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| Ryerson Home > Rogers Communications Centre > About > People > Management |
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The People Behind the Rogers Communications Centre Management Group  Gerd Hauck, Dean Faculty of Communication & Design - Gerd came to Ryerson from the University of Waterloo where he was the chair of the Department of Drama and Speech Communications. He brings to Ryerson a passion and energy for experiential learning and an international perspective gained from study, teaching, research and performance in multiple countries. A native of Heidelberg, Germany and fluent in three languages, Gerd obtained degrees in Europe and Canada and has published works in both German and English. He has directed, produced and hosted theatre and television performances in Italy, Germany, the U.S. and Canada, and has acted as producer and host of a weekly current-affairs television program.Over the course of his career, Gerd has been involved in a wide range of scholarly areas, including modern drama, technology in theatre, translation, film and television production, journalism and dramaturgy. Much of his work is interdisciplinary. His most recent research has focused on the convergence of digital media and theatre, which allowed him to explore the applications of new technologies in both the artistic and commercial aspects of design and performance. Gerd has numerous publishing credits and has been involved in dozens of academic and cultural conferences, as an organizer, presenter and panellist. Among his many research grants and awards are a substantial Canada Foundation for Innovation grant and, as co-investigator, a number of SSHRC research grants. Most recently, he is a collaborating researcher on a 2009 NCE (Networks of Centres of Excellence) GRAND (Graphics, Animation and New Media Canada) research grant which involves cooperation with Ryerson faculty from FCAD and the Ted Rogers School of Information Technology Management. He has also received the 2008 Ontario Research Innovation Network Learning Award. Gerd's vision of post-secondary education in the 21st century is closely aligned with Ryerson's mission and academic plan. He is an advocate of pedagogy that integrates practice and theory, and at Waterloo has developed strong external relationships with community stakeholders to support the curriculum. At Waterloo he also initiated student exchange programs with European countries to broaden the international experience of his students. Prior to his appointment at Waterloo in 2000, Gerd held academic positions at the University of Toronto in the University College Drama Program and as a visiting lecturer for the German Academic Exchange Service. He has also taught in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics at York University and was visiting lecturer for two years at Cambridge University. Gerd received his PhD in theatre studies from the University of Toronto, a Master of Letters from Cambridge University, an MA in comparative literature from the University of Sussex, and the equivalent of a master's degree (Staatsexamen) from Heidelberg University. 
Brad Fortner, Program Director, Operations and Technology - Brad's role is to ensure that Ryerson's Rogers Communications Centre stays on the cutting edge of media production. His efforts proved essential to the initial technology planning and the installation management stage of the Centre's start-up. He has since provided leadership in establishing the Centre's pioneering efforts in 3D media, Digital Cinema, HDTV production, Non Linear Editing, Visual Computing and Interactive Television. Today he oversee's the elite teams and committee structure that develop, build, maintain and operate the world class media labs that are found in Ryerson's Rogers Communications Centre.Having just completed a the development of the Internet and Emerging Technologies Lab and assisting with the technical facilities associated with the launch of the Master of Professional Communication Graduate program, his more recent efforts have involved the design strategy for the Audio Facilities including Ryerson's SPIRIT Internet radio station, the development of Ryerson's 1080p HDTV digital signage system which is the first deployed IPTV 1080p TV station in the world, the development of the Centre's 10 gig Ethernet plant that allows for Digital Cinema production workflows and its SAN system that will distribute advanced design and media production campus-wide across Fiber Channel and Ethernet as well as globally via the Internet. In 2005, Mr. Fortner supervised the installation of three television studios that included a five-camera HDTV studio, the first of its kind in Canada. In 2002 he negotiated the country's largest acquisition of HDTV production equipment for use in education and research. He has been recognized by Ryerson University for his decades of service, receiving the prestigious "Ryersonian of the Year," awarded in 1999. In 2004, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers honored him with the "Citation for Outstanding Service," based on his work with the Toronto SMPTE Section. His commitment to education twice earned him a finalist position in the "Educator of the Year" category of the Canadian New Media Awards. Currently serving as Educational Director for the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Mr. Fortner has chaired Toronto's New Media Trainers Alliance, has been a contributing editor to Broadcaster Magazine, and was heavily involved with Canadian Digital Television Inc. concentrating on ATSC data transmission and interactivity. He currently sits as Secretary Treasurer and Promotions advisor to the Toronto Section of SMPTE and sits on the executive of the Toronto Final Cut Pro Users Group. Brads Blog can be found at www.bradfortner.com  Ron
Rankine, Manager Of Project and Research Support
- As Manager of Projects & Research Support for
the Rogers Communications Centre, Ron Rankine
has three main focuses: Teambuilding, Research
Support and Project Management. Ron builds and
coordinates the teams that work on cutting-edge
projects like the Quick Time VR-virtual Rogers
tour, the gesture based interface project and
the Access Grid development. His teams support
internal and external organizations with regards
to new media progress.Ron's active involvement
with the Ryerson University community continues
today as it has for the last 26 years as he continues
to assist researchers with new project concepts.
Ron has been the key person who worked with the
EMMA foundation on facilitating the jury process
at Ryerson in 2002.
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