T he Phoenix Mars Lan-der’s work is done. Itnow sits dormant in the

far north of Mars’ VastitasBorealis region.

Performing breakthroughscience far beyond its planned90 days in the hostile environ-ment of the Red Planet, thelander went to work on May25, 2008, and last phonedhome on November 2.

Set to be published earlythis spring, the discoveriesmade by the Phoenix on itsground-breaking trek willdirect our future explorationand understanding of Mars.

Canadian engineers fromthe public, private and aca-demic sectors played a pivotalrole in our country’s immensecontribution to the tools andcapabilities of the PhoenixMars Lander. The CanadianSpace Agency, York Universi-ty and MDA Space Missions –in partnership with OptechInc. – provided engineerswhose leadership roles gavebirth to the Phoenix’s weatherstation.

The weather station pro-vided daily weather reports,

including the measurements oftemperature and pressure,dust, clouds and fog in thelower atmosphere.

Most significantly, theweather station’s lidar instru-ment confirmed that it snowson Mars, having detectedwater ice crystals falling fromthe clouds above the robot’slanding site.

“It was quite fitting to be apart of a Canadian instrumentthat saw it snowing on Mars,”says Mike Daly, P.Eng., staffengineer at MDA who wasCanada’s first participant onthe Phoenix Mars Mission –helping to negotiate Canada’srole. “That discovery wassomehow Canadian.”

He says it is the presenceand dynamics of water onMars that is important inunderstanding the past andpresent state of the planet. “It’sgoing to help target the nextlevel of exploration on Mars.We’ll be able to maximize ouropportunity for discovery by

better understanding where weshould go to discover past orpresent life; water being thekey to life.”

Scientists at York Universi-ty, led by Space Engineeringprofessor Jim Whiteway,P.Eng., decided on therequired functions and per-formance of the weather sta-tion. Then, MDA and its part-ners designed and built theequipment.

“Our role was to providethe conceptual design, whattype of laser detectors, etc., toachieve the science goals, thenindustry worked out thedetails,” says Dr. Whiteway,who adds that York’s academicleaders and students, as well asteam members from the Univer-sity of Alberta and DalhousieUniversity, were involved rightfrom design to operating theequipment on Mars.

Isabelle Tremblay, Eng.,was the lead systems engineeron the weather station at theCanadian Space Agency. “Ihelped translate the needs ofthe scientists into the technicalrequirements of the meteoro-logical system,” she says. “Werelied on solar energy to oper-ate on Mars and had to designthe instruments to use very lit-tle energy.”

The pressure and tempera-ture sensors used less than fivewatts of power and the lidarused no more than 30 watts inorder to function. “That’s verylow,” she says. “If we think ofa 100-watt light bulb, we hadless than half of that for ourstation.”

Ms. Tremblay saysadvances such as these haveapplications on other planetsthan Mars; namely Earth.“When we explore space, weare learning to use fewerresources.”

According to MichaelMonette, P.Eng., president of

the Ontario Society of Profes-sional Engineers (OSPE),along with innovation in mate-rials research and computermodelling, such engineeringexcellence has other benefitsas well.

“Ontario and its engineershave been at a leadershiplevel in robotics, simulationand related training programsthat support space explo-ration,” he says. “This hasbeen the case because Ontariois well supported by a very sig-nificant university and collegesystem.”

Canada’s first international-ly renowned role in spaceexploration came from its con-tribution of Canadarm, fol-lowed by Canadarm2 andDextre on the InternationalSpace Station.

Dr. Daly, who wasinvolved in that project aswell, says Canada has an unri-valled position, internationally,in the area of Human SpaceRobotics. “All of the majorrobotics systems that arecounted on in the shuttle andthe space station are Canadi-an.”

A special information supplement celebrating National Engineering MonthT H E G L O B E A N D M A I LT H U R S D AY , F E B R U A R Y 2 6 , 2 0 0 9 NEWOSC1

N ot many of us can saywe’ve been on RoyalCanadian Mint silver

and gold coins. But, thenagain, not many of us areChris Hadfield – Canadianastronaut, mechanical engineerand first Canadian to take awalk in space.

Mr. Hadfield describes his2001 spacewalk to installCanadarm2 on the Interna-tional Space Station as being“like a miracle.

“The combination of hold-ing that huge, beautiful engi-neering creation in one handwith the rest of the universeunfolding around you on theother side is magnificent,” hesays.

Having grown up on acorn farm in Milton, Ontario,Mr. Hadfield says his engi-neering education and post-graduate work were essentialin the lead-up to becoming anastronaut.

One of four Canadianastronauts chosen from a fieldof 5,330 applicants in 1992, hesays good things don’t comeeasy.

“It is important to have along-term goal in mind, andget yourself as much educationand experience as possible, sothat you’ll have gained enoughknowledge and practical

Educational path leads to spacewalk

NEWOSC2The MaRS business advisory innovation hub takesCanadian engineering to the international market.

NEWOSC6The Ontario Science Centre celebrates Canadian spaceengineering and the International Year of Astronomy.

NEWOSC3National Engineering Month Ontario 2009 listingof events, activities and workshops.Inside

on the leading edge

See ASTRONAUTpage NEWOSC2

EngineeringExploring the Red Planet

This self portrait of NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander is a vertical pro-jection that combines hundreds of exposures taken by the Sur-face Stereo Imager camera on the lander.PHOTO: NASA/JPL-CALTECH/UNIVERSITY ARIZONA/TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

Chris Hadfield

T he Canadian SpaceAgency is home to somedynamic engineering

professionals, who also happento be women.

Isabelle Tremblay, Eng.,has worked at the CanadianSpace Agency (CSA) since shestarted there as a student ofAerospace Engineering spe-cializing in Space Technologiesin 1997. From her first positionas a robotics engineer, to hercurrent role as a systems engi-

neer, Ms. Tremblay says beingin a female minority has neverbeen on her radar.

“I’ve never felt it was aman’s world. It was alwaysvery natural for me,” she says.“People remind me all thetime about the few women inengineering, but, stereotypesaside, there is certainly a placefor women to be happy in theengineering field.”

For Ms. Tremblay – whowas lead systems engineer on

the meteorological system thatwent to Mars on the PhoenixMission – gender gets set asidein favour of recognizing indi-viduals for their work and abil-ities. “All along, during mystudies and while I’ve beenworking, for me a role modelcould be a man or a woman. Icould identify myself to theperson, regardless.”

Women in space engineering

See WOMENpage NEWOSC2

Careers

A special information supplement celebrating National Engineering MonthT H E G L O B E A N D M A I L

T H U R S D AY , F E B R U A R Y 2 6 , 2 0 0 9NEWOSC2

C anadian engineeringcompanies such asSPAR Aerospace Inc.,

whose robotics division is nowowned by MacDonald Det-twiler and Associates Ltd.(MDA), was a key player inthe creation of Canadarm.MDA also played a role in thePhoenix Mars Mission, build-ing the weather station for thePhoenix Lander.

Such role-model engineer-ing organizations now serve asan inspiration to other up-and-coming engineering innova-tors.

When inspiration isn’tenough, there’s the MaRSCentre, a non-profit innova-tion hub based in the heart ofToronto’s Discovery District.

Since 2006, MaRS has provid-ed business advisory servicesto over 800 entrepreneurs,Ontario-wide.

According to MaRS advi-sor Krista Jones, who workswith high-potential companiesto build their businesses, 30 to40 per cent of MaRS clientsare engineering-based compa-nies.

“We help emerging start-up and entrepreneurial com-panies commercialize promis-ing innovations,” says Ms.Jones. “And we do that in vari-ous ways, connecting ourclients to knowledge, capitaland talent.”

One such client isOakville-based PhybridgeInc., whose UniPhyer product

provides a parallel voice net-work that allows companies toadopt Voice over Internet Pro-tocol (VoIP) without converg-ing their voice networks ontotheir data networks.

“The UniPhyer plug-and-play solution leverages exist-ing phone wiring to provide aparallel voice network,” sayscompany CEO John Croce.

He says working with aMaRS advisor helped Phy-bridge connect with potentialtelecommunications partnersand tap into proven telecom-munications expertise to hirePhybridge’s executive vicepresident.

Echologics EngineeringInc. is also under MaRSadvisement. Echologics manu-

factures and sells leak detec-tion equipment to municipali-ties and service providersaround the world, helpingthem find leaks in their waterdistribution piping. As well,the company’s acoustic- andvibration-based technologyanalyzes the wall thickness ofunderground water pipes, sotheir current state of repaircan be better understood.

Marc Bracken, presidentand CEO of Echologics, saysMaRS offered the companythe support it needed to tacklethe marketing and sales aspectof the business. “To ensurethat this technology doesn’tjust die in a small Canadiancompany has required theirvision,” he says.

From Mars to MaRS

This repor t was produced by RandallAnthony Communications Inc. (w w w.randallanthony.com) in conjunc tion with the adver tis ing depar tment of The Globe and Mail. R ichard Deacon, National Business Development Manager, rdeacon@globeandmail.com.

expertise that you will haveput yourself in a position to dowell at what you love.”

In his case, Mr. Hadfieldsays his love is engineering;understanding how thingswork and how they mightwork better.

This, along with his exten-sive training as a pilot, hasallowed him to get to knowthe mechanical workings ofand fly over 70 different air-craft.

“The most complicatedvehicle ever built is the spaceshuttle. In order to fly it, wereally need to understand thenuts and bolts of how it works.My background in mechanicalengineering was an absoluteprerequisite,” he says.

Having held positions with

NASA such as director ofoperations at the cosmonauttraining centre in Star City,Russia, as well as chief ofRobotics for the NASA Astro-naut Office at the JohnsonSpace Center in Houston,Texas, Mr. Hadfield is current-ly back in Star City training asastronaut Bob Thirsk’s backup

to live on the space station forsix months.

Mr. Hadfield says lifelonglearning is essential. “If youstop learning, you stop grow-ing,” he says. “I’m still inschool.”

Mr. Hadfield says if hedoesn’t go in place of Mr.Thirsk this time, he hopes the

next time a Canadian goes tolive on the space station for sixmonths, his extensive trainingwill be used then.

“I’ve visited space, but Ihaven’t made it my postalcode,” he says. “That would bea fascinating human adven-ture, as well as a big engineer-ing challenge.”

AstronautFrom page NEWOSC1

One of about 30 womenworking as engineers at theCSA, with about 170 malecounterparts, Ms. Tremblaysays, “The numbers reach aceiling at around 20 per centin most engineering environ-ments, depending on thefield.”

While the overall enrol-ment of women in undergrad-uate university programs nowoutnumbers males three totwo, Angela Shama, P.Eng.,CEO of the Ontario Society ofProfessional Engineers(OSPE), says, in comparison,women are clearly underrepre-sented in Canada’s undergrad-uate engineering programs.

Enrolment does varyamong the many engineeringdisciplines. “Chemical engi-neering is the most popularoption chosen by women, withenvironmental engineeringand engineering related tobiology or medicine comingnext,” says Ms. Shama.

“Perhaps it is a question ofperception,” says Ms. Trem-blay, noting that the engineer-ing profession may be muchdifferent than people imagine.“I encourage more girls andwomen to investigate the possi-bility of a career in engineer-ing.”

To this end, OSPE has aWomen in Engineering Advi-sory Committee (WEAC),which was formed to improvethe participation of women inengineering throughout theprovince of Ontario.

“Through WEAC, OSPE

is working to create a morebalanced and inclusive profes-sion that attracts top talentfrom all sectors of the popula-tion,” says Ms. Shama.

“Men and women are dif-ferent, of course. We all bringour own contribution. A bet-ter gender balance wouldmake the work we do thatmuch better,” concludes Ms.Tremblay.

Women engineersFrom page NEWOSC1

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield stands on Canadarm to work with Canadarm2, thenewest addition to the International Space Station. PHOTO: CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY

Canadian Space Agency engi-neer Isabelle Tremblay waslead systems engineer on themeteorological system thatwent to Mars on the PhoenixMission.PHOTO: CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY

Taking engineering innovation to the world

www.feas.ryerson.ca

Ryerson University’s engineering programs focus on solving problems anddesigning ingenious solutions for real-world issues. We are a leader inrelevant, career-focused education that prepares you to work immediatelyupon graduation in industry or as a researcher.

The Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science at Ryerson is one ofthe largest Faculties of its kind in Canada and offers a range of programs.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

• Aerospace Engineering (BEng)

• Architectural Science (BArchSc)

• Biology (BSc)

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• Chemical Engineering Co-op (BEng)

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• Computer Engineering (BEng)

• Computer Science (BSc)

• Contemporary Science (BSc)

• Electrical Engineering (BEng)

• Industrial Engineering (BEng)

• Mathematics and its Applications (BSc)

• Mechanical Engineering (BEng)

• Medical Physics (BSc)

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

• Aerospace Engineering (MASc, MEng, PhD)

• Applied Mathematics (MSc)

• Architecture (MArch)

• Biomedical Physics (MSc)

• Building Science (MASc, MBSc)

• Chemical Engineering (MASc, MEng, PhD)

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• Computer Networks (MASc, MEng)

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(MASc, MEng, PhD)

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HOW TO BUILDA GREAT CAREER

If you’re interested in one of our excitingprograms, contact us.

A special information supplement celebrating National Engineering MonthT H E G L O B E A N D M A I LT H U R S D AY , F E B R U A R Y 2 6 , 2 0 0 9 NEWOSC3

BELLEVILLE7th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge-Building Competition9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, February28, St. Theresa Catholic SecondarySchool, 135 Adam St.Students in grades 4 to 12 to con-struct bridges using only 100 Pop-sicle sticks and white glue. Prizesfor best-looking bridge, mostinnovative design, strongestbridge and most promising bridgebuilder. Contact Heide-Marie Ross,P.Eng., at 613-398-8492.

BRAMPTONPopsicle Stick Bridge-BuildingCompetition9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, February28, Calderstone Middle School, 160Calderstone Rd.A bridge-building competition forgrade 7/8 students, where judgingis based on the students under-standing their design and theactual destruction of the bridgeusing a bridge tester jig. ContactDan Lee, P.Eng., at 905-455-5120.

CHATHAM7th Annual Impromptu DesignCompetition9 a.m., Saturday, February 28, Ursu-line College, 85 Grand Ave. W.An applied science design compe-tition, where teams competeagainst each other to create thebest solution to an engineeringproblem using the materials pro-vided. Contact Shane McDowell,E.I.T., at 519-436-4600, ext. 2842.

CORNWALL9th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge-Building CompetitionSaturday, February 28, CornwallSquare, Main ConcourseThis is an applied science compe-tition where teams competeagainst each other to come upwith the best solution to an engi-neering problem using the materi-als provided. Contact AngelaHastey, P.Eng., at 519-436-4600,ext. 2049.

CORNWALL8th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge-Building CompetitionMonday, February 23, CornwallSquare, Main ConcourseA Popsicle stick bridge-buildingcompetition for pre-registered pri-mary and secondary studentteams. Spectators welcome! Con-tact John St. Marseille at613-933-5602, ext. 279.

ETOBICOKE2nd Annual Engineering IdolCompetition2 p.m., Saturday, February 28,Father John Redmond Catholic Sec-ondary School, 28 Col. SamuelSmith Park Dr.A game-style engineering project,where six area high schools will beassigned the same engineeringtask associated with energy con-servation in houses. ContactRichard Weldon, P.Eng., at416-964-3246.

GUELPHMall Display9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday,February 28, Stone Road Mall, 435Stone Rd. W.Engineering students from the

University of Guelph host suchactivities as balloon rockets, cook-ie mining, topsy-turvy towers,robotic arm building and theGuelph Gryphons racecar. ContactBethany Mosca at 519-824-4120,ext. 58549.

KINGSTON9th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge-Building CompetitionSaturday, February 28, Queen’s Uni-versity, Ellis Hall, 58 University Ave.Local elementary school studentsas well as adults to construct thestrongest bridge possible usingonly 100 Popsicle sticks and whiteglue. Spectators welcome! Con-tact Doug Hamilton, P.Eng., at613-389-9628.

LONDONPaper Airplane Toss and Bridge-Building Competition1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, February 28,London Boys & Girls Memorial Club,184 Horton St.The perfect opportunity to learnmore about flight and to competewith your pet design. In addition,previously built bridges will beload tested. Contact Syd Van Geel,P.Eng., at 519-433-9796.

Guiding Exploring Technology -Scouting Exploring Technology(GETSET)8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Febru-ary 28, London Scout HQ, 531 Win-dermere Rd.A hands-on day for Guides andScouts to explore engineeringtechnology and test previouslybuilt bridges with the IncredibleHydraulic Crushing Machine. Con-tact Peter Nicholas, C.E.T., at519-878-0942.

Engineering Week Luncheon11 a.m., Monday, March 2, HiltonHotel, 300 King St.A luncheon with city engineer PatMcNally, P.Eng., giving the keynoteaddress. Members and public wel-come! Tickets: $30 per person.Contact Ian Cheng, P.Eng., at519-652-2104.

MISSISSAUGABridge-Building Contest9 a.m., Saturday, February 28,Tomken Road Middle School, 3200Tomken Rd.Local grade 7/8 students design,construct and test bridges. Judg-ing for most innovative design,loading capacity and other fac-tors. Spectators welcome! ContactKhaled El-Rahi, P.Eng., at416-677-3905.

NEWMARKETDesign Challenge Competition4 p.m., Thursday, March 5, Newmar-ket High School, 505 Pickering Cres.Local grade 7/8 student teamsdesign and construct a TV Towermodel for the winter Olympics.Spectators welcome! Contact EdFung, P.Eng., at 1-888-924-9995,ext. 230.

NORTH BAYBridge-Building Contest12 noon to 3:30 p.m., Friday, March6, St. Joseph-Scollard HallSecondary School, 1000 High St.Local grade 5 to 12 students buildbridges, using six pieces of balsa

wood, and test them to destruc-tion. Prizes for greatest weight toload ratio, finish and build quality.Spectators welcome! ContactJohn Simmonds, P.Eng., at705-474-4667.

OAKVILLE16th Annual Halton EngineeringChallengeSaturday, March 7, St. Marguerited’Youville School, 1359 Bayshire Dr.The top 30 teams from schoolsthroughout Halton meet to pres-ent their robotic arms to panels ofprofessional engineers. Spectatorswelcome! Contact Bernard Amyot,P.Eng., at 905-684-1938.

Water for the World7 p.m., Tuesday, March 3, AbbeyPark School, 1455 Glen Abbey GateA showcase for high school stu-dents to increase awareness ofhow engineering and technologycan play a role in global waterissues. Contact Edward Gerges,P.Eng., at 416-992-6150.

OSHAWA4th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge-Building CompetitionSaturday, February 28, Ontario Insti-tute of Technology, Market PlaceCafeteriaGrade 5 to 8 students from localschool boards to participate in abridge-building contest. ContactBob van den Berg, C.E.T., at905-391-6107.

OTTAWAEngineering Challenge 2009Friday, February 27, Canada Scienceand Technology MuseumTeams of grade 4 to 7 studentsdesign and construct a disasterrelief operation prototype fromreadily available craft supplies andrecycled materials. Contact KateMcLaughlin at 613-993-9284.

PEMBROKEPopsicle Stick Bridge-Buildingand Busting Competition10 a.m., Saturday, February 28, WestEnd Mall, 200 Pembroke St. W.Local grade 6 to 8 students design,construct and test thestrongest/lightest Popsicle stickbridge. Judging for top threestrongest/lightest bridges andstrongest overall bridge. ContactLance Goodick, P. Eng., C.E.T., at613-584-9962.

PETERBOROUGHEngineering and TechnologyChallenge10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday,March 3, Evinrude Centre, 911 Mon-aghan Rd.Teams from district high schoolsto design and construct a water-retaining dam made from recy-cled materials. Contact ClarenceKlassen, P.Eng., at 705-743-1076.

RICHMOND HILL6th Annual Design Challenge-Construct a Bridge Competition10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Febru-ary 28, Academie de la Moraine,13200 Yonge St.Teams of local grade 5/6 Englishlanguage students constructbridges in one hour with the leastamount of material to withstand

the highest load at the mid-span.Contact Mervat Rashwan, P.Eng.,ing., at 905-763-2745.

SARNIA5th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge-Building Contest Finale11 a.m., Saturday, March 7,Lambton College, 1457 London Rd.The finale of a bridge-buildingcompetition for local grade 5 and7 students tests the best designfrom each school. Contact DavidMurray, P.Eng., at 519-491-0275.

1st Annual Impromptu DesignCompetitionSaturday, March 7, Lambton Col-lege Gymnasium, 1457 London Rd.Teams of local grade 9 to 11 stu-dents design and create the bestsolution to an engineering prob-lem using the materials providedin a limited amount of time. Con-tact Amy Wettges, E.I.T., at519-541-9732.

SAULT STE. MARIE7th Annual National EngineeringWeek CelebrationSaturday, March 14, Station Mall,293 Bay St.The Display of Ingenuity, the FirstAnnual Water Bottle RocketDesign Competition, the SixthAnnual Math Challenge and anEgg Drop Competition. ContactFrançois Nzotungwanimana, E.I.T.,at 705-946-8130, ext. 8123.

SCARBOROUGH6th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge-Building Contest11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Febru-ary 28, Scarborough Civic CentreCouncil ChamberGrade 3 to 8 students design,build and test a bridge thatweighs less than 250 grams. Judg-ing on presentation and technicalexplanation, creativity, construc-tion quality, construction tech-

nique and aesthetics. Contact TomFernandes, P.Eng., atbridge@peoscarborough.ca.

Hands-On Science Fair & Technol-ogy Exhibits10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, March7, Malvern Town Centre, 31 TapscottRd.Exhibits include simple machines,building bridges, electricitydemos, magnetics application, ahuman-powered raceway, solarenergy, energy conservation androbotics. Contact PashaMohammed, C.Tech., at416-820-1600.

THUNDER BAY2009 Challenge & TourThursday, March 5, Lakehead Uni-versity, 955 Oliver Rd.Local grade 5 through 8 studentsparticipate in team design compe-titions in chemical, civil, electricaland mechanical engineering anda guided tour of the engineeringlabs. Contact Dr. Meilan Liu, P.Eng.,at 807-343-8952.

TIMMINSEngineering Week Dinner5:30 p.m., Thursday, March 5, DanteClub, 162 Cedar St. S.A dinner for grade 5 to 12 studentwinners of Science Timmins Soft-ware Engineering Convention,government officials and studentsfrom Northern College. ContactRyan Hill, E.I.T., at 705-360-1899.

TORONTODesignapolooza12 noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, Febru-ary 28, University of Toronto, San-ford Fleming BuildingLocal grade 1 to 4 students con-struct a dome made of paper thatcan support itself and fit a groupof people inside and make slime.Grades 5 to 8 design a Rube-Gold-berg machine to complete a sim-ple task. Visit

www.prospective.engineering.utoronto.ca/explore/national.htm toregister online.

5th Annual Design ChallengeConstruct a Bridge Competition9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, March3, Jeanne-Lajoie Elementary School,150 Carnforth Rd.Teams of grade 5/6 French lan-guage students to constructbridges in one hour with the leastamount of material to withstandthe highest load at the mid-span.Judging for team co-operation,bridge aesthetics and bestweight-bearing bridge. ContactMervat Rashwan, P.Eng., ing., at905-763-2745.

Engineering InnovationForum6 to 10 p.m., Wednesday, March4, Ontario Science Centre, 770Don Mills Rd.This year's theme, "Engineer-ing Innovations in IntelligentTransportation Systems,"includes discussion of air trafficcontrol, subway train controland expressway traffic opti-mization. For more informa-tion, please e-mail Paul Annis,C.Tech., Chair, EIF, atEIF@peo.on.ca.

National Engineering WeekOntario Steering Committee

Holly Anderson, P.Eng., ChairRob Hughes, P.Eng., Vice-ChairJelbert Real, C.E.T., TreasurerDon Cleghorn, P.Eng., Past-ChairJim Bailey, P.Eng.Blair ClarksonJohn Gamble, P.Eng.Derek Pinder, P.Eng.Melissa Thurlow

National Engineering Month Ontario 2009 HighlightsN ational Engineering Month (NEM) is a

Canada-wide celebration designed toraise the awareness of engineering and

engineering technology and the contributionsthey make to our daily lives, and to encour-

age young people to consider careers in theengineering field.

Each province selects a suitable week,and this year Ontario will be celebratingengineering from February 28 through

March 8, with more than 100 volunteer-staged events throughout the province. Newthis year, Engineers Without Borders (EWB)is partnering with the Toronto PublicLibraries to present a series of interactive

workshops at 30 branches across the city.

Event highlights follow, and for additionalevent information, please visitwww.engineeringmonth.on.ca.

For more information and additional event listings, visit www.engineeringmonth.on.ca.

Waterloo Regional Children's Museum,10 King St. W., Kitchener12 noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, February 28; Sunday,March 1; Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8Call 519-749-9387 for information or consult thewebsite at www.TheChildrensMuseum.ca.

Canada Science and Technology Museum,1876 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, Saturday, February 23 toSunday, March 2Call 613-991-3044 (toll-free 1-866-442-4416) forinformation or consult the website atwww.sciencetech.technomuses.ca.

Science North, 100 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, February 28; Sunday,March 1; Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8

Call 705-522-3701 for information or consult thewebsite at www.sciencenorth.ca.

London Regional Children's Museum,21 Wharncliffe Rd. S.10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, February 28 and Sun-day, March 1, then daily from Tuesday, February 24through Sunday, March 8, also 5 to 8 p.m. onFriday, March 6Call 519-434-5726 for information or consult thewebsite at www.londonchildrensmuseum.ca.

Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Rd.,Toronto11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, February 28; Sunday,March 1; Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8Call 416-696-1000 for information or consult thewebsite at www.ontariosciencecentre.ca.

Engineering volunteers will be on hand at five Ontario locations to help children over the age of six cre-ate wild and wonderful structures using K’NEX, the popular colour-coded toy. Special features include abridge-building challenge. The workshops are free with admission.

K’NEX Construction Workshops in five cities

The five members of the National Engineering Week Ontario Steering Committee are:

We’re your voice.The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) is the Voice of Engineers in Ontario.

As an engineering graduate from an accredited/recognized engineering program, you

are eligible to join OSPE, and enjoy the benefits membership confers – ready access to

continuing education, links to career advancement, advocacy before government, and on a

very practical level, substantial savings on car and home insurance.

We’re working for you – the people who make so much possible, and enhance thedaily lives of every Canadian. If you’re not already a member, visit our website atwww.ospe.on.ca or call 1-866-763-1654, ext. 229 to see what OSPE can do for you.

A s impossible as it is to predict thefuture, it’s not a stretch to believe thatengineering technicians and technolo-

gists will have a major role in technologicalchange in this century. Members of theOntario Association of Certified EngineeringTechnicians and Technologists (OACETT)develop, enhance and implement new prod-ucts, systems and methods in all disciplines.

Whether it is developing the first handheldbiological detector to help experts monitorbuildings, subway systems and city cores forbio-aerosols; patenting a design for a vector-neutral truck to eliminate the cumbersomereverse function; or putting together a differ-ent procedure for installing a water main,

OACETT members are at the forefront of newtechnologies.

OACETT is a professional association thathas been promoting the interests of engineer-ing and applied science technicians and tech-nologists in industry, educational institutions,the government and the public sector for over50 years.

The association is Ontario’s independentcertifying body for engineering and appliedscience technicians and technologists. Its mem-bers hold one of the following designations:

C.E.T. (Certified Engineering Technologist)A.Sc.T. (Applied Science Technologist)C.Tech. (Certified Technician)OACETT currently represents over 23,000

members across the province. Certified mem-bers must follow a code of ethics, pass a pro-fessional practice exam and have their educa-tion and work experience evaluated to ensurethey meet national standards.

OACETT has garnered strong partnershipswith Ontario colleges. The current collegeaccreditation process offers students thechance to complete several certificationrequirements as part of their curriculum,bringing them one step closer to certification.

OACETT works closely with industryemployers to promote the advantages of hiringOACETT certified professionals. The associa-tion is also a strong advocate of helping inter-nationally trained professionals become certi-fied – not only because they bring a globalperspective to the workforce, but also becausecertification reflects competency and profes-sionalism.

Visit www.oacett.org for further details about howOACETT members contribute to the advancement ofthe technology industry.

Becoming an engineering technician or technologistCAREERS

Algonquin College, Nepean,www.algonquincollege.com

Cambrian College, Sudbury, www.cambrianc.on.ca

Canadore College, North Bay,www.canadorec.on.ca

Centennial College, Scarborough,www.centennialcollege.ca

Collège Boréal, Sudbury, www.borealc.on.ca

Conestoga College Institute of Technology andAdvanced Learning, Kitchener,www.conestogac.on.ca

Confederation College, Thunder Bay,www.confederationc.on.ca

Durham College, Oshawa, www.durhamc.on.ca

Fanshawe College, London, www.fanshawec.on.ca

Fleming College, Peterborough,www.flemingc.on.ca

George Brown College, Toronto,www.gbrownc.on.ca

Georgian College, Barrie, www.georgianc.on.ca

Humber College Institute of Technology andAdvanced Learning, Toronto, www.humber.ca

La Cité collégiale, Ottawa, www.lacitec.on.ca

Lambton College, Sarnia, www.lambton.on.ca

Loyalist College, Belleville, www.loyalistc.on.ca

Mohawk College, Hamilton, www.mohawkc.on.ca

Niagara College, Welland, www.niagarac.on.ca

Northern College, South Porcupine,www.northernc.on.ca

RCC College of Technology, Toronto,www.rcc.on.ca

Sault College, Sault Ste. Marie, www.saultc.on.ca

Seneca College, North York, www.senecac.on.ca

Sheridan College Institute of Technology andAdvanced Learning, Oakville,www.sheridanc.on.ca

St. Clair College, Windsor, www.stclaircollege.ca

St. Lawrence College, Kingston, www.sl.on.ca

Colleges Offering EngineeringTechnology Programs

A special information supplement celebrating National Engineering MonthT H E G L O B E A N D M A I L

T H U R S D AY , F E B R U A R Y 2 6 , 2 0 0 9NEWOSC4

There are currently 23,000 certified members of theOntario Association of Certified Engineering Tech-nicians and Technologists, many of whom havebeen educated in the province’s 25 engineeringtechnology programs. PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

From the water we drink to the roads

and transit systems we travel on, the

impact of engineering is all around

us. AECOM thanks our people and

the engineers and geoscientists

across Canada who are making a

difference in our communities.

Earth Tech, Gartner Lee, TSH and

UMA are now known collectively

in Canada as AECOM. A leading

provider of professional engineering,

consulting and project management

services, AECOM has more than

4,000 talented professionals in

Canada and access to the technical

resources of more than 43,000

employees around the world.

www.aecom.com

Celebratingexcellence

It takes electrical engineers, environmentalengineers, mechanical engineers, chemicalengineers, industrial engineers and materialengineers. It takes all of them working togetheras part of a larger team to build the new nuclearand hydroelectric generation that will powerOntario day in and day out, rain or shine, 365 daysa year with virtually zero smog or greenhousegas emissions. You can help ensure Ontario hasall the electricity it needs to grow. You can helpshape Ontario’s cleaner, greener energy future.

Find your power career at mypowercareer.com

OPG NEEDS GREATMINDS TO GENERATEA GREENER FUTUREFOR ONTARIO

www.opg.com

A special information supplement celebrating National Engineering MonthT H E G L O B E A N D M A I LT H U R S D AY , F E B R U A R Y 2 6 , 2 0 0 9 NEWOSC5

CAREERS

P rofessional engineers, some 70,000 inOntario and 160,000 across Canada,enhance the quality of life, safety and

well-being of Canadians.In Ontario, Professional Engineers

Ontario (PEO) licenses professional engineers,and sets standards for and regulates engineer-ing practice to protect and serve the publicinterest.

PEO also protects the public by disciplin-ing licence holders who do not maintain theprofession’s high technical and ethical stan-dards, and by ensuring that only those whoare qualified practise engineering or lead oth-ers to believe they are qualified to practise. Anindividual can do engineering work in Ontariowithout having a “P.Eng.” licence, provided alicensed professional engineer supervises andtakes responsibility for the work.

As the “Voice of Ontario’s engineers,” theOntario Society of Professional Engineers(OSPE) promotes and supports excellence inall aspects of engineering. OSPE’s workenhances the profession’s recognition by advo-cating with governments and employers, initi-ates proactive communications programs andoffers exemplary continuing education andcareer advancement, plus affinity programs.

OSPE partners with Ontario’s engineers toidentify critical issues within the engineeringcommunity. On behalf of its membership –which ranges from students to professionalengineers – OSPE conducts member research,monitors the political environment and focusesits advocacy initiatives on issues such as cli-mate change, the economy, public infrastruc-ture development and safe water.

Becoming a Licensed Professional EngineerEngineering graduates and newcomers to Cana-da may be eligible to apply for their Ontarioengineering licence at no cost. Visitwww.peo.on.ca/FCP/FCP1.html for details.

Education: Applicants must be graduates of auniversity engineering program accredited bythe Canadian Engineering AccreditationBoard or recognized equivalent. The educa-tion of international engineering graduates —who can apply to PEO to start the licensingprocess before immigrating to Canada — isassessed to determine how closely it meets aPEO syllabus.

Internship: Applicants must work for 48months – 12 of which must be in a Canadianjurisdiction – and meet five quality-based cri-teria under the supervision of a P.Eng., whotakes professional responsibility for all thework.

All applicants must also be at least 18 andof good character before they can be licensed.

Professional Practice Examination: Allapplicants must also write and pass the PEOprofessional practice examination about engi-neering law, professional liability and thecode of ethics.

Licensing Ceremony: Newly licensed profes-sional engineers are invited to attend a cere-mony at their local PEO chapter to receivetheir licence certificates.

For more information, please visit www.peo.on.caand www.ospe.on.ca.

Pathway to professional engineering

Carleton University, Ottawa, www.carleton.ca

University of Guelph, www.uoguelph.ca

Lakehead University, Thunder Bay,www.lakeheadu.ca

Laurentian University, Sudbury,www.laurentian.ca

McMaster University, Hamilton,www.mcmaster.ca

University of Ottawa, www.uottawa.ca

Queen’s University, Kingston, www.queensu.ca

Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston,www.rmc.ca

Ryerson University, Toronto, www.acs.ryerson.ca

University of Ontario Institute of Technology,Oshawa, www.uoit.ca

University of Toronto, www.utoronto.ca

University of Waterloo, www.uwaterloo.ca

University of Western Ontario, London,www.uwo.ca

University of Windsor, www.uwindsor.ca

York University, Toronto, www.yorku.ca

Universities Offering AccreditedEngineering Programs:

Canada currently has 160,000 professional engineers, many of whom have been educated in one ofOntario’s 15 university-level engineering programs. PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

UBC ENGINEERSmaking a world of difference

NGINEERINGT H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A

www.engineering.ubc.ca

through our 11 programs of study...• ChemiCal & BiologiCal engineering

• Civil engineering

• Computer engineering

• eleCtriCal engineering

• engineering physiCs

students contribute world-wide through...• engineering Co-op

• engineers Without Borders

• teams and CluBs

and through our graduate programs focused on...• Career enhanCement — masters of engineering

• disCovery and innovation — researCh-Based, masC and pHd

• geologiCal engineering

• integrated engineering

• meChaniCal engineering

• materials engineering

• mining engineering

OACETT is proud to be a founding partner of National Engineering Week

in Ontario.

OACETT is the professional association that certifies and registers more

than 23,000 technology professionals in Ontario.

On behalf of engineering/applied science technicians and technologists,

OACETT promotes continuous learning, increases recognition by

employers and government and administers mandatory certification

programs. On behalf of the public, OACETT protects public safety through

its certification program, code of ethics and disciplinary procedure.

We work closely with colleges to support curriculum standards. OACETT

also constructive contributions to legislative and regulatory processes and

public affairs. Our submissions inform decision makers and influence policy

discussions that shape the technology profession’s future.

Engineering and applied science technicians and technologists qualify for

certification by meeting OACETT’s educational, experience and

professional practice testing requirements. This entitles them to use the

association’s officially recognized designations after their name. These are:

C.E.T. (Certified Engineering Technologist)

A.Sc.T. (Applied Science Technologist)

C.Tech. (Certified Technician)

Visit www.oacett.org to find out more about the profession.

10 Four Seasons Place, Suite 404, Toronto, ONM9B 6H7

tel: 416.621.9621 * fax: 416.621.8694 * info@oacett.org * www.oacett.org

To discover why Golder is among the most respected groundengineering and environmental sciences teams in the world,look no further than our people. Our unique employee-ownedstructure, strong values and entrepreneurial culture attract the best.We recognize excellence and reward innovation.And we support ourpeople’s personal and professional growth every step of the way.Golder. Discover what your career can be.www.golder.com/careers

DiscoverGolder’s celebrated work culture

2009 is the International Yearof Astronomy – and theOntario Science Centre isdoing it up right.

Everything from its full-scale model of the Canadarm,to hosting the compelling Fac-ing Mars exhibit early thisyear, has visitors celebratingnot only astronomy, butCanada’s successes in spaceexploration.

Blair Clarkson, co-ordina-tor of Special Events andAttractions at the Ontario Sci-ence Centre, says, by givingthe public hands-on experi-

ences that simulate spaceexploration, people are theninspired to dream big abouttheir own future accomplish-ments.

“It gives them a link tospace exploration so that theywalk away having done some-thing they never thought theycould do with respect to sci-ence and technology,” he says.“They leave saying, ‘If I canprogram this little robot,maybe I can be an astronautor work a robot on anotherplanet some day.’”

Augmenting the science

centre’s vast involvement withrobotics, people are amazed atthe size of the model

Canadarm. “To consider thatthis huge robotic arm couldliterally pick up a feather is

astounding,” says Mr. Clark-son. “That all of this technolo-gy was developed here inCanada is a phenomenalachievement.”

The science centre alsohosts star parties in conjunc-tion with the Royal Astronom-ical Society, with the next onetaking place during “EarthHour” on March 28th. “Wedid a star party when Marswas last closest to Earth in2002 and had about 6,000people,” says Mr. Clarkson.

The Ontario Science Cen-tre’s Space Hall was recently

redesigned to reflect our mostcurrent understanding of theuniverse. Visitors can take ajourney through space andtime, see a rock specimenfrom Mars and visit the onlypublic planetarium in Toron-to.

“These activities get usthinking about the larger ques-tions, such as, ‘Are we alone inthe universe?’” says Mr. Clark-son. “We grab the minds ofour participants with the sig-nificance of science and tech-nology, offering some knowl-edge-altering experiences.”

A special information supplement celebrating National Engineering MonthT H E G L O B E A N D M A I L

T H U R S D AY , F E B R U A R Y 2 6 , 2 0 0 9NEWOSC6

The Ontario Science Centre holds regular star parties – offeringthe public a glimpse of space through high-powered telescopes.The Earth Hour 2009 Star Party will take place on March 28thduring the hour when people in cities around the world switchoff their lights. PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Ontario Science Centre celebrates the universe

There may be other interests you encourage, but engineering is a career that inspires a kid’simagination and engages their out-of-the-box thinking. And few other careers offer as manyexciting opportunities the world over. It’s a great reason to encourageyour children to continue with math and sciences.

H O W D O YO U C H E E R F O R O U R B U D D I N G E N G I N E E R S ?

ENTER TO WIN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR CHILD TO ATTEND AN ENGINEERING CAMP,AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ENGINEERING CAREERS AT WHYENGINEERING.CA

A constituent memberof Engineers Canada

ENGINEERING AT UOIT–CHALLENGE YOURSELFUOIT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATIONAL

EXPERIENCE. STUDENTS COLLABORATE WITH WORLD-CLASS

PROFESSORS, TURNING INNOVATIVE IDEAS INTO REAL SOLUTIONS.

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS:: Canada’s only degree program in Automotive Engineering;

:: The only accredited Manufacturing Engineering degree program inEastern Canada;

:: Broad-based programs in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering;

:: One of the few Software Engineering programs in Ontario;

:: Five-year Engineering and Management variations for all engineeringprograms; and

:: Engineering master’s degree programs and a doctoral program inMechanical Engineering.

EXCEPTIONAL FACILITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS:: The Ontario Power Generation Engineering building features state-of-the-art labs

that educate students about future technologies; and

:: The General Motors of Canada Automotive Centre of Excellence will open in late2009. It is a partnership with GM and the Government of Ontario that will makeUOIT home to the country’s premier automotive research and development centre.

UNIVERSITY OF ONTARIO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Oshawa, ON www.uoit.ca 905.721.3268

Global LeadershipU of T Engineering Graduate Studies

University of TorontoEngineers lead the world withinnovative solutions to ourmost pressing challenges.

Our graduate students workin an environment whereinnovation thrives, and wherethey play a vital role in ground-breaking research. It is nosurprise that we are ranked1st in Canada and 10th inthe world.

U of T EngineeringGraduate Degrees

MEng ELITE: With courses that includeEntrepreneurship, Leadership, Innovationand Technology in Engineering

MEng: Our internationally regarded profes-sional master’s degree in Engineering

MASc: A traditional, research-intensivemaster’s degree

PhD: Our highest degree in Engineering

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