Toyota Canada funds supporting automotive research at University of Waterloo
by CMStaff
Toyota Canada makes its largest single donation to a Canadian university to support student research in additive manufacturing
PHOTO: Toyota RAV4/Toyota Canada
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada is partnering with the University of Waterloo to advance engineering education.
Supported by a $2.1 million investment, the largest single donation by TMMC to any Canadian University, the partnership will launch a unique undergraduate engineering innovation challenge and support a variety of student, research and outreach initiatives.
“Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada has a long history with the University of Waterloo, and we look forward to extending this partnership by further investing in their important research and education,” said Fred Volf, president of TMMC. “Toyota shares many of Waterloo Engineering’s research priorities, and we’re proud to be supporting them as they continue to drive engineering innovation forward.”
The Toyota Engineering Innovation Challenge will involve a half-day “take-over” of the Waterloo Engineering Ideas Clinic.
In recognition of TMMC’s financial support, a wing on the third floor of Engineering 7 dedicated to faculty and student research in additive manufacturing will be renamed the Toyota Additive Manufacturing Wing.
“The University of Waterloo is proud to have Toyota as a key partner in our automotive research, as well as a long-term employer in our co-operative education program,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “It is investments like these that have allowed our institution to undertake more automotive research than any other university in Canada.”
To reflect the company’s support in increasing diversity in the field of engineering, Outreach space on the main floor of Engineering 7 will be named the Toyota Outreach Space. TMMC will also be formally recognized as a partner in the Engineering Ideas Clinic at the founder level.
As well, TMMC will be the title sponsor of the University’s annual AutoTech Symposium for the next five years. The annual one-day event, now called the UWaterloo Autotech Symposium, presented by Toyota, brings together automotive and information technology innovators, connecting decision-makers across the converging auto and IT landscape.
