Here is your monthly dose of my Canadian engineering news created for licensed and aspiring engineers, geoscientists and technicians in Canada.
- Christie, a Kitchener-based company, and its Engineer Mike Perkins have received the Academy's Scientific and Engineering Award for the Christie E3LH Dolby Vision Cinema Projector. Mike Perkins, the Principal Product Developer, was honoured at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's awards ceremony on February 23 in Los Angeles.
- Amelia Dai, a chemical engineering graduate from UBC, was awarded Polytechnique's Order of the White Rose, honoring Canadian female engineering students. Initiated in memory of 1989 tragedy victims, this award underscores the need for women's representation in engineering. The scholarship will help Dai to continue her PhD studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Experience the thrill of invisibility with the INVISIBILITY SHIELD 2.0, the cutting-edge optical cloaking device. After four years of development and testing, the Full Size shield boasts a 17% larger front face, while the Megashield stands at 6ft (1.8m), hiding multiple individuals simultaneously. These free-standing shields are redesigned to be more stable when left free-standing and they're also portable. 
Embrace WIZPR RING – a groundbreaking method to converse with AI. No wake words or confused responses. Simply whisper commands to ChatGPT, Gemini, and other assistants, receiving instant responses in your earphones. The future of AI interaction is now, accessible anytime, anywhere, right on your finger. Experience seamless communication without reaching for your phone.
Introducing WonderStrike: The SMRT Fishing Rod with EZ-Swap Actions, proudly made in Toronto, Canada. The Bite Magnifier ensures you never miss a bite, while Strike Assist maximizes your chances by creating ghost tension. Hear the "CLICK" even when distracted.
What technology or gadget are you currently enjoying and would recommend to other aspiring and licensed engineers? Let us know in the comments below.
Here are the news links to every Canadian Association. If there is anything beyond the standard stuff (elections, new appointments), I'll try to list them below. The news tends to slow down during certain parts of the year (e.g. Summer, X-Mas).
- APEGA News - APEGA announces results of the 2024 APEGA Council election
- APEGS News -Annual Meeting and Professional Development Conference Registration Open
- APEY News
- ASET News
- EGBC News -Board Discusses AGM Motion to Cap Fee Increases
- EGM News - Manitoba Government Appoints New Board for Efficiency Manitoba
- Engineers Nova Scotia News -Request for Proposal: Modernization of Registration Admin Application & Database
- Engineers PEI News -Meet the New Professional Engineers
- NAPEG News -Synergizing Sustainability and Equity: A Blueprint for Exceptional Low Carbon Buildings
- PEGNL News
- PEO News
Enhance your job search by networking on platforms like LinkedIn, showcasing projects, and joining industry forums. If you'd like to learn how to optimize your LinkedIn profile as an Engineer, read this article.
Head over to our recruitment page, where you can send us your resume and enter our select candidate pool. We'll contact you if your resume matches one of our client's open jobs.
Search all 300k eng. jobs | Use my three career-hunting tips for better success.
Engineering leaders excel when they take steps to ensure they are at their best. Read here about how to improve your mental health in a the engineering sector.
- At the forefront of technology, Greg Brockman, OpenAI cofounder, examines ChatGPT's design principles and showcases groundbreaking, unreleased plug-ins. Following, TED's Chris Anderson delves into ChatGPT's development timeline and the ethical concerns it raises.
- In this talk, Karen Willcox, an aerospace engineer, delves into the rise of "digital twins" spawned by data collection and modeling. She explores their potential in engineering, climate studies, and medicine, envisioning personalized healthcare and improved decision-making.
“Engineering is the art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of man.”
- Thomas Tredgold
Thanks for reading, and have a great month!
Gavin Simone, P.Eng. (AB), LEED AP
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Thank you for reading. This month, I would like to ask you: Q1. How does the change in seasons/weather impact your engineering work? OR Q2. How do you approach problem-solving when you hit roadblocks?
Regarding the impact of seasons and weather, they can significantly affect our operations. For instance, harsh winter conditions in Manitoba can make roads slippery and visibility poor, which can increase response times. Therefore, we always stay prepared and adapt our strategies according to the weather conditions to ensure we can provide the best possible response. Every decision I make can have a significant impact on people’s lives. Therefore, continuous learning, training, and staying updated with the latest protocols and procedures are crucial parts of my role.
My primary role is to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in an incident. This involves quickly assessing the situation, providing immediate medical care if necessary, and coordinating with other emergency services to manage the incident effectively. When it comes to problem-solving, I approach roadblocks by staying calm and focused, even under pressure. I rely on my training and experience to make quick decisions. If a particular approach isn’t working, I reassess the situation and consider alternative strategies. Collaboration and communication with my team are also crucial in overcoming challenges.
Regarding problem-solving when I hit a road block is see it as a puzzle. Identifying at least 3 different ways of solving the puzzle I can then prioritize the solutions in order of most likely to succeed.
After I’ve tried the first way and it doesn’t work then I move on to the next.
That way failure also isn’t failure, but just a learning curve and finding the best solution.
When hitting roadblocks I switch to a different task and then come back to it with a fresh mind. Explaining the issue to someone, even though they are not familiar with the topic, helps to answer your own questions.
In the engineering field, hitting roadblocks is inevitable, but it’s also an opportunity learn from them. My approach is firstly analyze the problem, then try to find potential solutions, seeking for different approaches as well. For this, I look for inputs from my colleagues to have ideas different from my own. Once I have all these options in hand, I chose one considering the whole scenario and take action with it. It is important to keep in mind that the plan might change along the way, so adapting is also important when I hit obstacles.
we take the daylight into consideration every time there is work on site and requires lot of hours to be put in.
A simple example would be to finish off a little late in the November and early December, before 5pm so that we are not stuck in sudden darkness. that also allows the people to start their commute back home early. Might well stretch the work till 7pm on a summer night but not during early winter solstice days.
Mostly extreme weather like heavy rain / snow has an impact on site visits. To avoid this, site visits are usually planned keeping in view the weather forecast.
As a Project Manager, one of my tasks is problem-solving. When solutions don’t quite seem clear, I find that the problem has not been explored fully. So it’s a good idea to come with a fresh mind when thinking of solutions, even if there are multiple options available for solving a problem.
Well! I follow various methods of problem solving (All techincal related issues). I write the problem and list the possibilities to resolve it. Then find the consequences to each possibilities. This gives me clear idea as what is the issue, how to approach and which method is the best. Another method, I google and use various forums. I find many outstanding ideas that never cross my mind.
Ans to Q1. For the Outside Plant, the build work takes a great impact from the change in seasons/weather. In winter, the build cost is considerably higher due to many factors.
And to Q2. We approach the problems using the Six Hats process to problem-solving.
Sadly in Alberta here the summer months have been extremely smokey with forest fires. I have asthma so I have engineered a home with all fresh air intake that gets hepa and voc filtered.
Ans to Q1. As I conduct site visits, I must monitor the weather forecast and road conditions for safety reasons, which significantly affects my work.
Q1 : Site visits and testing activities certainly affected due to changing seasons, I vividly remember my expereince when Train required to stop during testing due to track power drop due to heavy snow. Needed to wait two hrs inside train in cold.
Q2 : I usually perform RCA starting looking at high-level overview of cause and going further in detail step by step, identify alternatives, measure pros cons and choose the best outcome.
A2: When I encounter roadblocks in problem-solving, I step back to reassess the problem, brainstorm alternative approaches, seek help from colleagues or mentors, and learn from any mistakes. If this doesn’t work, I take a walking/stretching break and then try again.
Changes in season and weather impacts field and site visits. Summer and warmer months call for more field work than winter months. There is also more project work in the summer compared to winter.
When hit by roadblocks, I usually take a break from it and come back to look at it from a fresh perspective.