Tonya Wolfe, PhD, P.Eng

Dr. Tonya Wolfe is the Manager of the Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing (CIM-TAC), as well as an adjunct professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta. As Manager, Tonya is responsible for directing the use of the CIM-TAC’s advanced manufacturing capabilities to design, simulate, create, and validate prototypes as well as to solve the processing and productivity challenges faced by Alberta’s manufacturing industry.

While the CIM-TAC is a regionally unique, affordable alternative to in-house research and development, Tonya feels the service goes beyond offering the use of state-of-the-art equipment. “Business owners don’t always know what they need to solve the issue they’re facing, that’s where we come in,” she explains. “We provide a safe space where they can take a risk and do more than what they thought was possible.”

Recognized as a leader in the manufacturing innovation space, Tonya is never satisfied with the status quo. Her areas of expertise include metallurgy, materials design, additive manufacturing, welding, wear resistant materials, steelmaking, biomedical engineering, and process modeling, and she enjoys sharing her knowledge in order to facilitate the growth of innovation for SMEs.

Tonya has a Professional Engineering designation, a Bachelor of Applied Science from Queen’s University, and graduate degrees from the University of Alberta. Her MSc investigated the use of biomaterials for prosthetic applications and her PhD studied composite overlays deposited by plasma-transferred arc welding.

Prior to arriving at Red Deer Polytechnic in 2020 as the CIM-TAC Manager, Tonya spent more than two decades building connections and working to advance technologies and innovation with Alberta’s manufacturers. She is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, and a founding member of the Alberta Additive Manufacturing Network. 

In her spare time, Tonya competes as a Masters Synchronized Swimmer and is a leader with the Girl Guides of Canada, an organization she has been a member of for over 40 years.

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