Toronto, ON –  Machine learning and artificial intelligence are poised to revolutionize the way companies do business in the fields of healthcare, transportation, and materials research. With the launch of the new Vector Institute, Toronto is quickly becoming a hub for machine learning development. Following this momentum is a three-part limited edition CIFAR seminar series, Machine Learning for Accelerated Materials Discovery, on July 18, 24, and 25, co-hosted by the Departments of Computer Science and The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. “Artificial intelligence is everywhere online, our phones, Google maps, and even our social media,” says Phil De Luna, a U of T MSE Ph.D student and co-organizer of the seminar series. “It’s extremely exciting to see how this technology is being used in real world applications with a tangible impact on our everyday lives.” Key presenters include:

• Richard Martin | IBM Watson Research Scientist Team leader for natural language processing in the Watson for Drug Discovery product team. July 18, 10 am, BA1190
• Bryce Meredig | Cofounder, Citrine Informatics Cofounder/CSO of Citrine informatics, a Silicon Valley startup using large-scale data mining to accelerate materials development. July 24, 10 am, BA1210
• Brian Storey | Toyota Research Institute Machine Learning research lead at the newly established Toyota Research Institute. July 25, 10 am BA1190

This seminar series is geared to towards graduate students, researchers, and faculty but the public is also encouraged to attend.

Toronto, ON – The toughest problems facing humanity in the 21^st century — from water scarcity to urban intensification to personalized medicine — will be tackled by tomorrow’s engineers. Many of the issues they will work to solve haven’t yet arisen — so how can engineering educators prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s challenges? To address this question, the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA) will host its annual conference from June 4-7 on the theme of ‘Innovation & Diversity in Engineering Education.’ Teachers, researchers and practitioners from across the country will unite at the University of Toronto to discuss enriching the classroom of tomorrow, and novels ways to prepare the next generation of engineering leaders. “It’s wonderful  to have so many of Canada’s  top minds in engineering education in one place,” says Greg Evans, a U of T Engineering professor and director of the Faculty’s Collaborative Graduate Program in Engineering Education. “The students we teach today will produce the innovations that shape Canada and the world tomorrow — we want to give them the best toolbox we can.” Keynote presenters include:

• Debbie Chachra — Professor of Engineering, Olin College of Engineering, specializing in innovative engineering education
• Valerie Davidson — University Professor Emerita, University of Guelph and former NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering
• Mary Wells — Professor, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo and Chair of the Ontario Network for Women in Engineering.

Participants will be immersed in open-ended idea generation activities, case study presentations and data-driven discussions of best practices. See the full schedule. Members of the media are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to: Marit Mitchell Engineering Strategic Communications 416-978-4498 | marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca  

Toronto, ON –  First-year students in U of T Engineering are stepping up to take on some of the Greater Toronto Area’s most persistent problems, from diagnosing infant epilepsy to finding lost arrows at a local archery range. This Wednesday, April 12, students at the University of Toronto are hosting a day-long event to showcase their engineering solutions, from the technically complex to the stunningly obvious, to some of the GTA’s stickiest situations with a wide variety of prototypes, renderings, and more. The event is the finale of Praxis, a unique course from U of T’s Engineering Science program. The course challenges students to collaborate with communities, agencies and companies across the GTA to find new ways of improving the city, including:

1. Designing an adaptive seat for disabled sailing Challenge: A day on the lake brings all sailors feelings of independence, joy and freedom. But for those with physical disabilities, sailboats can be tricky to manoeuver, unpredictable and dangerous. Students teamed up with the Disabled Sailing Association of Ontario to create a comfortable, portable, affordable and safe sailboat seat for both sailors and volunteers.

2. Targeting lost arrows at Seaton Park Challenge: Archers at Seaton Park’s outdoor archery range want to keep the time spent hunting for their arrows to a minimum — it can be time-consuming, frustrating and dangerous. Students worked with the City of Toronto to propose a variety of cheap and visible solutions that reconsider every element of design, from the arrows to the lawn of the archery range.

3. Keeping a local family business rolling Challenge: G&S Dye is a family-run fabric and dye business in downtown Toronto. With only one employee, inventory, shelf stocking and customer service are time-consuming processes that directly affect the company’s bottom line. Students devised a suite of solutions for improving storage, rolling and cutting, and transporting heavy fabric at G&S.

Plus student solutions for these organizations:

• Improving accessibility and user experience at a gallery showcasing works by disabled artists — Tangled Art Gallery
• Stimulating residents with dementia — St. George Care Community
• Redesigning wheelchairs to reduce pressure sores — Kensington Gardens Residential Home
• Diagnosing a rare form of epilepsy in infants — Temerty Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
• Enhancing independence in the kitchen for students with physical and cognitive conditions — Kohai Educational Centre

At the Praxis showcase, students unveil their proposed designs and receive immediate feedback from their clients, community representatives, and professional engineers, as well as members of the general public. All are welcome. Details: What: U of T Engineering – Praxis II Showcase Date:  Wednesday, April 12, 2017 Location: Great Hall, Hart House (7 Hart House Circle) Public Showcase: 9:30 am – 4:00 pm Media Showcase: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm (Media welcome to attend throughout the event) -30- Media contact: Marit Mitchell, University of Toronto Engineering marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca; 647-228-4358 (cell)  

Toronto, ON – Augmented reality startup ModiFace will make a major announcement Tuesday, aimed to accelerate development of augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) talent at Canada’s top-ranked engineering school. The company, founded by Professor Parham Aarabi of The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, uses AR and AI to build advanced facial visualization software for the beauty and medical industries. ModiFace technology powers over 100 AR applications by Fortune 500 brands including Sephora, L’Oreal, Allergan, Vichy and Clairol, among others. “The future of ModiFace is highly dependent on our access to the best AR engineers in the world,” says Aarabi. “For AR, it takes about a year for a new graduate to get up to speed with the latest concepts in artificial intelligence, systems engineering, and computer vision. As a result, we want to invest in students early, while they’re still in school, to start giving them the best training in these fast-moving fields.” Aarabi will be joined by The Honourable Reza Moridi, Ontario Minister of Research, Innovation and Science, and Cristina Amon, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. Journalists will have an opportunity to speak with Aarabi following the announcement. Event details ModiFace announces major investment in AR, AI at U of T Timing: Tuesday, April 11, 2017, Announcement at 9:20 am; Q&A at 9:40 am Location: Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle, University of Toronto East Common Room [Map] Media contact: Marit Mitchell U of T Engineering 416-978-4498 (desk), 647-228-4358 (cell) marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca

Future mining engineers from 10 Canadian universities go toe to toe in national competition WHAT: The Canadian Mining Games is an annual competition between 10 mining engineering universities in Canada. At this two-day championship, student teams are tested on the skills and knowledge required to work in the mining industry as they complete a series of events inspired and overseen by industry-leading companies. Members of the media are invited to observe or compete alongside students in events including:

• Proposing technical and economic response to a hypothetical crisis situation, such as a mud slide;
• Executing a mine rescue scenario. In a confined space full of smoke with limited visibility, students rely on safety equipment and breathing apparatuses to rescue trapped miners;
• Conducting an in-depth preliminary economic assessment and feasibility study of a proposed mine design.

In addition to competing for school pride, students have the opportunity to network with industry leaders in their fields. The winning team will take home the coveted Mining Games trophy and the title of champion of the Canadian Mining Games. WHERE: Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto Meeting point: Galbraith Building, 35 St. George Street [MAP] WHEN: February 24-25, 2017 Start time: 8:30 a.m. INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

• Henrique Coppini – Mining Games Organizing Committee & past participant
• Channa Kummarage – Mining Games Organizing Committee & past captain
• Marina Reny – U of T Team captain

-30- MEDIA CONTACT: Keenan Dixon Communications Coordinator Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto 647-209-1176 keenan.dixon@utoronto.ca  

Toronto, ON – Since 2005, Y Combinator (YC) has launched 1,200 startups which have a combined valuation of over $65 billion. Without the help of this seed accelerator, companies such as DoorDash, Code Academy and Thalmic Labs would have been lost. On Friday, January 20, 2017, YC will be inaugurating Accelerator Weekend with a panel led by their team of advisors, alumni and partners. Hear their stories, ask questions, and find out what it's really like to create a startup. All are welcome to attend! The panelists are: Yuri Sagalov- UofT Engineering alumnus, founder of Amium and partner at YC Kat Mañalac- Director of Outreach and partner at YC Adora Cheung- Founder of Homejoy and partner at YC Event Details: What: Y Combinator Presentation & Panel When: Friday, January 20, 2017 Time: 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. Where: Medical Sciences Building, Room 2158, 1 King's College Circle, University of Toronto, ON M5S 1A8 Media are asked to kindly RSVP to Mariam. Contact: Mariam Karim Mariam.Karim@uofthatchery.ca 416-946-4024

Toronto, ON –  University of Toronto professor Michael Sefton (ChemE, IBBME) has been presented with a major research award from international diabetes foundation JDRF to advance treatment research for type 1 diabetes (T1D). The funding, valued at approximately $1.1 million ($845,135 USD), supports a three-year study at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) to explore an experimental treatment that involves transplanting healthy pancreatic cells into patients living with the disease. Once successfully implanted, these cells can then produce insulin to help regulate blood glucose levels. Though promising, these cells — known as pancreatic islet cells— are fragile, and current transplantation sites such as the abdominal cavity and liver are “hostile” environments that can increase the likelihood of rejection. Sefton and his team are investigating whether transplanting islet cells under the skin will improve the cells’ survival. “The skin is a less hostile site for islets and has clinical advantages of being more accessible than current sites and possibly be even safer for patients,” said Sefton, who holds appointments in U of T’s Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry and IBBME. “However, one of the challenges of using the skin as a transplant site is that it has relatively few blood vessels.” Sefton, a world-renowned tissue engineering pioneer, plans to apply his team’s expertise to creating a “‘pre-vascularized” environment rich in blood vessels under the skin to ensure the survival of the insulin-producing cells before transplantation takes place. “The goal is to enable islet cell transplantation under the skin in a retrievable, ‘device-less,’ physiologically integrated, and scalable implant site,” said Sefton. “The goal of this strategy is better control of blood glucose and reduced complications, leading to more widely available treatment for those living with this disease.” “Islet transplantation is a promising approach to treatment that also minimizes the risk of serious complications that affect those who live with T1D,” said Dave Prowten, president and CEO of JDRF Canada. “We are proud to support Dr. Sefton and his team as they work to uncover new ways to make this treatment more readily available for people living with T1D.” – 30 – For more information, contact: Marit Mitchell Communications & Media Relations Strategist University of Toronto Engineering 416-978-4498 marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca

Toronto, ON – Kevin Han, Jun Ran Xu, Haleema Khan and Sabrina Cruz have been named University of Toronto’s recipients of the prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarships. Created in 2011 by Canadian business leader and philanthropist Seymour Schulich, this annual scholarship program encourages promising high school graduates to embrace STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) in their future careers. This year, there were over 1,500 Schulich Leader Nominees from across Canada vying for 50 scholarships, valued at up to $80,000 each. Since inception, 220 students have received this celebrated scholarship. Kevin Han, 18, is a recipient of the $80,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship. A graduate of Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School in Burlington, Ontario, Han will be entering the Faculty of the Applied Science and Engineering program this fall. Jun Ran Xu, 18, is a recipient of the $80,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship. A graduate of Aurora High School in Aurora, Ontario, Xu will be entering the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering program this fall. Haleema Khan, 18, is a recipient of the $60,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship. A graduate of Westlane Secondary School in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Khan will be entering the Life Sciences program at the Faculty of Arts and Science Victoria College this fall. She will be a Victoria College student. Sabrina Cruz, 18, is a recipient of the $60,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship. A graduate of Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School in Ajax, Ontario, Cruz will be entering the Math & Physical Science program at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences this fall. She will be an Innis College student. “It is very important that we support exceptional students that demonstrate great leadership and embrace STEM fields,” said Schulich. “It is an investment not only in their future, but the future of our country. Their pursuits are sure to lead to key innovations in the years ahead.” About Schulich Leader Scholarships Schulich Leader Scholarships are prestigious entrance scholarships awarded to high school graduates enrolling in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at participating universities in Canada and Israel. Recognizing the increasing importance and impact that STEM disciplines will have on the prosperity of future generations, businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich established this $100 million scholarship fund in 2011 to encourage our best and brightest students to be the next pioneers of global scientific research and innovation. This program awards 100 scholarships annually, valued at more than $5.5 million. Schulich Leaders can devote their full time and attention to their studies, as all of their financial needs are covered over the course of their degree. As a result, many of our highest potential students are winning these scholarships and will make great contributions to society. -30- For more information: www.schulichleaders.com For media inquiries contact: Farida Adam Student Awards Officer University Advancement Tel: 416-978-5701 farida.adam@utoronto.ca www.adm.utoronto.ca Or David Goodman dgoodman@schulichfoundation.org 647-289-1950 Dara Newton dnewton@uja.schulichleaders.com 416-480-6492

Toronto, ON –  When a person suffers cardiac arrest, there is a one in five chance a potentially life-saving Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is nearby. But up to 30 per cent of the time, the device is locked inside a closed building, according to a study led by U of T Engineering researchers, published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The work was conducted by Professor Timothy Chan of the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto, in collaboration with Rescu, led by Dr. Laurie Morrison at Li Ka Shing Institute of St Michael's Hospital in Toronto. Currently, AED placement in Canada does not necessarily consider accessibility of the device during an emergency. Many AEDs are located within office buildings, schools and recreation facilities, which tend to be open for a limited set of hours during the daytime. Toronto had 2,440 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in a public place during the study period, and 767 AED locations. Of these AED locations, 73.5 per cent were not open 24-hours a day, and 28.6 per cent were closed on weekends. Of the total number of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, 451 were located near an AED but only 354 were located near an AED when the AED was accessible, resulting in a coverage loss of 21.5 per cent. When researchers looked at cardiac arrests during evenings, nights and weekends, which is when the majority of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur, coverage diminished to 31.6 percent. The researchers concluded that a significant proportion of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur close to a public AED that is inaccessible at the time of the arrest, and a model that accounts for both location and availability when determining AED placement has the potential to significantly increase the likelihood of accessing an AED when needed. “Our research has shown AED availability for cardiac arrests is overestimated when time factors, such as building access and time of day, are not considered,” said Chan. “The model considers time of day, building access and location information to optimize AED availability. Using the model, we found an average 25 per cent improvement in AED accessibility for cardiac arrests at all times of day.” Government legislation mandating all AEDs be registered with emergency medical services dispatch centers and accessible to the public 24/7 would also improve access to AEDs. But coverage is only one issue, according to the study’s authors: AED coverage does not necessarily equal survival, because the existence of an AED still doesn’t necessarily mean the AEDs are being used. “Accessibility is only one piece of the larger puzzle in optimizing public defibrillator use and bystander response in an emergency,” said Chan, who is also director of the Centre for Healthcare Engineering at the University of Toronto. In an accompanying editorial comment, Robert J. Myerburg, a professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said the study is important and should be included in planning strategies for AED locations, but society would benefit more by both achieving better outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and reducing the number that occur in the first place. “Now we need a parallel effort to develop a roadmap for improving prediction and prevention of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest,” he said. -30- For more information: Liz Do Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering University of Toronto 416-978-4036 (office) liz@mie.utoronto.ca

Toronto, ON –  In what University of Toronto President Meric Gertler called “an historic investment in Canadian science and innovation,” the federal and provincial governments are joining with the university to provide almost $190 million to upgrade almost half of U of T’s research labs over the next two years. The announcement of the Lab Innovation for Toronto (LIFT) project was made Thursday at U of T’s Medical Sciences Building by President Gertler, federal Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains and Science Minister Kirsty Duncan, and provincial Higher Education Minister Deb Matthews. The university will provide $91.8 million, while the federal and provincial governments will contribute $83.7 million and $14.3 million respectively for a total of $189.8 million. “These investments will us attract and retain talent from around the world and across the country. It’s really critical,” Gertler told reporters in a scrum following the announcement. “We’re very well known as a research powerhouse but as the ministers have said if the [lab research] space is substandard it limits what this talent and faculty and student body can do. By modernizing that space the sky is really the limit.” The LIFT project will lead to the renewal of 47 percent of U of T’s research space, said Scott Mabury, vice-president operations. The labs to be renovated by the project are on average 50-years-old and comprise more than 50,000 square metres of inefficient space, he said. Work has already begun and will be complete by the spring of 2018. Using a square metre as a prop at the event, he gave the appreciative crowd an impromptu lesson in what the scale of the infrastructure project really means. If you add the current inefficient lab space up, he said, it’s equivalent in total size to 15 soccer pitches. And, if U of T was building all-new labs instead of rejuvenating existing facilities, the total cost per square metre would be approximately $12,000, totaling close to $650 million. “The renovations will modernize U of T’s research labs to increase usable space and enhance the quality of the research and learning environment,” Mabury said. “They will also improve air handling, climate and electrical systems.” The federal contribution is part of the government’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, Bains said. “This once-in-a-generation investment by the Government of Canada is a historic down payment on the government’s vision to position Canada as a global centre for innovation,” he said, adding that the funding would “create the conditions for innovation and long-term growth that will keep the Canadian economy globally competitive.” Duncan, who has had first-hand experience of U of T lab facilities as both a student and instructor, agreed. “It’s a little extra special to be here today. I’m a proud UC graduate and a former faculty member . . . being back at the university is bringing back wonderful memories,” she told the crowd. “Science has a central role in [Canada’s] Innovation Agenda . . . Through investments such as these, we are strengthening the foundation for building Canada as a global leader in scientific excellence.” “Through investments such as these, we are strengthening the foundation for building Canada as a global leader in scientific excellence.” Deb Matthews, Ontario's minister of advanced education and skills development, said: “Our government is proud to support this important project, which will give University of Toronto students access to the renewed facilities they need to prepare for successful careers in science and research. We know that providing access to high-quality education and training facilities is critical to building the skilled workforce we need to support good jobs and economic growth for today and tomorrow and this investment will help us to do it.” “The LIFT project will equip our brilliant scholars, students and staff with the cutting-edge facilities they need to learn, collaborate and discover,” President Gertler said as he thanked the federal and provincial ministers. “The modernization of these labs will also reduce our greenhouse gas emissions significantly. The University of Toronto greatly appreciates the federal and provincial governments’ support of postsecondary education and research, and their leadership in ensuring Canada secures its place among global leaders of science and technology.” Daniel Haas, dean of U of T’s Faculty of Dentistry, also thanked the ministers for the infrastructure funding, which will allow the faculty to sustain its excellence and to make much-needed repairs. “Our research facilities are badly outdated,” Haas said. “Our primary building opened 57 years ago in 1959, and a number of our researchers are working out of a facility built in 1927. We have exceptionally talented people who are being limited in what they can accomplish, simply because of infrastructure. The funding announced today will allow our faculty to capitalize on their potential. It will help us modernize our existing facilities and sustain our position as leaders in health research.” The LIFT project will affect all three campuses and nine academic divisions. The facilities to be renovated include not only medical, dental, biology, chemistry and engineering labs, but also include a former horse barn north of Toronto now used for ecological research, a green roof on the historic 1 Spadina Avenue building (the new home of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design), an electro-acoustic music studio at the Faculty of Music and many others. For example, at the University of Toronto Scarborough, the campus vivarium and the S-Wing research labs will undergo $17.8 million in renovations, while the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Davis Building will get a $17.1 million upgrade. In total, 546 labs will be fully renovated, providing state-of-the-art research facilities to an estimated 1,100 researchers and 5,500 students. Mario Ostrowski is one of those researchers. A renowned HIV scientist affiliated with St. Michael’s Hospital and U of T’s Temerty Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Ostrowski says there is fierce competition among research institutions for the best graduate students and post-docs. State-of-the-art labs will help U of T recruit the best and the brightest students, he said, and will also inspire existing researchers and students to greater achievements. “Just like great architecture inspires people every day to achieve excellence, if you’ve got a nice lab that’s state of the art, rather than something old and decrepit that’s falling apart, it inspires and stimulates people to produce excellence.” - 30 – For more information, contact: University of Toronto Media Relations Tel: (416) 978-0100 media.relations@utoronto.ca  

Toronto, ON – U of T Engineering researchers are launching an experiment that aims to solve the longstanding myster of how water behaves in space. Their experiment will launch at 12:45 am on Monday, July 18 aboard SpaceX CRS-9 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, headed for the International Space Station (ISS). There, an astronaut will run the experiment and capture photos and video of their glass jar of purified water. The iniative is led by post-doctoral fellow Aaron Persad and Professor Emeritus Charles Ward of the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering. It may seem like a simple problem, but determining the behaviour of water in space has big implications for designing astronauts’ life-support systems. On July 16, 2013, a clogged filter caused nearly 1.5 litres of water to coat the face and helmet of Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano during a spacewalk. The water obscured his vision, hearing and breathing, forcing the crew to abort the operation and get him to safety. Ward has been trying to solve the mystery of water behaviour in space for almost 20 years. In 1997, he flew the experiment to the ISS aboard the space shuttle Columbia, but unfortunately the results were inconclusive. “We had to make do with the equipment and resources we available to us at the time,” says Ward. The video, shot on an 8mm VHS camera, was pixelated and blurry, which Ward says “left room for doubters to hold on to their doubts.” In 2008 Persad, then a PhD candidate supervised by Ward, rediscovered the jars during a lab cleanup. Ward urged him to throw them out since they were no longer needed, but Persad hid them instead. He became fascinated by the experiment and started looking for a way to run it again with better equipment that would lead to a more conclusive result. That opportunity arrived in 2013 in the form of a NASA-funded project called Story Time from Space. The project will see astronauts on the ISS conduct and videotape educational demonstrations, chosen by veteran Canadian astronaut Dr. Bjarni Tryggvason, which can be taught and replicated in classrooms around the world. Tryggvason and Ward had a longstanding debate about the outcome from the 1997 experiment, so Tryggvason invited Ward and Persad to fly it again. Persad designed an improved apparatus for the experiment, and attached a modified GoPro camera to capture high-resolution images and video that will prove — or disprove — Ward’s theory once and for all. The results from the space experiments could also have useful applications on Earth.  "These days, there is growing interest in nanofluidics, which is all about understanding the behaviour of liquids in channels 10,000 times thinner than a strand of human hair," says Persad. "At such tiny scales, the effect of gravity is minimal, so the liquids behave similarly to what we see in space."  As a post-doctoral fellow in the lab of Professor David Sinton (MIE), Persad is researching nanofluidics to improve oil recovery processes. He is already seeing evidence of the double-interface configuration at the nano-scale. With this launch, the stakes are high for Persad — last time the experiment launched aboard SpaceX's CRS-7 mission, the rocket exploded shortly after lift-off, destroying his work. Despite all the delays and setbacks, Persad remains optimistic. He believes that the data from the images and videos will be enlightening to both researchers and students alike. “After 20 years, it will be great to finally have an answer,” he says. -30- Media contact: Marit Mitchell Communications & Media Relations Strategist University of Toronto Engineering 416-978-4498 (desk); 647-228-4358 (cell) marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca

Sunnyvale, CA – Deep learning will transform medicine, but not in the way that many advocates think. Biological complexity, rare mutations and confounding factors work against us, so that even if we sequence 100,000 genomes, it won’t be enough. Brendan Frey is engineering the future of personalized medicine. A professor in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, he and his research group combine world-leading expertise in machine learning with more than a decade of experience in genomic medicine to teach computers to “read” and begin to make sense of the more than two-billion base pairs that make up the human genome. Frey is also CEO of Deep Genomics, a startup that is inventing a new generation of computational technologies that can tell us what will happen within a cell when DNA is altered by genetic variation, whether natural or therapeutic. Deep Genomics recently secured $5 million in seed funding. On Thursday, June 23, Frey will be speaking at BizSkule, an event hosted by U of T Engineering that invites top thinkers to illuminate hot topics in engineering, technology, industry and business — from the sharing economy to sports analytics, entertainment to the future of transportation. Members of the media are invited to speak with Frey before or after his talk.

Details BizSkule: Brendan Frey & Deep Genomics Date: Thursday, June 23, 2016 Time: 5-8 pm; talk starts at 6 pm Location: Juniper Networks 1194 N Mathilda Ave.                 Sunnyvale, Calif. [map]

Media contact Marit Mitchell U of T Engineering Communications & Media Relations 416-978-4498 (desk), 647-228-4358 (cell) marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca

Toronto, ON – University of Toronto Professor Giovanni Grasselli, of the Department of Civil Engineering, has been named the inaugural holder of the Foundation CMG Industrial Research Chair in Fundamental Petroleum Rock Physics and Rock Mechanics. Professor Grasselli is joining 12 chairs at 12 universities, including Penn State and the University of Texas in Austin, in 6 countries that are funded by the Canadian non-profit organization to investigate leading edge research and innovation in oil and gas reservoir modelling. In addition to funding Grasselli’s chair, Foundation CMG’s $1.35-million contribution will be used as seed funding toward the development of a new centre of excellence at U of T over the next five years. By combining fundamental principles of rock physics and rock mechanics with seismic imaging, the centre will produce research and develop technology for smarter, unconventional petroleum production, while reducing the environmental impacts and contributing towards safer field operations. Foundation CMG’s support will catalyze research collaboration between existing experts at the University of Toronto, creating the necessary critical mass to successfully tackle the development of  a sound physical-based and fully verified geomechanical modelling approach to simulate hydraulic fracturing in shale and tight oil and gas reservoirs. About Foundation CMG Foundation CMG’s mission is to promote and fund university research in oil and gas reservoir simulation with industry collaboration and technology transfer. Computer Modelling Group formed in 1978 in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department at University of Calgary with the objective to carry out research in computer simulation and to develop leading edge reservoir simulation software for the petroleum industry. In 1997 the company was divided into a newly created publicly traded company, CMGL, and a not-for-profit organization, Foundation CMG. Foundation CMG promotes and financially supports research and development and students through research grants at universities with leading research programs focused on reservoir simulation. Foundation CMG’s vision is to be the catalyst for investment of $700 million toward the training of 5,000 graduate students working on reservoir simulation research topics over a period of 25 years. Foundation CMG partners with government, industry and universities to drive unique multi-year renewable support of student education and world-leading researchers at universities, in Europe, Asia, South America and North America. -30- For more information: U of T Media Relations 416-978-0100 media.relations@utoronto.ca

Toronto, ON – University of Toronto announced today that it is a Grand Challenges Explorations winner, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Professor Aaron Wheeler, of the Department of Chemistry and Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering, and his research team will pursue an innovative global health and development research project, titled “A digital microfluidic method for rapid malaria diagnostics.” Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) funds individuals worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mold in how we solve persistent global health and development challenges. Wheeler’s project is one of more than 40 Grand Challenges Explorations grants announced today by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To receive funding, Professor Wheeler and other Grand Challenges Explorations winners demonstrated in a two-page online application a bold idea in one of five critical global heath and development topic areas. The Wheeler Laboratory specializes in a technology called digital microfluidics, which can move small droplets of liquids using electrostatic forces. This technology lets them shrink down the lab to something the size of the credit card, enabling complicated laboratory tests to be performed in the community and at the point of need. Using this technology, the Wheeler Lab is developing sensitive diagnostic tests that can detect biomarkers of the malaria parasite in human saliva. This project adds to research currently being conducted by the group in the area of global health. Wheeler’s team has already developed miniaturized and rapid tests for the detection of measles and rubella, which are currently undergoing field trials in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya (https://youtu.be/CMGK3eLHwp0). With this grant, the team hopes to increase the number of tests that can be performed on their “lab-on-a-chip.” -30- For more information:

Marit Mitchell U of T Engineering, Strategic Communications Tele: 416-978-4498 Email: marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca

Toronto, ON – More than 1,400 students from Grades 3-8 will descend on the University of Toronto on Friday, May 13 for Innovate U, a massive day of hands-on activities celebrating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and the power of innovation. The one-day event is a first-of-its-kind partnership between U of T Engineering, Google Canada and Actua, Canada’s largest STEM outreach charity. Innovate U will engage youth in activities where they are engineering, building and inventing their own innovations and technology – from robotics and genetics to rollercoasters and video games. Students and teachers from 45 classes across the Greater Toronto Area will peek under the surface of today’s tech, including smartphones, 3D printers and solar cars, to understand how they work—all while experiencing the post-secondary environment in a fun and accessible way. “Engineers are the innovators, makers and creators solving the world’s greatest challenges, from writing code that controls rovers on Mars, to designing robots that perform surgery on your cells,” says Dawn Britton, director of outreach for U of T Engineering. “We want to show students that technology doesn’t just come in a box — anyone can learn the skills you need to make it work better, go faster, or even invent something totally new.” The day kicks off with a talk from innovator and young entrepreneur Ann Makosinski. Her first toy was a box of transistors, and she’s been creating ever since — in 2013 she won the global Google Science Fair for inventing the ‘Hollow Flashlight’, which uses the thermoelectric effect to convert radiant body heat into electricity, and in 2014 was named one of TIME’s 30 Under 30. Students will participate in a series of one-hour workshops exploring the basics of coding, playing with circuitry and learning about polymers by making slime. They will also have the chance to visit the Innovation Centre, featuring exhibits and demonstrations including a student-built Indy 500 race car, Google Cardboard, 3D Selfies, Code Created Music and more. "The aim behind Innovate U is to inspire Canada's next generation of technology builders," said Sam Sebastian, Managing Director of Google Canada. "Ninety-eight percent of Google engineers had some level of exposure to computer science and technology before entering university. Events like today will help Canadian children understand that computer science is not simply the language of ones and zeros. It's the language of creativity, entrepreneurship and Canada’s future potential." Actua CEO Jennifer Flanagan added, “Actua is happy to be supporting Innovate U. It not only prepares youth to be the STEM professionals of tomorrow but shows them they have the skills and capacity to innovate today.” About the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering is the premier engineering school in Canada and among the best in the world. Through excellence in engineering education and research, we prepare the next generation of global engineering leaders and innovators to address the world’s most critical challenges. Through our outreach programs, more than 7,000 elementary and high school students of all backgrounds are inspired by science, technology, engineering and math each year. About Google Canada Google’s mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.  As a global technology leader, Google’s innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world. Google Canada has offices in Waterloo, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa with over 400 'Canooglers' working on teams across Engineering, Sales, Marketing, PR, Policy, and HR. Engineers at Google Canada work on many of company's core products including Chrome, Safe Browsing, and Gmail; while the Sales Teams assist Canadian businesses with their digital advertising strategies. About Actua Actua is Canada’s leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach network representing 33 university and college based members. Over 3 million young Canadians have been inspired through their participation in Actua’s hands on educational workshops, camps and community outreach initiatives. Each year, Actua’s growing network of member organizations reach over 250,000 young Canadians in over 500 communities nationwide. At the national level Actua focuses on the engagement of underrepresented audiences through specialized programs for Indigenous youth, girls and young women, at-risk youth and youth living in Northern and remote communities. Actua’s major funders include: Google Canada, Suncor Energy Foundation, GE Canada and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. For more information about Actua, visit actua.ca. -30- For more information: U of T Media Relations 416-978-0100 media.relations@utoronto.ca

Toronto, ON – Imagine driving from Toronto to San Francisco and back on three litres of gasoline. That’s exactly the kind of vehicle a University of Toronto Suoermileage Team, will be unveiling on April 16 along with another battery-electric powered car. It’s all part of the team’s effort to retain its first-place title at the 2016 Shell Eco-marathon Americas (SEMA) challenge, a global fuel-efficiency competition taking place in Detroit, MI from April 22-24, 2016. Last year, the team came in first place with a vehicle that could go from Toronto to Montreal and back on less than a litre of fuel. This year, Toronto’s next generation of U of T Engineering students have their eyes on surpassing the Americas-wide record of 1,431 kilometres per litre (3,365 miles per gallon). For the first time, the team will also enter a second prototype vehicle, the UT5, in the battery-electric category. The U of T Supermileage Team will face competition from a number of other Canadian teams entering this year’s Americas competition, including those from the University of British Columbia, the University of Alberta, Concordia University, Université Laval, Université de Sherbrooke and École de technologie supérieure (ETS). In advance of the competition, we’d love to host you at U of T for a first-hand glimpse of this year’s gasoline prototype vehicle test drive around the U of T student circle. Video and photo opportunities will be available, and we can also coordinate for you to interview team captain, Mengqi Wang, and driver Kristine Confalone. WHAT: U of T’s reigning champions of SEMA 2015 will test drive their latest gasoline prototype vehicle model, and unveil their first ever battery-electric vehicle technology at a send-off event at Toronto’s U of T campus. All media are welcome to attend the event. WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 2016 Media Availability: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. WHERE: University of Toronto, Convocation Hall 15 King's College Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 3H7, Canada (See map below) WHO: Interviews are available on site with Mengqi Wang and Kristine Confalone of U of T’s student team. -30- For more information: Marit Mitchell Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering Office: 416-978-4498 Cell: 647-228-4358 Marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca   Jessica Kitchen, Edelman Office: 416-849-2839 Cell: 905-767-1955 Jessica.kitchen@edelman.com

Toronto, ON – This Friday, April 8, University of Toronto Engineering students will present their solutions to 10 of Toronto’s most persistent problems. From helping epileptic children learn to write to designing better tools for collecting street litter, these first-year students are working with local communities, companies and agencies with a single goal: to improve life in Toronto. These students are fun to talk to, and there will be lots of prototypes and demonstrations to see. Examples include:

• Smart signage for Allan Gardens on Jarvis
• Improving efficiency of honey bottling for Toronto’s urban beekeepers
• Faster drying of sweaty ice skates in the 600-square-foot Nathan Phillips Square Skate Shack

And lots more—I attach the complete news release with details about all 10 final challenges, narrowed down from an initial list of 72. Students tackle these challenges as part of their first-year engineering design course called Praxis. Details: U of T Engineering — Praxis II Showcase Friday, April 8, 2016 Great Hall, Hart House — 7 Hart House Circle Media showcase: 11:30 am – 3:00 pm (open to the public from 9 am – 5 pm; members of the media are welcome to attend throughout) -30- Media Contact: Marit Mitchell | Communications & Media Relations Strategist Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering | University of Toronto Bahen Centre, 40 St. George Street, Room 3004, Toronto, ON  M5S 2E4 416-978-4498 (desk) | 647-228-4358 (cell) | marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca

Toronto, ON - We can’t control when the wind blows and when the sun shines, so finding efficient ways to store energy from alternative sources remains an urgent research problem. Now, a group of researchers led by Professor Ted Sargent at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering may have a solution inspired by nature. The team has designed the most efficient catalyst for storing energy in chemical form, by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, just like plants do during photosynthesis. Oxygen is released harmlessly into the atmosphere, and hydrogen, as H₂, can be converted back into energy using hydrogen fuel cells. “Today on a solar farm or a wind farm, storage is typically provided with batteries. But batteries are expensive, and can typically only store a fixed amount of energy,” says Sargent. “That’s why discovering a more efficient and highly scalable means of storing energy generated by renewables is one of the grand challenges in this field.” You may have seen the popular high-school science demonstration where the teacher splits water into its component elements, hydrogen and oxygen, by running electricity through it. Today this requires so much electrical input that it’s impractical to store energy this way — too great proportion of the energy generated is lost in the process of storing it. This new catalyst facilitates the oxygen-evolution portion of the chemical reaction, making the conversion from H₂O into O₂ and H₂ more energy-efficient than ever before. The intrinsic efficiency of the new catalyst material is over three times more efficient than the best state-of-the-art catalyst. The new catalyst is made of abundant and low-cost metals tungsten, iron and cobalt, which are much less expensive than state-of-the-art catalysts based on precious metals. It showed no signs of degradation over more than 500 hours of continuous activity, unlike other efficient but short-lived catalysts. Their work was published today in the leading journal Science. “With the aid of theoretical predictions, we became convinced that including tungsten could lead to a better oxygen-evolving catalyst. Unfortunately, prior work did not show how to mix tungsten homogeneously with the active metals such as iron and cobalt,” says Dr. Bo Zhang, one of the study’s lead authors. “We invented a new way to distribute the catalyst homogenously in a gel, and as a result built a device that works incredibly efficiently and robustly.” This research united engineers, chemists, materials scientists, mathematicians, physicists, and computer scientists across three countries. A chief partner in this joint theoretical-experimental studies was a leading team of theorists at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory under the leadership of Dr. Aleksandra Vojvodic. The international collaboration included researchers at East China University of Science & Technology, Tianjin University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Canadian Light Source and the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility. “The team developed a new materials synthesis strategy to mix multiple metals homogeneously — thereby overcoming the propensity of multi-metal mixtures to separate into distinct phases,” said Jeffrey C. Grossman, the Morton and Claire Goulder and Family Professor in Environmental Systems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “This work impressively highlights the power of tightly coupled computational materials science with advanced experimental techniques, and sets a high bar for such a combined approach. It opens new avenues to speed progress in efficient materials for energy conversion and storage.” “This work demonstrates the utility of using theory to guide the development of improved water-oxidation catalysts for further advances in the field of solar fuels," said Gary Brudvig, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Yale University and director of the Yale Energy Sciences Institute. "The intensive research by the Sargent group in the University of Toronto led to the discovery of oxy-hydroxide materials that exhibit electrochemically induced oxygen evolution at the lowest overpotential and show no degradation,” said University Professor Gabor A. Somorjai of the University of California, Berkeley, a leader in this field. “The authors should be complimented on the combined experimental and theoretical studies that led to this very important finding.” Professor Sargent is the Canada Research Chair in Nanotechnology. The group’s work was supported in large part by the Ontario Research Fund—Research Excellence Program, NSERC, the CIFAR Bio-Inspired Solar Energy Program and the U.S. Department of Energy. -30- About the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto The University of Toronto's Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering is Canada's top engineering school and ranks among the best in the world. We pride ourselves on our cross-disciplinary education, collaborative research and global impact. We are located in downtown Toronto, a vibrant and diverse city recognized globally as a hub for innovation. With approximately 7,800 students, 245 faculty and 16 buildings, we are one of Canada's largest engineering schools. U of T Engineering faculty members hold more than 70 prestigious research chairs funded by government, industry and endowments. Our faculty members won 21 per cent of major awards received by Canadian engineering professors in 2015 — three times as many as any other Canadian engineering school — while representing less than six per cent of engineering professors nationwide. Media contact: Marit Mitchell Communications & Media Relations Strategist Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, University of Toronto +1-416-978-4498; marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca

Toronto, ON - The University of Toronto welcomes the $15M investment by the Ontario government for the new Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CEIE). As stated in the 2016 Ontario Budget introduced today, this investment will support strengthening the Innovation SuperCorridor in Ontario. This Centre will bring together smart building design and state-of-the-art learning technologies, enabling students, faculty, alumni and industry partners to work together in addressing some of Canada's most pressing economic challenges. "We are pleased at this recognition of the University of Toronto's excellence and contribution to the economy through innovation, entrepreneurship and work-integrated learning," said U of T President Professor Meric Gertler.  "With the province's support to develop the Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship, we will be able to accelerate our efforts in these key areas.” The University has raised almost $26 million in donations to support the CEIE including one million dollars from students through the U of T Engineering Society. Designed to support and accelerate economic growth and long-term prosperity in Ontario and Canada, the CEIE will: Help enhance Ontario’s private sector productivity and competitiveness:

• Modernize the province’s manufacturing sector by generating innovations in robotics and advanced manufacturing;
• Accelerate entrepreneurship activity leading to the creation of more technology-based start-ups; and,
• Produce highly qualified graduates in fields of study that are key to Ontario’s and Canada’s economic success.

President Gertler also welcomed continued modernization of the Ontario financial aid system. These changes will help students with the greatest need get better access to grants upfront and increase the amount of financial support. -30- For more information, contact: U of T Media Relations 416-978-0100 media.relations@utoronto.ca    

Toronto, ON - Five University of Toronto scholars have been awarded prizes in 2016 by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) – the largest tally of winners at any university in Canada. “Our exceptional performance in the NSERC awards makes it clear that U of T remains a powerhouse for research that has impact in the sciences and engineering,” said Vivek Goel, U of T vice-president of research and innovation. “We should be proud of the range of disciplines encompassed by these prestigious prizes. Earth sciences, medicine, engineering, pharmacy, ecology and evolutionary biology are all represented. And all the research has real potential to improve the human condition.” Barbara Sherwood Lollar is the winner of the John C. Polanyi Award for an outstanding advance in natural science or engineering. This University Professor in the department of earth sciences is cited for the discovery of hydrogen gas and biological chemicals in billion-year-old water samples extracted from fractures in mines in Ontario and South Africa. (Read more about Sherwood Lollar.) Her research has implications for exoplanetary science – similar processes might exist on Mars – as well the more down-to-earth protocols surrounding waste disposal and groundwater cleanup. https://youtu.be/Ofkh0w5KVOc “The joy of discovery has been at the heart of this work by our team,” said Sherwood Lollar, who is Canada Research Chair in Isotope Geochemistry of the Earth and the Environment.  “Even here on Earth there are regions of our hydrosphere and biosphere still unexplored. “We are very grateful to NSERC and to Canada for this award, as there is no higher honour than to receive a recognition that bears the name of our U of T colleague and Nobel laureate, the icon John Polanyi.” The Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering, which is always awarded to more than one recipient, goes to the U of T team of Shana Kelley and Edward Sargent for their work on AuRA, a device that can reduce the time taken to arrive at a diagnosis from days to less than 20 minutes. https://youtu.be/ieoawocK-ow Combining Professor Kelley’s expertise in electrochemistry and biochemistry with University Professor Sargent’s experience in electrical engineering and nanomaterials, the new technology has great potential to limit the spread of infectious disease, particularly in the developing world. Their startup Xagenic has raised more than $30 million in venture capital and employs 65 scientists, engineers, and molecular diagnostics market experts. (Read more about Kelley and Sargent.) Two U of T scholars received E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowships. David Sinton of the department of mechanical and industrial engineering wins for his work in optofluidics, a field that involves manipulating light and nanoparticles to control the flow of fluids. Most prior research in optofludics has been dedicated to diagnostic equipment, but Professor Sinton has demonstrated its potential to create a new class of fuel cell remarkable for its efficiency and energy density. His further work includes using light-harvesting bacteria as environmentally friendly means of producing biofuel and developing a technique to select better quality human sperm for use in fertility clinics. (Read more about Sinton.) Associate Professor Stephen I. Wright of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology also wins a Steacie Fellowship for his work on how weeds evolve to become resistant to herbicides, a growing threat to food security in the developing world. Wright has determined that weed species that reproduce sexually (rather than asexually through self-fertilization) are healthier. His work, which establishes that the pace of genome-wide adaptation occurs at a higher rate than previously thought, will make it possible to foresee the extinction of crop species and step up the battle against “super weeds.” (Read more about Wright.) Other winners of national NSERC prizes were astrophysicist Victoria M. Kaspi (Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering) and chemistry doctoral candidate Yasser Gidi (NSERC Gilles Brassard Doctoral Prize for Interdisciplinary Research), both of McGill University. The prizes, valued at a total of $3.71 million, will be awarded officially Tuesday evening at Rideau Hall by Governor General David Johnston, with U of T alumna and Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan and NSERC president B. Mario Pinto at the ceremony. “It is imperative that we praise the groundbreaking achievements of our top researchers to demonstrate our respect and admiration for Canada’s leading scientists and engineers,” Duncan said in a statement. “We must continue to promote, celebrate, and support our talented researchers to foster an environment wherein they can be global leaders in discovery and innovation and generate results that will benefit Canadians today and in the future.” -30- For more information contact: University of Toronto Media Relations Tel: (416) 978-0100 media.relations@utoronto.ca