Monday, September 03, 2012

Canadian Universities with a Space Connection


According to the Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada (AUCC), the universities and colleges across the country "educate more than 1.5 million students annually. They perform more than one-third of Canada’s research and development. And as a $30 billion enterprise, our universities generate economic wealth in communities across Canada."


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Here are a few specific examples of some of their connections to space focused activities.
  • The Ryerson University Engineering Graduate Program – Focuses on aerodynamics and propulsion, aerospace structures, manufacturing, avionics and aerospace systems. 
  • The University of Alberta Centre for Earth Observation Sciences (CEOS) -Using Earth observation and imaging technology monitor environmental changes, manage resources and formulate sustainable development policies.
  • The University of Calgary (UofC) Institute for Space Research - Part of the Department of Physics at the U of C and focused on the areas of space plasma, aural imaging and analysis and modeling.
  • The University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) – The first Canadian academic institution able to build low cost spacecraft, micro-satellites and nano-satellites. Collaborates with business, government and academic institutions on the development of new space technologies and strengthening the Canadian skill base in space systems engineering. According to Wikipedia the institute “has seen a number of firsts: world’s first microwave-powered aircraft, the world’s first engine-powered ornithopter (both inventions of James DeLaurier) and Canada’s first space telescope MOST.” Areas of expertise include aircraft design (particularly at subsonic speeds), flight simulation, space robotics, micro satellite technology, computational fluid dynamics and nuclear fusion. The facility has close relationships with Bombardier, NASA Ames, and MD Robotics (formerly Spar Aerospace). 
There are certainly more, but this short list serves as a useful introduction to some of the areas being investigated within Canadian universities.

Canadian businesses focused on the space systems industry and technically focused business incubators looking for intelligent and high quality employees might want to consider setting up offices along the bus routes going into these facilities.

3 comments:

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  2. Chuck - you forgot to mention the 13 teams that entered the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge!

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  3. My apologies Ryan,

    The 13 teams entered in the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge are posted at http://www.geocentrix.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=8 and include entries from Carlton, Concordia, Dalhousie, Queen's and York University, the Royal Military College of Canada plus the Universities of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Victoria and Waterloo.

    The challenge winner will be announced during the Canada on Orbit Gala in Ottawa on September 29th as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the launch of Alouette 1. For more information, please check out http://www.canadaonorbit.ca/.

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