Simon Park

Dr. Park is an inventor, inspiring educator, and leader in the field of mechanical and manufacturing engineering. In 2004, Dr. Park established the Multifunctional Engineering Dynamics and Automation Laboratory (MEDAL), which aims to overcome the limitations of existing technologies through rapid, cost-effective fabrication of energy applications such as carbon fibres, next generation of lithium batteries and safe transportation of hydrogen. 

Dr. Park’s team investigates the synergic integration of both subtractive and additive processes that uniquely provide productivity, flexibility, and accuracy to the processing of complex systems. This unique facility rapidly generates new products from ideas to prototypes all within the lab. Dr. Park was an Alberta Innovates iCORE Strategic Chair in Sensing and Monitoring (2014-2017). This line of research is focused on the development of cost-effective 3D nano-patterned devices using a variety of nanocomposites that will synergistically enhance functionalities for sensing and monitoring purposes. Dr. Park served as President of the International Institute of Micro Manufacturing (I2M2) from 2014 to 2015, and is currently an Associate member of the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP). CIRP is the world-leading organization in production engineering research, with a restricted membership based on demonstrated excellence in research.  

Dr. Park has many productive collaborations with international academic groups and industry partners. He has been a leading participant in the NSERC strategic network CANRIMT (Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology) and served as theme leader in composite manufacturing for the network. CANRIMT is the only the network which has been renewed and members from six Canadian universities, in partnership with industry from all over the world. Dr. Park has also represented the University of Calgary for various Alberta government led trade missions in S. Korea and Taiwan to promote the university education and research. His team is also researching the safe transportation of hydrogen through development of novel sensors and digital twin of hydrogen pipelines. He is also leading the Alberta Innovates and Clean Resource Innovation Network project to develop energy efficient carbon fibers from Alberta Oilsands Asphaltene. Dr. Park’s group has been collaborating with Innovate Calgary on various projects - developing novel nanocomposite sensors, flexible batteries, nanocomposite based wearable devices, etc. and many of these have commercial interests and his team is translating the technology into commercially viable products. In addition, Dr. Park has co-founded several start-up companies to transfer the knowledge into real-world applications.  

Dr. Park is a careful and thorough researcher and well respected among international colleagues. MEDAL provides a stimulating and productive training environment which exposes students to a variety of opportunities, including commercialization and entrepreneurship activities. The fellowship will be used to transform new ideas into reality by catalyzing technologies for novel and necessary devices and systems that are not currently possible. The research outcome will provide the necessary momentum for the commercialization and exploration of novel applications.