Innovation paves the road to success in the new global economy. The Synergy Awards for Innovation were launched in 1995 by NSERC to recognize partnerships in natural sciences and engineering research and development between universities and industry. Since their inception, the awards have honoured the most outstanding achievements of university-industry collaboration in the natural sciences and engineering.
Yusuf Altintas – Award category: Large Companies (A partnership with a single company of more than 500 employees)“In an industry as competitive as aircraft manufacturing—where margins are tight and precision is a must—Pratt & Whitney Canada deeply values its longstanding research partnership with The University of British Columbia’s Yusuf Altintas, winner of an NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation. The professor of mechanical engineering has worked with the company over the past several decades to develop mathematical models that simulate parts machining, which remove much of the financial risk of physical trials.”
Arthur Pelton – Award category: Leo Derikx Award (An established innovative model of long-standing university-industry partnership in pre-competitive R&D that has improved the general well-being of an industry)“Having the right tool for the right job is, of course, vital to any industry. But what is even more valuable is having a great tool for getting the job done in many industries. The recipients of the NSERC 2012 Leo Derikx Award—Arthur Pelton, Patrice Chartrand and Christopher Bale of the Chemical Engineering Department at the École polytechnique de Montréal, and In-Ho Jung of the Department of Mining and Materials Engineering at McGill University—have created diverse chemistry simulation software called FactSage. It allows users to perform complex chemical equilibrium calculations using a vast, critically evaluated database, saving time and costs associated with physical experimentation.”
