Media Releases
Praxis II Showcase 2011 – Design for Toronto
April 8, 2011
TORONTO, ON – Engineering Science students in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering will defend their project designs to city representatives, community stakeholders, and professional engineers at this year’s Praxis II Design Showcase on Tuesday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Based on the theme of “Design for Toronto,” the Engineering Science Praxis II course allows first-year students the opportunity to apply their engineering, design and communications skills to local challenges through special projects. In focusing on Toronto, students gain first-hand experience with issues confronting the city, and engage directly with stakeholders, including municipal and community representatives.
The Praxis II course begins with students identifying ways to “sustainably improve the City of Toronto.” It culminates in the Praxis II Design for Toronto Showcase, at which students share their understanding of the challenges, and their design solutions with a city-wide audience through posters, prototypes and presentations.
The nine design challenges for the 2011 Showcase, chosen from 80 student submissions, are:
• a communications system linking food retailers to food banks
• a new road to Toronto’s waterfront
• reducing ambulance response times in the Bridle Path neighbourhood
• implementing an advanced traveller information system in Toronto
• reducing environmental contamination from roadside drainage in Toronto
• reducing pathogens in Toronto beaches due to combined sewer overflow
• improving the lubrication system around the Yonge-University subway line Union loop
• retrofitting Toronto’s “street furniture” litter bins
• improving the TTC streetcar stop information system
Last year’s Showcase designs were featured in the Toronto Star’s “Your City, My City” section, and in the National Post. Special guests included TTC chairman Adam Giambrone.
For more information about the 2011 Praxis II Showcase – including abstracts for each of the selected design challenges and a video presentation of last year’s event – go to: http://uoft.me/designfortoronto
EVENT DETAILS:
WHAT: Praxis II Showcase 2011 – Design for Toronto
WHERE: Atrium, Bahen Centre for Information Technology, 40 St. George Street, University of Toronto
WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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For more information, please contact:
Elizabeth Raymer
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
416–946-7257
elizabeth.raymer@utoronto.ca
Alan Chong
Course Instructor, Praxis II
416–978-8512
alan.chong@utoronto.ca
Jason Foster
Course Instructor, Praxis II
416–978-7024
jason.foster@utoronto.ca