Algonquin College

Initial support from Canada’s National Research Council (IRAP) allowed us to undertake a State of The Technology Analysis, conducted for us by Brock University’s School of Business. The outcome of this confirmed what we thought: that we would probably have to develop most of the technology ourselves if we were to advance at the scale we wished. Identification of Algonquin College’s Mechanical Engineering Technology Program as the closest fit to our needs was almost immediately followed by the College’s acceptance of our proposal for collaboration. In fact, the College seized it with such fervour that there were almost immediately six teams of three students each working competitively on designs for a harvester, cracker and separator. This collaboration has gone through two complete cycles to date with the result that proofs of concept have been designed and built, and the third cycle of improvement is now underway. Significant funding for student time was obtained from Ontario’s Centres of Excellence. Two students won first prize for Community Colleges at OCE’s Innovations competition in July 2007 for their work on the separator.