Category: Community Builders Spotlight

The Schulich School of Engineering, part of the University of Calgary, has a rich history of fostering innovation and excellence in engineering education. Established in 1965 as the Faculty of Engineering, it was renamed after Canadian philanthropist Seymour Schulich, who donated $25 million to the school in 2005. The faculty started with 40 students and 2 professors, and now proudly hosts over 4,000 students and 150 faculty members.

Schulich offers a diverse array of undergraduate and graduate programs in various engineering disciplines, including civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and software engineering. Specialized programs such as biomedical engineering, geomatics engineering, and energy engineering further distinguish its academic offerings.

Research Excellence

The Schulich School of Engineering is renowned for its emphasis on innovation and interdisciplinary research, often in collaboration with industry partners. Notable research projects include:

• Biomedical Engineering – Dr. Kristina Rinker – Pioneering work in tissue engineering, focusing on the development of biomaterials and stem cell therapies, including exploring how blood flow impacts cellular responses and utilizing this knowledge to improve bioproduct manufacturing, inhibit infections, and enhance the effectiveness of drug delivery systems​
• Chemical and Petroleum Engineering – Dr. Mayank Sabharwal – A wide-ranging energy focus with a particular lens on hydrogen. He actively contributes to hydrogen technology development and the transition to green hydrogen solutions​
• Civil Engineering – Dr. Tricia Stadnyk – Works in Hydrology and hydrologic sciences, water isotopes and hydrologic modeling. Her work focuses on hydrologic modeling, particularly involving water isotopes to study changes in hydrologic processes and improve long-term projections of water supply. 
• Electrical and Software Engineering – Dr. Elise Fear – A primary research focus on microwave imaging and sensing, particularly for biomedical applications such as cancer diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Fear co-founded Wave View Imaging, a startup aimed at commercializing these microwave imaging technologies to improve patient outcomes and healthcare diagnostics​.
• Geomatics Engineering – Dr. Naser El-Sheimy – Work spans satellite technologies, multi-sensor systems, and driverless cars, with significant contributions to navigation and positioning technologies. Recently, Dr. El-Sheimy was honored with the International Achievement Award at the Calgary Awards, recognizing his global impact on mobile mapping and positioning technology. 
• Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering – Dr. Alex Ramirez-Serrano – Developing medical robotics for minimally invasive surgery and rehabilitation. Dr. Ramirez-Serrano is also the founder and CEO of 4Front Robotics, a company that specializes in creating highly maneuverable drones and custom field unmanned vehicles for deployment in confined spaces like collapsed buildings. 

Community Engagement

Schulich has strong industry ties, offering students numerous opportunities for internships, co-op programs, and collaborative research projects, which contribute significantly to the growth of talent in the industry. The school actively promotes STEM education through summer camps, workshops, and school visits, aiming to inspire and educate the next generation of engineers.

Additionally, Schulich hosts conferences, workshops, and public lectures to demystify engineering and cultivate a culture of continuous learning. These events foster engagement within the technical community and beyond.

Student and Alumni Networks

The school supports numerous student organizations and engineering clubs, such as the Schulich Engineering Students’ Society (SESS) and the Robotics Club. These groups provide students with leadership opportunities, hands-on experience, and a sense of community.

Schulich’s alumni network remains actively involved, mentoring current students, providing career guidance, and fostering professional connections. This strong alumni involvement helps sustain the school’s legacy of excellence and community building.

Impact on the Technical Community

The Schulich School of Engineering is a cornerstone of the Albertan technology community. Through its comprehensive programs, rigorous research, and active involvement in community and industry initiatives, Schulich continues to be a pivotal force in shaping the future of engineering and technology.

Since its establishment in 1992, the Praxis Science Outreach Society has been dedicated to fostering the connection between science and their community in southeastern Alberta. Recognized for its efforts with the 1995 ASTech Award, the organization has continuously thrived on the commitment of its volunteers, who collectively contribute over 1000 hours annually to its programs. Governed by a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors, which donates over 300 hours each year, Praxis relies on the support of nearly 200 volunteers who play a crucial role in delivering its initiatives. Over the years, Praxis programs have made a significant impact, reaching over 100,000 individuals spanning youth, children, and adults across more than 20 communities throughout southeastern Alberta, reflecting its enduring commitment to education and outreach since its inception.

Here are some of the amazing programs that Praxis offers:

Operation Minerva:

Operation Minerva, a STEM empowerment program for grade nine girls, benefits from around 50 mentors volunteering annually, some of whom are past participants. Through partnerships with 25 local businesses, one-on-one mentoring opportunities are provided, impacting nearly 1000 girls since 1992.

Science Fair:

Praxis hosts a Regional Science Fair, which has operated for 49 years, and sees approximately 60 volunteer judges yearly. Notable involvement includes Praxis’s Senior Scientific Consultant and two Board members at the Canada-wide Science Fair. Collaborative efforts, like the Science Fair 101 Program in partnership with Medicine Hat College, reached 250 students this year, and at least two students from southeastern Alberta compete in the Canad Wide Science Fair each year. Success stories, like Katie Van Der Sloot and Rachel Brown, underscore the program’s impact, with coverage of their win in Maclean’s magazine, as they won a bronze medal for their investigation into triclosan as part of a science project. 

Community Outreach:

Praxis’s Community Outreach is an important component of their work. From the Family Science Olympics where 3000 parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and children, have participated, to distribution of STEM Learning Kits which have touched nearly one million fingers over the years. Overall, more than 10,000 people have participated in community Science Outreach activities. The team at Praxis has also created a counterpart program to Operation Minerva, THOTH to encourage male youth in STEM Fields. Their programs include Operation Minerva (a STEM empowerment program for girls) and the Family Science Olympics (in partnership with Medicine Hat College), as well as hosting the South East Alberta Regional Science Fair and distributing hands-on STEM kits to classrooms throughout the region.

Praxis relies on community support. To donate to Praxis, click here.  To become a volunteer, click here. 

APEX serves as Southeast Alberta’s Regional Innovation Network (RIN), playing a pivotal role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the region. Wondering what a RIN entails? Simply put, Regional Innovation Networks are grassroots organizations offering tailored programs and services to empower individuals to kickstart a business, devise innovative solutions, or propel the growth of existing technologies, thanks to funding from Alberta Innovates.

As a collaborative effort between Medicine Hat College, Community Futures Entre-Corp and Chinook, the Brooks Newell Region, Defence Research and Development Canada Suffield and primary funder Alberta Innovates, APEX stands at the forefront, dedicated to nurturing the tech and innovation sector in Southeast Alberta. Through personalized coaching, facilitated access to essential resources, and a robust ecosystem, APEX equips local entrepreneurs with the tools and support necessary to thrive.

 APEX has supported several ASTech Winners and Finalists from southeast Alberta; here are a sampling of their innovators:

• Kinetisense is based in Medicine Hat and is the world’s first patented markerless motion capture technology, which is changing how human motion is assessed and treated. The Kinetisense system is employed worldwide by healthcare and human performance organizations to assess their patients/clients and track changes over the course of care, with advanced population norm comparisons. Dr. Ryan Comeau, founder of Kinetisense, won an ASTech award in 2022 for Outstanding Achievement in Health – Medical Diagnosis.
• TruMe Whole Health won the Regional Innovation Champion award in 2023 for their founder Melissa Hozack. Melissa founded TruMe to create innovative products free of sugar, artificial flavours and colours. 
• Roxanne Doerksen of T.R.A.D. Worm Industries Ltd, 2022 winner for Regional Innovation in Medicine Hat, won for T.R.A.D.’s onsite vermicomposting modular system, which turns contaminated waste into biologically rich soil amendment in a fraction of the time. 
• Finalists include VIRTUNURSE, an online walk-in and family clinic for Albertans, and the Chinook Applied Research Association (C.A.R.A.), who is building out a Soil Health Benchmarking Project. 

In 2023, at the provincial-wide Drone Conference, APEX hosted the ASTech Team to announce the inaugural Innovation in Aerospace award category, focusing on outstanding innovation in the aerospace industry, including drones, aviation, satellites and beyond. This is part of their ongoing commitment to aerospace and drone innovation, as the southeast region is rapidly emerging as a hub of innovation in sectors like Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (R.P.A.S.), and the use of both civil and commercial applications for drone technology.

Here are some examples of the Aerospace technology being built up in Southeast Alberta:

• QinetiQ Target Systems (a finalist for the ASTech Awards in 2023) specializes in producing various uncrewed vehicle systems for training purposes. The Alberta branch, located in Medicine Hat, has a variety of aerial targets, both fixed-wing and supersonic, as well as surface targets.
• Atlantis Research Labs Inc.– AVROAircraft Limited (a division of Atlantis Research Labs Inc.) is focused on developing advanced flight and propulsion capabilities — specifically in high-speed uncrewed vehicles.
• Foremost UAS Range provides uncrewed aerial vehicles (aka drones) testing spaces and is one of only two BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) testing areas in Canada. 
• UVAD (Unmanned Vehicle Applied Dynamics) and other teams in Southeast Alberta are working on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems.

APEX and partners are creating awareness of the unique innovation happening in the Southeast region. By championing innovation and fostering sustainable growth, APEX plays a vital role in driving economic prosperity and fostering a culture of entrepreneurship in the region.

The Edmonton Research & Development Park (ERP) was established in 1979 as a partnership between the City of Edmonton and the University of Alberta with the support of the Alberta Government to support and attract research and advanced technology enterprises to the city. Spanning over 300 acres, ERP provides a place for innovators and entrepreneurs to connect and advance across multiple sectors, including clean energy, advanced technology, and life sciences.

Originally launched in 1979, the park was built in stages, with the Advanced Technology Centre for Entrepreneurial Businesses opening in 1988 as the final of three core buildings. The park’s primary facilities now include many more, with several multi-tenant facilities including: the Advanced Technology Centre, which office and central meeting spaces; Research Centre One, which offers fully equipped chemistry and research lab spaces; and the Biotechnology Business Development Centre (BBDC), a multi-tenant accelerator supporting biotechnology and life sciences scale-ups in product development before market commercialization. Enhancing the growth capabilities of the life sciences sector in Alberta, a new Critical Medicines Production Centre is also under construction as part of the Canadian Critical Drug Initiative.

Over the years, ERP has hosted globall and national companies such as Apple, IBM Canada,Telus, Dow Chemical, and Alberta Innovates, which have utilized ERP facilities for research and development. Recent graduates of ERP include Showbie, which grew and moved to a new headquarters downtown; Nanospeed Diagnostics, which built a new 11,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in 2021 in the research park; and Metabolomic Technologies Inc., which expanded into a new building in the neighbourhood to accommodate their production needs.

In 2022, the Edmonton Research Park Business Consortium (ERPBC) was created, and is a community of advanced technology and life sciences companies located in the park, aiming to leverage community expertise, access to programming, investment, and core facilities to encourage tech growth. The ERPBC now works together with API, the Park Steward, as its steering committee co-chair to foster innovation, collaboration, and commercialization throughout the ERP.  In 2024, Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API) was selected to be the Steward of the Edmonton Research Park. The Park Steward is responsible for implementing programming and supports for the Park’s businesses, creating a communication strategy that raises the profile of the ERP locally and globally, and creating opportunities for further development or redevelopment within the Park.

ERP hosts companies across several technology sectors, including AI, construction, manufacturing, nanotechnology, renewable energy, healthcare, and life sciences. Innovative companies include EZ Enroute, which focuses on making school buses safer; NTWIST, which predicts material flow and production discrepancies in mining; Bio-Stream Diagnostics Inc. which has developed a highly sensitive pathogen detection platform to help build and commercialize tests to detect a variety of pathogens; and Discover Coding, which educates kids on coding and technology.

There’s renewed excitement with the future announced developments at the Edmonton Research Park. The new community-driven approach is expected to attract even more opportunities and businesses, driving further innovation and growth in the park. Stay tuned next month for more on the future of the Edmonton Research Park!

ASTech Community Builder, NABI (Northern Alberta Business Incubator), was established by the City of St. Albert in 1989 and, like the ASTech Awards, is marking 35 years of innovation! It provides vital support, education, and mentorship to early-stage businesses, fostering their launch, growth, and long-term success.

Notably, NABI has nurtured two past ASTech winners: Wilson Analytical Services Inc. and Sarcomere Dynamics.

Having played a pivotal role in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, NABI has graduated over 650 member businesses and assisted more than 3,000 entrepreneurs, with 80% of its alumni companies sustaining operations for over 5 years. This success has injected over $500 million into the local economy.

Currently supporting 90 active member companies, NABI aims for further expansion to nurture more budding entrepreneurs. Through its programs and services, early-stage businesses can thrive in an environment conducive to growth and innovation.