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GREAT CAREERS FOR GREAT ENGINEERS Start your career with ATCO today! With ATCO, you will join our unique and diverse world with an opportunity to grow your career across our various companies. Our people work for a respected and dynamic Alberta-based company with a solid track record of growth, a focus on safety and signiďŹ cant potential for the future. Jessica, Engineering Supervisor, ATCO Power

For more information on career opportunities with ATCO, visit us at www.atcocareers.com.

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Outreach programs

spark student interest in science, math and technology o compete in the global economy, it’s more important than ever to encourage Alberta’s youth to explore careers in science, math and technology. Outreach programs, like those offered by The Association of Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA), are helping to make this happen. Across Alberta, APEGGA has teamed up with educators, parents, science groups, government and industry to deliver science-related programs to students and the general public. Science competitions, math contests, science nights, summer science camps and regional science fairs are some of the programs that APEGGA sponsors or organizes. Hundreds of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists help make

these programs a success by volunteering their time as mentors and role models. By providing outreach programs that are interesting, engaging and fun, APEGGA, Professional Members and various partners hope to inspire the next generation of scientists, inventors and business leaders. For example, through Scientists & Engineers-in-the-Classroom, APEGGA and the Alberta Science Literacy Association send volunteer Professional Engineers and Geoscientists into schools to share their passion for science and engineering. During Science and Technology Week, APEGGA sponsors Rock & Fossil Clinics, where Professional Geologists and university students identify rocks and fossils brought in by families. “Outreach programs are a great way to in-

volve children in hands-on activities that develop their problem solving, planning and teamwork skills. These are fundamental skills they can apply to any career they choose,” said Richard Montgomery, P.Eng., who volunteers with the science olympics outreach program. “Events like the science olympics challenge kids to think outside the box and I’m always amazed by the creativity shown by tomorrow’s engineers and geoscientists.”

OUTREACH

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Bringing

science th you to

APEGGA supports the efforts of teachers to spark interest in science, math and technology. Professional Engineers and Geoscientists volunteer their time at APEGGA Outreach Program events. APEGGA also has special programs to attract Aboriginal youth, girls and women to the professions. Free, province-wide services include: • Career presentations • Career booths • Career publications • Job shadows (Grade 9 to 12) • Judges for science events • Science olympics • Elementary school science nights • Teacher Awards Program

Contact the APEGGA Outreach Program:

email@apegga.org apegga.org/K12/outreach/toc.html Edmonton — 780-426-3990 Calgary — 403-262-7714 Toll Free — 1-800-661-7020

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rofessional Engineers and Geoscientists have an opportunity to build their skills, their careers – and a better future for Alberta – at the APEGGA Summit 2012 Annual General Meeting and Conference. The event, which runs April 19 - 21 in Edmonton at the Shaw Conference Centre, and The Westin hotel, brings together engineers and geoscientists for three days of professional development, networking and social activities. “APEGGA Summit 2012 is a forum for engineering and geoscience professionals to share ideas and information, learn about new innovations in their

Summit 2012

March iAs

fields and get inspired,” said Jim Smith, P.Eng., President of The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA). “It’s a chance for our Members to engage with their professions and their Association, while expanding their knowledge and professional networks.”

Professional development APEGGA Summit 2012 kicks off with a series of professional development seminars on April 19 and 20. The seminars cover a range of topics, with several business-related streams, an environment stream, a geoscience stream and an Executive Track program. Attendees will learn about new developments in technology, management and business. Non-members are also welcome to register.

Summit Awards® Gala Now in it’s 22nd year, APEGGA’s prestigious black-tie event will be held the evening of April 19, to celebrate the achievements of APEGGA’s Professional Members. “Publicly recognizing the achievements of Alberta engineers and geoscientists encourages APEGGA Members to not only meet minimum professional standards, but to strive for excellence and contribute to the development of the province,” said Professional Engineer Dr. Tian Tang, recipient of the Early Accomplishment Award in 2011. New for 2012 is the Women in Engineering and Geoscience Champion Award. It will be presented to a nominee who has contributed to the attraction, development and accomplishments of women in engineering or geoscience.

National Engineering & Geoscience Month

MARCH 2012

APEGGA Art Show and reception Prior to the Summit Awards® Gala is the 11th annual APEGGA Art Show and reception. This visual arts showcase features paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs created by Members and their families.

Annual General Meeting On Saturday morning, April 21, Members can get involved in the governance of the Association at the Annual General Meeting. Members are encouraged to present motions for Council’s consideration and to vote on matters before Council. The meeting is an opportunity to assist Council in setting priorities for the upcoming year and to be part of the dialogue on important issues facing APEGGA and the professions.

Calendar of events Celebrations start with NEGM kickoff events in Calgary (March 1) and Edmonton (March 2). Engineers and geoscientists will compete in a mystery science challenge that will test their skills. In Edmonton, there will also be fun science demonstrations for kids at the TELUS World of Science on March 2. Throughout the month, APEGGA will host science olympics and elementary school science nights around the province. In 2011, more than 5,000 students, teachers and volunteers took part in these events. “The focus is on fun,” said Edmonton science olympics chairman Jeff Goldie. “The kids like the hands-on nature of the activities. It gives them an outlet for their creativity.” Trish Hunter, a science teacher at Balmoral School in Calgary, encourages parents and schools to take part in NEGM activities. She’s been bringing her Grade 5 and 6 students to the APEGGA Calgary science olympics since 2003. “Science is a lot more than a subject in school. I think the science olympics creates a desire in students to learn more, and to possibly consider a career in science,” said Hunter. For a complete calendar of events taking place during the month, look on pages E5 and E11 of this supplement.

cross Alberta, Professional Engineers and Geoscientists are turning their ideas into innovations. In every industry and every community, they are transforming the world we live in. During National Engineering & Geoscience Month (NEGM) March 1 to 31, it’s time to celebrate the contributions these professionals make in our province and around the globe. “There are more than 63,000 Professional Engineers and Geoscientists in Alberta. The work they do benefits everyone, improving our quality of life, keeping us safe and growing our economy,” said Jim Smith, P.Eng., President of The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA). “We’re proud to showcase the excellent work being done by Professional Engineers and Geoscientists, not only during NEGM but all year long.” Various events will be held throughout the month to raise awareness about the professions and highlight careers in science, math and technology. “There are many exciting and diverse career paths in engineering and geoscience. We want to encourage young people, in particular female and Aboriginal Get involved students, to explore the possibilities,” said Smith. Celebrating NEGM is also an important part of APEGGA’s For more information on what’s happening across commitment to building strong relationships within the Alberta during NEGM, and to get involved, visit engineering and geoscience communities. APEGGA’s calendar of events at www.apegga.org.

CONTRIBUTORS Sandy Arndt; Cathie Bartlett; Kelle Cloutier; Michelle Dekker (photo); Rebecca Dika; Greg Fulmes (photo); Jeanne Keaschuk; Arlene Lauer-Krueger; Don Lawton, P.Geoph. (photo); Corinne Lutter; Don Molyneaux (photo); Philip Mulder, APR; Shari Narine; Sarah Pratt; Jimmy Sadden; Greg Southam (photo); Ben Wickland

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4 MARCH 2012

APEGGA Members

think smart

to improve lives

around the globe T

he far-ranging efforts by Members of The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) reflect their desire to protect public safety and well-being, not just in Alberta, but around the world.

Providing access to a safe water supply Laurra Olmsted, P. Geol., co-founded Hydrogeologists Without Borders (HWB) in 2005 with colleague Cathy Main, P.Geol., to raise the profile of water-related issues. A major thrust is getting technical information to other groups such as CARE and UNICEF. “A lot of NGOs are not bettering the rate of safe access Laurra Olmsted, P.Geol., worked with Kenyans to clean excess silt out of a stream, allowing the water to flow freely and reducing the threat of malaria due to standing, stagnant water.

to water because they don’t have technical knowledge,” said Olmsted. Many such organizations figure putting in a well will improve things, for instance. But what if drought strikes and the water table drops, or, in coastal areas, saline water enters and degrades the quality of the local water? Hydrogeologists understand how complex water issues below the surface can be. HWB now has a board of experienced directors, members in 23 countries and is collaborating with 13 other organizations to improve the success rate of water projects. Fundraisers such as last summer’s Shower Strike helped raise public awareness. Olmsted and four others went without showers for a week. Colleagues and various groups paid the strikers to shorten the showerfree period, and in the end $14,000 was collected. Also in the long-term, Olmsted

recently started UniWater Education Inc. This non-profit organization is committed to establishing graduate programs in hydrogeology in water-scarce countries.

Changing the way we think about waste Dr. Ian Gates, P.Eng., and Dr. Michael Kallos, P. Eng., associate professors at the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary, are developing technology that will turn human waste into such useful products as methane gas, fertilizer, water, heat and electricity. Their proposal, for use in developing countries, brought a Grand Challenges Explorations Grant of US$100,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the spring of 2011. The grant is financing the project’s first phase, which includes building a prototype, now being tested “with fake poop of various consistencies,” said Gates. From there, the two inventors will apply this fall to the foundation for US$1 million, to go to the construction phase. After some research, consulting villagers in Pakistan, the original porta-potty design has changed to a much simpler valve that would fit into the existing sanitation system in the home. Research also showed villagers wanted gas for cooking and clean water, while city-dwellers preferred electricity as an end

product. The project has another potential benefit: saving millions of lives. “Roughly two billion people use non-sewer – or non-piped – sanitation systems that often pollute the water supply. As a result, 1.6 million children die each year from diseases caused by fecal-oral contamination,” Dr. Gates said. “The technology we’re proposing would provide an effective way to dispose of human fecal matter and urine by consuming them in the production of useful products.”

Professional Engineers Dr. Ian Gates and Dr. Michael Kallos in front of their prototype toilet.

Earthquake support in New Zealand Dr. Don Lawton, P. Geoph., professor in the Department of Geoscience at University of Calgary, led a scientific team to Christchurch, New Zealand, after a devastating earthquake struck the city Feb. 22, 2011. The New Zealand Crisis Management Centre asked Dr. Lawton and research staff of the Consortium for Research in Elastic Wave Exploration Seismology to bring a 600channel Aries seismic recording system belonging to U of C’s Department of Geoscience. The objective was to conduct urgent seismic profiling in and around Christchurch to help identify shallow fault systems for earthquake risk assessment

Kevin Hall, P.Geoph., (front) and Malcolm Bertram (rear) operate a seismic recording system in Christchurch, New Zealand.

and natural hazard rankings. The team made two trips in April and May and recorded nearly 50 line kilometres of seismic data to map faults below the city. The very successful program led to several previously unknown faults mapped below the seismic lines. The Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority is using this information to assist in post-earthquake planning.

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NEGM Calendar of

Online resources

Events For more information and up-to-date NEGM event listings visit: apegga.org Engineers Canada nem-mng.ca University of AlbertaEngineering Students’ Society

ess.ualberta.ca

University of Calgary Engineering Students’ Society

ess.ucalgary.ca

Canstruction® Calgary canstructioncalgary.com Engineers Without Borders fireicegala.com Alberta Palaeontological Society albertapaleo.org follow us @APEGGA_AB

Check out the APEGGA Student Advantage Program (ASAP) page

or apegga.org/PostSecondary/ASAP/toc.html

APEGGA Activities

Peace Country (Grades 7-12)

NEGM Kickoff Events

Medicine Hat (Grades 4-7)

Calgary

Thursday, March 1 • Chinook Centre • Mystery science challenge with APEGGA Members (Noon-1:15 p.m.)

Edmonton

MARCH 2012

Thursday March 8, 12-5 p.m. Canstruction (TBA) Friday March 9, 5-8 p.m. Engg/Geo Mixer (Alumni Room in SUB)

Saturday, March 24, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Grande Prairie Regional College

Spring Formal & Awards Banquet

Saturday, March 24, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Kiwanis Regional Science Fair Medicine Hat College

Saturday March 10 • The Creperie Students, faculty and engineers come together to celebrate NEGM. Awards are presented to graduating students who have demonstrated a commitment to the engineering community. NOTE: Tickets/tables for this event can be purchased by contacting president@ess.ualberta.ca.

Cold Lake (Grades 6-9) Wednesday, March 28, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Bonnyville Centennial Centre

Lethbridge (Grades 4-12) Saturday, March 31, 12:30-4 p.m. Lethbridge Regional Science Fair University of Lethbridge

PI Week

• Mystery science challenge with APEGGA Members (Noon-1:15 p.m.)

Lloydminster

Science Olympics

University of Alberta Engineering Students’ Society Activities

Keep extra change on hand this week! Pies are sent by friends and enemies, and the recipient must donate money to send it on or take it in the face. All funds raised go to Habitat for Humanity.

Friday, March 2 • TELUS World of Science • Fun science demonstrations for kids (10 a.m.-Noon)

Calgary (Grades 1-12) Saturday, Feb. 25, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Stampede Park, Big Four Building, Hall C

Edmonton (Grades 1-12) Saturday, March 3, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Shaw Conference Centre, Hall A

Red Deer (Grades 7-12) Saturday, March 3, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Westpark Middle School

March 12-16 • University of Alberta campus and in the community

Date and location TBA

NEGM Events Monday March 5, 7:30-10:30 a.m. Coffee & Doughnuts (ETLC Atrium) Tuesday March 6, 1-4 p.m. Communication Breakdown Wednesday March 7, 5-7 p.m. Design Competition (ATCO Design Lab)

Engineers Without Borders University of Alberta Chapter March 19-30 • University of Alberta Spaces, the 1st Annual Engineering Art Show, takes place March 19-30. Engineering students, faculty, and professionals will share their creative side. Various media will be featured, from photography to painting to sculpture. The art will be displayed in various engineering buildings at the University of Alberta. Final showcase held April 2 (location and time TBD). Email engineeringspaces@gmail.com. Continued on page 11

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Jessica, Engineering Supervisor, ATCO Power

With ATCO, you will join our unique and diverse world with an opportunity to grow your career across our various companies.Our people work for a respected and dynamic Alberta-based company with a solid track record of growth, a focus on safety and significant potential for the future. For more information visit www.atcocareers.com.

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Protecting Alberta’s investors

hat does the study of geology have to do with your financial safety net? In Alberta, one geologist is part of the team of lawyers, accountants, investment industry professionals and former police officers who work with the Alberta Securities Commission in enforcing the Alberta Securities Act. Professional Geologist Paul Kavanagh was attracted to geology, in part, because of his love of the outdoors. “Having worked my undergraduate summers doing geological field work, I was envious of people working in the office and getting paid as

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Paul Kavanagh, P.Geol., investigates breaches of the Alberta Securities Act.

much as I was,” he recalled. He landed an office job as a geologist in the petroleum industry and subsequently did technical investigations for an insurance company. That lead ultimately to his role at the Alberta Securities Commission. The Commission administers the province’s securities laws, protects investors and safeguards a fair capital market in the province. “We investigate potential breaches of the Alberta Securities Act,” he said. “Having a petroleum geology and engineering background is useful in a

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New

technologies improve traffic

safety

lberta is leading the way with a life-saving technology that is reducing the serious and sometimes fatal results of median crossover collisions on divided roadways. An 11-kilometre section of the City of Calgary’s Deerfoot Trail had experienced a high number of fatal and severeinjury crossover collisions. After evaluating different median barrier systems, Alberta Transportation decided to install a high-tension median cable barrier (HTCB) used with success in other countries including the U.S. EBA, A Tetra Tech Company designed and supervised the HTCB construction, completed in May 2007. Since then, not a single crossover fatality or severe injury has occurred along that stretch of the roadway. In July 2010, Alberta Transportation installed another 133 kilometres of HTCB on the Queen Elizabeth II highway between Airdrie and Red Deer and also near Leduc, possibly the largest installation in North America to date. EBA again provided the design and construction supervision services. The results of both installations are fewer fatal and severe-injury collisions. “In fact, many vehicles that hit HTCB are able to drive away,” said Dr. Masood Hassan, P.Eng., and senior transportation engineer with EBA. “Alberta Transportation is a pioneer of this technology in Canada. They decided that this is a technology which saves lives and is cost effective. Today, there is more HTCB in Alberta than in the rest of Canada combined.” HTCB is a system of three or four steel cables connected to steel posts. The ends of the cables, which are under high tension, are anchored to strong concrete foundations. “Low tension cable barriers have been used on highways since the 1930s,” said Hassan, “but once they are hit, they lie down on the ground and can’t take any more hits. High tension cable barriers retain tension after a hit, so they can take more hits before repairs are made.” Concrete or W-beam barriers are rigid and cause more damage to vehicles and occupants. “By contrast, high tension cable barriers are flexible and forgiving,” said Hassan, “and they are also more cost-effective.” The province is looking at potentially installing more of these systems as budgets allow.

Wai Cheung, P.Eng., chief engineer on the Intelligent Transportation System project.

ENGINEERS ARE

IN DEMAND.

BUILD A DYNAMIC FUTURE.

Optimizing Signal Timing Dr. Masood Hassan, P.Eng., with a set of high tension cable barriers, designed to reduce the severity of cross-lane accidents.

AD-RA-CAL-2012FEB08-P1V1

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In a perfect world, traffic jams would be non-existent. Even in rush hour, your route would offer clear sailing from Point A to Point B. When all the elements are in place, the City of Edmonton could be taking one step closer to that perfect world with new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technology. The Yellowhead Trail is one of Edmonton’s busiest traffic corridors, providing east-west access to more than 70,000 vehicles per day. When ITS is up and running, it will be able to identify traffic congestion, optimize signals and inform drivers of alternate routes to improve traffic flow along the well-used roadway. “A lot of the hardware is out there already. We have a lot of the vehicle detection sensors in the pavement, Continued on page 12

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t would not surprise APEGGA Engineering Student Member Adam Cripps to see an igloo-shaped solar house on a First Nation in a decade or so. Cripps is in his fourth year of civil engineering at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering. In early 2010, he joined the team that developed the U of C’s submission for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2011 in Washington, D.C. Later he became the structural lead. The Cenovus-Technological Residence Traditional Living or TRTL (pronounced “turtle”) was the only Canadian entry. It placed tenth. “We faced some challenges in D.C.,” said Cripps, who spent almost a month there with the project. “We had a very small team compared to the rest of them.” The two-bedroom house is approximately 93 square metres. It has a large central area where cooking and The Cenovus-Technological Residence Traditional Living or TRTL.

eating is the focus. The specifics of the structure, designed as alternative housing on First Nations, are impressive. It has an 8.7 kW solar array that performs at a minimum 95 per cent efficiency, ensuring that the house produces more energy than it consumes. The design also tackles concerns that face much First Nations housing: mold, fire, and the high cost of traditional energy in remote areas.  But perhaps more impressive is the endorsement the project, which had input from the U of C’s Treaty 7 Aboriginal Advisory Council, received from a number of First Nations. Blood Chief Charlie Weasel Head was consulted during the design development phase and former Piikani Chief Reg Crowshoe gave TRTL the Blackfoot name Spo’pi, meaning turtle, during a ceremony. “The house certainly has a lot of good things going for it,” said Cripps, whose mother belongs to the Ermineskin First Nation. “The rounded form takes a bit more time and a bit more money (to build), but over the course of one full year, the house will make more energy than what it needs.”

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discussion between two men who happened to be seated at the same table at a wedding reception has resulted in a breakthrough for the faster detection of malaria. “You never know who you run into and how ideas spark,” said Dr. Sirish Shah, P.Eng., a researcher in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta. Three or four years ago, Shah found himself seated next to Patrick Duffy, an expert in malaria with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, in Washington, D.C. Shah told Duffy about the research work he was carrying out to help Suncor Energy with consistency in monitoring the interface between bitumen and the middlings layer (water and sand). The finished product is an image-based, non-invasive sensor that provides interface level detection and significant reductions in the loss of bitumen to the tailing ponds. “He said, ‘If you can do that, then would you be able to detect malarial parasites in images off of blood slides?’ I said it would be interesting to look at that,” recalled Shah. And like any good researcher and scientist, Shah took it on as a challenge, recruiting chemical engineering student Yash Purwar, who expressed interest in the project. With the aid of Alberta Health Services, the pair was provided with images of blood slides with Continued on page 18

MALARIA From simple discussion to overwhelming scientific results

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Engineering

s n o i t u l o new s

infections, making it the number four cause of death in North America. “It’s a staggering problem.” Cleankeys is manufactured in Edmonton and sold worldwide. An electrical engineering graduate of the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering, Marsden found his niche after a friend became paralyzed. “We built a computer on his wheelchair that very day, engineers help the medical community in ways most of us will never helped him communicate.” see. Working with other disciplines, they’re developing practical new solutions That spawned Madentec, a company that over the past two decades has to many common health-care issues. created 12 products employing assistive

to health-care problems

MARCH 2012

technology for people with disabilities. Madentec has helped the likes of Christopher Reeve and Muhammad Ali, as well as thousands of other people with disabilities worldwide to access a computer hands-free. According to Marsden, most innovations happen when synergies are created between two disciplines. “Cleankeys was created when technology met with dentistry,” he said. “Stick an engineer with any other discipline with a problem and chances are you’ll see a solution.” Continued on page 12

Clean keyboard prevents infections in health-care facilities

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WE HAVE A [ PROGRAM ] FOR THAT.

Formulas, variables, forces and friction. When you solve for x, things explode. Imagine innovation. Engineer excitement. Courtesy of NasaImages.org

“This is something that before wasn’t possible, rendering the touch screen technology used on every smart phone Take the world’s first touch-sensitive and tablet in the world useless for keyboard, designed by Professional keyboard applications,” said Marsden, Engineer Randy Marsden. Created to founder and CEO of Cleankeys. fight infections and save lives one His company has a long history of dekeyboard at a time, it uses the science of veloping products for people with dissound to prevent and control infection. abilities and it was almost by accident A combination of two kinds of touch Marsden put his brain power to use for and vibration sensors allows the user the health-care industry. to rest their fingers on the keyboard. When a French dentist purchased a handscomputer Most innovations free mouse, Marshappen when den wanted to know why. “We synergies are about created between two learned the challenges of disciplines. infection control caused by a com— Randy Marsden, P.Eng. puter’s presence in the operatory,” said Marsden. A computer keyboard harbours all manner of germs and bacteria. Keeping it clean – especially in the sterile setting of a hospital operating room – is a significant challenge. Because it’s shared by so many, the traditional keyboard hosts the perfect storm for spreading infection. Marsden said there are about 100,000 deaths a year attributed to hospital-acquired

Courtesy of NasaImages.org

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University of Calgary Engineering Students’ Society Activities Pi Week March 8-15 • University of Calgary campus and in the community Students and faculty raise thousands of dollars for Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS), while sending their colleagues pies to take in the face.

First & Second Year Student Dinner March 28 • Fairmont Palliser Hotel, Calgary Students are introduced to members of the faculty and industry, served a four star meal and provided opportunity to exercise networking skills critical for their future

careers. Awards are distributed to professors, and to the student who best represents engineering spirit, showing outstanding leadership within the engineering community. For tickets: ess@ucalgary.ca.

Canstruction® Calgary February 29 – March 9 TELUS Spark • 220 St. George’s Drive NE The 7th annual Canstruction® Calgary competition is an event of astronomical proportions. Theme is The Universe: Yours To Discover. Local businesses and schools will be creating the cosmos out of canned goods. Exhibits can be viewed with paid admission to TELUS Spark. All food donations to Calgary Food Bank.

Engineers Without Borders Edmonton Saturday, March 10, 6:30 p.m.

Edmonton EXPO Centre • 7515 - 118 Ave. Engineers Without Borders Edmonton and the North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper host the inaugural Fire & Ice Gala, featuring an evening of dinner, entertainment, silent and live auctions, with master of ceremonies Danny Hooper. Funds raised support initiatives to improve water infrastructure in Malawi and Ghana and deliver community education awareness programs on watershed stewardship and water quality to Alberta’s youth. Visit www.fireicegala.com.

Engineers Without Borders Calgary Times and locations TBA Thurs. March 1 • Mixer with theme “Discussions that Matter” Thurs. March 8 • Panel exploring the role of engineers in society Thurs. March 15 • Tentative Workshop

MARCH 2012

March 19 - 23 • Design Competition with ISEEESA Thurs. March 29 • Closing lecture

Alberta Palaeontological Society Saturday, March 17, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sunday, March 18, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Mount Royal University • Calgary Paleo 2012 is presented in conjunction with the CSPG Palaeontological Division and Mount Royal University Earth Sciences Department. Lecture events, poster viewings are free and require no registration. Saturday includes fossil displays and activities of interest to all including families. Sunday workshops, $15 and require registration. To register contact Mona Marsovsky at 403-547-0182 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org.

Rally Together for Growth

www.rallyeng.com Rally Engineering is actively recruiting Project Engineers, Discipline Engineers and Designers to join our growing team. We are currently developing and executing numerous energy industry projects (Reﬁning, Upgrading, Oil Sands, SAGD, Coal and Power Distribution). We are looking for energetic, positive and qualiﬁed people to become part of our dynamic work environment. Please visit our website to see your opportunity!

At Williams, we help create cleaner energy for all and an opportunity for you. Williams is a leading processor of oil sands off-gas. We reduce greenhouse emissions by helping to remove CO2 and SO2 emissions from the oil sands upgrading process. Then, we return clean-burning methane to the oil sands upgraders. We also produce valuable products that boost Alberta’s economy. We do all of this with integrity, safety and reliability. Right now, we’re looking for qualified people to be a part of the Williams team. You can take a look at what we do by viewing a video at williams.com/canada. At Williams, we’re looking for energy; we’re looking for you. Explore your opportunities with us, visit williams.com/careers and be part of something different.

We make energy happen.™

(800) WILLIAMS | williams.com/canada

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Continued from page 10

New non-invasive way to treat lung cancer Dr. Warren Finlay, P.Eng., at the University of Alberta’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, is one of the leads in a cross-faculty project that may reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy for lung cancer patients. A non-invasive and effective method for the delivery of chemotherapy, boasting little or no side effects, the project opens a new frontier in the treatment of lung cancer by using an inhalable powder. The innovative drug delivery platform is a unique collaboration by three U of A faculties and is being hailed as a major advancement in the treatment of lung cancer. Alongside Raimar Lobenberg (U of A Pharmacy) and Drug-loaded nanoparticles could help treat lung cancer more effectively.

Wilson Roa (U of A Medicine), the team has developed an inhalable powder that disperses chemotherapy directly into a patient’s lungs using drug-loaded nanoparticles. “The long-term survival rate of lung cancer patients treated by conventional modalities such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy remains far from satisfactory,” said Finlay. Chemotherapy needs to be administered at high doses to reach the cancer cells, and this impacts normal cells by inhibiting their growth, causing side effects and even patient death. “Drug delivery can play a key role in the fight against cancer by delivering the drugs to the tumour site and decreasing or eliminating the side effects,” he explained. The technology will move ahead in small steps, said Finlay. “This involves several new technologies all at the same time.” Human clinical trials are pending, he added.

Sleep disorders diagnosed at home Patients can get results about their sleep health more easily these days. Up until recently, the only approved monitoring

method was to attend an overnight sleep lab. Though the science that validated portable monitoring as an equivalent to sleep labs was published years ago, medical traditions, regional practices and insurer policies have only now begun to evolve, reports Ronald Platt, P.Eng. Platt is president of Sagatech, an Alberta company that has pioneered the routine use of portable monitoring. It has developed an ambulatory device designed for unattended sleep studies in the home. Called a sleep recorder, it’s a convenient, inexpensive and easy-to-use device that can be used to diagnose sleep apnea via an in-home evaluation of respiratory status during sleep. “Portable diagnostic devices such as the Remmers Sleep Recorder have reduced waiting time and costs associated with the methods traditionally employed in diagnosis of sleep apnea,” explained Platt. Independent studies show the device is an equivalent to overnight sleep labs and portable sleep recording. Portable testing is far more convenient for patients than overnight sleep labs, and up to 10 times less expensive, added Platt.

MARCH 2012

Continued from page 8

Traffic Safety and the cameras and dynamic message signs are in place along the Yellowhead,” said Wai Cheung, P.Eng., with Transportation Operations for the City of Edmonton and chief engineer on the project. ITS uses sensors embedded in the roadway to determine traffic volume and speed. It feeds that information to the Traffic Management Centre, where special software is able to identify potential traffic delays as well as possible detours. If an accident occurs on the Yellowhead, an incident management scenario will deal with it by informing drivers. “We can provide alternate routes and optimize signals to improve traffic flow on the detour routes,” said Cheung. “If there is an incident, we could keep the traffic moving.” Even in normal traffic conditions, the system would constantly monitor volume information and calculate the best signal times, Cheung said, “so even without an incident you get some improvement in traffic flow. And it is responsive to what’s actually happening on the roadways, constantly optimizing signal timing.”

Striving for less…

��

After more than 50 years of research, pilot work and commercial production in the oil sands, we’re still striving for less… less greenhouse-gas emissions, that is. We are relentless in our pursuit of technologies that will help us recover more bitumen while emitting less greenhouse gases. At Cold Lake, technologies we’re implementing include using hydrocarbon solvents to assist and one day even replace the steam we inject to produce bitumen. And our Kearl Oil Sands Project, starting up in late 2012, will be the first oil-sands mining operation that does not require an upgrader to make a saleable crude oil. Processing bitumen once rather than twice results in lower greenhouse-gas emissions. Our relentless pursuit of technology will continue – because we won’t settle for anything less than less. Read about these and other technologies at www.imperialoil.ca

NATI O NA L ENGINEERING & GE O S C IEN C E M O NT H

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX Ask anyone in the oil and gas industry and they’ll tell you that the most exciting time to be part of a company is when it’s growing. That’s exactly the position Enerplus is in. It achieved an early-mover advantage and built strong foundations in some of North America’s best resource plays. There’s a lot of drilling going on, and the company is seeing just how large these plays can be. Employees are also using fresh eyes and technologies to make the company’s stable of mature plays new again. There’s an energy that’s contagious at Enerplus. It’s no surprise that the company continues to attract both new professionals and industry veterans to its ranks. The company is showing no signs of slowing down, and they’re on the hunt for the next big thing. In fact, it has a team that’s solely focused on developing a high-impact portfolio in emerging resource plays in North America. Oil and liquids rich gas are focus areas for the company, and with a large and growing sandbox to play in, Enerplus is looking to add the right kinds of people to help unlock the technological challenges of new unconventional plays.

EMPLOYEE PROFILE Glen Ciurysek

Senior Staff Engineer, New Plays

What do you do at Enerplus?

As an engineer by training, I’ve stayed on the technical vs. management route. There’s a good challenge for me here in applying the latest techniques to new plays. It’s like building a jigsaw puzzle with only 20 percent of the pieces. I help bridge the rest.

What excites you about working for Enerplus?

It’s never the same day twice here. Other places, you’re a little more deﬁned in your role. But at Enerplus, I have a good opportunity to stay current and grow with the industry. Our ability to capture new opportunities is vast. There are no constraints on what’s possible.

It’s all about challenging conventional wisdom with an entrepreneurial mindset and the resources of a modern-day explorer. The people at Enerplus will tell you that new ideas are always welcome here. And with a clear line of sight to senior management, they’re not seen as a cog in the wheel. Instead, they’re empowered to make decisions that make a difference in a company that has the guts to take some chances. Enerplus’ open culture is really all about tapping into the know-how of its people. And those people are helping the company ﬁnd the next big thing, right in their own backyard. If you’d like to play in our sandbox, explore the possibilities at www.enerplus.com.

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DESIGN the FUTURE

Professional Engineers and Geoscientists reduce mining impact on

water &

wildlife

A fish tank was installed at Syncrude’s research facility in Edmonton and filled with filtered tailings pond water. Two koi fish and two goldfish were then introduced. A year later, the fish have grown from the size of a thumb to the size of a hand. The tank meanwhile provides a healthy environment where the fish graze on algae growing on rocks and plants in between meals of pellets and flakes.

MARCH 2012

cross Alberta, engineers and geoscientists are working hard to find ways to mitigate the environmental impact of oil sands development.

Petroleum coke filters tailings water It almost sounds too good to be true: could a byproduct of the bitumen upgrading process actually work as a water filter, much like the charcoal filter on your kitchen faucet? Could it help speed up the oil sands reclamation process? Although still being tested, the possible answer is “yes!” It all began about four years ago when Warren Zubot, P.Eng., was researching water treatment for Syncrude. “We collected water looking for organic compounds and there weren’t any. So we did some fundamental research to see why that happened.” Petroleum coke is a byproduct of the upgrading process. It looks a bit like charcoal that you might use in your barbecue. “We slurry it with tailings ponds water and move it through a pipeline to storage, with about 80 per cent water and 20 per cent coke in the pipeline,” said Zubot. “It turns out that the water at the end of the pipeline has actually been treated, because the coke works like the charcoal filters you can buy.” Zubot and his group have been conducting research on the process since then and a field study began last spring. “One of the purposes of the pilot Continued on page 18

A Global Leader with Local Responsibilities While our core business is engineering, procurement and construction, service to the communities in which we live and work is our privilege. Through our projects, philanthropy and employee volunteerism, Fluor is dedicated to building strong and sustainable communities and to having a positive impact on those lives we touch.

Join us and do the best work of your career. WorleyParsons manages many of the world’s leading resources & energy projects in our four customer sector groups: Hydrocarbons, Power, Minerals & Metals and Infrastructure & Environment. As Edmonton’s largest EPCM firm, we are recruiting talented professionals for the following positions in our Edmonton and Saskatoon offices:

WorleyParsons Edmonton and CoSyn Technology:

» » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » »

Lead Plant Design System Coordinator (PDS) Civil/Structural Team Lead Intermediate / Senior Process Engineers Intermediate / Senior Mechanical Engineers Electrical PDS Designer Electrical Engineer/ Designers – Power Distribution Senior Piping Designers ( PDS/AutoPlant) Project Managers Senior Project Engineers Project Controls Managers / Leads Senior Planner/Schedulers Senior Cost Controllers Electrical Designers / Engineers Senior Automation Engineers/Technologists Senior Instrumentation & Controls Engineers/Technologists Senior Civil/Structural Designers Materials Handling Mechanical Engineers/Designers Senior Pipe Stress Engineers Intermediate / Senior Civil / Structural Engineers

WorleyParsons Saskatoon:

» » » » »

Senior Electrical Engineers Senior Mechanical Engineers Senior Civil/Structural Engineers Senior Piping Designers Intermediate and Senior Mining Estimators

CA20100040

To view a complete list of our current opportunities or to apply, please visit:

www.worleyparsons.com/careers

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DESIGN AND BUILD YOUR IDEAL CAREER CUSTOM ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT MAKES EVERY DAY A NEW CHALLENGE. An engineering position with Stewart & Stevenson Canada isn’t just an opportunity to work on some of the world’s most technologically advanced oilfield equipment. It’s also an opportunity to make your mark on an industry – producing custom design solutions and seeing your work through every stage of production. With each new day comes a new challenge and an opportunity to build a career that meets all your specifications for compensation and benefits, training and advancement, challenge and satisfaction. We have the following engineering opportunities in our Calgary office: •

Mechanical Designers

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Mechanical Engineer

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Structural Engineer

•

Hydraulic/Fluid Power Engineer

•

Applications Engineer

APPLY ONLINE AT WWW.STEWARTANDSTEVENSON.COM About Stewart & Stevenson In business since 1902, Stewart & Stevenson is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of specialized equipment and a leading provider of aftermarket parts and service to the oil and gas and other industries. We are the largest North American producer of stimulation equipment and a leading manufacturer of well servicing, workover and drilling equipment for the oil and gas industry.

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Women Professional Engineers offer encouragement, inspiration as

role models

pening the world of science to girls is what the volunteer work undertaken by Engineers-inTraining Jennifer Nafziger and Deanna Burgart, and Professional Engineer Jessica Vandenberghe, is all about. “Most girls don’t have an idea of what engineering is. They have a vague, nerdy idea. I think meeting real women, talking to real women who are engineers, (they) realize we are normal people too, and we don’t walk around with pocket protectors,” said Nafziger. Burgart is not only making this new and exciting world more available to girls, but also to Aboriginal girls in particular. “Outreach programs are really important,” said Burgart. “The sooner you can introduce the concept (of science as a career), the better.” Once introduced to science and math, Vandenberghe said it is important to keep students involved. “(It’s about) finding ways to inspire them and keep that spark of interest in there alive so they can be all they can be,” she said.

Nafziger earned her Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Geological Engineering from the University of Waterloo. An Engineer-In-Training, she is a grad student at the U of A, working toward her PhD in Water Resources Engineering. Approximately 30 per cent of the grad students in her program are women. “It’s really fun to be a Professional Engineer and I really want to invite more women to join the profession,” said Nafziger, who also serves as president for the professional chapter of Engineers Without Borders in Edmonton.

Deanna Burgart Engineer-in-Training

When Deanna Burgart, E.I.T., decided she wanted to return to school as both an adult and a single mom, aptitude testing and interest indicated that the sciences were for her. “It didn’t even occur to me at the time that it was an atypical choice. It was just an option out there that I met the criteria for and had a passion for,” she said. In 1997, she upgraded at Bow Valley College and the Jennifer Nafziger following year she began working towards her chemiEngineer-in-Training cal engineering technology diploma at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, in Calgary. Being a Professional Engineer is a “very social Almost a decade later, Burgart moved to Thunprofession,” said Jennifer Nafziger, E.I.T., der Bay so she could enroll at Lakehead Uniwho believes that not enough girls because it offered a unique transfer realize that. “It’s really fun to versity program. Burgart returned to Calgary in “Girls see math and science be a Professional 2009 completing her degree in chemias things that more boys are cal engineering at the University of Calinterested in than girls when Engineer and gary’s Schulich School of Engineering. they’re in school and I think I really want to invite Now she is a process engineer with that’s definitely changing.” Shell Canada in Calgary and working Nafziger is hoping to change more women to join toward making her “atypical choice” that misconception by opening the profession.” a typical choice for other Aboriginal the world of engineering to girls women. through her volunteer work. Jennifer Nafziger, E.I.T. Burgart’s ancestry traces back to the Fond Nafziger helps organize Du Lac First Nation in Saskatchewan, and Women in Scholarship, Engineering, she has family in Fort Chipewyan. Burgart will Science, and Technology (WISEST), a probe working with grades 3 and 4 students at Pitgram offered at the University of Alberta and aimed at encouraging girls to consider engineer- towayis school, an Aboriginal school operated by the ing, science and technology careers. WISEST offers two Calgary school board, helping them to make science programs. Choices, is geared toward girls in grades 5 a consideration for their future. She will be a mentor and 6, bringing them together for one day with fun, with The Association of Professional Engineers, Geoloscience-related activities. Science, Engineering and gists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) Aboriginal Mentoring Program. “My message is, ‘You can make Technology is for high school students. Nafziger is also a cybermentor, paired up this year a difference, a hands-on difference from within,’” she with a Grade 8 girl in an Edmonton school. Nafziger said. “If you want to be involved in helping the environment, for example, engineering is a way to do that.” and her cyberpal email back and forth. Burgart noted that math and sciences are prerequisites They discuss their interests and what’s going on in once students determine their fields of interest and their lives and their career goals.

MARCH 2012

get to university, “so the sooner we can spark that interest, the better.”

Jessica Vandenberghe Professional Engineer When Jessica Vandenberghe, P.Eng., makes a presentation in a classroom, she always seeks out the student in the back of the group, a visible minority or a girl to help her with the demonstration. She understands how difficult it can be to stand up and be heard and noticed. Vandenberghe, who has worked at the Syncrude Research Centre in Edmonton for eight years, is a senior research engineer in bitumen production, research and development group. She is the only woman on her team of about 15. In her building there is only one other woman engineer. “If I can share my experiences when challenges come up with other Aboriginals or other women, I’m willing to do that as a mentor or role model,” she said. Vandenberghe, who is Slavey Dene, was adopted into a family of German heritage when she was three months old. It is important for her to serve as a role model for both girls and Aboriginals. She is an active volunteer in a number of sciencerelated organizations. Having earned both her degrees, B.Sc. in chemical engineering and M.Sc. in chemical and mining engineering through the University of Alberta, Vandenberghe helps out her alma mater through WISEST’s programs. Vandenberghe also helps with a summer research program, in which Syncrude sponsors two students. Vandenberghe is also a director of the Alberta Women’s Science Network. She goes into the classroom through an APEGGA mentoring program specifically for Aboriginal students. She’s also a cybermentor for an elementary-aged girl in an Alberta school. “I believe in mentoring people, to give them a flavour of what I’ve been doing in hopes of inspiring them and giving them exposure to other areas and creating opportunity. In general, I focus on youth (but) since I am a woman and Aboriginal I am open to being focused in those areas,” said Vandenberghe.

Jessica Vandenberghe, P.Eng., mentors young women and Aboriginal youth.

Continued from page 14

NATI O NA L ENGINEERING & GE O S C IEN C E M O NT H water and wildlife

is assessing the quality of the water and looking at different options for reclaiming, a potential application with water reclamation and water reuse.” Syncrude’s research teams work every day investigating upgrading, extraction, materials and environmental impact. “There are more than 100 folks working on various research products, including environmental,” said Zubot.

Wildlife patterns studied Before you can mitigate the potential impact of oil sands on wildlife, you have to know their patterns and habits. Devon Canada uses field sampling and computer-based habitat modelling to ensure their in-situ operations have minimal impact on wildlife habitat. Professional Engineer Amberly Dooley, works in Devon Canada’s Environment– Regulatory and Sustainability group with a team that comes from diverse backgrounds, including engineers, geophysicists, biologists and other scientists. “Several years before Devon starts construction on a field site, we do baseline surveys so we have something against which we can measure changes to wildlife, water quality, soil and vegetation,” she said. “We have been collecting information on

winter wildlife presence at our Jackfish project area every year since 2002. We have developed two Jackfish projects and have started construction on a third, and because of our extensive data collection we have a continual picture of wildlife over the life of those projects.” The surveys are conducted meticulously on site. “Our winter track surveys are done on the ground, often in snowshoes, and the study area gets larger every year,” said Dooley. Using the monitoring data and computer planning, Dooley and her colleagues can better understand the wildlife habitat in the project area. “We map the availability of habitat for different species, and then we overlay our project on top of that to see what the potential impact might be. And of course, we minimize that impact, or mitigate it as much as we can.” There is a collaborative effort between teams, she said. “The engineering team uses the extensive environmental data we collect, including the wildlife habitat mapping along with the information on soil types, wet areas, terrain and existing disturbance, to plan the footprint, and to optimize the engineering design. Computer mapping is used to integrate engineering and environmental considerations allowing us to reduce our potential impact.” For example, where above-ground pipelines are installed, wildlife movement is considered. “We put above and underground crossings into the plan, optimized according to where the wildlife studies show wildlife are moving naturally. The intent is to allow the animals to go where they need to go.”

18 advertising feature

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR ENERGY? All those years at university. All the hard work gaining experience. Plenty of companies will pay you a salary and benefits, but what if you’re the kind of person who wants more? Then you call us. For a chance to put your energy to work at one of the largest independent oil and gas producers in North America. To get involved in some of the most exciting resource plays in both Canada and the U.S. To be part of a go-to team proud to roll up their sleeves and get the job done. The experience you gain here will add energy to your career, giving you the power to become the best you can be. If you are someone who thinks outside the box, we need to talk. Go to www.enerplus.com/careers.

Where above-ground pipelines are installed, Devon Canada considers wildlife movement.

Continued from page 9

MALARIA

malaria parasites. As with Suncor, consistency in the middlings was determined through analyzing each pixel carefully. The image-based method was put to work with the blood cells. Shah and Purwar developed an algorithm that was able to detect red blood cells and within them the malaria parasites. A high concentration of parasitaemia means a serious bout of malaria, which could result in death. Shah said that in developing countries, parasitaemia are counted manually under a microscope and is an extremely labour-intensive, time-consuming process. “This procedure is highly error-prone (because) different people count differently,” said Shah. “But the computer uses the same method.”

The method developed by Shah and Purwar was tested on over 500 images at the U of A. The results were overwhelming, said Shah. “We’re trying to go to the next stage,” said Shah, noting that he is in discussions with the U of A’s Tech Edmonton. The algorithm could be burnt on a chip on a smart digital camera and then adapted to mount on a microscope. A picture would then be taken of a thin smear blood slide. The lack of malaria would result in a green light, while the presence of the parasite would result in a red light indicating the blood and the patient had to be further examined. The technology could be used as a screening tool and would be a fairly inexpensive procedure. “We’re excited with this idea,” said Shah. “There are possibilities of using the same idea to detect other diseases. We’re also looking into those.”

We Add Energy

www.enerplus.com

NATI O NA L ENGINEERING & GE O S C IEN C E M O NT H

At the University of Alberta Faculty of Engineering, 30 professors and 300 researchers are conducting research related to our most precious resource—water. What’s at stake? Globally, 1.2 billion people do not have sufficient access to clean water; 900 million lack access to basic sanitation. With water consumption growing and climate change altering the availability and reliability of this resource, we urgently need to develop new technologies and methods to use and reuse water. Civil and environmental engineering professor Evan Davies examines water from a global perspective, researching water supply and demand to help manage this resource. Of our global fresh water supply, 31 per cent is underground. Nine million Canadians access drinking water from wells. Geotechnical engineering professor Ania Ulrich is monitoring the impact of industrial activity on groundwater and researching the use of naturally occurring microbes to clean contaminated groundwater. Eight engineering professors hold NSERC industrial research chairs related to water. Civil and environmental engineering professor Mohamed Gamal El-Din and mechanical engineering professor Subir Bhattacharjee are working on ways to reduce the oilsands industry’s impact. Bhattacharjee is finding new ways to filter and recycle oilsands water; Gamal El-Din leads national and international projects investigating ways to clean oilsands tailings and to remove deadly pathogens from waste produced at slaughterhouses.

Engineering

our most precious resource

Through the student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, U of A engineering students are also leaders in water education. In Malawi, they work on access to water and sanitation. At home, they deliver ‘Water for the World’ sessions, teaching school students about water quality issues in Canada and around the world and hosted a spring conference for high school students on water quality at home and abroad.

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CAREER SATISFACTION FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION. STEWART & STEVENSON ENGINEER ENJOYS CHALLENGE, GROWTH AND LONG -TERM OPPORTUNITY. Ben Youé, P.Eng, had a good feeling about Stewart & Stevenson (S&S) right from the start. Previous companies that the mechanical engineer had worked for didn’t have the same high levels of structure and standardized processes he enjoys at S&S. “It’s easier to do my job here,” he explains. “And I can see where my job could lead. When I walked into the interview with Stewart & Stevenson there was a panel of five managers from different levels, so right away I could see the types of career paths that would be open to me. The enterprise system and processes, and the chance to gain stimulation and rig experience, made it a great opportunity.” Youé enthusiastically describes his job as “always challenging”. He’s had opportunities to

Ben Youé, P.Eng, enjoys the challenge of designing for large oilfield equipment.

take on management responsibilities. He’s worked on R&D projects in coil tubing – an area he sees as the future of drilling. Adding to the challenge is the sheer magnitude of the equipment and the environment it must be built to withstand. “In Canada, equipment needs to work under tough conditions so you’ve got to design it well,” explains Stewart & Stevenson’s Director of Engineering, George Popa, P.Eng. “We customize our designs for almost every client and every country that a piece of equipment might go to, so every project is a new challenge. And the fact we’re manufacturing on-site means the engineer can see a project through from design to completion.”

For professional engineers, Stewart & Stevenson offers the perfect path for career satisfaction. To find out about current engineering positions, visit ww.stewartandstevenson.com.

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