NAIT News Releases

NAIT offers Canada's first diploma in Nanotechnology

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:54:33 -0700

March 11, 2010 - NAIT's new Nanotechnology Systems diploma - the first such diploma in Canada is launching in September 2010. The two year program will provide graduates with the skills to operate systems and equipment associated with Canada's emerging nanotechnology industry.

"Nanotechnology is an emerging field of study that draws together recent discoveries in physics, biology and chemistry. Tools and techniques are now available that let engineers, scientists and technologists explore and manipulate the astoundingly small realm of atoms and molecules. At the nanometer scale all sorts of novel and useful characteristics emerge that have enormous potential to improve products and processes in so many industries, says Mark Archibald, Chair Electronics Engineering Technology. "Our goal is to prepare technicians and technologists for entry into exciting and rapidly evolving careers in nanotechnology."

The Canadian nanotech sector is just beginning to emerge, and Alberta is a major player. The Alberta government unveiled a nanotechnology strategy in 2007, outlining an investment of funds and infrastructure aimed at capturing a $20 billion share of the worldwide nanotechnology market by 2020. Alberta now boasts a growing nanotech enterprise sector of more than 40 companies, with many located in the Edmonton region.

"With the growth of Alberta's new technology based economy, it's imperative that NAIT train students with the skills required to operate high technology based systems and equipment, said Ken Brizel, CEO ACAMP, Alberta's Centre for Advanced Micro Nano Technology Products. "The new Nanotechnology Systems diploma will provide students with valuable industry credentials."

NAIT's Nanotechnology Systems diploma will help to prepare the workforce for this burgeoning industry. Graduates will fill technical roles in nanotechnology manufacturing and research departments, supporting engineers and scientists.

NAIT is one of the preeminent institutes of technology in Canada, providing real-world education in business, advanced technologies and skilled trades to almost 85,000 learners worldwide. Known for student success, NAIT also engages with business and industry in applied research and innovation and provides corporate training around the world.

For more information, please contact:

Rayne Kuntz
NAIT Media Relations Coordinator
Department of Corporate Communications
P 780.471.8450 C 780.916.8307 E raynek@nait.ca

Mark Archibald
NAIT Nanotechnology Systems diploma
P 780.471.7640 E marka@nait.ca

Ken Brizel
CEO ACAMP, Alberta Centre for Advanced Micro Nano Technology Products
P 780.468.2443 E kbrizel@acamp.ca

About ACAMP - ACAMP is a not for profit organization that provides specialized technical and business services. ACAMP clients have access to world-class equipment, facilities, expertise and a network of organizations to support the development and manufacturing of micro and nanotechnology based systems and advanced materials for applications worldwide. ACAMP's funding comes from Alberta Advanced Education & Technology, Western Economic Diversification Canada and Industry. www.acamp.ca

NAIT named Best Workplace for Working Parents

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:23:01 -0700

Alberta's Best Workplaces 2010 competition singles out NAIT as a great employer

March 11, 2010 - NAIT took home top honours as the Best Workplace for Working Parents, and was runner-up in several other categories, at a gala event recognizing the best employers in the province.

Judges in the Alberta Venture sponsored competition singled out NAIT's efforts to support requests from working parents, such as: reduced hours, job sharing, compressed schedules, flextime or extended parental leave. NAIT's flexibility in this area earned the institute first place in the Best Workplace for Working Parents category.

NAIT's Director of Human Resources, Terry Wald, said the institute was pleased to be honoured with such a prestigious award.

"NAIT has great employees and we are happy to accommodate our staff with more flexible schedules when they become parents. We think it is a great investment - we get to keep these great employees on staff with all of their knowledge and expertise and they are happy to come to work because their new schedules allow them more time with their families."

Kathryn Howden, Manager of Food Services at NAIT, is one example of a working parent at the institute who changed her schedule to part-time after she had her first child. "I loved working but I also loved spending time with my child," she says in an Alberta Venture story, "and time with a child is something you never get back."

Wald was also pleased that NAIT was a runner-up in numerous other categories: Best Overall Workplace (Over 750 Employees), Best Workplace for Millennials, Best Workplace for Training and Development and Best Workplace for the Environmentally Conscious.

"NAIT strives to be a top employer on so many different fronts," says Wald. "We truly want to be the best of the best. When we focus on being a top employer it results in not only attracting top employees but also retaining them, which is very important as baby boomers are set to retire en mass in the next few years."

For more information, please contact:
Terry Wald
Director of Human Resources at NAIT
P 780.491.3069 E terryw@nait.ca

Kathryn Howden
Manager of Food Services (and a working parent at NAIT)
P 780.471.8553 E kathrynh@nait.ca

Medal sweep for Culinary Team NAIT at Escoffier Society Culinary competition in Toronto

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:00:40 -0700

NAIT won four gold and three silver medals - every team member came home with a medal. The success is an important stepping stone for all the team members who are off to Singapore in April to compete in the Hotel and Food Asia competition.

Chris Tom Kee, GOLD Individual plated entrees, GOLD Individual plated desserts, SILVER Chocolate show piece and Best of the show.

Jake Pelletier, GOLD Individual plated desserts

Andrew Newman, GOLD Individual plated entrees

Jeanne Wi, SILVER Individual plated entrees

Jack Lee, SILVER Individual plated appetizer

Team NAIT's Manager Vinod Varshney says he was impressed with how well his team did especially with a few new members who have never competed before. (Jeanne Wi and Andrew Newman)

"The students did very well to rise to the occasion and win on the national scene," says Varshney. " This gives them confidence and boosts morale for when they compete in the International competition."

"This competition gave them the opportunity to work as a team, in a new environment. The kitchen space was tight in Toronto; they didn't have the luxury of a big kitchen like we have at NAIT."

Escoffier Society Culinary competition in Toronto
FHA 2010 Culinary Challenge in Singapore

For more information, please contact:

Vinod Varshney
Chair, School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts
P 780.471-8681 F 780.471-8914 E vinodv@nait.ca

NAIT wins seven awards at international competition

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:13:04 -0700

January 27, 2010 - NAIT's Corporate Communications, Advancement, and Marketing & Digital Media teams are being recognized on the international stage for their creativity and talent.

NAIT's Marketing & Digital Media team won three awards - Grand Gold for the overall web site, Gold for the NAIT School of Hospitality sub website, and Silver in the photography and illustration category for "Education for the Real World - Fall Brand positioning campaign image". NAIT took home these honours as part of the CASE District VIII competition, which sees 119 educational institutions from across western Canada and the Pacific Northwest showcase their work.

"Striving to make the NAIT website one of the best in the world was our primary goal over the last 12-18 months, so it is gratifying to receive this recognition of our team's efforts," says Dallas Stoesz, Senior Manager of Marketing & Digital Media, who is in charge of web design for the institute.

Deb Bachman Smith, Institutional Brand Co-ordinator for NAIT, said the photo illustration for the fall ad campaign really resonated with the public. She was pleased to see the judges liked the campaign as well. "We have a very dedicated, creative team of designers and photographers who bring the brand to life in all our publications."

NAIT's magazine 'techlife' won two awards - Grand Gold in the periodicals category for general interest print magazines and Silver in the category of photography and illustration for Spring 2009: NetZero houses - cut away illustration.

"Producing a technology lifestyle magazine is a natural extension of the NAIT brand and our promise of education for the real world," says Sherri Krastel, Manager of Corporate Communications at NAIT. "Our talented editorial and design team are focused on producing an interesting and inspiring publication for our readers. It helps that NAIT is a minefield of fascinating people and stories."

NAIT Senior Graphic Designer Derek Lue says: "I had some new ideas about how to make the illustration interesting to the reader and followed it through. I'm glad the judging panel liked the illustration and how it contributed to the overall package of the article."

NAIT's Advancement team took home Silver in the projects and programs category for the special event "SS Benefit NAIT Cruise to Madagascar". "Thank you to our many volunteers, from the community and the institute, for creating a successful event," says Maggie MacDonald, Project Manager of Events at NAIT. "We are so happy to have contributed to student success at NAIT."

NAIT photographer Amy Bizovie won Bronze in the photography and illustration category for a series of photos she took for the Rob Feenie: Hokanson Chef in Residence program. Bizovie said: "I have such great opportunities every single day at NAIT. I share this award with my talented teammates."

For more information, please contact:
Sherri Krastel
Manager of Corporate Communications at NAIT
P 780.471.8494 E sherrik@nait.ca

NAIT researcher awarded $125,000 NSERC grant

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:56:38 -0700

NAIT one of first two colleges or institutes to receive grant in university dominated category

January 12, 2010 - NAIT faculty researcher Dr. Ron Currie has been awarded a $125,000 grant from NSERC to develop technology that can analyze air quality more quickly. His technology could save lives by analyzing air quality in the event of a chemical attack.

"This achievement is something to be proud of for both myself and my research team," said Currie. "I am honoured that NSERC has recognized our work and ideas for technological advances with this one year grant."

Stuart Cullum, Executive Director of novaNAIT, which is the home of applied research and enterprise development at NAIT, said the institute was one of the first two colleges or technical institutes in Canada to be successful in the Idea to Innovation program, a specific funding program within NSERC (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada). Historically, this faculty funding is usually dominated by universities.

"NAIT's success in this competition is significant," said Cullum. "The program is highly competitive and successful applications have to demonstrate strong scientific evidence as well as a clearly identified and well-described potential market. This award means there is national recognition that colleges and technical institutes can be competitive when it comes to innovative research."

Currie, who is a faculty researcher from the Chemical Technology Program within the School of Resources and Environmental Management and is supported by novaNAIT, led a team of applied researchers who developed a prototype of an innovative column apparatus for use in gas chromatography, an analytical chemistry technique used in a variety of industries to vaporize and separate mixtures into their component compounds for analysis. The resulting prototype has greater capacity and is more efficient than traditional column technology, resulting in faster, better and cheaper analysis of sample mixtures. In addition, the prototype lends itself to new applications using handheld devices and online analyzers in a variety of fields. The online analyzer would provide for continuous monitoring and would shrink the technology to a device the size of a toaster.

NSERC reviewers noted Currie's idea would "mark a significant advance in existing technologies" that "could lead to excellent commercial opportunities for this technology and column technology in general." Reviewers said many companies from various economic sectors could benefit from his technology.

Currie has taught at NAIT since 1982 and has been conducting applied research for more than a decade. In 2001, he collaborated on the development of the Canadian Remote Sciences Laboratories portal, a website that allowed students to operate analytical equipment in NAIT's chemistry labs from anywhere in the world.

novaNAIT supports and facilitates applied research and development, leading to relevant products and services. For more information go to: www.novanait.ca

People, Technology, Innovation
NAIT is one of the preeminent institutes of technology in Canada, providing real-world education in business, advanced technologies and skilled trades to more than 84,000 learners worldwide. Known for student success, NAIT also engages with business and industry in applied research and innovation and provides corporate training around the world.

For more information, please contact:
Dr. Ron Currie
Senior Faculty Researcher - Green Chemistry & Engineering
P 780.450.6950 E rcurrie@nait.ca

Stuart Cullum
Executive Director
novaNAIT
P 780.378.6190 E stuartc@nait.ca