TORONTO, November 11, 2002 -- A team of York University students shared the spotlight with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Steve MacLean, and York President and Vice-Chancellor Lorna R. Marsden, as the designs for MacLean’s personal patch and the patch to be worn by all crew members of the next Space Shuttle mission were unveiled today at York University.
The team of Graham Huber, Peter Hui and Gigi Lui are third-year students in the York/Sheridan Joint Program in Design. They were selected after MacLean, a York alumnus, approached students enrolled in a summer design course with the idea of designing both patches. The successful team’s proposal was chosen from the student submissions.
Working closely with MacLean, the group fine-tuned their designs to the specifications of the Canadian Space Agency and NASA.
"We are extremely proud of the efforts of these outstanding design students. It is a wonderful opportunity for these talented designers to showcase their abilities, and is testament to the quality of this unique program that students are producing professional quality work for so important a purpose," said Marsden. "We are also grateful to Steve MacLean, one of York’s most distinguished alumni, who inspired these students as he has so many others."
The York/Sheridan Joint Program in Design is an innovative, four-year professional program offered jointly by the Department of Design in the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University and the Design Department in the School of Animation, Arts and Design at Sheridan College. With more than 30 years experience in teaching design, both York and Sheridan are recognized leaders in visual communication, information design, interactivity design and design research. Drawing on the faculty expertise and outstanding facilities of both institutions, the joint program provides students with a comprehensive, intensive education geared to real-world applications in professional design practice.
"Beyond the obvious thrill of it, this project has given me a chance to work collaboratively in a group and to learn about the responsibilities and expectations involved when working with a significant client," noted Huber. Lui added, "It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. How many designers can say their work is going to outer space?"
"I have thoroughly enjoyed working with these students on this project," MacLean said. "Any time you are able to couple professionalism with such enthusiasm, you clearly have a recipe for success."
The next space flight, Mission STS-115/12A, is scheduled for May 23, 2003.
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Note: Images of both patches are available at: ftp://ftp.space.gc.ca/pub/communication/Transfer/sts115_patch/
Archived Webcast:
RealPlayer: http://www.yorku.ca/yorkweb/special/shuttle_patch/space.ram
Windows Media: http://www.yorku.ca/yorkweb/special/shuttle_patch/space.asx
For further information, please contact:
| Cim Nunn |
| Director, Media Relations |
| York University |
| 416-736-2100, ext. 22087 |
| cimnunn@yorku.ca |
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