Research and Development at Cambrian College: NORCAT and NEHI Initiatives

1. Research and DEVELOPMENT at Cambrian College - 2001 Ivan Filion Academic Vice-President

2. Cambrian College

3. Cambrian College

4. Sudbury

5. Cambrian College’s R & D Organizational Structure • Corporate R & D -- NORCAT • Academically based research units • Electronic Systems for Extreme Environments (ESEE) • Northern Environmental Heritage Institute (NEHI) • Cambrian On-line • Both NORCAT and Cambrian are designated as eligible research institutions

7. The Northern Center for Advanced Technology(NORCAT) • Mid 70’s -- Ontario adopts the Occupational Health and Safety Act. • Cambrian College designated as a northern occupational health and safety resources center . • Mandate is training and audit… not R & D

8. The Northern Center for Advanced Technology(NORCAT) • Mid 80’s --3 miners die at a Falconbridge mine • 1985 Stevenson Report recommends the creation of the Ontario Center for Ground Control Training at Cambrian College • Mandate is training not research

9. The Northern Center for Advanced Technology(NORCAT) • Early 90’s world nickel prices reach all time lows (again!) • City of Sudbury launches a comprehensive think tank to diversify the local economy (The Next Ten Years). • Research and Development is a key theme. • OCGCT and OHSRC merged to create NORCAT

10. NORCAT • Mission Statement Assisted by partners from industry, education, business, and Government, NORCAT provides a single access point for established and emerging companies and entrepreneurs.  NORCAT’s mandate is to provide its clients with opportunities for training, technology diffusion, applied research, technology transfer, and product development.

11. NORCAT’s legal status Non-Profit, Non-Share, Capital Corporation

12. NORCAT and Northern Economic Development By encouraging technology development and growth, NORCAT helps foster the creation of new companies, bringing new jobs and opportunities to Sudbury youth, keeping young people in the Region.

13. Why NORCAT Economic Development • Assisting SME’s with new product development • Bring new companies and organizations to the area

14. Why NORCAT Our Goal Diversification! Using our ‘home grown’ expertise to venture forward internationally, underground, space.

15. Economic Impact • Over 100 Jobs Created • Over 18 Companies Created • $2.2 M annual budget • 26 full-time staff • 50 part-time scientific experts

16. Types of Clients • SME’s (Small to Medium Sized Enterprises) • Over 30 clients • 80% from the North

17. Economic Development • Prototypes to products • Development to manufacturing • Marketing products internationally

18. Bring Partners to Sudbury • MMO • CRESTech • SpaceDev • Finland • U.S. Tech Centres • Hanover

20. NORCAT’s r & D Track Record • 66 prototypes completed or in production • Cap lamp communicators • Automated UG Truck Control Systems • Electric Motor Technology • Diamond Drill Measuring Controller • Safety-Trak Lone Worker System

21. NORCAT Prototypes

22. NORCAT’s Underground r & D

23. NORCAT’s r & D Track Record (NORCAT’s Experimental Mine) • 61 tests and products • Spray liner test • Concrete additive test • Pull tests • Grout plug redesign (aluminium and steel) • Blastless drilling

24. Academically Supported r & D • Cambrian’s BOG Approved Research Axes Industrial Automation -- (ESEE) Environmentally Sound Resources Utilization -- (NEHI) Special Needs Technology Distributed Learning -- (Cambrian On-line)

25. Academic Research Principles • Projects need to support program learning outcomes • Partnered with potential employers of students • Financed from external sources

26. Electronic Systems for Extreme Environments (ESEE) • Primary focus is hardening mechatronics • Harsh environment testing lab • Electronic redesign lab • Technology transfer centre

27. Electronic Systems for Extreme Environments (ESEE) • Products and Services • Performance characteristics of off-the-shelf equipment • Failure analysis (MTBF) • Design specifications for harsh environments • Harsh environment resources database • Publication/workshop resulting from applied research

28. Electronic Systems for Extreme Environments (ESEE) • Partners • Mines Research (INCO) • Queen’s University • Laurentian University • Customers • MTI, SMP, INCO, Falconbridge, Domtar, Ontrak Controls Systems, etc.

29. NEHI • Mission • To promote environmental sustainability through educational programming, applied research and natural resources enhancements.

30. NEHI -- r & D projects • Environmental Impact Assessments • Wildlife Restoration • restoration of elk to Ontario • development of an effective nuisance urban black bear program • evaluation of wild turkey introduction north of their historic range

31. Types of investigations • Adaptation characteristics • Competition with other ungulates • Relationship with predators (bears, wolves) • Habitat use • Monitoring technology • Stress measurement (infrared thermography) • Conflict resolution (agricultural, deer hunters etc) • Population modeling

32. Types of Investigations • Safe trap design • Homing capacity • Homing mechanism • Impact of the closure of the spring bear hunt • Monitoring technology • Population estimates

33. Benefits to the College • Motivation and jobs for students • Expanded network for “other business” • Staff development (for those brave enough to engage in research and development projects) • Some modest equipment and field cost supplements • DEFINITELY NOT A MONEY MAKER

34. R & D Challenges • In-house expertise (3 of 230 full-time professors involved in academic research initiatives) • Limited student experience and abilities (need for applied degrees, masters and PhD programs in colleges) • Lacks the “glamour” of leading edge research (not yet successful in convincing CFI of the merit of our work) • Collective agreements/funding model for Ontario colleges … will (must) be addressed with degree granted status to Ontario CAATs

35. Next Initiative -- Nature-based Tourism

36. What’s Next • Health Sciences /Biotechnology • Sudbury’s Nutrino Observatory • Telecommunication (the last mile… we’re it!)