First Year Engineering Science Students Tackle Toronto Problems in Design Showcase

Students, faculty and staff are invited to visit the Monday, April 12, 2010 Showcase for Praxis II where First Year Engineering Science students will display their designs for the City of Toronto.  The Engineering Science Praxis courses provide students with the opportunity to apply their engineering, design and communication skills to challenges ranging from the personal to the global.  Praxis II targets local challenges, such as projects to improve the Toronto Transit Commission.  This year its scope broadened to include all City Divisions in Toronto, opening up a range of civic-minded projects for the students. 
 
In the course, students submitted Requests for Proposals from hypothetical special projects for the City of Toronto. The top eight student RFPs were selected as the design challenges the class solves during the second half of the course. Students will present their final designs through a variety of media, including posters, prototypes, brochures, and presentations.
 
Last year's Showcase focused on designs to improve passenger safety in subway stations, improve wayfinding signage on the TTC, maximize comfort on TTC buses, and improve the emergency response system. The Showcase attracted many faculty, students, industry members and media outlets, including TTC, General Manager, Gary Webster and TTC Chair, Adam Giambrone, Daimler Chrysler, Emergency Medical Services,  CTV News, Eye Weekly, and 24 Hours.

With a new, broader focus on the City of Toronto, students identified challenges such as cyclist and pedestrian safety, water pipe breakages, information-sharing between city agencies addressing homelessness, signage in the PATH system, building a pedestrian mall, charging stations for electric vehicles, and harnessing wind power.
 
Between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. student teams will present their proposed design solutions in the Bahen Centre Atrium.  Find out more information about the Showcase, including contact information and the specific projects at http://engsci.utoronto.ca/esc102showcase.

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