News
ETS lands second NSERC Industrial Research Chair

Suzanne Fortier, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and John Saabas, President, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC), were also in attendance as principal partners of the new Chair.

Montreal enjoys a well-earned reputation as a world aerospace capital. The city is home to all of Canada's major aerospace companies, a highly qualified workforce, and many research and training centres – key assets that have made Greater Montreal an exceptional cluster of expertise in this field.

The city owes its stellar reputation in aerospace development to a remarkable spirit of partnership among industrial, academic, and government players AND to the forward-looking vision of high-calibre experts such as Professor Hany Moustapha, P&WC Senior Research Fellow. With a track record as impressive as his, including 30 years of service at P&WC, Professor Moustapha perfectly understands the issues at play in this highly competitive industry as well as the research orientations Montreal needs to pursue and prioritize to sustain its leadership in this sector.

The development of new turbine technology is part of the strategy. Optimized integration of various engineering tasks, ranging from design to production, will cut development time and costs – two critical variables in the fiercely competitive aerospace industry. Crucial factors such as performance, weight, cost, materials, and durability will be integrated early on in the development process.

"I am convinced that the Chair will become a one-of-a-kind centre in Canada at the leading edge of propulsion system technology. It will drive technology forward and train the next generation of engineers," states John Saabas, ever conscious of what it takes to stay on top in your field.

Innovate, train new experts, develop workforce skills, stay attentive to industry needs, and share know-how – these objectives are truly a life mission for the new NSERC-P&WC Chairholder. "Dr Hany Moustapha is an outstanding Canadian aerospace engineer with extensive experience in aircraft engine research and industry-university cooperation," says Suzanne Fortier, President of NSERC. "His expertise, combined with significant support from École de technologie supérieure and Pratt & WhitneyCanada, will translate into long-term benefits for the Canadian aerospace sector."

The choice of ÉTS as a partner is no accident. Renowned for its industry-facing orientation, ÉTS is one of the founding institutions of CRIAQ (Quebec's aerospace research and innovation consortium) and aerospace is one of the five key business sectors in ÉTS's strategic research plan. "With this new Industrial Research Chair, ÉTS has consolidated its position as a leader in the aerospace industry," states Yves Beauchamp, CEO, ÉTS. "Professor Moustapha possesses extensive experience in aerospace and enjoys strong peer recognition for his expertise in propulsion systems. His high-quality work and track record of successful partnerships with industry players illustrate ÉTS's ability to build robust and mutually beneficial relationships with industry."

ÉTS: key figures

6,000 students, including 1,100 at the graduate and post-graduate levels
2nd-ranking university in Canada for the number of yearly Mechanical Engineering graduates
140 professors, including 45 in aerospace, representing a total of 250 years of industry experience
$20 million in research funding in 2009-2010
2,000 internships a year, including 300 in the aerospace industry
1,200 industrial partners, including 70 aerospace companies (of the 250 in Quebec)
2nd-leading CRIAQ-funding recipient (43 projects since 2005-2006)

From 2011 to 2016, the new NSERC-P&WC Industrial Research Chair's highly qualified personnel will carry out a total of 23 research projects. At the end of this 5-year term, the aerospace industry in Montreal will soar on the winds of change ushered in by new aircraft propulsion systems.