engineer

Cool career spotlight: a day in the life of an aerospace engineer (November 13, 2024 1:00pm)

Event Begins: Wednesday, November 13, 2024 1:00pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center


Interested in gaining a first hand account of a career in aerospace engineering? Join Handshake and Pratt & Whitney Production Test Engineer, Anthony Bartolotta, for answers to questions on topics like:
An average day in the life of an aerospace engineer 
Important hard and soft skills for aspiring engineers to know
Tips for launching a career in engineering
Sign up for free today! 







engineer

Engineering students solve 10 of Toronto’s persistent problems

Toronto, ON – This Friday, April 8, University of Toronto Engineering students will present their solutions to 10 of Toronto’s most persistent problems. From helping epileptic children learn to write to designing better tools for collecting street litter, these first-year students are working with local communities, companies and agencies with a single goal: to improve life in […]




engineer

How does water behave in space? U of T Engineering researchers aim to solve longstanding mystery - Experiment launched aboard SpaceX CSR-9 mission to International Space Station should deliver answers

Experiment launched aboard SpaceX CSR‑9 mission to International Space Station should deliver answersToronto, ON – U of T Engineering researchers are launching an experiment that aims to solve the longstanding myster of how water behaves in space. Their experiment will launch at 12:45 am on Monday, July 18 aboard SpaceX CRS‑9 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, headed […]




engineer

U of T Engineering hosts 27th Canadian Mining Games

Future mining engineers from 10 Canadian universities go toe to toe in national competition WHAT: The Canadian Mining Games is an annual competition between 10 mining engineering universities in Canada. At this two-day championship, student teams are tested on the skills and knowledge required to work in the mining industry as they complete a series […]




engineer

Engineering students tackle eight problems nagging Toronto communities

Toronto, ON –  First-year students in U of T Engineering are stepping up to take on some of the Greater Toronto Area’s most persistent problems, from diagnosing infant epilepsy to finding lost arrows at a local archery range. This Wednesday, April 12, students at the University of Toronto are hosting a day-long event to showcase […]




engineer

Designing the engineer of 2050: Canadian engineering educators meet in Toronto - National conference will spark discussion on reinventing education to prepare tomorrow’s diverse engineering leaders to address challenges we can’t yet imagine

National conference will spark discussion on reinventing education to prepare tomorrow’s diverse engineering leaders to address challenges we can’t yet imagineToronto, ON – The toughest problems facing humanity in the 21st century — from water scarcity to urban intensification to personalized medicine — will be tackled by tomorrow’s engineers. Many of the issues they will work to solve […]




engineer

1,400 students and teachers to participate in Canada’s largest STEM event for kids - University of Toronto Engineering, Google and Actua partner on Innovate U, a day-long STEM event for children in grades 3-8, featuring hands-on coding, circuitry and more

University of Toronto Engineering, Google and Actua partner on Innovate U, a day-long STEM event for children in grades 3–8, featuring hands-on coding, circuitry and moreToronto, ON – More than 1,400 students from Grades 3–8 will descend on the University of Toronto on Friday, May 13 for Innovate U, a massive day of hands-on activities […]




engineer

University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering announces establishment of the Foundation CMG Research Chair in Fundamental Petroleum Rock Physics and Rock Mechanics

Toronto, ON – University of Toronto Professor Giovanni Grasselli, of the Department of Civil Engineering, has been named the inaugural holder of the Foundation CMG Industrial Research Chair in Fundamental Petroleum Rock Physics and Rock Mechanics. Professor Grasselli is joining 12 chairs at 12 universities, including Penn State and the University of Texas in Austin, […]




engineer

Saving sunshine for a rainy day: New catalyst offers efficient storage of alternative energies - Team led by U of T Engineering designs world’s most efficient catalyst for storing energy as hydrogen by splitting water molecules

Team led by U of T Engineering designs world’s most efficient catalyst for storing energy as hydrogen by splitting water moleculesToronto, ON — We can’t control when the wind blows and when the sun shines, so finding efficient ways to store energy from alternative sources remains an urgent research problem. Now, a group of researchers led […]




engineer

What Is It Like to Be a Software Engineer?

I am fascinated by coding. Seriously, how does it even work? And what is it like to be the person behind the code — a software engineer?




engineer

Reverse Engineering Software: Who? What? When? Where? Why?

Reverse engineering as a term is adopted by many industry subsets. From genetics, computer code, complex PCBs (printed circuit boards), and even military espionage. In this article, we are specifically relating to a metrology-driven process steered by high-precision 3D data acquisition tools. 




engineer

Understanding Reverse Engineering in Quality Control and Inspection

Reverse engineering is the process of taking apart a product to understand its design and functionality. This knowledge is helpful for creating similar products or improving existing designs.




engineer

Podcast: Machine Vision — An Engineering Discipline

Quality spoke with David Dechow of Machine Vision Source following his recent presentation at The Quality Show South about vision solutions for quality applications and integration that drives application success with current and emerging technologies.




engineer

Swiss Engineers Develop Electric Airplanes

Torque, pressure and temperature sensors are playing a key role in designing new power trains for zero-emission airplanes.




engineer

Video Podcast: If You Want More Engineers, Sign Your Kids Up for that Science Olympiad

Listen to this podcast featuring Harshala Patil, a Senior Quality and Reliability Engineer. In it, she discusses her journey into quality, the significance of quality across various industries, and what attracted her to the manufacturing sector.




engineer

The Impact of Electric Vehicles on Automotive Manufacturing: The Role of First-Time Quality, Digital Twins, and Dimensional Engineering

As electric vehicles (EVs) reshape the automotive industry, manufacturers are pressured to enhance processes and achieve first-time quality. The demand for sustainable transportation requires a rethink of production strategies, with a focus on establishing a one-piece flow—ensuring each unit moves through the line without interruptions. This efficiency is vital for meeting consumer expectations and setting industry benchmarks.






engineer

Canadian Blood Services research engineer applies network modelling techniques and mentorship skills to benefit Canada’s Lifeline

Canadian Blood Services research engineer applies network modelling techniques and mentorship skills to benefit Canada’s Lifeline


Tuesday, October 22, 2024 Dr. Emily Freeman

Dr. John Blake is a research engineer at Canadian Blood Services and a Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University. Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Dr. Blake and his trainees use engineering principles and various computer-based optimization techniques to inform large scale decisions at Canadian Blood Services.  

Applying network modelling to biologics  

To some, it may be surprising to learn that there is such opportunity to integrate engineering into the health-care focused setting of Canadian Blood Services. However, as Dr. Blake explains, the same engineering principles that apply to the development and quality assurance of other products also apply to biologics such as blood, stem cells and organs. One of these classic engineering approaches currently applied to improving operations at Canadian Blood Services is network modelling.  

Network modelling is a computer-based method that creates a virtual representation of objects and their relation to each other. The resulting models are particularly useful for maintaining adaptability in the collection of blood donations, as well as the distribution and inventory management strategies that allow Canadian Blood Services to remain a safe and reliable provider of life-saving products. 

Dr. Blake making friends while walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain

Contributing to efficiency and sustainability in Canada’s Lifeline  

For Dr. Blake’s team, modelling is not about the data acquired but rather how they can turn existing data into real life change. Part of this approach is ensuring that Canadian Blood Services is asking the right questions when it comes to allocating resources. For example, Dr. Blake has worked on models to assess how changing stem cell donor recruitment will affect the number of matches for Canadian patients. By modelling things such as recruitment approaches, Dr. Blake’s work assists Canadian Blood Services to consistently identify ways to improve Canada’s Lifeline.

Recently, Dr. Blake has also been applying this method to optimize the number and location of mobile and permanent donor facilities across the nation. This redesign of the donation facility network will address the growing demand for donations by bringing Canadian Blood Services’ facilities closer to the donors. 

“I have waited my entire career for a problem of this type – it is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Dr. John Blake, Canadian Blood Services Research Engineer

Securing the future of Canada’s Lifeline  

To sustain a safe and effective blood system in Canada for years to come, network modelling and optimization is a never-ending process. This is one of the reasons that Dr. Blake is committed to securing the future of transfusion and transplantation systems by training and mentoring the next generation of engineers. In fact, seeing his former students join Canadian Blood Services and dedicate their talents to improving the future of Canada’s Lifeline is one of Dr. Blake’s proudest achievements.  

One of Dr. Blake’s former students, Matt Nelson, is now an industrial engineer at Canadian Blood Services.  

“In my role, I use systematic thinking to build and run complex models; collect and analyze the required data; produce useful results; and explain these results to non-technical leaders on a regular basis,” Matt says. Recently, Matt contributed to the launch and expansion of pathogen-reduced platelets, a new product that was implemented across Canadian Blood Services production sites starting in 2022. The implementation of pathogen-reduced platelets has provided an additional layer of safety for recipients by reducing the risk of potential transfusion-transmitted pathogens without compromising the quality of the component. Matt credited Dr. Blake in helping him develop the necessary skills he now dedicates to safeguarding Canada’s Lifeline:  

“Dr. Blake was the professor who introduced me to the uses of simulation to understand complex non-linear systems. This type of system is very common in situations that have a lot of variability – like the blood system – and simulation allows for exploration of the response of the system to changes.” 

Matt Nelson, Canadian Blood Services Industrial Engineer

Over the years, Dr. Blake’s ongoing modelling work and mentorship activities have also led to many recognitions and awards, but he is most proud of being recognized as Professor of the Year by Dalhousie Undergraduate students, and with awards for his contributions to the Canadian Operational Research Society. He has even the earned the distinction of being Dalhousie’s first engineer to be awarded grant funding from the tri-council agency, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). 

“I am proud to work on projects that have a measurable impact on people’s health and well-being,” Dr. Blake says. “I am forever grateful to Dr. Dana Devine for first giving me the opportunity to serve Canadians in this role at Canadian Blood Services.” 


Canadian Blood Services – Driving world-class innovation

Through discovery, development and applied research, Canadian Blood Services drives world-class innovation in blood transfusion, cellular therapy and transplantation—bringing clarity and insight to an increasingly complex healthcare future. Our dedicated research team and extended network of partners engage in exploratory and applied research to create new knowledge, inform and enhance best practices, contribute to the development of new services and technologies, and build capacity through training and collaboration. Find out more about our research impact.   

The opinions reflected in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Canadian Blood Services nor do they reflect the views of Health Canada or any other funding agency.  

Related blog posts


Tuesday, March 29, 2022
Marie-Soleil Smith

This post was written by Marie-Soleil Smith, PhD Candidate in Dr. Hélène Côté’s Lab at the University of British Columbia, and edited by Dr. Geraldine Walsh, knowledge broker at Canadian Blood Services. It originally appeared on the Centre for Blood Research blog in March 2022.


Monday, January 22, 2018
Dr. Geraldine Walsh

For the latest instalment of “Meet the researcher” we chatted with Dr. John Blake, Canadian Blood Services’ research engineer and also known as “the numbers guy”.


Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Jenny Ryan

On June 5, Canadian Blood Services was honoured to accept the Canadian Operational Research Society's Omandt Solandt Award at a reception in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Michelle Rogerson, Director, Supply Chain (Atlantic), Canadian Blood Services, accepted the award on behalf of the organization. About...




engineer

Private Equity Firm Acquires Defense Engineering Firm From Trident Maritime Systems

The private equity firm J.F. Lehman & Co. on Monday said its portfolio company Trident Maritime Systems has sold its Hoffman Engineering company to another investment firm, Branford Castle Partners. […]




engineer

Cambridge Engineering Adds New Sales Representative for Western Territory

Cambridge Engineering, a leading manufacturer of high temperature heating and ventilation (HTHV) direct-fired gas products for commercial spaces, announced that Steve Shaffer has returned to the company to lead its sales and marketing efforts in California, Nevada, and Arizona.




engineer

New Engineering Chief, National Sales Manager at Ritchie

Eric Ruggles comes to Ritchie with experience in commercial HVAC as well as in vehicle and engine heating, cooling, and electrification products. Matt Ingold joined Ritchie in 2018 as regional sales manager for the eastern region.




engineer

Thermogenics Acquires Industrial Engineering


Thermogenics’ acquisition of Industrial Engineering Boiler further expands its service capabilities within the US Southeast.





engineer

Acco Engineered Systems and All Area Plumbing Join Forces

Acco Engineered Systems announced that it will join forces with All Area Plumbing, a regional design-build plumbing contractor serving Southern California. Adding All Area Plumbing’s capabilities, Acco said it will strengthen its position as one of the largest mechanical contractors in the western United States.




engineer

HVACR Firm Cold Craft Launches Mechanical Engineering Department

Cold Craft Inc., which specializes in mechanical installation for new construction, renovation, and retrofit of commercial, residential luxury, and industrial facilities, announced it has added an Engineering and Planning Department. 




engineer

AMCA to Present Free Webinars on Air-System Engineering, Technology

AMCA will launch the Air System Engineering and Technology (ASET) series of free webinars on topics impacting air systems in buildings.




engineer

Cambridge Engineering Inc.: Evaporative Cooling

This unit is a semi-custom fabricated air handler that can utilize direct or indirect evaporative cooling or a combination of both to meet specific usage and dimensional requirements.




engineer

Episode 53: Product Line Engineering Pt. 1

Michael Kircher and Markus Voelter introduce the topic of software product line engineering. They motivate when and why product lines are important to consider and what makes them so special. Further, they introduce some key terminology, such as platform, core asset, feature model, commonality, and variability.




engineer

Episode 58: Product Line Engineering Pt. 2

Variability is one of the key concerns in software product line engineering. The episode introduces the concepts of structural and non-structural (or configurative) variability. It also discusses how to find and model variability, and especially how to implement variability in the solution artifacts. Michael and Markus discuss a series of variability mechanisms that can be used with today's programming languages and technologies.




engineer

Episode 90: Product Line Engineering, Pt. 3, with Charles Krueger

In this episode Charles Krueger, a well-known member of the product line engineering community, talks about his long term experiences in the field. Charles is also the founder and CEO of a company that provides tooling for variability management and product derivation. Besides some clarifications on terms like product line architecture and reference architecture, you also learn what kind of preconditions need to exist before product line engineering can be applied successfully.




engineer

Episode 110: Roles in Software Engineering I

This is the first part of a two part topic on roles in software engineering. Michael and Markus discuss role definitions in an corporate environment. For several typical roles we give hints on the expected skills, knowledge, and mindset. In this episode we discuss the roles junior developer, senior developer, and software architect.




engineer

Episode 112: Roles in Software Engineering II

This is the second part of the two part topic on roles in software engineering. Michael and Markus discuss role definitions in a corporate environment. For several typical roles we give hints on the expected skills, knowledge, and mindset. In this episode we discuss the roles technical lead, technologist, requirements engineer, product manager, and project manager.




engineer

Episode 114: Christof Ebert on Requirements Engineering

In this episode we talk to Christof Ebert about requirements engineering. As the name "engineering" suggests, we need to be systematic when working and managing requirements. Christof will structure RE into several activities, namely elicitation (identifying the relevant requirements), specification (clearly describing requirements), analysis (synthesizing a solution), verification and validation (achieving good requirements quality), comittment (allocating requirements to a project, product release or iteration), and management (keeping track of the implementation status of requirements). In this episode we discuss these activities and highlight lots of practical guidance.




engineer

Episode 125: Performance Engineering with Chris Grindstaff

In this episode Martin talks with Chris Grindstaff about the fundamentals of performance engineering. The episode discusses when and how to work on performance of client- and server-side systems, what you should take into account during development to avoid performance issues, typical situations that cause performance problems, and some common pitfalls when analysing performance.




engineer

Episode 149: Difference between Software Engineering and Computer Science with Chuck Connell

Michael discusses with his guest Chuck Connell the differences between software engineering and computer science. What makes software engineering so unpredictable, with so few formal results? And how can we advance the field of software engineering without these results?




engineer

SE-Radio Episode 237: Software Engineering Radio: Go Behind the Scenes and Meet the Team




engineer

SE-Radio Episode 258: Cody Voellinger on Recruiting Software Engineers

Robert Blumen talks with Cody Voellinger, the founder of a recruiting firm that specializes in filling software engineer roles for San Francisco-area startups, about how jobs are created and how companies and engineers get matched up. Their discussion covers the entire job search process, from job descriptions to salary negotiations. They look at the job market from both sides: how companies define what they want, find the right people, and evaluate candidates, and how job seekers can position themselves for the role they want. Other topics include culture fit versus skill and resumes in an age of social networking. They conclude with a look at the mistakes that job seekers, recruiters, and companies should avoid.




engineer

SE-Radio-Episode-275:-Josh-Doody-on-Salary-Negotiation-for-Software-Engineers

Marcus Blankenship talks with Josh Doody about salary negotiation. Topics include a framework for thinking about salary negotiations, how you can know what you're worth, the employers view of salary negotiation, and missed negotiation opportunities. Also discussed are common fears about negotiating and how to overcome them, common mistakes during negotiations, and how negotiation makes your more desirable as an employee.




engineer

SE-Radio-Episode-276-Björn-Rabenstein-on-Site-Reliability-Engineering

Björn Rabenstein discusses the field of Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) with host Robert Blumen. The term SRE has recently emerged to mean Google's approach to DevOps. The publication of Google's book on SRE has brought many of their practices into more public discussion. The interview covers: what is distinct about SRE versus devops; the SRE focus on development of operational software to minimize manual tasks; the emphasis on reliability; Dickerson's hierarchy of reliability; how reliability can be measured; is there such a thing as too much reliability?; can Google's approach to SRE be applied outside of Google?; Björn's experience in applying SRE to Soundcloud - what worked and what did not; how can engineers best apply SRE to their organizational situation?; the importance of monitoring; monitoring and alerting; being on call, responding to incidents; the importance of documentation for responding to problems; they wrap up with a discussion of why people from non-computer science backgrounds are often found in devops and SRE.




engineer

SE-Radio Episode 317: Travis Kimmel on Measuring Software Engineering Productivity

Kishore Bhatia talks with Travis Kimmel about Engineering Impact: In the age of data-driven decision making, how does one go about measuring, communicating, and improving engineering productivity? We’ll learn from Travis’ experience building data analytics tools in this space, with insights and best practices for engineering teams and business stakeholders for measuring value and productivity.




engineer

SE-Radio Episode 325: Tammy Butow on Chaos Engineering

Edaena Salinas talks with Tammy Butow about Chaos Engineering. Tammy is a Principal Site Reliability Engineer at Gremlin. The discussion covers: how Chaos Engineering emerged, the types of chaos that can be introduced to a system, and how to structure...




engineer

SE-Radio episode 352: Johanathan Nightingale on Scaling Engineering Management

Travis Kimmel talks with Johnathan Nightingale about scaling engineering management. Their discuss when to hire additional engineering managers and how to set them up for success, how leaders can prepare for “growing pains” as an organization scales,




engineer

SE-Radio Episode 359: Engineering Maturity with Jean-Denis Greze

How can you scale an engineering organization when you haven’t already experienced rapid growth? Jean-Denis Greze of Plaid explains how to proactively enhance team capabilities and readiness by “leveling up” through a maturity map.




engineer

Episode 453: Aaron Rinehart on Security Chaos Engineering

Aaron Rinehard, CTO of Verica and author, discusses security chaos engineering (SCE) and how it can be used to enhance the security of modern application architectures.




engineer

Edpisode 515: Swizec Teller on Becoming a Senior Engineer

This week, senior software engineer, instructor, and blogger Swizec Teller spoke with SE Radio's Brijesh Ammanath about the "senior mindset." Becoming a senior engineer is about more than just years of experience but rather about cultivating a different..




engineer

Episode 518: Karl Wiegers on Software Engineering Lessons

Karl Wiegers, Principal Consultant with Process Impact and author of 13 books, discusses specific software development practices that can help you make sure that you don't repeat the same problems he sees time and time again with every customer...




engineer

Episode 529: Jeff Perry on Career Management for Software Engineers

Jeff Perry, career coach with experience in multiple engineering and technology fields discusses how software engineers can be intentional and proactive in evaluating and pursuing career options, with host Kanchan Shringi.




engineer

Episode 536: Ryan Magee on Software Engineering in Physics Research

Ryan Magee, postdoctoral scholar research associate at LIGO Laboratory – Caltech, joins host Jeff Doolittle for a conversation about how software is used by scientists in physics research. The episode begins with a discussion of gravitational waves...




engineer

Episode 544: Ganesh Datta on DevOps vs Site Reliability Engineering

Ganesh Datta, CTO and cofounder of Cortex, joins SE Radio's Priyanka Raghavan to discuss site reliability engineering (SRE) vs DevOps. They examine the similarities and differences and how to use the two approaches together to build better software...