GR ADUATE STUDIES
Masters in Applied Sustainability
is Educating Policy-
F
or the past three years, students in the Collaborative Masters in Applied Sustainability (CMAS) program have learned to account for both technical and policy issues when working on engineering projects—a key strategic focus for the Queen’s University Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “This new degree was created by faculty to respond to growing need and demand in the profession,” says Brian Surgenor, PhD, PEng, Vice-Dean, (Research and Graduate Studies). CMAS reflects increasing recognition that engineering decisions are often made for non-technical reasons. “Engineers need to be aware of how policy impacts their work and can often dictate the outcomes of their projects.” The innovative program has many unique features, says Surgenor. One is how it marries technical engineering knowledge with public policy issues. Another is how it addresses a wider spectrum of concerns. “We’re considering the full problem of sustainability—most programs focus just on energy, but we cover water and resources as well.” As the Faculty’s first interdisciplinary collaborative effort, the CMAS program includes courses from five core engineering departments: Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, Mechanical and Materials, and Mining Engineering. Faculty members from these departments share the teaching responsibility for “Topics in Applied Sustainability,” a course that introduces students to the concepts of engineering for sustainability. It is one of two mandatory core courses. The other is an Applied Sustainability Seminar Series. As well, the CMAS draws on disciplines outside the Faculty, including Geology, Geography, Environmental Studies, and Policy Studies. To complete a CMAS degree, MSc students take four courses and the seminar series, and write a thesis. MEng students take eight courses, one of which may be a project course, and the seminar series. Upon graduation, students have “with specialization in Applied
16 THE COMPLETE ENGINEER
Sarah Thompson, Queen’s University MASc student, and Colin Ragush, Dalhousie University PhD student, are getting ready to collect sunlight penetration data in a wastewater stabilization pond in Pond Inlet, Nunavut. Sustainability” added to their official transcripts. Students have responded to CMAS with enthusiasm. “As soon as they heard about the degree, they wanted to get on
“
Mohamed says that while the CMAS
program is currently a collaborative program, he predicts that it will
someday develop into a standalone department. “The world is evolving and conventional engineering
”
practice will be obsolete,” he says.
“We need about 1.6 planets just to
sustain what we have, so we have to move toward more
sustainable solutions.
board,” Surgenor says. “It’s a growing program—we began in 2010 with 5 students, and it’s up to 10 this year. We expect to have to cap the program at 20.” CMAS prepares students to be “more
broad-minded, capable, and sensitive to issues of policy and sustainability,” says Surgenor. This will help in their careers, he adds. “Hiring engineering grads who have these additional skills will appeal to employers who deal with these issues every day.” Ibrahim Mohamed, Sc’12, MEng’13, says his professor, Bruce Anderson, inspired him to sign up. “He told us it is important to establish an environmental consciousness in all we do as engineers,” says Mohamed. “That’s what made me choose the Collaborative Masters in Applied Sustainability. I wanted to get a better understanding of sustainability— not just the technical aspects, but also the policy considerations.” As part of his degree, Mohamed worked on a project to explore renewable energy potential in the Middle East/ North Africa region. “I was looking for renewable solutions, with a focus on smart buildings,” he says. The specialization gave him a better understanding of sustainability, he adds, and the multiple disciplines that necessarily come into play. “The degree really broadened my education as a civil engineer.”
