As society tries to move forward after a difficult two years, urbanization is leading to unprecedented challenges in mobility that require modern solutions to address congestion, emissions and accessibility. The work that needs to be done to meet these challenges is complex and multidimensional, demanding collaboration from all sectors including governments, businesses and academia. It is in that vein that I’m proud of Cubic Transportation Systems’ recent partnership with McMaster University that aims to develop the next generation of diverse engineers, scientists and leaders to deliver the future of public transport for all.
By joining forces to launch the Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence and Smart Mobility, Cubic and McMaster are creating one of the largest transportation institutes in North America to tackle urbanization’s bottlenecks and bring mobility into the modern age. McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) and Cubic will work with university undergraduate, postgraduate, faculty research staff, as well as government agencies, start-ups and other industry partners to address the transportation challenges through multidisciplinary research and product development.
This collaboration with Cubic will lead to new and innovative technologies that will both advance the industry and benefit society. - Karen Mossman, McMaster Vice-President, Research
One of the challenges facing transportation is the talent shortages that have affected industries across the board. It is incredibly exciting for me to be able to collaborate with future leaders in the mobility space and be a part of their burgeoning careers. By training and mentoring these future leaders, we’re directly developing our very own talent pipeline and ensuring that the individuals that come through are fully equipped for careers with our teams and beyond.
Another key focus for the Centre of Excellence is to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. It’s essential to have a diverse set of voices at the table so we can learn from each other’s perspectives and build better transport solutions that reflect the people from all walks of life that stand to benefit from them. This cuts down on bias when designing the transportation networks of the future and brings the industry forward with a renewed focus on accessibility. Ultimately, it’s about providing the opportunities and platforms for individuals from underrepresented communities to have a significant impact on the systems that will give back to their communities and help them prosper in ways they’ve historically been unable to.
Cubic Transportation Systems has been in the mobility game for a long time. This year marks our fiftieth anniversary, and we want to celebrate it by continuing to strive for more – more innovation, more inclusion. Our partnership with McMaster is a way to challenge our thinking and learn from fresh and diverse perspectives. Cubic may be hitting its golden anniversary, but we value youth and budding talent more than ever. We also know that we can’t do it all alone, so McMaster will play a huge role in bringing innovators to the forefront as we provide them with the tools and resources, they need to bring their ideas to life. Youth, challenging the status quo and diversity drive innovation, and we want to cherish and cultivate them to their fullest potential as well as take in all the unique insights they have to offer.
The end goal for this partnership is to encourage collaboration when taking on society’s greatest infrastructural challenges. Cubic and McMaster are just the beginning. The Centre of Excellence’s vision for innovative mobility solutions that promote diversity, equity and inclusion will need all community sectors to join forces, including non-profits, governments, start-ups, technical experts and anyone else willing to answer the call to improve our way of life. The saying “it takes a village” rings true in everything we do in the mobility space, and my hope is that the Centre of Excellence can help get the ball rolling and usher in an era of unprecedented collaboration and innovation in the transportation industry.
If you're interested in learning more, watch the McMaster University + Cubic video to learn how Cubic is advancing mobility together through academia and industry partners.
