Normand Brais

Graduated in 1982 from Polytechnique Montreal , Normand Brais holds a mechanical engineering degree, a master in thermodynamics, and a PhD in computational fluid dynamics of combustion from the Institute of Nuclear Engineering of the University of Montreal. He was appointed Professor at Polytechnique after he graduated. During his teaching years at Polytechnique, he worked closely with the local gas company research center and founded BMA http://www.bma.ca/, a consulting firm specializing in industrial combustion. His engineering career started at Todd Combustion where he worked as a commissioning engineer on NOx reduction retrofit projects. He later co-founded National Combustion Equipment NATCOM http://natcomonline.com/ , a burner manufacturer where he created a new generation of ultra-low emission burners using advanced CFD design to bring NOX down to 7 ppm to meet the California emission requirements. He also co-founded Sanuvox Technologies http://www.sanuvox.com/ , which became a worldwide leader in air and surface disinfection for hospitals and buildings using germicidal UV irradiation technology. Normand Brais is a board member of Univalor, a non-profit organization whose mission is to guide Montreal University professors in the commercialization of breakthrough technology. He has co-founded Castor Optics recently with two professors to fund their research in fiber optic couplers and commercialize their findings in the miniaturization of medical endoscope. He also serves as President of the Polytechnique Alumni Foundation.

History in general and more specifically on the impact of science and technology on society. New ideas and innovations and how they can change the way we live.

Education defined as the development of curiosity and the capacity of critical reasonning is the most valuable asset of mankind to face the challenges of the 21st century. Unfortunately, our current education system is still based on concepts of the 19th century. The scientific knowledges acquired over the last 200 years that have profound implications on our perception of the world are not being adequately transmitted to the new generations. Science is considered as being complicated and not something essential to be taught to young kids so that they can have a better understanding of the world. The average educated adult today has very little notions about atoms, molecules, DNA, biology, evolution, history of the universe and of the earth. This rich knowledge base that describes and explains what we know today about the roots of our world are not being transmitted through mass education in primary school. The reason is we grossly underestimate the learning capacity of children.

Bio Engineering, Combustion technology, education, Heat transfer, flow dynamics and thermoelectrics

Ice Hockey. Because most assume that a nerd can't be good in sport ! But, to remain serious, I have a side-interest for philisophy and history of religions.