Research & Innovation

Professor Ted Sargent speaks about his research and U of T Engineering's contributions to the exciting and emerging field of nanotechnology.

Over its history, the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering has served as an international leader in engineering research and technological innovation through the talents of our professors, students, alumni and industry partners. Our strong multidisciplinary approach to engineering design has been recognized not just through awards and honours, but also by the volume of research funding they generate.  

In 2011, the Faculty received more than $70.6M in funding — the highest amount of all Canadian institutions. Over the past five years, the Faculty received the largest share of funding to date from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada. In 2010-2011, the Faculty’s research initiatives also secured two NSERC CREATE programs and more than $53.3M from the Government of Canada in 2011. Over the same period, our faculty members held an impressive number of Canada Research Chair and Endowed Research Chair positions, among other prestigious research appointments.  

The Faculty also excels at extending the reach of its research through the vast number of textbooks they have authored and the number of inventions and spin-off companies that have come from research findings. Since the 1970s, U of T engineers have launched more than 100 spin-off companies.

It is our mission to ensure that each student gains cutting-edge knowledge. Of equal importance is that they develop the confidence to apply their knowledge in a way that advances economic growth while improving the quality of life for all those around them. With the introduction of the Faculty's new Centre for Global Engineering (CGEN), opportunities for students and researchers to make a global impact will only continue to grow.