The 7 Canada Research Chairs revolutionizing design engineering
By DE Staff
GeneralWith more than $182 million supporting 224 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs, Design Engineering is highlighting seven engineering superstars advancing essential knowledge in materials research, additive manufacturing, photonic sensing, energy devices, collaborative robotics—and more.
Investing in Canada’s world-class postsecondary institutions and their teams of researchers leads to groundbreaking discoveries and innovations. It encourages researchers to dig deeper and build on the knowledge that informs and influences public policies across the health, environmental, economic and social sectors in Canada and beyond.
New Research Chairs
Revolutionizing manufacturing: Mihaela Vlasea, Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Additive Manufacturing, University of Waterloo
Mihaela Vlasea is at the forefront of sustainable manufacturing research as Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Additive Manufacturing. Leading the Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Lab at the University of Waterloo, her work focuses on advancing additive manufacturing processes that optimize material efficiency, minimize environmental impact and enhance production scalability. Her research spans sectors such as aerospace, healthcare and energy, aiming to transform how we design and manufacture products while fostering sustainability.
Exploring the limits: Yu Zou, Canada Research Chair in Materials and Manufacturing for Extreme Environments, University of Toronto
Yu Zou leads cutting-edge research at the Laboratory for Extreme Mechanics & Additive Manufacturing, exploring materials with extraordinary properties under extreme conditions. With a focus on metals, mechanics, manufacturing and machine learning, his work spans aerospace, biomedical, energy and environmental sectors, driving advancements in vital industries while training the next generation of engineers and researchers.
Shaping light for innovation: Hubert Jean-Ruel, Canada Research Chair in Advanced Photonic Sensing Components and Systems, Carleton University
Hubert Jean-Ruel is pioneering breakthroughs in photonic technologies. His research focuses on developing cutting-edge sensing components and systems with applications across healthcare, environmental monitoring and communications. Learn more about his appointment and vision here.
Powering sustainability: Gaixia Zhang, Canada Research Chair in Design and Fabrication of Energy Devices for Sustainability, École de technologie supérieure
Gaixia Zhang is advancing sustainable energy solutions as Canada Research Chair in Design and Fabrication of Energy Devices. Her work focuses on creating innovative technologies to address environmental challenges while promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in research. Learn more about her impactful work here.
Renewed Research Chairs
Pioneering manufacturing solutions: Xiaoliang Jin, Canada Research Chair in Advanced Manufacturing, The University of British Columbia
Xiaoliang Jin is advancing machining and manufacturing processes to push the boundaries of innovation. At UBC’s Advanced Manufacturing Processes Laboratory (AMP), Jin focuses on cutting-edge applications of advanced materials like nickel alloys and bulk metallic glasses, hybrid additive manufacturing and micro-cutting mechanics. His work supports industries such as aerospace, optics, bio-medicine and electronics, driving new solutions for complex manufacturing challenges. Learn more about his research here.
Advancing robotics: Jonathan Kelly, Canada Research Chair in Collaborative Robotics, University of Toronto
Jonathan Kelly is revolutionizing the way autonomous machines interact with the world. As director of the STARS Laboratory at U of T’s Institute for Aerospace Studies, his research spans collaborative robotics, robot learning, manipulation, multimodal sensing and advanced methods for estimation and control. With a focus on building internal models and deriving sufficient statistics for machine interaction, his work has applications in diverse industries.
Engineering at the nanoscale: Yu Sun, Canada Research Chair in Micro and Nano Engineering Systems, University of Toronto
Yu Sun leads transformative research at the Advanced Micro and Nanosystems Laboratory (AMNL) at the University of Toronto. His team develops cutting-edge micro and nanosystems, including robotic platforms and MEMS devices, to enable precision manipulation, sensing and characterization at micro and nanoscales. Applications span from fundamental biological studies to clinical innovations like IVF and rare cell isolation, as well as industrial automation. Collaborating with industry leaders and global researchers, his work bridges disciplines to tackle challenges in biophysics, biomechanics and advanced instrumentation.
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