Grant: Collaborative Research and Training Experience

Engineers must be able to work in multidisciplinary teams incorporating public policy, economics, and social responsibility. In light of the above, Concordia University proposes to establish an Institute for Water, Energy, and Sustainability Engineering that will provide a unique interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs, particularly Masters programs in Water, Energy and Sustainability Engineering. The long term objectives of the proposed program will be to train highly qualified personnel to design systems, solutions and technologies in a multidisciplinary manner to reduce environmental impact with emphasis on water, energy and resource conservation while enabling trainees to develop industrial and governmental policies that make production sustainable. The specific objectives of this CREATE program are: To catalyze, through collaboration, internships, enhanced research opportunities in sustainability; to train HQP in an interdisciplinary manner for public, parapublic and industrial sectors; to maintain and enhance interdisciplinary areas of teaching and research; and to attract external research funding and foster relationships with external researchers and internal Concordia researchers with similar interests. The novelty of the proposed Masters programs in Sustainable Engineering is evident within and outside the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, and through collaboration via internships (Golder Associates, Husky, Shell, SNC-Lavalin, Environment Canada) and co-supervision. Training will be through research laboratories with the coordination of courses (core, socio-economic and technical) with other universities in the Montreal area (Ecole Polytechnique, ETS and McGill University), industries (Hydro Quebec), and governmental laboratories (NRC and NRCan). Collaboration with Engineers without Borders, Kyoto University and Hanoi Water Resources University will enhance the development of the international training to obtain a Global Engineer. This program responds to the tremendous need for expertise in sustainability by various organizations so that ecological, social and economic concerns can be integrated into their operations and activities.