September 2005 ISSUE
checking in
Editor's Note: Checking In, a regular feature of The PEGG, is designed to keep you up-to-date on APEGGA's numerous and varied programs and initiatives. Consider it a project report and news digest, with website links and PEGG references to help you find out more.
√Registration Has Record Month
The Registration Department at APEGGA is one hopping place these days.
Registration Supervisor Karrie Kitt says June was a record month in numbers of applications. “It was a very busy month. We saw a record 336 new applications come in.”
On average Registration sees between 240 and 250 new applications in a month.
Assistant Director of Registration Bill Santo, P.Eng., says that demand for professionals has created the high volume of applications — something he doesn’t expect to slow down any time soon.
“With the billions of dollars being spent in the oil sands, and countless other projects around the province, the demand for professionals will continue to rise. We need people to design and oversee these projects.”
In the past year, APEGGA has seen an increase of 16 per cent in the number of applications for membership.
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√APEGGA Tech Team Keeps Watchful Eye
If you’ve ever wondered how APEGGA keeps your information safe from the
prying eyes of would-be identity thieves, you can rest easy. We’re on the
case.
James Verhagen and Thien Nguyen, APEGGA’s crack IT team, ensure that the personal information you send electronically remains in the proper hands. By means of several security checkpoints, our IT people see that your information and APEGGA are safe from electronic infiltration.
Security starts, says the IT duo, with our firewall as the first line of defence. The firewall is designed to filter out as much spam, and other undesirable and unsafe information as possible.
Mr. Verhagen and Mr. Nguyen follow that up with daily monitoring and manual application of updates for virus patches, spyware programs and various operating system updates from Microsoft. APEGGA also employs a zero-tolerance policy for spam e-mail, and therefore monitors very carefully any e-mail coming in with attachments.
This filtration stops potentially infected attachments from coming through to staff members, who may open them and inadvertently cause major damage.
All that followup ensures that the programs we rely on work to our best advantage. For interactive programs, such as the one that allows you to pay dues online, a highly secure, 128-bit encryption method of technology is used.
√Nominate Peers for Summit Awards
You still have time to nominate a worthy colleague or an excellent project for
the APEGGA Summit Awards, presented in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting
in April. Nomination deadline is Sept. 30.
Each year, the Summit Awards recognize leadership and excellence in the practices of engineering, geology and geophysics. Download the nomination package at the APEGGA site or call us at 780-426-3990 or 1-800-661-7020 to receive one.
Related Link
www.apegga.org/members/Awards/summitcategories.html
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√Innovation 2005 Update
Our Alberta Centennial project, Innovation 2005, continues to build momentum,
with 60- second vignettes airing daily on Global TV across the province. Joining
them soon will be stories of innovation on CKUA Radio, heard across Alberta and
around the world on the Internet.
Also of note, two Alberta 2005 Centennial supplements, in the Calgary Sun and the Edmonton Sun, and another in the Calgary Herald and the Edmonton Journal, featured an Innovation 2005 article. A series of articles is also being made available to community papers in Alberta for publishing.
A website is being developed where all of the print, video and audio material will be available. In addition, a package will be distributed to schools including a DVD, VHS tape and print material.
Related Link
www.innovationalberta.com
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√Communications Welcomes New Staffer
Members involved with our Outreach Program activities in the southern part of
the province are likely to share our sadness in saying good-bye to Calgary outreach
coordinator Elizabeth Muir.
But not so fast. While Elizabeth has decided to retire from full-time work with APEGGA, you’ll still be able to say hello to her on the phone or in person at the Calgary office, where she will be helping out part time.
Joining the Communications team as the new Calgary Outreach Coordinator is Lindy Turner. Reach Lindy at lturner@apegga.org or 403-262-7714.
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√Planning for Promotion of Professions
The Communications team has been active during the summer, planning initiatives
to promote science, technology and the professions. Watch for member volunteer
opportunities as we celebrate our professions during
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Science and Technology Week, Oct. 7-16
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National Engineering & Geoscience Week, Feb. 24-March 5, including APEGGA Science Olympics in Calgary on Feb. 25 and Edmonton Science Olympics on March 4.
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√Member and Permit Holder Logos available
Members and permit holders are encouraged to use the new APEGGA logos, specially
designed for you. Guidelines are available at the link below, and guidelines
and logos are available from Elizabeth Nash, APEGGA graphics technician, at enash@apegga.org
or by calling her at 780-426-3990 or 1-800-661-7020.
Related Link
www.apegga.org/members/Benefits/logo.html