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What's New?
Q & A With Chris Damaren, Vice-Dean, Graduate Studies
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| Professor Chris Damaren, Vice-Dean, Graduate Studies |
Professor Chris Damaren (UTIAS) began his three-year term as Vice-Dean, Graduate Studies, in Engineering on Mar. 1, 2008. In this role, Professor Damaren provides strategic leadership on all aspects of graduate studies to advance the Faculty’s mission of expanding graduate programs.
Professor Damaren received his PhD from UTIAS in 1990, MASc from UTIAS in 1987, and BASc (EngSci Aerospace) where he ranked sixth out of 100 students in his graduating class. He joined the University of Toronto in 1999 after teaching at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, Royal Roads Military Colleges, and the University of Victoria.
Engineering Newsletter staff recently spoke with Professor Damaren about Engineering graduate studies at U of T.
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| Professor Chris Damaren posing in front of University College on his U of T PhD graduation day in 1990. |
Tell us about the graduate studies expansion initiatives going on in the Faculty?
In keeping with its role as one of the world’s great centres of Engineering education and research, the Faculty would like to see an increase in the number of graduate students. This is consistent with the vision presented by the University’s Towards 2030 planning exercise.
Recent incentives from the provincial government suggest we should try to increase the number of MEng students. We have been very successful in part because of new courses introduced through our Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Innovation, and Technology in Engineering (ELITE) program. Our current challenge is to increase the number of doctoral students by letting students at other Canadian universities know about the unique characteristics of Engineering at the U of T.
What type of research is being conducted by U of T Engineering graduate students?
Our graduate students cover an enormous range of research topics. Much of this work can be grouped into one of the four themes currently receiving emphasis: bioengineering, energy and sustainable systems, nanotechnology, and information technology/communications.
To give some idea of the range, specific research problems and areas include the design of environmentally friendly aircraft, tissue Engineering, antenna design, microelectromechanical systems, intelligent transportation systems, nanomaterials, and understanding the behaviour of pollutants.
What is the atmosphere of scholarship and research in U of T and Engineering?
The Faculty is an incredibly stimulating place for graduate students to take courses and perform their research. The students get to work with world-class researchers and one of the world’s top libraries, which ensures they have access to the very latest in scholarship. Being surrounded by one of the world’s most multicultural cities introduces an added spark and reminds students that we are contributing to the well-being of the global village.
You completed your graduate studies at U of T; what were your own graduate studies like?
I did my MASc and PhD at the UTIAS. I look back at that part of my life as one of the most enjoyable. It was a very intense intellectual experience in which I learned many of the tools of my trade and how to do research. I was blessed to be surrounded by excellent professors and excellent students, many of whom are valued life-long friends and colleagues.
