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SFU Surrey to Host National Design Research Centre
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Rob Woodbury, 604.268.7501; rob_woodbury@sfu.ca
Terry Lavender, media/pr, 604.268.7408; terry_lavender@sfu.ca
Rob Woodbury, 604.268.7501; rob_woodbury@sfu.ca
Terry Lavender, media/pr, 604.268.7408; terry_lavender@sfu.ca
March 27, 2006
Simon Fraser University’s Surrey campus will be the home of a new national Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) initiative on design research.
The Canadian Design Research Network will bring together over 100 researchers from across the country working with industry and government in six key areas: sustainability, advanced design technologies, fabrication, interactive technologies, design visualization and simulation, and visual analytics.
The network was one of five new initiatives announced March 27 by Maxime Bernier, federal minister of industry and minister responsible for the NCE. Rob Woodbury, a professor and chair of graduate studies at SFU’s school of interactive arts and technology, will be the network director.
“Good design is the best means to improve the social, physical and economic well-being of all Canadians,” says Woodbury. “Advanced economies depend on good design: poorly designed products, systems and services seldom thrive in the global marketplace.
“We hope to strengthen the Canadian industrial base through the introduction of new tools for visualization and fabrication; to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, expertise, best practices, hardware, software, staff and researchers; and to ensure that design expertise stays in Canada by providing a stimulating and rewarding environment and opportunities in design.”
The network will receive $400,000 per year from the federal government for the first two years of its operation.
Besides SFU, other founding members of the design network include Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Université Laval, McGill University, École de technologie supérieure, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, Ryerson University, Ontario College of Art and Design, University of Manitoba, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and University of British Columbia.
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The Canadian Design Research Network will bring together over 100 researchers from across the country working with industry and government in six key areas: sustainability, advanced design technologies, fabrication, interactive technologies, design visualization and simulation, and visual analytics.
The network was one of five new initiatives announced March 27 by Maxime Bernier, federal minister of industry and minister responsible for the NCE. Rob Woodbury, a professor and chair of graduate studies at SFU’s school of interactive arts and technology, will be the network director.
“Good design is the best means to improve the social, physical and economic well-being of all Canadians,” says Woodbury. “Advanced economies depend on good design: poorly designed products, systems and services seldom thrive in the global marketplace.
“We hope to strengthen the Canadian industrial base through the introduction of new tools for visualization and fabrication; to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, expertise, best practices, hardware, software, staff and researchers; and to ensure that design expertise stays in Canada by providing a stimulating and rewarding environment and opportunities in design.”
The network will receive $400,000 per year from the federal government for the first two years of its operation.
Besides SFU, other founding members of the design network include Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Université Laval, McGill University, École de technologie supérieure, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, Ryerson University, Ontario College of Art and Design, University of Manitoba, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and University of British Columbia.
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