Kristiina M. Valter McConville

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Office: ENG318 Phone: 416.979.5000 x6085 Fax: 416.979.5280 Email:

BIOGRAPHY

Kristiina Valter McConville received her B.A.Sc. degree in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo in 1986 in the co-op program, and was an exchange student at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne, France. She obtained her M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Toronto Institute of Biomedical Engineering in 1988 and 1994 respectively. She participated in the International Space University (ISU) inaugural summer session at MIT in 1988.

Dr. McConville worked in the Canadian Space Agency when it was formed in 1988-1989 in the Canadian Astronaut Program Office. She helped to prepare experiments for spaceflight for Canadian researchers and industry, and flew in microgravity on parabolic flights. She also spent 10 years in industry, at Aastra Aerospace as Manager of Biomaterials and Engineering and at Honeywell Aerospace as Product Manager for International Space Station and Sensor programs. She is now Associate Professor at Ryerson in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Adjunct Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, a Professional Engineer, and a Senior Member of IEEE.

RESEARCH/TEACHING INTERESTS

Dr. McConville's research interests are in Biomedical and Rehabilitation Engineering, specifically in the human balance control system. She is applying her past research in human senses, such as the sense of balance, to tools for the elderly and the disabled. Virtual reality games are being evaluated for training to improve balance and postural muscle responses. Applications include training for patients with Spinal Cord Injury. Dr. McConville is also interested in Human Computer Interaction, including sensory integration, driving simulation, attention and learning.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

• Supervised Best Graduate Thesis Award, Electrical and Computer Engineering 2009
• Supervised Nominees for the Institution of Engineering and Technology competition (4th year Design Project) 2009
• Vice Chair, IEEE Toronto Section Engineering in Medicine and Biology Chapter 2006-2009; currently Executive Advisor
• Supervised winner of Departmental GREA award 2009, and 2007
• Supervised 1st place winner of IEEE Best Student Paper award for Canada 2006
• Invited speaker, University of Toronto 100 year Anniversary of 1st Ph.D. 2000
• Invited to host winner of PEO Professional Engineering Week competition 1998-2001
• Elected to the International Astronautical Federation’s Committee on Life Support to support Long Term Missions 1998
• Invited member, Canadian Space Agency Long Term Space Plan III Technology Committee 1997
• Percy Ireland Day, Department of Otolaryngology University of Toronto: Best Graduate Degree Program Paper 1993
• Semifinalist in Canadian Astronaut Recruitment 1992
• International Space University Teaching Assistant to Cosmonaut Oleg Atkov, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France Sponsored by: Canadian Astronaut Program and Canadian Space Agency 1989
• Human Factors Association of Canada Best Undergraduate Paper 1986

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Sayenko D.G., Milosevic M., Masani K., McConville K.M., "Popovic M.R. Video game-based exercise for improvement of calf muscle properties: a case study." World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering. Munich, Sept. 7-12, 2009.
• Shokrollahi P., Krishnan S., Umapathy K., McConville K., Boulos M.I., Jewell D., Murray B.J. "Computer-Assisted Autoregressive Method for Quantifying Sleep Eye Movements That Reflects Medication Effects." IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference. Minnesota, Sept. 2-6, 2009.
• Milosevic, M. and McConville, K. M. V., "Measurement of Vibrations and Evaluation of Protective Gloves for Work with Hand-held Power Tools in the Industrial Settings," Proceedings of the 29th Annual International Conference of the IEEE: Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS, Lyon, France, August 23-26, 2007.
• Valter McConville, K.M., and Virk, S. "Learning in a Virtual Environment for Vestibular Rehabilitation." Neural Engineering Conference, Kohala Coast Hawaii, May 2-5, 2007.
• Karkokli, R. and McConville, K.M.V. "Design and Development of a Cost Effective Plantar Pressure Analysis System for Clinical Podiatry," IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference, New York, NY, Aug. 29-Sept. 3, 2006.

FALL 2010 COURSES

 ELE 700 Engineering Design

 ELE 772 Biomedical Signal Analysis

 EE 8010A Research Seminar

WINTER 2011 COURSES

 ELE 800 Design Project

 EE 8010/9010 Research Seminar

 EE 8215 Human-Computer Interaction