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Save the Date - AUTO21 Annual Conference

University of Toronto Student Wins TestDRIVE Competition for New Seafood Shell Plastic



A new biodegradable material made from shrimp and crab shells that can replace petroleum-based plastics used in auto components helped a University of Toronto student win a national automotive competition. Aaron Guan, a master of science student, won the AUTO21 TestDRIVE competition, receiving a $10,000 scholarship for his work on recyclable, lightweight, polymeric nanocomposites.

Shrimp and crab shell fibres called chitin nanowhiskers form the base of this new material, which would allow automotive components to meet strict environmental standards without compromising vehicle safety. This material has a much higher strength-to-weight ratio compared to conventional plastics used in most automotive components, and provides higher mechanical strength without aesthetic flaws or deformation at lower densities.

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AUTO21 Announces New Theme Coordinator



AUTO21 is pleased to announce Dr. Andrew Howard of the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children is the new Theme Coordinator for Health, Safety and Injury Prevention.
 
Dr. Howard is an associate professor in the division of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Toronto and is one of Canada’s leading researchers on child injuries, especially those related to motor vehicles. He has been with AUTO21 since 2001 as a network researcher and project leader and brings significant prestige and knowledge to the Research Management Committee and the theme coordinators group. We look forward to Dr. Howard’s contributions as a theme coordinator.


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