We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Nathan, Jacob and Jordan

Nathan, Jacob and Jordan took advantage of the tremendous opportunity Ontario Tech University gave them to think like entrepreneurs. As Ontario Tech University Mechanical Engineering graduates, they designed a device that functions as a pedal-operated bicycle, with an electric power option to make travelling longer distances easier. The bicycle—a unique green machine—is very practical and folds up to make transport easy.

“Someone could, for example, ride three kilometres to the bus stop, fold it up, and take it on the bus, and then ride another two kilometres from the bus to their destination, fold it up and store it at work or school, and then do the same thing on the way back," explains Nathan. "This device provides a clean energy alternative to all those cars making the five-kilometre trip to work every day.”

Their collaborative design won second place for Market Research and third place in the Ready for Production category at the 2013 Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education (PACE) Forum in Pasadena, California. The PACE competition involves seven teams representing 34 universities around the world.

PACE is a program linking industry with strategically selected academic institutions worldwide, including Ontario Tech University, with the goal of developing the automotive product lifecycle management team of the future. Through PACE, Engineering students develop practical skills in the core applications they will use in high-technology careers.

Nathan, Jacob and Jordan completed the design and development of a portable assisted mobility device as their Capstone Study Project in their final year. The Ontario Tech University Capstone provides students with opportunities to develop a thorough understanding of the technology, environment, markets and operations of real organizations. The unique teaching environment at Ontario Tech University is a perfect match for talented students, approaching learning through hands on innovation.

Nathan, Jacob and Jordan are just one team of students who applied their knowledge to transforming the way we think about transportation.

Nathan Groot Nibbelink, class of 2013

Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) – Manufacturing Engineering
Production Engineer, Electrical Contacts

Jacob Bineen, class of 2013

BEng – Automotive Engineering
Quality Engineer, Chrysler Group

Jordan McDonnell, class of 2013

BEng – Mechanical Engineering