February 2008 Issue
negw 2008
Making a World of Difference
APEGGA members and staff, the public, educators and others team up to spread the science bug during National Engineering & Geoscience Week, Feb. 21 to March 2
BY NANICA BROWN
Public Relations Coordinator
Members are gearing up for special activities around the province to celebrate
their professions — while encouraging youth to think about the world of
opportunities available in engineering and geoscience.
Making a World of Difference is the theme of this year’s National Engineering & Geoscience
Week, Feb. 21 to March 2.
“Too often we appear to be the invisible professions because the work we do is often behind the scenes,” said APEGGA President John McLeod, P.Eng. “The truth is, we make a difference. Albertans and Canadians use our services every day.
“National Engineering & Geoscience Week celebrates the vital contribution we make to public safety and well-being. This is an opportunity for professional engineers and geoscientists to proudly showcase the world of difference they make to the lives of all Albertans, by providing such day-to-day essentials as clean water, safe roads and bridges, fuel to operate our vehicles, energy to heat and light our homes and cook our food, as well as cell phones, computers and iPods.”
Kicking off the week on Feb. 21 are two APEGGA corporate challenge events.
Professional engineers, geologists and geophysicists will compete in a mystery
event that will test their skills. The public and other professionals are encouraged
to join in the fun and cheer on their favourite teams.
In Calgary, the kickoff will be hosted by Quorum Business Solutions at Eau Claire
Market, in Edmonton by the city’s transportation department at City Hall.
Continuing the tradition of spon-soring educational initiatives, members will head off to neighbourhood schools to share their experiences and encourage youth to get passionate about science and technology. Designed to show the fun side of science, these elementary school science nights feature a variety of hands-on science activities and demonstrations.
These science nights are open to students, their families and friends at schools throughout Calgary, Edmonton and surrounding areas.
Educators, such as Ellen Yakimyshyn, principal of Pine Street Elementary School in Sherwood Park, believe the science nights add value to the curriculum and promote excellent role models for the students.
“We appreciate the support of APEGGA, which allows us to be able to accomplish student learning goals within our limited resources,“ says Ms. Yakimyshyn, “Family science nights link directly to many of our student outcomes at all grade levels and the varied hands-on science activities and demos bring science to life for our students and their families.”
APEGGA will also hold science olympics events around the province. In 2008, it is estimated that more than 1,000 students, teachers and volunteers across Alberta will take part in these competitions. Pre-registered teams will test their problem-solving skills against a series of both pre-made and mystery challenges.
Though events are related to what students learn in the classroom, they often
involve a unique take on the curriculum. In the past teams have been asked to
find the voltage of a piece of fruit, play golf using a catapult, build a chair
out of newspaper or use wind-powered machines to crush objects.
It’s an outstanding way to teach youth that science can be fun, says Brad
Maynes, P.Geol. Mr. Maynes is a volunteer with the APEGGA Calgary Science Olympics
planning group. “I have people ask me why I volunteer for the science olympics
and my response is that if through our efforts, just one of these young enthusiastic
students goes on to a career in the sciences, then we are all better off as Albertans.”
Kathryn Cramer, P.Eng., coordinator of the 2007 Red Deer event, also believes that the science olympics is a great opportunity for students to have fun with science and challenge themselves at the same time.
“The Central Alberta Branch of APEGGA is very proud to host the science olympics — we hope for the continued growth of the event over the next several years as more and more schools get involved,” says Ms. Cramer.
“We have an abundance of engineering career opportunities so everything we can do to further promote science and math in the surrounding schools the better! We want students to see engineering, geology and geophysics as rewarding career choices that provide opportunities for creative thinking.”
This year science olympics events will take place in Calgary on Feb. 23 at the Big 4 and March 1 in Edmonton at the Shaw Conference Centre.
Several APEGGA branches have also confirmed dates for science olympics. Events
will be held in Red Deer and Cold Lake on Saturday, March 8; in Lloydminster
on Friday, March 7, and Friday,
April 4; and in Lethbridge on Saturday, April 5. Everyone is welcome to come
out and cheer on the teams.
On Feb. 21, be sure to look for the 13th edition of the NEGW special supplement
in both the Calgary Herald and the Edmonton Journal. The insert will feature
a calendar of events and highlight geoscientists and engineers from across the
province who are making a world of difference.
There are many other ways to join the celebration. You may
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plan a challenge between departments within your organization, or with other companies or technical societies
-
host a coffee session for other employees and tell them about NEGW
-
visit a school in your area to talk with students about your profession.
HOSTING AN NEGW EVENT?
Feel free to have us add it to our online calendar. Simply contact
In Calgary, Nanica Brown
403-262-7714
nbrown@apega.ca
or
In Edmonton, Jeanne Keaschuk
780-426-3990, 1-800-661-7020
jkeaschuk@apega.ca
more info
www.apega.ca/K12/negw
Nanica Brown
403-262-7714
nbrown@apega.ca
Jeanne Keaschuk
780-426-3990
1-800-661-7020
jkeaschuk@apega.ca