Research and innovation
Brilliant Energy Institute (BEI)
Ontario Tech’s Brilliant Energy Institute in the Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation was created to advance technologies and connect people for an effective and equitable transition to net zero. Recognizing the importance of nuclear in clean energy systems, the institute, led by Director Jennifer Alsop, works with nuclear sector stakeholders to improve technical, social and economic outcomes so the benefits of nuclear power can be strengthened, better understood and shared by all.
BEI works with industry, community, academic and government partners regionally, nationally and internationally in three areas:
- Development of knowledge management and data to support the pathways to decarbonized, effective energy systems.
- A Community Energy Resource Centre that provides all communities and individuals the resources and information needed to make evidence-based decisions on energy infrastructure and decarbonization solutions.
- A portal to energy research and workforce planning both across Ontario Tech and our partner academic institutions across Canada and globally.
Internationally-recognized nuclear expertise
Expert researchers include Canada and UNENE-NSERC research chairs in nuclear engineering and there are more than 20 researchers whose field of expertise is specifically in the nuclear and/or energy systems areas.
NSERC-UNENE Health Physics and Environmental Safety
- Dr. Ed Waller: UNENE Research Chair
- Dr. Kirk Atkinson: UNENE Associate Chair, Director of the Centre for Small Modular Reactors
UNENE and CANDU Owners Group Collaborative Projects
- Dr. Glenn Harvel: UNENE Research Collaborative Project: Waste management and radionuclide monitoring
- Dr. Kirk Atkinson: Biodosimetry for retrospective assessment of low dose exposure and feasibility of in-vivo measurement of radiation exposures
Interdisciplinary research
Ontario Tech fosters a collaborative research environment, encouraging interdisciplinary projects and partnerships with industry, government, and other academic institutions. This approach enhances the quality and impact of the research conducted. In addition to the direct research in nuclear energy systems, there are several interdisciplinary areas of engineering, digital technology and social science research that strengthen nuclear excellence.
Many researchers, students, facilities and programs within these three other faculties working with the nuclear industries on clean energy advancement and operating effectiveness through areas like computer and software engineering including artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and robotics. Some of the university's researchers include:
Canada Research Chairs
- Dr. Horia Hangan: Canada Research Chair in Adaptive Aerodynamics (Tier 1), Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS)
- Dr. Sheldon Williamson: Canada Research Chair in Electric Energy Storage Systems for Transportation Electrification (Tier 2), FEAS
- Dr. Peter Lewis: Canada Research Chair in Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (Tier 2), Faculty of Business and Information Technology
Energy Research Excellence Chairs
- Dr. Ibrahim Dincer: Global leader in sustainable energy solutions and hydrogen, FEAS
- Dr. Jennifer McKellar: Cost and Environmental Impacts in Energy Systems, Graduate Program Director (Energy and Nuclear Engineering Department), FEAS
Other researchers
- Dr. Isabel Pedersen: Director, Decimal Lab and Director, Digital Life Institute, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities
- Dr. Scott Nokleby: Innovating robotic technology to reduce human exposure to hazardous environments, FEAS
- Dr. Marc Rosen: Researcher in sustainable energy, sustainability, and environmental impact, FEAS
- Dr. Atef Mohany: Expert in aeroacoustics, fluid-structure interaction, flow-induced vibration and noise, turbulent flows, structural dynamics, and noise and vibration control, FEAS
Along with our researchers, Ontario Tech has multiple energy and nuclear research facilities and institutes with research partners that range from Canada’s premier science and technology lab, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, to other academic partners across Ontario, Canada and internationally. Ontario Tech is currently exploring the opportunitity to further enhance the student experience through a new addition to our high-tech nuclear labs, specifically, the addition of a proposed subcritical assembly.
