Killam 2023 | Queen’s Gazette

Claire Davies and Praveen Jain win the Killam Fellowship and Killam Prize, two of Canada’s best analysis honours.

Two researchers from Queen’s have been awarded prestigious honours from the Nationwide Killam Program. The Killam Fellowships and Prizes acknowledge excellent profession achievements within the well being sciences, engineering, humanities, pure sciences, and social sciences that contribute to constructing Canada’s future and growing the scientific influence of Canadians via analysis.

Claire Davies (Mechanical and Supplies Engineering) is the recipient of one among eight Dorothy Killam Fellowships (valued at $160,000 over two years) to help students in finishing up groundbreaking initiatives, whereas Praveen Jain (Electrical and Pc Engineering) is one among 5 researchers nationally to obtain a Killam Prize (valued at $100,000), which acknowledge and have fun Canada’s most inspiring students and thought leaders.

“To have two of our main researchers acknowledged with two of Canada’s prime honours is an thrilling second for Queen’s and it showcases the influence of our analysis neighborhood,” says Nancy Ross, Vice-Principal (Analysis). “The work of Drs. Jain and Davies represents each career-long achievement in addition to analysis potential, all resulting in a extra inclusive and technologically superior society.”

Advancing accessible communications

Dr. Davies is acknowledged internationally for her management in engineering methods to extend independence and engagement for individuals with disabilities. Her Killam Fellowship mission titled “Participation requires communication” will make use of participatory-based analysis and suggestions strategies to hunt consensus on and help the event of pointers for various and augmentative communication units, to tell the brand new Accessible Canada Act.

Individuals with speech, communication, and bodily disabilities expertise profound social isolation, marginalization, and participation restrictions. With greater than 440,000 Canadians residing with vital communications disabilities, there’s an pressing must replace our insurance policies to replicate developments in expertise which might be built-in into all the pieces from the office to recreation. And, whereas worldwide requirements exist for software program growth and interface design, there’s little steerage round augmentative and various communication {hardware} comparable to desk-mounted shows, digital communication boards, and speech-generating units.

Analysis proof signifies that applied sciences and augmentative and various communication programs help social interplay, and that communication in various settings can allow far larger participation. With the brand new Accessible Canada Act, the hope is that this analysis mission will affect coverage within the growth of requirements requiring universally accessible design throughout all communication units.

“Proof reveals that illustration of Canadians with disabilities is lacking within the workforce,” says Dr. Davies. “We should hear their voices within the co-design of instruments, programs, and insurance policies to make sure equitable inclusion, and the Dorothy Killam Fellowship will present the funding and help to assist us advance this necessary dialogue.”

Powering power improvements

A trailblazer within the area of energy electronics, Dr. Jain has made quite a few authentic, high-impact contributions to high-frequency energy conversion expertise which have led to its use in telecommunications, area, laptop design, induction melting, and renewable power industries. Dr. Jain can be the named inventor of greater than 100 patents and the founding father of two profitable firms, CHiL Semiconductor and SPARQ Programs, the latter which just lately went public via an inventory on the TSX Enterprise Trade.

Because the director of the Centre for Vitality and Energy Electronics (ePower) at Queen’s, Dr. Jain collaborates with researchers and business worldwide to develop progressive options to power challenges and believes that distributed renewable energy represents the way forward for power programs.

Along with the Killam Prize in Engineering, Dr. Jain has been acknowledged with quite a few worldwide awards and honours for his groundbreaking analysis. He acquired the 2021 IEEE Medal in Energy Engineering for contributions to the speculation and observe of high-frequency power-conversion programs—the best award in his area. He additionally acquired the 2017 IEEE Canada Electrical Energy Medal, the 2011 IEEE William E. Newell Technical Discipline Award in Energy Electronics, and the 2004 Engineering Medal from the Skilled Engineers of Ontario. He’s a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a Fellow of the IEEE, a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada, and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

“It’s a nice honour for me to obtain the 2023 Killam Prize in Engineering,” says Dr. Jain. “This prize symbolizes over 40 years of my life’s work within the sensible functions of energy electronics and isn’t one thing I might have dreamed of rising up in rural India. I’m indebted to Queen’s for offering me the world-class analysis atmosphere to comprehend this dream.”

Queen’s has a protracted historical past of engagement with the Nationwide Killam Program, relationship again to the Nineteen Nineties. For extra info on the Killam Program and previous recipients, go to the web site.