel to minimize impurities before it is cast into steel slabs. Automation will put that operator into an analytical supervisory role, leaving robots to physically sample the steel and digital sensors controlling what to add and when.

“The project would be an excellent fit for the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster as our collaborative work with project partners ensures we all gain significant knowledge about how to integrate a new generation of digital technologies into brownfield manufacturing sites, gain experience and knowledge with big data and advanced analytics, create digital twins of manufacturing assets for the purpose of running simulations, use emerging hardware technologies, such as smart cameras, smart sensors and WiFi-enabled devices and upskill our people to work in an advanced manufacturing environment,” said Benko.

Dofasco, a founding partner in the Supercluster, would be among the first in the world to digitize its LMF.

“All of this work and learning provides the supply partners with applied experience that can then be leveraged in other manufacturing sectors. The net result will contribute to the further development of Canada’s manufacturing ecosystem.”

Mohawk and Dofasco have a long-standing and multi-layered relationship across a number of programs. The college helps the company develop and deliver the curriculum and training resources for its next-generation employees and Dofasco experts are integral to a number of program advisory committees where cutting-edge technology is transforming business and skilled trades. 

The Supercluster is “really about building capacity in our manufacturers to adopt technology in

order to grow,” said Sean Donnelly, President and CEO of ArcelorMittal Dofasco. That means connecting manufacturers to the 3,500 organizations engaged in R&D and technology innovation in southern Ontario “so they can attack common business development challenges and rapidly apply technology.”

Solutions to compete globally

Supercluster projects focus on developing and applying new and integrated technology solutions that will help Canadian manufacturing companies compete globally. NGen seeks projects with a total cost between $1 million and $20 million that can develop high potential technologies, create ground-breaking process transformation, and de-risk the adoption of technology.

NGen will reimburse up to 44.4 per cent of a project’s eligible costs incurred following the signing of a project agreement.

Myers says advanced manufacturing is more than technology. It is workforce and leadership development, supply chain efficiency, operational improvements, financial management, and environmental stewardship.

“It is all encompassing. We are approaching this a broad, holistic way. Advanced manufacturing is really systems design.”

Mohawk will play a large role in upgrading the skills and capabilities of everyone from frontline workers to executive leadership as organizations adapt to new ways of doing business, says Myers.

“New technologies are changing almost every aspect of how people work. An enormous amount of retraining and retooling of thinking is required.”

For small- or medium-sized companies, the adoption of technology can seem impossible. Mohawk will help them overcome the hurdles, says Myers.

“Mohawk has the expertise to demonstrate technologies, carry out projects, and help companies see the possibilities.”

Santi points to the deep and broad partnership between Mohawk and McMaster University as a critical regional asset and an example of the potential in the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster.

“We are leaders in different ways. By standing together with our collective competencies, we are boosting our horsepower. Multiply that across the Supercluster and that is the kind of sustained pattern of collaboration that does great things.”

Page 4 - Spring 2019 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine-spring-2019/

On April 23, Haldimand Council approved the installation of a City School by Mohawk mobile classroom in the community of Caledonia for 12 weeks this summer. The mobile classroom – a 53-foot transport trailer, custom designed to expand to 93-square-metre (1,000-square-feet) – is part of Mohawk’s City School initiative, which aims to put a college education within reach of everyone. The trailer serves as a multi-purpose classroom to deliver free introductory training in welding, HVAC and general construction to people in communities and neighbourhoods with limited access to postsecondary institutions. This summer, in Caledonia, the program will focus on an introduction to advanced manufacturing.

Mohawk also runs City School locations in North Hamilton at the Eva Rothwell Resource Centre, in Downtown Hamilton at the Central Public Library, and in pop-up locations throughout the region, including the Haldimand County Library Caledonia branch and, this fall, at the Dunnville branch.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about City School or is considering enrolling in a program can visit the City School website - mohawkcollege.ca/cityschoolstart or contact City School staff at 905-575-2730. An information session will be held on Friday, May 3, from 2 - 3:30 p.m. at the Caledonia branch (100 Haddington St., Caledonia).

“We are grateful for the support Haldimand County Council has demonstrated for City School by Mohawk. This announcement strengthens our partnership with the County and increases the options Haldimand County residents have for entering, or re-entering, college education. We look forward to providing a wide range of preliminary training courses this summer for people interested in the opportunity.”

• Emily Ecker, Associate Dean, Community Partnerships & Learning, Community Access & Engagement

“Access to post-secondary education is recognized as a barrier for many rural communities, including Haldimand County. Since the initial mobile offering in 2018, Mohawk College has continued to demonstrate their commitment to provide localized access to post-secondary opportunities for residents within Haldimand County. We are pleased to continue the partnership into 2019, and encourage Haldimand residents to explore these local post-secondary offerings, various employment pathways, and to foster life-long learning.”

• Lidy Romanuk, Manager, Economic Development and Tourism, Haldimand County.

Mohawk College has been providing a quality, higher education experience to students in Hamilton, Ontario and the surrounding area since 1967. The college educates and serves more than 31,700 full-time, part-time, apprenticeship and international students at three main campuses in Hamilton, at learning hubs across Hamilton through City School by Mohawk, and at the college’s

Aerospace Facility at Hamilton International Airport. Mohawk is among the leading colleges in Canada for applied research. It has been named one of Canada’s greenest employers for six years in a row, and is home to the country’s largest net zero energy institutional building. More than 120,000 people have graduated from Mohawk since it was founded.

The initiative has two facets, says Kurt Muller, Dean, McKeil School of Business, Media and Entertainment.

The first is an academy where EON experts teach AVR content creation to Mohawk students, staff and faculty who will earn certification. The second is a development lab where Mohawk will work with industry on AVR projects using state-of-the-art equipment and EON’s software platform.

More and more companies are seeing the benefits of using AVR. For example, Walmart is using virtual reality to train workers, and IKEA is using augmented reality to help customers choose products. The EON platform is easy to use and intuitive – you don't have to be a coder or software expert to use this technology.

This is EON’s first partnership with a postsecondary institution in Canada.

“I’ve been working in Canada a long time, looking to find the right partner that had the same goals,” said Frank Botdorf, EON’s Director of Business Development.

“Mohawk has the right mindset about joining forces,” he said. “We are breaking new ground with this type of partnership.”

EON has 30 partnerships around the world and a big reason is that the company, in a rapidly emerging technology sector, has more projects than resources to complete them.

“By partnering with academic institutions, we can help train the industry’s workforce and pick from the cream of the crop to hire ourselves. The eight months of training is a great way for us to vet people and to provide a pipeline of talent for our needs.”

Mohawk has an exclusive deal to share in the royalties of EON software that is licensed in Ontario and will take over instruction in the academy once enough faculty are trained.

The AVR academy is training its first cohort, a group that will earn certification after a four-month immersion in the EON software, followed by four months working directly with industry partners on AVR solutions.

In September 2019, the academy will also launch a post-grad certificate program that Muller expects will attract industry enrolment.

Leif Peng, a professor in Mohawk’s Graphic Design program, is among about 10 faculty and staff on a secondment to earn the AVR certification. He plans to build the technology into his curriculum.

“This is something I know my students are going to need. Graphic designers will be called upon to use their skill sets in an AVR world. I think AVR is going to have a massive impact on everything we do in our industry and across life generally.”

The college and EON are now hosting workshops and demonstrations to introduce faculty, staff and industrial partners to AVR and to the new partnership and the potential it brings. “There are AVR applications across any industry you can think of, from education to energy to retail to health care,” said Muller.

Those learning skilled trades can be immersed into situations that are too dangerous, difficult or expensive to be simulated in real life. Workers can be trained virtually to use equipment that isn’t on hand yet. There are also AVR applications in empathy training and return-to-work simulations

Page 10 - Spring 2019 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine-spring-2019/

The college is a key supporter of the IBM Skills Academy, a training institution for IBM software platforms, tools and processes that grants industry-recognized micro-credentials.

The badges signify specialized knowledge in

11 fields, including business process analytics, business intelligence analytics, cyber security, artificial intelligence, cloud applications, and mobile applications.

Explorer badges take between 36 and 54 hours of in-class and self-study hours, followed by an exam. Mastery badges take about six weeks of studying and demonstrated use of the tool, and then one chance to pass an exam.

“As a faculty member, this provided me an opportunity to stay up-to-date and gain new tools and skills after being out of the industry for several years,” said Lisa Cuncic-Pegg, Coordinator and Professor in the Business Analysis program in the McKeil School of Business, who has earned a mastery badge.

“I jumped at it and was supported by Mohawk College. This was learning offered by one of the world’s best tech companies and now I will infuse it into the curriculum and pass it on to students.”

For industry, micro-credentials are reassurance that a new hire is ready to jump right in, without lengthy or expensive training, she says.

The badges will differentiate Mohawk College students, agrees Steven Way, Coordinator and Professor in the Analytics for Business Decision-Making program.

“When a candidate doesn’t have experience, companies are hiring for a specific tool set. Here, they are getting industry-recognized credentials beyond their academics.”

Page 19 - Spring 2019 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine-spring-2019/

Mohawk trains between 2,700 and 3,000 apprentices in 17 trades each year, making it one of the largest training delivery agents in the province.

“We set a goal with this project three-and-a-half years ago to provide support to apprentices from start to finish, to help them secure registration and to complete their required levels of training,“ said Wayne Ostermaier, Dean of the Marshall School of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship.

The Province of Ontario recently implemented a new strategy to strengthen the apprenticeship system. Mohawk has taken a leadership role to help apprentices navigate the apprenticeship system successfully through the addition of team member Louise Stallings, Apprenticeship Engagement Specialist. 

“We as a college felt it was important to provide extra support to apprentices, similar to what we offer to our full-time students,“ said Ostermaier.

“Our vision is to be a community hub that supports the apprenticeship system and to make services more accessible and timely. The idea is to function as a heart for services.“

That approach is the first of its kind. The hub system will also support employers, many of them small or medium-sized operations without dedicated resources for apprentices.

Apprentices must complete a required number of On-the-Job Training Hours along with School Training Hours to successfully complete their apprenticeship.

During the eight-week in-class training at Mohawk, Stallings visits classrooms to answer questions, helps apprentices to access resources, and offers one-onone guidance.

“We want to strengthen, connect and empower apprentices,“ said Stallings.

“It‘s important to remember that an apprenticeship can be a building block to other career paths like opening a business or trades management.“ The college is also focused on raising awareness about apprenticeships among youth, women and Indigenous communities.

Page 6- Fall 2018 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine---fall-2018/

The project is the latest for Mohawk students through collaborative innovation hub CityLAB. The CityLAB model is to take recommendations for projects from city staff who then work with teams of students from Mohawk, McMaster University and Redeemer College University on solutions.

The app concept is an interactive scavenger hunt using layers of digital storytelling to bring history to life.

History is not only found in books or museums, it‘s throughout the city, says Nancy Prochuk, Exhibit Program Coordinator with Hamilton Civic Museums. Sewer covers dating back to the 1800s tell the story of the waterworks of the city. Roads link back to walking routes of Indigenous peoples as they tracked animals.

“We are really dreaming big,“ said Prochuk. “We want people to look at the city we love and relate to it on a deeper level. Hamilton history is fascinating.“

Andrew Spearin, an HTML and CSS Instructor in Mohawk‘s Software Development program, says students will decide the platform to use, design the user experience and be part of matching the technology to the storytelling. They will also gain experience working with a client and users.

“I think the biggest value in this for students is working with very new technology in augmented reality. It‘s an opportunity to be on the cutting edge of mobile technology and really dive into the latest thing.“

The app is a great example of a CityLAB endeavour, says Patrick Byrne, CityLAB Project Manager.

“It‘s experimenting with new ideas and there‘s excitement around that. There is an opportunity to showcase something that can be a prototype for other applications.“

Under CityLAB, Mohawk students have also carried out a transportation assessment for future development at piers 7 and 8 and renovated CityHousing units.

Page 23 - Fall 2018 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine---fall-2018/

EPIC collaborates with industry partners on applied research projects related to sustainable energy integration, prototype testing, power protection and control.

The Energy Power Management Lab at the Fennell Campus will soon move to its expanded home in the newly opened The Joyce Centre for Partnership Innovation.

“It will allow for more equipment, more learning and collaboration space,“ said Mariano Arriaga, General Manager of EPIC.

From The Joyce Centre lab, students and faculty will be able to remotely monitor and partially control some of the equipment at the other labs, along with all the geothermal, solar and rainwater sensors in the building.

“It will be the go-to place for information regarding zero carbon buildings,“ said Arriaga, who came to Mohawk in June from the University of Waterloo where he was a post-doctoral fellow researching the integration of energy storage systems in the electrical grid.

Earlier this year, EPIC opened the Energy and Power Utilities Lab in the former Caroline Street substation. The fully equipped substation, leased from Alectra Utilities, will be used for simulations run by students, training, workshops and certificate programs for industry partners, as well as applied research.

EPIC‘s third facility at the Stoney Creek Campus for Skilled Trades includes an off-grid house powered by solar energy and batteries. There, students work with industry partners on a range of applied research projects.

“It‘s a sandbox place where industrial partners can test their operations or pilot innovation. It‘s the go-to place for new ideas,“ said Arriaga.

EPIC is one of three innovation centres at Mohawk through applied research hub IDEAWORKS. Arriaga says there is also an opportunity to collaborate with the other two, MEDIC and the Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre.

Energy reliability, efficiency and storage are critical to everything from the smallest home to the biggest factory, says Arriaga. “There is so much potential for EPIC to work with utilities, manufacturers, small-tomedium businesses and universities. We are doing strategic planning right now to prioritize the sectors and specific projects to undertake.“

Page 19 - Fall 2018 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine---fall-2018/

Keynote speakers at Apps for Health included Dr Lisa Patton, Director of Watson Health Policy Research at IBM, and Atif Chaugtai, Chief Technologist at Red Hat Canada. The first day ended with a panel of healthcare innovators from our region, and a talk about promising practices in mobile patient care from the Ontario Telemedicine Network and Novari Health.

Mohawk’s MEDIC is the only Technology Access Centre in Canada with a focus on digital health and interoperability. The Apps for Health & FHIR North events showcase the innovative practices and forward thinking work of MEDIC and its partners. Learn more about MEDIC and IDEAWORKS at mohawkcollege.ca/ideaworks

Initiatives and interventions that help more students complete their programs will be designed, assessed and evaluated at Mohawk’s new College Student Success Innovation Centre. Along with sharing research findings, the centre will provide matching funding, mentorship, project coordination and data analytics to other colleges and host an annual symposium to share best practices.

The Province is investing $650,000 over three years in Mohawk’s College Student Success Innovation Centre to be located at the Fennell campus. Mohawk is the first college in Canadato open a research centre focused exclusively on student success. Researchers at Mohawkwill collaborate with colleagues at the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, McMaster University, the Hamilton-Wentworth and Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic School Boards, the Hamilton Community Foundation, Queen’s University, Waterloo University, University of Ottawa, Stanford University, Wake Forest University and Statistics Canada.

The graduation rate at Mohawk increased by five per cent between 2012 and 2017, resulting inapproximately 725 additional graduates. Mohawk was the first college in North America to develop a student success policy framework and has carried out 14 research projects focused on helping more students graduate from college.

For more on Mohawk’s new College Student Success Innovation Centre, go to www.mohawkcollege.ca/cssic.

- 30 -

About Mohawk College

Mohawk College educates and serves more than 31,700 full-time, part-time and apprenticeship students at three campuses in Hamilton, Ontario. Mohawk is among the leading colleges in Canada for applied research and is ranked number one for student and graduate satisfaction among colleges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

For more information, contact:
Jay Robb
Communications Director – Mohawk College
Jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca
905-979-8893

What began as a pilot with three non-profit partners in September 2016 will soon grow its volunteer outreach to 12 community partners.

“The overall goal is to create meaningful connections between Mohawk students and the Hamilton community through direct volunteering outreach,” said Claire Webber, the program’s liaison.

Campus to Community comes out of Mohawk’s strategic plan for student success and engagement, says Wayne Poirier, Vice-President of Student & Alumni Services. “We have taken a strategic approach to providing a terrific work-integrated learning opportunity and fostering an environment of giving. This program is setting students on a path of lifelong volunteering. They find the charities and causes they are passionate about, engage with the community, and act as ambassadors for the College.”

The initiative launched with three community partners, and then grew to six the following year. Ronald McDonald House, Eva Rothwell Centre, Habitat for Humanity, Neighbour to Neighbour, Wesley Urban Ministries, and Stewards of Cootes Watershed are all work directly with Mohawk College students this year, who amassed more than 1,000 volunteer hours by April 2018.

The College has ambitious plans to grow Campus to Community by deepening the connection with existing partners and doubling the roster of partners each year. That means Mohawk is looking for six new non-profits for the 2018-2019 academic year.

“We want to broaden the range of valuable volunteering experience we can offer students. It’s especially great when it can dovetail with their studies or career path,” said Webber. Both college staff and the alumni association wants to get involved as well.

Mohawk is seeking partners for 2018-2019 that can provide at least one volunteering project per semester. Projects can be a part of an ongoing program, such as pitching in at Neighbour to Neighbour’s food bank, or projects can be a one-off event or initiative, such as a tool trailer Mohawk students will help build for the Stewards of Cootes Watershed.

“We make it easy for our partners. We work together to figure out how Mohawk students can help them. We make sure what we are offering makes sense for them and adds value to their organization,” said Webber.

Each Campus to Community partner is linked with a student lead who is responsible for volunteer recruitment, facilitation, and program and event planning. Student volunteer hours are tracked on a Co-Curricular Record, which highlights all aspects of a college experience that don’t appear on a transcript.

Poirier says Campus to Community allows the college and its students to make real connections with people in underserved segments of Hamilton’s population.

“This volunteer program hits our strategic goals of supporting the community, helping neighbourhoods and reducing poverty. That is imprinted in Mohawk’s DNA. We are very proud of being an access college and encouraging everyone to take advantage of what the college can give them. Our senior administration and board of governors are committed to that,” said Poirier.

To apply for a Campus to Community partnership, or to learn more visit mohawkcollege.ca/campustocommunity

What past participants have said about the program.

The partner organizations found that the Campus to Community partnership was valuable to them for a number of reasons:

• Mohawk College provides excellent student volunteers to assist with community-based projects at their locations.
• A Student Lead coordinates the volunteer projects, and there is a staff support system back at the College.
• Partners are offered opportunities to attend the annual Volunteer Fair, have priority in posting their volunteer needs, and build a strong relationship with the college

Six years later, the result is the development of protocols, training, and research validating the use of point-of-care ultrasound on the frontlines of hemophilia treatment.

“We have an exceptional reputation in the area of medical imaging,” said Wendy Lawson, Associate Dean, Special Projects, at the School of Health at Mohawk College.

This collaboration builds on the partnership of Mohawk and McMaster University at the Institute for Applied Health Sciences (IAHS).

Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder with no cure that affects patients across their lifespan. A common complication is spontaneous bleeding into joints and muscles that causes pain and limits mobility. But most critically, blood damages cartilage and bone, made worse by physical activity, says Strike.

Since the bleeding is episodic, it’s crucial to determine accurately when it’s appropriate for a patient to return to normal activities.

Strike’s research confirms that if the patient or a parent of a child can see in an ultrasound image that blood is still present, it helps them stay committed to a treatment plan.

“It’s so meaningful to see their own joint in real time.”

Lawson is chair of a national steering committee guiding the adoption of point-of-care ultrasound. At least one physiotherapist from 17 of the country’s 25 hemophilia clinics has been trained, along with international practitioners. The team has published papers and presented internationally.

The IAHS work began with joints and it is now the only centre to offer training in ultrasound for muscles. It is also launching a lab at IAHS to develop and test training and protocols for other disciplines, including neonatology and obstetrics.

“We are extremely excited and proud of what we have accomplished and what potential lies ahead,” said Lawson. She credits the involvement of Dr. Anthony Chan, a hematologist and chair of research at the department of pediatric medicine at McMaster.

“This initiative has come out of the power of an inter-disciplinary team. It has been so successful for patients because everyone has brought their strengths and their expertise to the project team.

Page 20 - Spring 2019 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine-spring-2019/

#WeAreOntarioInnovation

World Creativity & Innovation Day is April 21^st. Mohawk’s IDEAWORKS is an active hub of applied research and innovation, providing industry and community partners access to faculty and staff expertise, an inspired student workforce, exceptional facilities and top technology. For Mohawk students, IDEAWORKS offers an environment that combines hands-on learning and advanced skills development. To celebrate World Creativity & Innovation Day, here are some quick facts about innovation at IDEAWORKS

Did you know:

• Mohawk is recognized as one of Canada's top 50 Research Colleges, and is ranked second in Canada for industry research intensity
• IDEAWORKS fills the space between research and solutions by delivering customized support to organizations. As an active hub of applied research and innovation, IDEAWORKS provides industry and community partners access to faculty and staff expertise, an inspired student workforce, exceptional facilities and top technology. And, for Mohawk students, IDEAWORKS offers an environment that combines hands-on learning and advanced skills development.

• The IDEAWORKS Catalyst Fund supports emerging innovators and helps them get Applied Research projects off the ground

• IDEAWORKS’ mHealth and eHealth Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC) is Canada's only Technology Access Centre with a focus on digital health, healthcare standards and interoperability. Through MEDIC, partners access a working health ecosystem for the development and commercialization of new health IT innovations

• Mohawk’s Energy and Power Innovation Centre supports industry innovation in the energy & power sector by partnering with companies on applied research and development projects. EPIC recently opened a new Energy and Power Utilities lab within a decommissioned substation in downtown Hamilton – the first of its kind research & training facility

• The Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre at Mohawk College offers manufacturers, designers, university researchers and start-ups a collaborative, low-risk environment to explore metal and plastic additive manufacturing/3D Printing. AMIC is part of a regional innovation network in advanced manufacturing - learn more: https://www.ncinnovation.ca/sonami

Follow us on twitter @mohawkIDEAWORKS to learn more about what IDEAWORKS does

Eleven projects were featured in the Showcase. The projects brought together 172 students, 18 City staff and 15 faculty from the participating schools. In total, the students logged more than 6,000 hours working on the projects.

Mohawk was involved in three of the 11 projects featured, including a project aimed at improving travel times on the west mountain through signal timing optimization; a project to develop a digital tool to help newcomers find relevant local services, and a project to improve Hamilton's subsidized housing while providing learning opporunities for students. See below for more information on the Mohawk projects or visit: www.citylabhamilton.com/projects

FANUC Partnership

Mohawk opened its new $3-million FANUC Robotics Lab in September 2017. The lab is part of a partnership between Mohawk, FANUC Canada and Progressive Educational Systems to provide students in the Mechanical, Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology Advanced Diploma programs, as well as the Automotive and Vehicle Engineering Bachelor’s Degree (BTECH) with specialized instruction on the latest in robotics and automation technology.

In addition to the in-class training on actual FANUC robots, the students also have access to the company’s simulation software. FANUC’s industrial training curriculum has also been integrated into the programs. The specialized training gives students the opportunity to take the FANUC certification exam during the course of their studies. Students who pass the exam are then qualified to program and operate the company’s robots. There are more than 450,000 FANUC robots in use worldwide.

George Miltenburg, an Associate Dean with Mohawk’s School of Engineering Technology, said Mohawk approached FANUC for a strategic partnership, because a number of large employers in southern Ontario use FANUC robotic machining tools, such as lathes and milling machines.

“We are preparing our students to be future ready by working on cutting-edge robotics that are in use internationally and locally. We offer the same training that industrial customers would get if they went to FANUC directly.”

Siemens Partnership

Mohawk also has an agreement with Siemens to deliver mechatronics certification to students. Because the Siemens’ mechatronics certificate program requires schools to have Siemens-trained faculty and curriculum based on its method in order to be an accredited institution, Mohawk sent several faculty to Berlin to study at the Siemens Technical Academy in 2016. Mohawk electrical professor John van Loon was one of them.

“The traditional method is to teach basic principles first and build on them. We keep building on the concepts from the ground up. Siemens’ method is to show the big picture to show where you are going,” said Van Loon.

Siemens’ approach is crossdisciplinary, experiential and focuses first on equipment operation. “They teach the maintenance that’s needed because when a plant’s line is down, that’s very expensive.”

Van Loon said that methodology is being employed in a range of Mohawk courses, including computer engineering technology, robotics and automation.

“These courses lend themselves to that beautifully. Having gone through the program, I’m excited about it. It can really change the way we teach.”

Partnerships with industry giants like Siemens and FANUC is just one of the ways Mohawk offers current and prospective students unique opportunities to graduate with the skills, experience and credentials they need to succeed

Powerful devices, ubiquitous online connectivity and mobile apps that link patients with practitioners are together transforming health care, and Mohawk College is at the forefront of the revolution.

“We walk around today with devices in our pockets that are more powerful than the computers that put the first man on the moon,” said Duane Bender, Mohawk’s director of digital health applied research and founder of innovation centre MEDIC.

“Mobile devices are personal and have a direct conduit to us, and therefore are a technology with an unprecedented opportunity to change human behaviour and improve health and wellness.”

Mobile phones have already been disruptive but wearable health devices, from activity trackers to smart T-shirts with heart monitors woven into the fabric, are just beginning to impact lives.

“We will continue to see advancements in connected devices and also in our ability to monitor patients remotely, allowing us to discharge patients from hospital earlier without increasing the risk to those patients, and continuing to provide care coverage when they need it most.”

MEDIC has conducted clinical trials, along with McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, to evaluate the remote monitoring of patients.

Bender believes we will also soon see wide-scale integration of apps and devices into traditional health programs in Canada, bringing the data directly into hospitals, doctors’ offices and other clinical settings. Around the world, artificial intelligence and machine learning could offer frontline health care in places with none.

“Canada and the world has a desperate need for digitally literate young innovators.”

In-demand skills include information modelling, electronics and networking, information security, logic and coding, data analysis, and user experience design.

“All of these concepts are explored in the MEDIC Lab, as well as our related programs at Mohawk College, such as our Computer Systems Technology – Software Development program and our Network Engineering and Security Analyst program.”

Page 9 - Spring 2018 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine---spring-2018/

But advanced robots, equipped with sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning, now have the senses, dexterity and intelligence to work sideby- side with human workers. These collaborative robots are smaller and more adaptable, making them viable for a greater range of tasks in more settings.

“There has been a lot of progress and innovation in producing collaborative robots,” said John van Loon, an electrical engineering technology professor at Mohawk. “They know the force they are exerting, they can determine the world around them, they respond to the presence of people, and they will stop if they come in contact with a person. That allows them to work alongside people.”

Robots are becoming so advanced they can even sense and interpret human facial expressions, movement and tone of voice.

“It’s all targeted toward interacting with people in all kinds of ways. The Renaissance Hotel in Las Vegas uses a delivery robot. It takes the elevators and travels the halls and calls the room to bring food or towels. That robot has to navigate through crowds of people, which is an inherently unpredictable environment.”

And modern robots, big and small, can interact and work together, performing tasks they couldn’t accomplish alone, for instance.

“On a search and rescue operation, a squadron of drones equipped with imaging equipment can cover a large swath of land in a search pattern. They understand where every other drone is, what each field of view is, and how everyone is moving so that nothing is missed.”

Students in Mohawk’s engineering technology programs learn to program, operate, set up, repair and maintain industrial robots.

Mohawk partner FANUC has developed some of Canada’s first industrial collaborative robots, which are integrated into Mohawk’s course offerings.

Page 11 - Spring 2018 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine---spring-2018/

Solar and wind aren’t predictable generators and can’t be relied on to supply power that matches demand.

“All the problems with current renewable energy systems are solved with energy storage solutions,” said Rubaid Khan, Faculty Member and Research Coordinator of Mohawk’s Energy  Power Innovation Centre. “If there is no immediate demand, energy can be stored and accessed when it is needed.”

Late last year, the world’s biggest battery — built by Tesla — was powered up in South Australia to store wind power. The battery is the size of an American football field and capable of powering 30,000 homes for short periods when the grid is taxed or down. A huge imbalance in supply and demand means the state is plagued by frequent power failures and the highest electricity prices in the world.

“This shows that large-scale renewable energy infrastructure is viable,” said Khan. But much more practical today is microgrid storage.

“So it would not be a one grid-scale battery per city idea but small pockets, in shopping malls or neighbourhoods where solar panels are tied to their own batteries.”

IKEA has announced that all its stores will be net-zero by 2020, powered by solar panels and wind turbines. A neighbourhood of 130 homes in Brooklyn is tied together in an energy production and storage system.

Mohawk is advancing toward a microgrid research and training facility with industry partners that will bring together battery technology with renewable energy production and address a growing skills gap in the sector, says Khan.

RAPID CHANGES IN RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY COULD SOON CHANGE HOW WE POWER OUR WORLD

Mohawk students are working with utility companies and equipment makers to design and build the microgrids of the future

Rapidly evolving technology in renewable energy production — solar, wind, hydro-electric and even ocean waves — hold tremendous promise in addressing fossil fuel depletion and climate change while vastly reducing the cost of production.

Renewable energy is at the point of disruption, says Rubaid Khan, Faculty Member and Research Coordinator of Mohawk’s Energy Power Innovation Centre.

A new model of distributed solar and wind power resources in neighbourhoods, businesses and homes provides very localized energy that is much less prone to disruption from storms or natural disasters, terrorism or cyber-attack than traditional, centralized power generation.

Mohawk students are working with utility companies and equipment vendors to size, design and build microgrids that can be managed through sensors and dashboards in the cloud.

“The technology exists but there is a shortage of skilled workers. We are teaching about solar production, batteries and electronics but the next step is integrating it all together. That is where there is a skills gap.”

The College already has a full-scale, two-storey house inside a lab that functions with smart appliances and smart meters. Students monitor energy use, design solar panel systems and battery storage to support that load, and learn how to integrate the home to the main grid, says Khan.

Mohawk is advancing toward a microgrid research and training facility with its industry partners that will be a realworld development and test environment coupling battery technology with renewable energy production, says Khan.

“The heart of the technology is batteries to store power when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. We’ve come a long way with solar and wind energy but storage is where the bottleneck is because we can’t control the clouds or the wind.”

Page 14 - Spring 2018 Momentum

https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine---spring-2018/

Related Content: Watch the latest update from Mohawk's Chief Building & Facilities Officer Tony Cupido.

Related content:

Watch the latest construciton update from Chief Building & Facilities Officer Tony Cupido

Profile on curtain wall supplier CGI

Mr. Hares had a distinguished 45-year career in the insurance industry with Dominion Canada General Insurance Co. and North Waterloo Farmers Mutual, where he served as President and CEO.

“I have known Bert Hares, the individual for whom the boardroom at Mohawk College is named, for over 40 years. Bert became President and CEO of North Waterloo Farm Mutual and did a great jobof encouraging, mentoring, young individuals into the insurance world. Bert was focused on building a strong team of young insurance professionals in his tenure as Senior Vice President of Dominion of Canada. Bert hired mostly Mohawk Insurance grads as he built a new regional office for Dominion of Canada in Oakville. Bert is mostly remembered as a passionate leader and particularly a developer of young people,” says Bruce Pearson, Director at Heartland Farm Mutual and Mohawk College Foundation Board.

Over 100 friends and colleagues made personal and corporate donations totalling more than $600,000 to honour Mr. Hares, who passed away in 2008. The donations built a boardroom, renovated classrooms and added common areas at the Fennell Campus for students in Mohawk’s Insurance program.

In 2006, ArcelorMittal Dofasco made the first corporate donation to support the transformation of Mohawk’s skilled trades campus in Stoney Creek. Last November, the company once again made the first corporate donation to help build The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation.

“We’re much more than a steel company,” says ArcelorMittal President and CEO Sean Donnelly. “In truth, we are an engineering and technology organization and our strength is people. MohawkCollege is a big part of the people equation of our company. We’re the kind of company that demands a workforce that is, as Mohawk College says,Future Ready.”

ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Mohawk operate the largest apprenticeship program in Ontario and the company employs more than 300 college graduates.

“Our partnership with Mohawk is a natural one,” saysSean. “We commend the college for launching the largest renewal of technology labs and classrooms in its 50-year history.”

This article first appeared in the Spring 2017 issue of Momentum Magazine.

To see the full list of recipients visit: http://www.collegeoftrades.ca/latest-news/college-announces-winners-of-inaugural-chairs-award-of-excellence

The Hon. William “Bill” Davis, who established the Ontario college system as Minister of Education and University Affairs and served as Premier of Ontario from 1971 to 1985, will be awarded an honorary diploma as Mohawk celebrates its 50^th anniversary.

Mohawk will induct eight other Distinguished Fellows in recognition of their outstanding professional achievements, expert status with their professions, business acumen and contributions to the college:

• Denise Christopherson (Distinguished Fellow – Honorary Diploma) is the CEO of YWCA Hamilton.
   
• Dr. Doug Barber (Distinguished Fellow – Adjunct Professor) was the co-founder of Linear Technology Inc. and served as President and CEO of Gennum Corporation.
   
• June Barber (Distinguished Fellow) was a core member of the Textures Fine Crafts artists’ collective, Past President of the McMaster Women’s Club, a member of the Hamilton Potter’s Guild and who, together with her husband Doug, were the founding benefactors of City School by Mohawk.
   
• Linda Haslam-Stroud (Distinguished Fellow) is the President of the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) and is a Mohawk College graduate.
   
• Rick Hill Sr. (Distinguished Fellow – Adjunct Professor) serves a Curriculum Developer for the Bundled Arrows Initiative – a consortium of local universities and colleges that include Mohawk College.
   
• Louie Leombruni (Distinguished Fellow) is the Manager of ArcelorMittal University’s Regional Campus at ArcelorMittal Dofasco in Hamilton and a Mohawk College graduate.
   
• Linda Marshall (Distinguished Fellow – Adjunct Professor) is a philanthropist, motivational speaker, President of Marshall Connects and a Mohawk College Alumni of Distinction recipient.
   
• Steve Stipsits (Distinguished Fellow) is the President and Owner of Burlington-based Branthaven Homes and a Mohawk College graduate.

More than 5,500 students will graduate from Mohawk during 11 spring convocation ceremonies from June 12 to June 16 in the McIntyre Performing Arts Centre at the Fennell campus.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Jay Robb, Director of Communications, 905.979.8893, jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca

Convocation ceremony schedule for the McIntyre Performing Arts Centre at Mohawk’s Fennell campus:

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton today announced it is partnering with local academic institutions McMaster University, Mohawk College and Redeemer University College to launch CityLAB, an innovation hub where students, city staff and community stakeholders will co-create solutions that support the city’s strategic priorities.

Following on a worldwide movement to create more meaningful learning experiences to engage young people, CityLAB Hamilton will offer post-secondary students the chance to collaborate, design, launch and test real projects that address issues confronting Hamilton (e.g.: climate change, healthy neighbourhoods, municipal excellence).

Project benefits are numerous for the student participants, the academic institutions, the City of Hamilton and the broader community:

• Students gain new skills, a tangible connection to their city, and employment opportunities after graduation
• The schools are able to build new bridges across disciplines and work together for the benefit of the community
• City staff are exposed to new ideas that support strategic priorities and the overall sustainability and livability of Hamilton

The pilot program will run until December 2019, and the learning environment and innovation lab will be located at the former Canadian Football Hall of Fame building.

Since the formal signing of the CityLAB agreement between the City and institutions at the end of March 2017, next steps will see renovations at the Hall of Fame to meet current building standards and CityLAB space requirements. The innovation hub will have a fully accessible, open concept floor plan allowing for student lectures, project work and innovation workshops.

A CityLAB Project Manager has been hired. Patrick Byrne is currently on leave from his PhD studies in English and Cultural Studies at McMaster. Mr. Byrne brings extensive experience as an innovative experiential and interdisciplinary educator, previously serving at Sheridan College and for three years as the Program Coordinator for the McMaster Discovery Program, a non-credit, university-level course for adults in Hamilton who have experienced barriers to higher education.

Additional Resources

• Read the General Issues Committee report about CityLAB (item 7.2)
• Read original CityLAB Motion put forward by Councillor Matthew Green on April 6, 2016 (see pages 21-22 in the attached)
• The concept of CityLAB Hamilton ignited in the Spring of 2015, when representatives from the City of Hamilton and McMaster University visited CityStudio Vancouver
• A formal launch and opening of the CityLAB site will take place in fall of 2017 – details to follow

Quotes

-30-

Media contact:

Ann Lamanes
Communications Officer
Planning & Economic Development Department
City of Hamilton
E: Ann.Lamanes@hamilton.ca
P: 905-546-2424 ext. 5541

McMaster University
Gord Arbeau
Director Public and Community Relations
E: arbeaug@mcmaster.ca
P: 905-525-9140 ext. 27305

Mohawk College
Jay Robb
Communications Director
E: jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca
P: 905.979.8893

Redeemer University College
Bethany Van Lingen
Communications Manager
E: bvanlingen@redeemer.ca
P: 905-648-2139 ext.4326

"Mohawk College and Six Nations Polytechnic have been bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous students together to learn, live and lead," said SNP President Rebecca Jamieson in her welcome remarks at Wednesday's dinner. "At Six Nations Polytechnic, and for our people, the Hodinohso:ni, it is part of our cultural tradition to create respectful and mutually beneficially relationships."

It is important to build relationships like these, said Jamieson, because they help to move reconciliation forward.

Mohawk committed to making Indigenous education a priority when it signed the Indigenous Education Protocol for Colleges and Institutes in 2015, said Mohawk President Ron McKerlie. Included in that protocol was a commitment to implementing intellectual and cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples through curriculum and learning approaches, and increasing understanding and reciprocity among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

"This represents a journey for Mohawk. We have done much. We have much left to do. I want to personally thank Rebecca for her leadership, support and wise counsel."

Mohawk's relationship with Six Nations Polytechnic began in 2003 with the Practical Nursing with Aboriginal Communities program. The partnership has grown to include Police Foundations and more recently a Skilled Trades program.

Guests to the show included longstanding partners Walters Group Inc, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, City of Hamilton - Public Works, Hamilton Police Services, Co-operators Insurance, Alectra Utilities and Rondar Power Services.  

Each employer brought a current Mohawk co-op with them to share their story and how they are learning from the real work experience opportunity the co-op provides. 

The full show audio can be accessed here  CHML Bill Kelly webpage 

Their signature program, Future Ready Leadership, in its sixth year, has trained over 500 graduates through sessions across the province including 29 municipalities and many private companies.

Currently County of Brant employees, which have been participating in the Future Ready Leadership program since 2013, had the opportunity to listen to and ask questions of experienced community leaders and hear their views on leadership.

“Leadership is the highest calling you can have,” said panelist Vincent Isber, past regional vice-president of the Greater Hamilton Market, RBC. “Leadership in the past was one dimensional; leaders had all the answers. The best leaders today have the best questions. They engage people at all levels within and outside of their organization.”

Isber, who is now on faculty at Mohawk College’s McKeil School of Business, was joined on the panel by; Kelly Isfan, president and CEO, Norfolk General Hospital; Michael Bradley, general manager of operations and deputy CAO for the County of Brant; and Kathy Weidhaas, manager of human resources, Brant County Health Unit.

Isber pointed out that leadership requires practise and leaders should always find opportunities to continue learning.

The forum was part of the Future Ready Leadership program, which consists of eight customized leadership training courses delivered one day per month over eight months. The highly interactive program is developed for emerging and existing leaders with sessions covering topics including working with teams, diversity in the workplace, leadership styles, coaching and managing change.

Bradley says the county has seen the benefits for employees in the program.

“It is a great way to motivate junior employees who aspire to leadership positions,” he said. “And to prepare them with the tools to face the challenges of leadership as they go forward.”

Mohawk College Enterprise (MCE) prepares people and companies with the skills and expertise required to succeed in today’s fast-paced world. Through expert trainers, MCE provides training with the latest techniques and technology. Its Future Ready Leadership Program covers topics including the power of teams, coaching communication skills and managing change.

Customized programs are available for organizations with ten or more people to train. Open seat sessions are offered once a year for individual or small group participants. For information, visit www.mcecor.com.

Chances are, former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario and broadcaster David Onley, or Barbara Turnbull, longtime Toronto Star reporter, come to mind easily. After that, though, brow furrowing likely ensues. It’s not that there aren’t other journalists with disabilities but there aren’t many in our nation’s newsrooms, and those journalists aren’t always visible or prominent.

A new journalism course at Mohawk, and a post-graduate certificate program that’s in the works, intends to change that. Mohawk will tackle the issues and make it easier for people with disabilities to consume news, doing away with the jumbled text that sometimes shows up in closed-captioning or makes screen readers stumble.

The 14-week course, called Accessible Content Production for Journalists, is thought to be the first of its kind in Canada. It launches in September and is mandatory for all students in Mohawk’s threeyearjournalism program. The year-long post-graduate certificate program is awaiting ministry approval, and will be geared to media and communications professionals who need to put into practice the standards outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

Mohawk was awarded $80,000 from the Broadcasting AccessibilityFund to develop the course. The fund supports innovative projects to increase the accessibility of broadcasting content in Canada. “In news, it’s all about audience and you want to do everything you can to maximize that audience,” says Kurt Muller, Mohawk’s associate dean of Media and Entertainment.

That’s something every journalist, including Muller, who worked in print and broadcast before mentoringnewshounds at Mohawk, knows well. It’s particularly poignant in an age of shrinking readership, and infinite click-bait to tempt audiences of the 24-hour news cycle. But if you ask anyone who works in a newsroom, creating accessible content isn’t usually on a journalist’s radar.

Muller and Jennifer Jahnke, the project lead who, along with a team of industry professionals, created the course and will teach it this fall, know that needs to change. After all, nearly 15 per cent of all Canadians report having a disability, according to Statistics Canada. Closer to home, 13 per cent of Mohawk students identify as having a disability. Depending what it is, they may be missing out on important information, and that feeling of being included in their community that often comes with consuming news.

“There are a variety of ways we need to do better, quite frankly,” Muller says. “This is an audience that has been and is being underserved. We have a lot of work to do to make sure Canadians with disabilities are heard.”

The second-year course approaches accessibility in two ways: First, it will teach journalists how to make their product accessible; second, it will make the profession of journalism more inclusive to people with disabilities by making the newsroom itself more physically accessible through the addition of specially-designed desks and chairs. Additionally, assistive software will help with access to class material.

The intention is to improve the user experience for all consumers of news while creating more diverse newsrooms.

“It’s about changing the culture and the mindset,” says Jahnke, who is also Mohawk’s former AODA accessibility project manager. “It’s just the right thing to do.”

Students’ first assignment will be to interview someone with a disability. From there, they’ll close-caption their videos, create accessible Word documents and PDFs of their transcripts, and design and lay out an accessible page in Adobe InDesign. By the end of the term, students will have created digital audio and video, print, and web content that anyone can enjoy.

Their work will be critiqued by the people they interviewed at the start of the course to ensure it truly is accessible. “It’s very holistic. Each assignment and task that students do builds on the previous one,” Jahnke said. “It’s a lot to squeeze into one course, which is why we’re developing the post-graduate program, but it gives a taste of what’s required by people with disabilities, and how to make content accessible.”

Muller and Jahnke developed the curriculum with an advisory committee that included representatives from CNIB, the Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton, Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, and The Honourable David Onley, who was not only one of the first journalists with a disability to appear on TV in Canada, but also served as Ontario’s Lieutenant-Governor. A team of Mohawk staff — David Best, Andrew Connery, Janice Fennell, Greg Gagnon, Rob Harvie, Katherine McCurdy — also assisted in the development of the curriculum.

In addition to being taught on campus, Accessible Content Production for Journalists will be available for students elsewhere to take online. Other colleges and universities will be able to access the curriculum through a Creative Commons licence.

“This has application beyond the world of journalism,” Muller said. “These are skills that are going to become integral for anyone working in communications. These are really core skills for the future.”

This article originally appeared in the 2016 issue of Quanta, Mohawk's annual celebration of research and innovation. Story by Tiffany Mayer

–Proud Parent Heather Millar

As part of a knowledge exchange initiative, Mohawk College has become an academic partner with Umind to provide access to and heighten awareness of Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) resources for students, faculty, graduates, community partners, and CYMH professionals across Canada and globally. Developed by Kids’ Health Links Foundation with Umind’s clinical partner Lutherwood, Umind is a dynamic online platform for child and youth mental health professionals to share resources, advice, tips and techniques.

Through this partnership, Umind will be incorporated within Mohawk College’s Human Services curriculum encompassing 17 programs, over 250 courses and nearly 1,000 graduates annually. For the 900 agencies working with the Human Services Department, this partnership provides an online platform where they can access and contribute CYMH resources. Other benefits of partnership include the opportunity for Mohawk students and CYMH professionals to actively network, share information and ideas through Umind’s online discussion board and webinars.

Up to 48 high school graduates will be enrolled in the 28-week program at Mohawk College’s Stoney Creek campus starting in January 2017. Students will train for jobs in advanced manufacturing / computer numeric code (CNC) and mobile industrial / hydraulics. Registration is $350 with a $200 refund on successful completion of the program.

The ESTATE program is being delivered by IEC in partnership with Mohawk College, Mohawk College Enterprise, Express Employment Professionals, the City of Hamilton, the Government of Ontario and several local companies.

Is there anything more inspiring or useful than our world presented to us in the miniature? Scale models of land and sea have been motivating explorers and inventors for centuries. In our modern world, they’ve served as the foundation for new technologies and tools such as GPS and Google Maps.

And now maps have inspired a team of Canadian experts and researchers to use additive manufacturing to turn 2D into 3D.

It was the potential of 3D printing and additive manufacturing to accurately portray geographical features that inspired Fred Norouzian of Environment and Climate Change Canada to call Mohawk College’s Additive Manufacturing Resource Centre (AMRC). Norouzian was looking for help to produce a scale model of the Turkey Lakes Watershed. The watershed, located 50km north of Sault Ste. Marie, is the subject of a multi-disciplinary research study on the anthropogenic perturbation of Canadian Shield ecosystems and is one of the longest running watershed studies in North America.

“It’s important for our focus in water chemistry and hydrology to show the proper relative elevation of each lake and stream with respect to the other lakes and streams in the watershed- both upstream and downstream,” explains Norouzian.

His initial solution should have been a topographic map. Topographic maps, or raised relief maps, are commonly used to visualize an area’s landscape. They are traditionally made of vinyl molds, using information from GPS data, field surveys, and aerial photography.

But what Norouzian wanted was a scale model that incorporated more than a birds-eye view map of the area. He wanted to use the research data collected by researchers from the various government agencies involved in the area and create a three-dimensional teaching and training tool for the team.

That’s how Mohawk’s additive manufacturing expertise came to play a role.

The 3D printing of topographical maps, created on-demand and available online, has been gaining in popularity, primarily for its ability to commemorate travel experiences- say a trip to the Grand Canyon or to Whistler. But for more remote areas, 3D printing from existing aerial maps doesn’t work- it will only result in two undefined landmasses with no clear distinctions between topography features such as rivers and the lakes.

That was far too imprecise for Norouzian and his colleagues. What Environment and Climate Change Canada needed was a custom solution that would use various 2D data sources to generate a 3D map of the area.

For the team at the AMRC, accustomed to working with industry on manufacturing and automotive projects, it was a project that captured their imagination with the following question:

How do you combine 2D and 3D data into a single, 3D printed output?

“It’s easy to go to Google Maps and find major physical landmarks and print them out,” said Simon Coulson, manager of the AMRC. “But if you try to find this watershed using an online map or a similar tool, there isn’t enough data available to produce an accurate model.”

“However, when you combine the accuracy and the level of detail available from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s various data sources, that’s when you see the potential of the technology to capture every detail and make it a viable tool for researchers.”

Mohawk Mechanical Engineering student and AMRC co-op student Jason Podger was tasked with creating a step-by-step process to transform the data into a usable file for 3D printing.

“While the data that Environment Canada gave us had all the contours marked, it was like a piece of paper with no thickness,” explained Podger. “We had to convert it to a solid model and then add in the lakes and water so you can fully see the area in 3D.”

When Podger first started this project, in late 2015, a documented process for 3D printing topographical maps wasn’t yet available. (Although a few online tutorials have since sprung up, none, as of writing, address the complexity of the files that the AMRC was working with.) So before the printing of the scale model in plastic could begin, Podger had to create a 12- step process that used four different software tools in order to make the map multi-dimensional.

The new process created by Podger for the 3D printing of topographical maps resulted in a model, measuring a tiny (in comparison) 40 cm by 46.7 cm, that accurately captures the terrain of the watershed area.

For Norouzian, the resulting product is the perfect tool for a team that includes researchers and collaborators from The National Water Research Institute of Environment Canada, The Great Lakes Forest Centre of Natural Resources Canada, The Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Science of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, The Meteorological Service of Canada of Environment Canada, The Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada, and The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

“It was exciting to see the watershed and its landscape 3D printed and produced to this high level of accuracy. Now other researchers, scientists and collaborators can truly see the relative location and elevation of each lake within the system,” said Norouzian.

Just as the new scale model of the Turkey Lakes Watershed Area helps researchers like Norouzian see the terrain in a new way, Coulson believes that the model has the potential to also help us see 3D printing in a new light.

“When we think of additive manufacturing, we often think that you have to start with a design for a three dimensional part in order to use the technology. With a project like this, you can see how you can start with a two dimensional part and bring it to life.”

About the Author: Andrea Johnson is the Promotions and Industry Liaison Officer for iDeaWORKS.

Follow iDeaWORKS on Twitter @mohawkideaworks

That’s why this year’s Applied Research and Innovation in Education (ARIE) funded projects involve over 27 different industry, academic, and community partners.

The 2016-2017 cohort of researchers prove that collaboration is the key to creating better learning opportunities for Mohawk students, creating stronger opportunities for environmental sustainability, and generating innovative solutions that can solve industry and community challenges.

With these applied research, innovation in education and program quality projects, Mohawk will continue to redefine the concept of campus and classroom, with partnerships playing out everywhere from brownfield sites in Hamilton and Burlington, to a multi-sensory Snoezelen Room, to local a local software coding club and even, in virtual and augmented reality.

In total, Mohawk will be investing $150,000 of funding in support of faculty innovation.

The following projects have been funded:

Supporting innovation in industry and in our community

Project: Waste heat recycling and LED lighting
Project Lead: Zhenyu (Frank) Zhao, Electrical Engineering
Dean: Tony Thoma
Associate Dean: Elizabeth Pietrantonio
Academic Partner: McMaster University

Project: Physiological impact of multi-sensory environments
Project Lead: Kaela Miller, Human Services
Dean: Paul Armstrong
Associate Dean: Neil McMahon
Community Partners: Community Living Agencies, Brain Injury Services Hamilton, Building Blocks Speech Pathology, Early Words: Blind Low Vision Program, Rigel Homes, and Christian Horizon.

Supporting environmental sustainability

Project: Brownfields testing and remediation
Project Lead: Chris McCrory, Chemical Engineering
Dean: Tony Thoma
Associate Dean: George Miltenburg
Industry and Community Partners: Hamilton Port Authority, Royal Botanical Gardens, and CICAN.

Project: Isolation and Identification of psychrophilic (or psychrotolerant) microbes from Canadian soil and lake samples
Project Lead: Athanasios (Ethan) Paschos, Chemical Engineering
Dean: Tony Thoma
Associate Dean: George Miltenburg
Industry Partner: Tri-Phase Group

Project: Comparative testing of restored and new windows for energy efficiency
Project Lead: Shannon Kyles, Architecture
Dean: Tony Thoma
Associate Dean: Dan Havercroft
Community Partner: Architectural Conservancy of Ontario

Supporting teaching and learning

Project: Explore the use of Microsoft HoloLens technology as an assistive device for online and classroom learning
Project Lead: Richard Tasse and Henry Lammers, Electrical Apprenticeship
Dean: Tony Thoma
Associate Dean: Wayne Ostermaier
Industry Partners: Microsoft HoloLens and Unity 3D

Project: Using virtual reality to create visual content in Media and Entertainment programs
Project Lead: Tracey Kadish, Broadcasting Television
Dean: Alison Horton
Associate Dean: Kurt Muller
Industry Partners: Secret Location and William F. White International Inc.

Project: Develop a mathematical model to study the evolution of multi-drug resistant bacteria
Project Lead: Nasim Muhammad, Mathematics
Dean: Tony Thoma
Associate Dean: Dan Havercroft
Academic Partner: McMaster University

Project: Improving the teaching of early computer programming
Project Lead: Kevin Browne, Software Engineering
Dean: Tony Thoma
Associate Dean: Elizabeth Pietrantonio
Academic and Community Partners: Hamilton Code Club, IEC Hamilton, and McMaster University.

Project: Foursight assessment with MSLA
Project Lead: Christine Boyko-Head, Interdisciplinary Studies and Elyse Pipitone, Student Services
Dean: James Vanderveken
Associate Dean/Manager: Gary Jennings and Rochelle Reid
Academic and Industry Partners: Creative Education Foundation, Creative Problem Solving Institute at SUNY Buffalo, the International Centre for Studies in Creativity at SUNY, and Foursight LLC.

Project: Student reflection on practice (Multi-disciplinary approach)
Project Lead: Chris McCrory, Chemical Engineering
Dean: Tony Thoma
Associate Dean: George Miltenburg

Project: Intercultural experiential simulation course
Project Lead: Michelle Turan, Child and Youth Services
Dean: Paul Armstrong
Associate Dean: Neil McMahon
Academic and Industry Partners: Humla Fund (Nepal), Global Autism Project (New York City), SOREM (India), and Cross Cultural Solutions (Guatemala)

Project: Enhancing student learning and experience through interprofessional faculty and students collaboration on blended learning
Project Lead: Nancy Matthew-Maich, Collaborative Nursing
Dean: Paul Armstrong
Associate Dean: Donna Rawlins
Academic: McMaster University

Project: Create video vignettes to portray common behavioural interventions​
Project Lead: Laura Adlington​, Autism and Behavioural Science Program
Dean: Paul Armstrong
Associate Dean: Neil McMahon

Project: An Interprofessional Education Event for Health Sciences
Project Lead: Mary Allen, Collaborative Nursing and Brooke Malstrom, OTA/PTA
Dean: Paul Armstrong
Associate Deans: Donna Rawlin and Lori Koziol
Industry Partner: Hamilton Health Sciences

Project: An educational model to support the career needs of young professionals
Project Lead: Evan Divalentio, Continuing Education
Dean: Alison Horton
Industry Partner: Hamilton HIVE

Project: Incorporating 3D printing into a collaborative-based curriculum in Visual Arts
Project Lead: Christopher Reid Flock & Duncan Aird, Continuing Education
Dean: Alison Horton

Project: Student success initiatives retention plan
Project Lead: Catharine Ozols, Centre for Teaching and Learning
Manager: Cebert Adamson

Project: Redesign of a Chemical Engineering Laboratory course
Project Lead: Greg Matzke, Chemical Engineering
Dean: Tony Thoma
Associate Dean: George Miltenburg
Industry Partners: Xerox Canada and Apotex Pharmachem

This is the second year that the ARIE Fund will support faculty and staff research and innovation activities at Mohawk College. ARIE projects are funded by the Vice President Academic and managed by iDeaWORKS.

Want to learn more about the projects? They will be profiled throughout the year at www.mohawknewsdesk.ca.

CANMETMaterials is Canada’s largest research centre dedicated to the fabrication, processing and evaluation of metals and materials.

It’s also where Engineering Technology students run experiments in the research centre’s foundry and learn from Government of Canada scientists and technologists, including Mohawk Alumni of Distinction recipient Peter Newcombe.

Mohawk students are the only students in the country with access to CANMETMaterials’ foundry lab.

The partnership was formally launched on Monday, Feb. 8 by Parliamentary Secretary Kim Rudd, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Carr, Minister of Natural Resources. The foundry casting course will be co-delivered by Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) CanmetMATERIALS laboratory and Mohawk College. It will support the training of highly qualified personnel in the technical field of casting and the next generation of professionals who will contribute to Canada’s manufacturing sector.

Also on Monday, Mohawk President Ron McKerlie presented NRCan with a plaque honoring the late Archie McCoy, an accomplished foundryman and community leader. The plaque was relocated to CANMET after being on display at the Fennell Campus for more than 16 years.

FAST FACTS (source: Natural Resources Canada)

• Casting is an essential first step in the value-added chain of manufacturing, and foundries contribute nearly $900 million to Canada’s gross domestic product each year.
• Established in the 1940s, NRCan’s CanmetMATERIALS laboratory is the largest research centre in Canada dedicated to metals and materials processing, fabrication and evaluation.
• Since NRCan’s CanmetMATERIALS’ move to Hamilton in 2010, the lab has strengthened ties and increased engagement with industry and academia to better facilitate the transfer of knowledge and accelerate the pace of commercialization.