Jonathan L’Heureux-Haché is gaining valuable experience as a CICan Career-Launcher Intern at Simulare Medical through our Digital Tech Internship program. As a recent graduate of University of Victoria’s Biomedical Engineering as part of a joint program with North Island College, Jonathan is excited to apply what he has learned to his new position as Product Development Specialist. Jonathan is creating surgical simulators that allow doctors to practice and train on tactical skills. He crafts models that mimic the human anatomy using CAD software.

Throughout his internship, Jonathan has been working on ground-breaking products and developing in-demand skills. For example, Jonathan is currently working on improvements to a rhinoplasty simulator that allows surgeons to practice with materials that simulate tissue, bone and cartilage. Jonathan is working on upgrading versions of existing products through improving models based on client feedback, while working to drive down product costs.

Due to the start-up nature and size of the firm, Jonathan has been able to wear many hats and has already become a product expert. He is very involved in the decision-making process for his projects and is given a great level of responsibility.

“Working at Simulare Medical, I have immediately been brought into projects that have real impacts. Collaborating with surgeons and organizations across the world, we are able to develop training tools to improve patient outcomes. The feedback has been amazing, and it excites me to see how our work is helping people.”

Jonathan believes that his education in biomedical engineering has well-prepared him to offer a unique perspective to the role, which is in part focused on medical communications. Through his Digital Tech Internship, Jonathan is now aware of more future career possibilities and venues to explore.

The Digital Tech Internship program was undertaken with the financial support of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.

SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) provides opportunities for young, bright researchers like CICan Career-Launcher Internships intern, Marlon Norona, to become the next generation of energy thought leaders and bring transformative change through innovation in the field of clean and high-quality steam generation.

Norona is utilizing his education in chemical laboratory technology and hands-on analytical training at the Once Through Steam Generation (OTSG) laboratory, in the Centre for Energy Research in Clean Unconventional Tech Solutions (CERCUTS). He is involved in assisting with the operation of the OTSG test rigs which are conducting various types of applied research by testing actual steam assisted gravity drainage boiler feed water from various in-situ facilities. Norona is a recent graduate of SAIT’s Chemical Laboratory Technology program from the MacPhail School of Energy and, as a Career-Launcher Internships intern, he’s assisting in the rig process testing which contributes to significant environmental benefits in:

• water management – analyzing and assessing water quality to enhance water recycling and reduce fresh water consumption
• energy efficiency – conducting thermodynamic measurements to increase energy efficiency
• emission reduction efficiency – using modelling software to quantify reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Additionally, Norona is assisting in representative sampling and testing using chemical instrumentation such as inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) for elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectra with x-ray diffraction for the characterization of deposits and foulants in steam generation.

“The opportunity to work with the CERCUTS team and be part of SAIT’s long-range plan in energy efficiency and clean energy development is very exciting and timely right now. Along with my hands-on training in analytical instrumentation, I will be conducting quantitative and qualitative analysis using state-of-the–art equipment in the ARIS Water Research and Innovation lab. Being awarded this CICan Career-Launcher internship after graduation has given me an advantage that will provide a solid foundation for my career to excel and aspire to become a leader in this field.”

ARIS supports programs and leveraged funding initiatives which are important resources for industry and small- and medium-sized enterprises working to find tomorrow’s market solutions today. ARIS catalyzes innovation by fostering the engagement of new graduates, students and the next generation of professionals to solution-based applied research that can benefit the Canadian energy, economy, environment and society.

The Clean Technology Innovation Lab team, part of Centre for Energy Research in Clean Unconventional Tech Solutions (CERCUTS), is conducting testing on experimental prototypes to study energy storage systems (ESS) and its capabilities for potential demonstration of made-in-Alberta solutions for the use of clean power within the regional energy industry and in Canada’s oilsands applications.

Charlie Atkins, a recent graduate of the Chemical Laboratory Technology program from the MacPhail School of Energy at SAIT, is a new CICan Career-Launcher Internships intern working at SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS)with the research team at the CERCUTS Clean Technology Innovation Lab. He is utilizing his knowledge and experiential training along with ARIS research engineers and scientists to investigate fuel cells to produce clean electric power from methane or bio-gas which is abundantly available in many parts around the globe. This clean electric power will then be stored in novel batteries and tested to ensure high performance and explosion free results in safe ESS. Atkins’ research, focused on alternative energy,builds upon previous research and tests various types of novel ESS. For example, lithium ESS are very popular, but lithium is expensive, has safety related issues and is not abundantly available in all parts of the world.

Atkins’ research involves testing abundantly available materials which enables high-energy density and has a higher potential of commercialization with a lower cost. Affordable ESS can be used to provide power to Canada’s energy grid by balancing loads between peak and off-peak demand times, storing electricity in micro-grids from intermittent sources, such as wind and solar power, and for also providing power to fast charging electrical and autonomous vehicles.

“The production of cheaper long term ESS solutions will benefit many consumers of energy. For example, where there is low methane emissions from either a landfill or an abandoned well, the fuel cell and ESS can provide off-grid clean power for use at remote sites for backup power. Alternatively, clean power could also be used to provide electricity to equipment in conjunction with reclamation and remediation activities at remote legacy sites. The good news is that the results of this research will generate clean power with no emissions thus reducing greenhouse gases impact on the environment.”

ARIS supports programs and leveraged funding initiatives which are important resources for industry and small- and medium-sized enterprises working to find relevant, tomorrow’s market solutions today. ARIS catalyzes innovation by fostering the engagement of new graduates, students and the next generation of professionals to solution-based applied research that can benefit the Canadian energy, economy, environment and society. ARIS provides opportunities for young, bright researchers such as CICan Career-Launcher Internships intern, Charlie Atkins, who works in the Clean Technology Innovation Lab at CERCUTS, to aspire and become the next generation of energy thought leaders and contribute to transformative change through innovation in the field of clean power generation and storage.

Thanks to CICan’s Career-Launcher Internship program, Algonquin College was able to hire Martyna Tomczynski, a grad from the college’s Environmental Technician Diploma Program, to advance their agri-environmental research. Hiring Martyna through the program gave Algonquin College $15,000 towards her salary.

“Our experience with Martyna has been exemplary. She is eager to learn, works well in a team setting, but is also self-directed and independent, says Julie Sylvestre, Project Manager at the Office of Applied Research and Innovation, Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus. Martyna has played an integral role in the evolution of our many projects targeting the implementation of agricultural best management practices. The knowledge and skill she brings to projects is without a doubt a major part of why we are so successful at what we do.”

As one of 21 colleges and institutes benefiting from the program, the applied research team at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus in Pembroke, Ontario, is seeing firsthand the high-quality work graduates are ready to and capable of achieving.

“I have been able to collaborate with college and university faculty, community partners, local NGOs and industry leaders on several projects throughout my internship. This has exposed me to the ways that organizations navigate the political, social, economic and technological aspects of approaching a mutual goal – in this case, restoring the health of the Muskrat Lake Watershed, says Martyna. I am very grateful for this experience, and the knowledge I have gained throughout my time working at Algonquin College. It has inspired me to continue my studies in the natural sciences.”

Roshan, a 2016 Langara College grad, is in a 6-month internship as a research lab assistant at Langara College. With a diploma in bioinformatics, he is putting his skills to work extracting nitrogen from waste water to minimize its environmental impact, and, in a separate project, is cultivating mealworms as a quality protein source for human consumption by feeding them discarded food from grocery stores.

“Roshan has taken on the challenges in his role with unique and creative problem-solving skills,” says Kelly Sveinson, Research Coordinator at Langara College. “Hiring one of our grads is giving us a sense of the high-quality work they are ready to and capable of achieving with the education we provided.”

Thanks to CICan’s Clean Tech Internship program, Red River College (RRC) was able to hire Eric Groot, a grad from RRC’s Instrumentation Engineering Technology program, to work at the college’s Building Envelope Technology Access Centre (BETAC).

Like RRC, you too can take advantage of the Clean Tech Internship program and receive a subsidy of up to $15,000 to hire a recent grad to support your green initiatives that have a link to clean technologies. You can complete the simple application process and hire an intern to grow your team and complement its set of skills and abilities.

“I would use the program again without hesitation,” says Rob Spewak, manager at BETAC, during his TACTalk at the Tech-Access Canada conference last April. “The internship funds helped us subsidize a position that is not generating revenue, but rather building capacity and distinctive expertise that could lead to future revenue streams for RRC. The reporting process was also very straightforward.”

As a research analyst, Eric is working to insert building envelope sensors in the Skills Trade and Technology Centre currently under construction at the college. These sensors will monitor moisture in the roof system and measure heat flow through wall sections. The goal is to use the sensor data to gain insight on how to improve building efficiency to reduce the energy needed to heat and cool commercial buildings.

His internship now complete, Eric continues to work at BETAC and has future career prospects with industry partners. “My work is providing me with a meaningful experience in the environmental sector, and is giving me a chance to manage my own projects and communicate with industry professionals. I’ve had the opportunity to learn new skills and I’m able to apply what I’ve learned in college to these projects.”

This year, over 100 interns were hired through the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Clean Tech Internship program, stimulating green jobs growth and working to reduce Canada’s impact on climate change. CICan is marking this milestone by highlighting a member institution which has had outstanding success placing science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) program graduates through clean tech internships: Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC).

NSCC’s involvement in CICan’s Clean Tech Internship provides significant added value for their graduates. “The program has given me the experience needed for future employment, and has connected me to many industry professionals,” says Jillian Duggan, NSCC graduate, Oceans Technology program. “The program is a great step into my future, bridging the gap between the classroom and a career.”

Supporting the Government of Canada’s focus on clean technology research and development as drivers for sustainable economic growth, the program allows eligible employers to receive a subsidy of up to $12,000 for each STEM program graduate hired.

To date, 14 STEM program graduates from NSCC have been hired through the program. “Clean Tech Internships are a fantastic added benefit that we have been able to provide to our students,” says Beth McCormack, Industry Liaison Officer, NSCC. “Next year, if the program is renewed, we believe we could easily place up to 20 graduates with Clean Tech Internship employers.”

Colleges and institutes can also benefit from the program as employers, if they have meaningful Clean Tech positions or projects for STEM graduates. This is another way NSCC has been able to benefit from the program. “The program so far has been excellent, and has allowed NSCC to expand research activities in the general area of applied oceans research,” says Dr. Craig Brown, Research Scientist and Clean Tech intern supervisor, NSCC.

The Clean Tech Internship program is still accepting applications from employers and we encourage CICan member institutions to participate. If you have a job opening for an intern or would like to place one of your graduates with an industry partner in clean technology, register as an employer today! You can also encourage your students to register as interns and apply for internships.

The Clean Tech Internship program was undertaken with the financial support of Environment and Climate Change Canada.