l’actualité chimique canadiennecanadian chemical newsACCN February | FÉvrier • 2008 • vol. 60, No./no 2

Careers in the ChemiCal Professions

Women in Science and engineering

Will Your résumé survive the ten-second­ scan?ENgiNEEriNg

ChEmistry At QuEEN’s

Women in Science and engineering

A Journey from Books to the Boardroom

Craft your Chemical Career

successful Job Application Formula

Will your résumé survivE thE tEN-sECoNd­ sCAN?

First Thing about Phosphates

EnginEEring ChEmistry at QuEEn’s

What Can a Chemist Be? in the

ChEmiCAl ProFEssioNsCareers

Ar ticles

Jobs Are out thereThe president of Maxxam Analytics shares his successful job application formula.

Pierre Beaumier, MCIC

Advocating ChangeExamining the choices made by today’s women in science and engineering

Jennifer Fender

recruitment and retentionWhat can be done to attract women to the field of chemical engineering? And keep them there?

emily moore, MCIC

Engineering ChemistryOne hundred years of chemical dependence

Jennifer clarke, MCIC

turning A CornerA chemist’s journey from books to the boardroom

gavin Pereira, MCIC

the World is Wide openToday’s chemical fields are teeming with opportunity.

anne campbell, MCIC

Guest Column Chroniqueur invité . . . . . . 2résumés—Surviving the Ten-Second ScanDon Hewson

letters lettres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

News Nouvelles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

regulatory News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Kimberly Hradecky, MCIC, and Kerry Ketcheson

Industrial Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Chemfusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Joe Schwarcz, MCIC

recognition reconnaissance . . . . . . . . . 30

Careers Carrières . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Events Événements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

ACCN A publication of the CiC | une publication de l’iCC

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s | T a b l e d e s m a t i è r e s

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February | FÉvrier • 2008 • vol. 60, No./no 2

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�  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

Résumés—Surviving the Ten-Second Scan Don Hewson

Managing Editor/directrice de la rédaction Heather Dana Munroe

Graphic designer/InfographisteKrista Leroux

Editorial Board/Conseil de rédactionJoe Schwarcz, MCIC, chair/président

Cathleen Crudden, MCICJohn Margeson, MCICMilena Sejnoha, MCICbernard West, MCIC

editorial Office/bureau de la rédaction130, rue Slater Street, Suite/bureau 550

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L’Actualité chimique canadienne/Canadian Chemical News (ACCN) is published 10 times a year by the Chemical Institute of Canada / est publié 10 fois par année par l’Institut de chimie du Canada. www.cheminst.ca.

Recommended by the Chemical Institute of Canada, the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, and the Canadian Society for Chemical Technology. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the official position of the Institute, or of the societies that recommend the magazine.

Recommandé par l’Institut de chimie du Canada, la Société canadienne de chimie, la Société canadienne de génie chimique et la Société canadienne de technologie chimique. Les opinions exprimées ne reflètent pas nécessairement la position officielle de l’Institut ou des sociétés qui soutiennent le magazine.

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Indexed in the Canadian Business Index and available on-line in the Canadian Business and Current Affairs database. / Répertorié dans la Canadian Business Index et accessible en ligne dans la banque de données Canadian Business and Current Affairs.

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How will your résumé be received? Your beautifully prepared résumé may be brutally criticized in a ten-

second scan and sorted into the “No Thanks” pile . How can your résumé survive this highly critical initial sort? And if it survives the ten-second scan, can it survive a subsequent 30-minute study and result in an interview?

Chemical industry managers are notoriously busy and they often face 80 or more résumés when selecting the top three candidates for interviews . They will look for any excuse to weed you out of the competition . In that ten-second scan they will look for a clumsy cover letter, confused formatting, missing informa-tion, a spelling error, poor sentence structure, any lack of clarity, or even inappropriate paper quality . About 30 percent of résumé cover let-ters do not identify the position being sought, and if the employer is advertising multiple positions, you have already confused them . That’s your free ride to the “No Thanks” pile .

How can your résumé survive the ten sec-ond scan? Perfect all the simple elements men-tioned above . Select an informative format with a heading, contact information, background, education, experience, and personal interests . Most importantly, create an eye-catching and mind-catching “Accomplishments” section right in the middle of the first page . Don’t wait until the second page to share your accomplish-ments with the reviewer! It is the “Accomplish-ments” section where a résumé gets traction .

The highly productive chemical industry requires achievers who complete projects and are driven by that special sense of accomplish-ment that comes from a job well done . As a reviewer, it is obvious that most applicants are qualified “on paper,” but the “Accomplish-ments” section tells what they have really done with their lives .

There is a special approach for writing each accomplishment to create a positive and results-oriented impression . Begin with active and descriptive verbs to convince the

reviewer that you feel passion and urgency for your work . Include facts, numbers, fi-nances, and an indication of scope in every accomplishment statement . Situate every stated accomplishment and finish with the results of your work . let’s examine a real-life accomplishment statement in the résumé I used for my current position .

“Created the project, developed, and com-mercialized new innovative, energy saving, and environmentally acceptable metal cut-ting fluids for the North American market . An electrical energy saving of 15 to 20 percent was realized by the customers . Designed and performed the communications, teaching, and training to support these products with indus-trial users . reversed the previous five percent per year loss in this business segment to a seven percent per year growth in a $15 million per year business .”

Note the descriptive verbs—created, devel-oped, commercialized, designed, performed, and reversed . Facts, figures, and finances are included and are situated in the North Ameri-can market . The outcome is a reversal of a business loss to a gain, and it is quantified .

Your chemical industry résumé should include about five major accomplishments that are commensurate with your experience and convey a results-oriented sense of accomplishment .

With careful wording throughout and “Accomplishment” statements on the front page, you will greatly improve the odds of surviving the ten-second initial scan and the 30-minute scrutiny .

Finally, luck does play a role, but keep in mind Samuel Goldwyn’s statement, “The harder I work, the luckier I get!”

guEst ColumN ChroNiQuEur iNvité

Don Hewson is managing director and

industrial liaison at the University of Western

Ontario’s Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton

Campus, located in one of Canada’s important

chemical clusters. A frequent speaker on

résumé and interview skills, Hewson shares his

experience as an interviewer during his 28 years

at Imperial Oil and ExxonMobil Research, and

his experience as a recent interviewee.

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs �

NEWs NouvEllEs lEttErs lEttrEs

ring in the new year

Dear eDitor,I just noticed in ACCN (Nov/Dec 2007) that the Association of the Chemical Profession of Alberta has come out with a Chemist’s ring as a symbol of professional standing . I think this is a great idea, a great design, and the ACPO should adopt it . The CIC should encourage this ring in all provinces as a standard-ized symbol of the profession .

Paul Larocque, MCIC

Dear eDitor,While I realize [the Chemist’s ring] is for the Association of the Chemi-cal Profession of Alberta, I fail to see the need for a second chemist’s ring . I have been wearing a silver CIC ring for decades . The original paladium ring split and couldn’t be repaired . Hence, I replaced it with a silver ring when it became available . With due respect to our Alberta friends—won’t a second ring con-fuse those whom we want to educate as to the status of “pro-fessional chemist” in Canada and elsewhere?

Brian Wiggins, MCIC

NEWs NouvEllEs

Closed—office of the National science Advisor The Office of the National Science Advisor (ONSA) is being shut down by the govern-ment of Stephen Harper . National Science Advisor to the Prime Minister (NSA) Ar-thur Carty, HFCIC, has decided to retire . The move comes less than four years after the creation of the office by the previous liberal government of Paul Martin . The decision to terminate Carty’s office and position leaves Canada as one of the few advanced industrialized nations without a national science advisor or chief scientist .

Carty’s departure as Canada’s first national science advisor since 1971 and the demise of the ONSA end months of specu-lation on their fate, which began in earnest when the NSA was transferred from the Privy Council Office (PCO) to Industry Canada in May 2006 . Neither Industry Canada nor the ONSA were available for comment by press deadline .

The office’s closure brings the previous government’s efforts to establish a top-level advisory role for S&T to an ignominious end . Since its inception, the ONSA was se-verely circumscribed in its ability to provide science advice to the prime minister . There is now just one advisory body remaining—the Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) .

The decision to close the ONSA adds to the growing turmoil surrounding several key S&T organizations . last December, Industry Canada was forced to scramble to replace Canadian Space Agency president larry Bois-vert, who abruptly resigned just nine months into a five-year term . Senior bureaucrat Guy Bujold was chosen as an interim leader . An-other senior Industry Canada bureaucrat, Michael Binder, was tapped to head up the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission after the high-profile firing of the commission’s president linda Keen .

Carty stepped into the role of NSA in April 2004 after ten years as president of the National research Council Canada, where he was largely successful in turning around a demoralized organization and winning several new mandates . From the onset as NSA, Carty saw the need to build upon the investments being made in largely univer-sity-based research and establish creditabil-ity with all stakeholders . But he was also aware of the challenges of providing inde-pendent advice to government when situ-ated within the bureaucracy .

“The NSA has to provide balanced, inde-pendent science advice which will be taken seriously by the government,” Carty said in a 2003 interview with Re$earch Money . “It is going to be a sensitive task to balance what government thinks it needs—what it wants to do—and the science advice coming from the broad community . They are not neces-sary synonymous .”

The role of the NSA was hamstrung from the beginning due to a miniscule budget, a

vague mandate and the lack of a reporting mechanism to Cabinet . Several have criti-cized Carty for failing to negotiate a clear mandate before accepting the position .

Under the liberal government, Carty and his office moved forward several key files in-cluding support for major science infrastruc-ture, nanotechnology, a new fund for federal laboratories modelled on the Canada Foun-dation for Innovation and international S&T . But those efforts rarely resulted in concrete reports or action by the government, and the NSA was unable to shake off its low profile and the impression that it wasn’t having an impact .

Carty isn’t alone among science advisors when experiencing difficulties interfacing with government . When U .S . presiden-tial science advisor John Marburger was appointed in late 2001, it was without the added title of assistant to the president en-joyed by his predecessors . In addition, many of the Bush administration’s controversial science policy decisions (embryonic stem cells, climate change) had already been made, leaving Marburger to defend policies that he had no role in formulating . At least one Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, has pledged to restore the additional title to the science advisor’s position and restore di-rect reporting to the president .

The ONSA’s fall from political grace be-came apparent last year with the release of the S&T Strategy, which contains an exten-sive section on S&T advice and a commit-ment to “revitalize” its external S&T advice . The Strategy is completely silent on the ONSA with the exception of a passing refer-ence acknowledging that “the Strategy ben-efited from the advice of many individuals and organizations” including the NSA . “The people in the ONSA are top notch, but the whole has been less than the sum of its parts,” says one S&T observer . “The office never commented on the S&T system or the structure and function of the system . It should have had a lot of independence, but it failed to define an agenda and failed to capture the attention of politicians and the public .”

Mark Henderson, re$earch Money

�  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

NEWs NouvEllEs

Canada’s First stem Cell libraryThe establishment of Canada’s first Human Stem Cell library holds the promise of future treatments and cures for numerous diseases . leading researchers from around the world will be able to access its resources to advance their work .The library will also cement the position of McMaster University’s Stem Cell and Cancer research Institute as a national leader in cutting-edge work investigating the potential of human embryonic stem cells .The potential of the library will be magnified by the combination of the strengths of the stem cell institute and McMaster’s world-class bio-chemistry investigators . Co-directors of the library are Mick Bhatia, director of the stem cell institute, and David Andrews, a professor of biochemistry whose research group estab-lished a centre for functional genomics and chemical genetics at McMaster .

The library will use both healthy and can-cerous human stem cell lines and will be a dynamic resource for researchers in both the academic and commercial settings . It will serve as a launch pad for international stem cell research, allowing stem cell lines to be cultured, engineered, and then analysed in detail for characteristics, behaviours, and interactions of genes . In addition to the $15 million gift from businessman David Braley that will launch the library, financial support will come from government agencies and the business sector for the required infrastructure and research initiatives .

McMaster University

Nru reactor—Full steam Ahead Atomic Energy of Canada limited (AECl) confirms that the National research Uni-versal reactor (NrU) was safely returned to service December 16, 2007 .

“NrU provides medical isotopes for about 25 million diagnoses and treatments a year,” says AECl’s president, research and Tech-nology Division, David Torgerson . AECl will continue to provide regular updates as new information becomes available .

AECl has an absolute and unwavering commitment to safety . The NrU facility was operated reliably for several decades up to and including the time of shutdown . NrU has produced isotopes for medical diagnostic procedures since it began producing medical isotopes in 1957 .

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

landmark d­ecision—Conserving Canadian landsForest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) expressed its strong support for the Government of Canada’s announcement to protect over ten million hectares of land in the boreal forest . This is one of the largest land conservation initiatives in Canadian his-tory . The industry also commends the federal government, the GNWT, and communities for having co-operated so constructively on this important commitment .

“This announcement acknowledges the important need to recognize and act on the conservation challenges facing Canada’s boreal forest . It is exactly why the members of FPAC co-signed with the Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI), a 2006 commitment to en-sure planning for the conservation of eco-logical and cultural values, and respect for Aboriginal rights in resource development decisions, prior to new forest tenures being allocated in the boreal,” said Avrim lazar, FPAC president and CEO .

“FPAC and its members have a strong and productive track record of working construc-tively with conservation groups, govern-ments, and others on projects related to ad-vancing sustainable forest management and environmental stewardship . We are commit-ted to help shape a sustainable vision and re-ality for the boreal forest,” concluded lazar .

FPAC is the voice of Canada’s wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and interna-tionally in government, trade, and environ-mental affairs . Canada’s forest industry is an $80 billion dollar per year industry that rep-resents three percent of Canada’s GDP . The industry is one of Canada’s largest employ-ers, operating in over 320 Canadian commu-nities and providing nearly 900,000 direct and indirect jobs across the country .

Forest Products Association of Canada

CCPA—strong Exports offset manufacturing d­eclineStrong export sales are offsetting a diminish-ing domestic demand for basic chemicals and resins, according to the Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association’s (CCPA) 2007 year-end business survey of its members . A dramatic 50 percent decline in sales to Canadian custom-ers may signal fundamental changes to North American manufacturing with production shifting to offshore locations, primarily Asia .

In contrast to the Canadian market, export sales were up by 13 percent in 2007 to $20 billion and now represent over 80 percent of total industry sales . Sales to U .S . markets were down by three percent . They account for only about two-thirds of the industry’s business outside of Canada, while exports to offshore markets were up 66 percent .

Despite weaker sales, operating profits be-fore interest, taxes and special write-offs 2007 were $2 .0 billion, up 18 percent from 2006 and virtually at the peak set in 2005 . Profits have been particularly strong in Canada’s gas-based petrochemical sector . Canada’s chemical pro-ducers continue to be profitable . Their oper-ating profit ratio remains significantly higher

than its U .S . counterpart, averaging 7 .3 percent since 1999 (vs . 4 .6 percent in the U .S . over that period) . The Canadian manufacturing sector continues to weather a perfect storm so far . The high dollar and its rapid appreciation in value impacted on both Canadian chemical production costs and the costs for key chemi-cal industry customers in Canada . High energy costs including electricity in Ontario and high oil prices have also had a negative impact on Canadian manufacturing, particularly to the segment of the chemical industry that up-grades fossil fuels into value added products .

Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association

d­id­ you KNoWall issues of ACCN prior to 2008 are free to view on-line at www.accn.ca?

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs �

NEWs NouvEllEs

ontario BioAuto Council goes green inside™ GreenCore Composites Inc . is a natural fibre composite company spun off from research at the University of Toronto (U of T) . It has received an investment of $755,000 from the Ontario BioAuto Council Commercial-ization Fund . The Ontario BioAuto Council is a not-for-profit organization working to link auto parts manufacturers, automotive assemblers, and the chemical and plastics industry with agricultural and forestry com-panies to produce materials and chemicals from biological feedstocks . The organiza-tion targets commercialization and market development of biomaterials for Ontario’s automotive sector .

GreenCore was started through the U of T’s commercialization arm, the Innovations Group, by forestry and applied chemistry professor Mohini Sain, MCIC . The company has developed proprietary technologies to manufacture natural fibre-reinforced com-posites for use in products such as auto parts . One technology in particular, Green Inside™ pellets, caught the eye of the Ontario Bio-Council . By replacing petroleum-based materials with sustainable natural fibres, Green Inside compounds can more than dou-ble the strength of the base polymer while offering added environmental benefits .

“Green Inside™ made our decision to invest very easy,” said Bernard West, MCIC, chair of the Ontario BioAuto Council . “We are excited to support the commercialization of this world class technology in an Ontario enterprise .”

Biomaterials are experiencing strong growth around the globe, charged in part by environmental concerns as well as the shift in petroleum prices . The resulting market for materials derived from biological feedstocks is estimated to reach $50 billion by 2015 .

University of Toronto

Enhancing Engineering WorldwideA new agreement between the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) and the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineering (IIChE) will offer chemical engineers in India greater support toward attaining Chartered Chemical Engineer status .

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed recently by the presidents of both organizations in Mumbai is intended to promote and extend professional, social and, where appropriate, commercial links between IChemE and IIChE .

IChemE president ramesh Mashelkar welcomed the move, which will assist in the quality of engineering practice worldwide and in advancing the mobility of engineering practitioners: “The only way we can eliminate

iChemE president ramesh mashelkat and his iiChE counterpart, K. venkataramana sign the mou.

potential barriers in education and learning is by creating what has been called, ‘a bound-aryless profession’ .”

“We must reach out to society, to other dis-ciplines and sectors, and across geographic borders to create a global knowledge and skills pool that is greater than the sum of its parts . This cross-geographic engagement is one of the reasons the MOU between IChemE and IIChE is so critical . Becoming a Chartered Chemical Engineer demonstrates a high level of compe-tence, experience, and a commitment to best practice . It is a global qualification, recognized throughout the world,” added Mashelkar, for-merly director general of the Council of Scien-tific and Industrial research in India .

Institution of Chemical Engineers

sAviEz-vousToutes les éditions d’ACCN parues avant 2008 peuvent être lues gratuitement sur le Web à www.accn.ca?

�  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

NEWs NouvEllEs

d­awn of the CiC Energy d­ivisionThe CIC launched its Energy Division at the 57th Canadian Chemical Engineering Con-ference in Edmonton, AB, with an Energy round Table . CIC chair, Christian Detellier, FCIC, introduced the event, and CSChE vice-president, Milena Sejnoha, MCIC, chaired the session .

Through the leadership of the CSChE di-rector of divisions Allan Gilbert, MCIC, the session was carried out with both great at-tendance and participation . Presentation topics included “The role of Chemical Engineering in the Future of Energy” by Philippe Tanguy, MCIC; “Some Thoughts on Canadian Energy Perspectives in a Carbon-Constrained Future” by John Grace, FCIC; “Determining and reducing the Ecological Footprint from Accelerated Biofuel Devel-opment in Canada—a prospectus” by Terry McIntyre, MCIC; and “Nuclear Power—an essential component for global CO2 emission reduction” by Alistair Miller, FCIC .

An interim executive for the division is in place . The executive consists of: Energy Division chair, Bruce Peachey, FCIC, presi-dent of New Paradigm Engineering, ltd .; Mark Johnstone, MCIC, director of Technol-ogy and Strategy at Suncor Energy Inc .; John Grace, FCIC, professor in the department of chemical and biological engineering at The University of British Columbia; Terry Mc-Intyre, MCIC, chief of applied environmen-tal biology at Environment Canada; Alistair Miller, FCIC, senior research associate and researcher emeritus at Atomic Energy of Canada limited (AECl); and Philippe Tan-guy, MCIC, Total professor and director of rCIFP at École Polytechnique . The execu-tive and division will work together to help Canada maintain its prime position in the energy arena .

Chemical Institute of Canada

id­W2007 in reviewThe 40th Inorganic Discussion Weekend conference (IDW2007) held at the chemis-try department of the University of Toronto last November was a big success . There were 40 lectures and 94 poster presenta-tions by graduate students from Ontario, Quebec, New York, and Newfoundland . There were 250 attendees in all, including 40 inorganic chemistry faculty members from as far away as the University of Michi-gan, Memorial University, and even the University of Mentouri in Algeria . Thomas rauchfuss, professor from the University of Illinois, presented a plenary lecture titled,

inorganic chemistry students and faculty discuss posters in the d­avenport Atrium of the university of toronto’s department of chemistry as part of the id­W2007 activities.

“Iron Carbonyl Comes to life—inorganic chemistry and the hydrogenase enzymes .” University of Toronto’s Geoffrey Ozin, FCIC, spoke about “P-Ink and Elast-Ink lab-to-Market .” The social program included mixers and a banquet attended by 230 .

The following graduate students were awarded prizes . First-prize poster winners were Titel Jurca (University of Ottawa) and Ojisamola labeodan (University of Wind-sor) . lecture winners were Christopher rowley, MCIC (University of Ottawa), lind-say Cahill, MCIC (McMaster University), Craig robertson (University of Waterloo) and Christian Garon (Université laval) . We thank the University of Toronto, Dalton Pharma Services, Bruker, Sigma-Aldrich, Dima Glass, MBraun, Strem Chemicals, Wa-ters, Pearson, McGraw-Hill ryerson, and the Inorganic Division of the CSC for sponsoring this event . This conference has been a tradi-tion among inorganic chemists since its in-ception in 1968 . Attendees hail primarily from Ontario, Quebec, and northern New York State . IDW rotates from university to univer-sity, primarily from Ontario to Quebec .

Robert Morris, FCIC, chair of IDW2007

Photo by Alen Hadzovic

CCA’s Flu report Council of Canadian Academies has pub-lished a new report entitled, “Influenza Transmission and the role of Personal Protec-tive respiratory Equipment—an assessment of the evidence .”

This report comes in response to a pro-posal submitted by the Public Health Agency of Canada that asked the Council to investigate how seasonal and pandemic in-fluenza are transmitted and, based on those findings, to assess the contribution of respi-rators and surgical masks to the prevention of transmission of the virus . The report of the study represents the consensus findings of a 13-member panel of experts, chaired by Donald low, microbiologist-in-chief at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, ON . The report and its summary document the Report in Focus are available in both official lan-guages and are accessible on the Council’s Web site at www .scienceadvice .ca .

Council of Canadian Academies

articles en français!editorial@accn.ca

ACCN recherchÉS

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs �

NEWs NouvEllEs

recognizing Canada’s top EmployersDalhousie University tops the list of The Sci-entist’s “Best Places to Work in Academia .” results of an international survey were published in the prestigious magazine’s No-vember 2007 issue . The annual list divides research and academic institutions into American and international lists . Dalhousie is ranked number one in the international category . Another Canadian university, the University of Alberta in Edmonton, AB, cracks the top ten at number five .

Alison Thompson, MCIC, enjoys working at Dalhousie because of the collegial and helpful people she interacts with in the department of chemistry . Instead of being competitive, pro-fessors in her department support each other and celebrate each other’s successes, she says . “I regard my competition as the rest of the Canada and the rest of the world,” says asso-ciate professor Thompson . “People here can only benefit by my success, as I do by theirs … with widespread recognition, the reputation of the whole department is enhanced .”

mark Wall, mCiC, (left) and John tran, mCiC, prepare a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometer for analysis of a protein mixture. they are graduate students in the department of chemistry at d­alhousie university, where Alison thompson, mCiC, is director of the mass spectrometry laboratory.

Bayer Inc . was selected one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2008 by Maclean’s magazine and one of Greater Toronto’s Top 50 Employers for 2008 by the Toronto Star .

“We are thrilled to be acknowledged as one of Canada’s leading employers,” said Philip Blake, president and CEO of Bayer Inc ., the Canadian subsidiary of Germany-based Bayer AG, with approximately 1,000 employees across Canada . “Our employ-ees are incredibly dedicated and they are our greatest strength . At Bayer we recog-nize the importance of fostering a positive work environment and continually strive to support our employees through innova-tive and flexible programs designed to meet their needs .”

“Bayer was selected as one of Canada’s top employers for its dedication to its em-ployees, which is clearly demonstrated through their employee wellness programs and progressive benefits plan,” said Media-corp Canada’s editorial board, which steers the selection process .

Dalhousie University and Bayer Inc.

Boosting Bio-hybrids The Ontario government is investing $10 mil-lion in the Bioindustrial Innovation Centre in Sarnia, ON, to stimulate the development of a bio-hybrid chemical industry in the region . The funding will be used to retrofit 6,000 square metres of existing laboratory space and add 6,000 square metres for an incubator centre . It is expected to attract more than $1 billion in new private sector investment by 2014 . Sarnia has long been one of Canada’s largest petrochemical clusters . It is hoped the new centre will generate new spin-offs while attracting bioindustrial plants to the area .

Ministry of Research and Innovation

Xerox the Patent Powerhouse—101 inventors with 50+ Patents One hundred and one Xerox inventors have received 50 patents or more, showcasing a world-class culture of innovation . Xerox inventors have produced a wealth of innova-tions that distinguish the company’s products and services and have helped create the mod-ern office and the digital printing industry .

Polymer chemist Karen Moffat, MCIC, of the Xerox research Centre Canada joins the ranks of these 50-plus patent holders . She is an expert in the area of toner materials design and synthesis . She holds 52 patents, many of which are related to toner materials includ-ing Xerox’s proprietary emulsion aggregation (EA) toner . EA toner is an energy-saving dry ink that produces sharp, vivid images .

Xerox’s investment in innovation gener-ates a steady stream of advanced technol-ogy . More than two-thirds of its equipment revenue is from products and services launched in the past two years alone, re-flecting the company’s ability to generate a strong return on its r&D . Xerox holds more than 8,000 active patents and invests about six percent of its revenue in research, devel-opment, and engineering activities .

Xerox Corporation

8  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

Breakfasts of ChampionsExperts and advocates champion their causes while knowledge-hungry audiences feast at two popular breakfast lecture series in the nation’s capital .

reversing Effects of Climate Change

the honourable John Baird, mP ottawa West-Nepean and minister of the Environment drew a crowd at Eggs ‘N icons.

January 2008 marked the end date posed ten years ago by the Kyoto Agreement . And Canada weighs in at 32 .9 percent above the assigned targets . While the debate persists about whether targets were ever feasible for Canada, Environment Minister John Baird stands strong behind his commitment to reduce Canadian greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by a new date 2020 . That was the focus of the minister’s November 30, 2007 Eggs ‘N Icons address “Taking Action and Climate Change Conservation .”

Baird highlighted a proposed plan requir-ing Canada and its collaborators to forge ahead on projects such as developing and deploying new technology, using carbon credits, funding provinces’ efforts to improve energy efficiency and conservation, fining polluters, bolstering British Columbia’s hy-drogen highway, boosting hydropower in Manitoba, and accepting accountability for our nation’s role in the mix . Baird’s guests enjoyed a breakfast of locally grown pro-duce, chosen specifically to minimize the event’s carbon footprint .

trading Water for oil

NsErC president suzanne Fortier, FCiC, introduces Bacon & Eggheads speaker randy mikula, FCiC.

It takes 12 barrels of water to extract one bar-rel of bitumen . Managing the resulting waste slurry of wet sand or “tailings” has become the focus of randy Mikula, FCIC’s team of chemists who work with the surface-mined oil sands product at CANMET in Devon, AB . The volume of tailings has increased expo-nentially with the dramatic expansion of the oil sands activity in Alberta . Tailings have been diverted to above-ground dykes, but a more environmentally sound management system is sought for the long term . Mikula’s team seeks an improved method of storing fluid fine tailings to mitigate the environ-mental impact . They also seek to reduce the amount of water required by the bitumen ex-traction process . And they’re succeeding .

Mikula’s team has developed a method of solidifying the liquid tailings into clay . By adding calcium salts or gypsum to the tail-ings, they are able to characterize nano-scale particles . The tailings are transformed into a substance that is so firm it is stackable . The transformed substance can then be distrib-uted on the ground and reforested .

Mikula’s efforts were the subject of the Bacon & Eggheads lecture “Trading Water for Oil—Tailings Management in Surface-Mined Oil Sands” at Parliament Hill on November 29, 2007 . The presentation was co-sponsored by PAGSE and NSErC . NSErC president Su-zanne Fortier, FCIC, introduced Mikula to an influential audience of government officials, media, and policy makers .

Chemical Institute of Canada

Photos by Heather Dana Munroe

NEWs NouvEllEs

Proposed amendments for environmental emergency The Environmental Emergency (E2) Regulations came into force under the authorities of section 200 of the Canadian Environmental Protec-tion Act (CEPA), 1999 on November 18, 2003 . These regulations require the development and implementation of environmental emer-gency plans for 174 substances with associated thresholds that, if released to the environment as a result of an environmental emergency, may harm human health or environmental quality . Thirty-four new substances are being recommended for addition to the regulations at this time .

CEPA 1999 provides instruments to protect the environment and human health . The prep-aration of environmental emergency plans can be required for substances that have been as-sessed to be “toxic” under section 64 of CEPA 1999 and are on the “list of Toxic Substances” or are recommended for addition to that list as outlined under section 199 of Part 8 . Sec-tion 200 of CEPA 1999 allows substances to be added to the E2 regulations even if they are not labelled as a “CEPA-toxic .” As of December 27, 2006, Schedule 1 has some 85 substances .

This set of amendments has addressed which of the substances on Schedule 1 require environmental emergency plans . Although Schedule 1 substances are continually being added, this set of amendments has brought to closure many of the substances that had been on Schedule 1 since the 1990s . Because the current regulations did not take into account possible effects to the environment, these amendments have included environmental thresholds . The current regulations will be re-assessed for their potential to cause damage to the environment at a later time .

Most of the substances assessed are found on Schedule 1, but belong to classes of sub-stances . For example, sulphur hexafluoride is within the class of substances called, “Inor-ganic Fluorides .” Of the 65 substances origi-nally listed on Schedule 1, there are actually

regulatory news

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs �

NOVA Chemicals Corporation announced that Chris Pappas, formerly senior vice-president, was ap-pointed president and COO effective January 1, 2008. Jeffrey M. Lipton will continue as CEO.

NOVA announced plans for a series of polyethylene plant modernization and expansion projects in the Sarnia, ON region. The projects will add a total of up to 250 million pounds per year of new polyethylene ca-pacity in stages over the next two years. “These proj-ects should have about a two-year payback and will generate meaningful earnings growth for our share-holders in every part of the industry business cycle,” said Lipton. The projects include: upgrading products; improving reliability and expanding the low-density polyethylene unit at Mooretown, ON; optimizing the high-density polyethylene unit at Mooretown to in-crease throughput rates and improve product quality; and debottlenecking high-density polyethylene and linear low-density polyethylene production at the St. Clair River site at Corunna, ON.

The projects are now feasible because the Corunna flexi-cracker modernization completed in 2007 has successfully delivered greater ethylene capacity, in-creased energy efficiency, improved plant reliability, and global cost competitiveness. The total cost of the projects will be approximately $80 million, which will not result in a material change in the company’s over-all capital program. The projects will require appropri-ate board of directors approvals as they proceed.

NOVA and SEEA Polymers announced they have signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture to build and operate a new expandable polystyrene (EPS) plant in Romania. The proposed facility will have production capacity of 100 kilotonnes per year and is expected to start operations by late 2009.

IndustrIalBriefs97 reports because the classes of substances can have many compounds . Three of the substances, namely styrene, acetic acid and ammonium nitrate, were never on Schedule 1 . Industry considered them to be chemi-cals of concern and requested they be added to these amendments . This illustrates that industry is aware of the potential hazards of catastrophic spills of certain substances and is demonstrating a proactive approach to protecting their employees and the population at large .

Some of the 65 substances and classes of substances listed were rejected because they were regulated under another Act of parlia-ment . Others were not accepted for E2 plans due to the fact that they were by-products or contaminants and were not stored . A few did not require E2 plans because they were being phased out and were no longer allowed to be manufactured . For others, P2 plans were more applicable than E2 plans . A total of 34 remaining substances were assigned threshold quantities and are being proposed for addition .

the current list of regulated substances

The E2 regulations currently have 174 substances and their associated thresholds in the Canada Gazette Part II notice registered August 20, 2003 . These substances have been divided into two categories: Part I (flammable substances); and Part II (other hazardous substances) .

the proposed list of substances

There have been 97 reports written on these substances or classes of substances that are available on request . The proposed amendments and the new substances being proposed for addition to the E2 regula-tions can be found at www .ec .gc .ca/CEPAregistry/regulations/ under the title “Environmental Emergency .”

Although 34 substances are being proposed for addition to the E2 Reg-ulations, the list is not final since negotiations are still underway . The list may be modified before it is published in Canada Gazette Part II .

Environment Canada has created environmental threshold quantities in order to fulfill the requirements of CEPA, which is to protect humans and the environment . Since the current regulations did not take into consideration environmental thresholds, the amendments will provide considerations for potential spills to the environment . At some point in the future, all of the current substances will be re-examined to deter-mine their possible impact on the environment in the event of a spill .

The proposed regulations were published in Canada Gazette Part I on June 9, 2007, and are expected to be published in Canada Gazette Part II for the spring of 2008 . Unanticipated changes to the amendments may occur as the amendments have not formally been accepted or reviewed by the public at large .

The Canada Gazette is also available free of charge at http://canadagazette .gc .ca . For additional information contact CEPAE2@ec .gc .ca .

Kimberly Hradecky, MCIC, and Kerry Ketcheson, Environment Canada

regulatory news

10  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

chemfuSION

Mention “phosphates” and most people think of dishwashing de-tergents and algae in lakes . But

there’s so much more to these chemicals . They play a role in the production of com-mercial products ranging from toothpaste and processed cheese to paints and ham . But first things first . Without phosphates we wouldn’t be here to talk about phosphates . They are es-sential to life . They’re in our bones, our teeth, and our DNA .

We get the phosphates our bodies need from the food we eat . Phosphates enter our food supply from the soil . Phosphorous-contain-ing compounds, mostly in the form of calcium phosphates, are found in all soils that are suit-able for growing crops . In fact, crops cannot grow without an adequate supply of phos-phorous . We meet our requirements either by eating crops directly, or by eating the animals that have been raised on these crops . And we need a constant supply because the various phosphate-containing substances in our body, including our bones, are continuously being turned over . Used phosphorous is excreted mostly as sodium ammonium phosphate and ends up in sewage .

Some of the phosphate that has been ex-creted eventually returns to the soil where crops can absorb it, but this natural cycle is too inefficient to meet the needs of massive food production . This is where fertilizers come into the picture . Spreading sewage or decomposing plant and animal matter on fields can supply phosphates, but there aren’t enough of these materials available to feed the world’s growing population . Back in 1830, the famed German

chemist Justus von liebig noted that bones treated with an acid made for an excellent fer-tilizer in the form of monocalcium phosphate . But the supply of bones was limited . This problem was solved with the discovery of large deposits of phosphate-containing minerals at various locations around the world . Phosphate mining quickly became a huge industry . rocks were converted into monocalcium phosphate through a treatment with sulfuric acid . Agri-cultural yields increased dramatically!

It wasn’t long before phosphates proved their worth in areas other than agriculture . Monocalcium phosphate monohydrate was found to be effective in releasing carbon di-oxide upon reaction with sodium bicarbon-ate and became a basic component of baking powder . James Kraft discovered that disodium phosphate was ideal for distributing butterfat evenly through cheese, making the produc-tion of pasteurized processed cheese possible . Phosphates improve the moisture retention properties of ham and sausages, increasing juiciness and enhancing flavour . They are added to instant cereals and various pasta products to increase water absorption and re-duce cooking time . The greyish discoloration sometimes seen in potatoes caused by the re-action of iron and tannins in the potato can be curbed by phosphates, which can bind with iron . Dicalcium phosphate is one of the most commonly used polishing agents in tooth-pastes . Trisodium phosphate readily removes many types of paint from surfaces . Sodium polyphosphate prevents the formation of harmless but scary looking “struvite” crys-tals in canned seafood . Phosphates are also used to keep salt flowing freely and disperse pigments in paints for a uniform consistency . But the most important and most controversial non-agricultural use of phosphates has been as “builders” in cleaning products .

Builders are substances that increase the cleaning efficiency of detergents . Phosphates accomplish this in several ways and are nearly ideal builders . They sequester calcium and magnesium ions that interfere with the action of detergents . They help keep dirt par-ticles in suspension after they are removed from a surface . They break down greasy substances into water-soluble compounds . There is, however, an environmental price to pay for this efficiency .

Phosphates, being excellent fertilizers, fos-ter the growth of plants and algae when they end up in water systems . This overfertilization

Joe schwarcz, MCIC

or “eutrophication” has serious consequences . When aquatic plants die, they decompose and use up some of the oxygen in water that is re-quired to support animal life . And there is also the possibility of fostering blooms of poten-tially toxic algae, as we have already seen .

Because of the gravity of such environmen-tal issues, phosphates have been removed from most detergents . They have been re-placed by a variety of builders such as nitrilo-triacetic acid, sodium carbonate, and various silicates that perform well in laundry products . But dishwashing detergents present a different problem . removing hardened food remnants from dishes is a tougher job than getting stains off clothes, and there is the added problem of preventing mineral deposits stemming from the use of hard water on glasses and dishes . Phosphates accomplish this feat remarkably well . But chemists are rising to the challenge of replacing phosphates in automatic dish-washer products . Sodium carbonate is an ad-equate builder, but water-soluble acrylic and maleic polymers have also been developed to bind hardness minerals while removing and dispersing food soil . Enzymes can be added to break down food particles and oxygen bleaches such as sodium perborate help get rid of food stains . Eliminating phosphates from dishwashing detergents is a solvable problem .

But phosphates from detergents are not the main source of phosphates in our water sys-tems . Not by a long shot . Sewage is the major problem . And there are sewage treatment sys-tems that can effectively remove phosphates by precipitating them with the addition of specific calcium, iron, or aluminum com-pounds . Unfortunately, there aren’t enough of these systems on-line, and we need major improvements here along with the removal of phosphates from dishwashing detergents . If you are concerned that the phosphate-free dishwashing detergents may not be quite as effective, then just make sure you scrape the food off your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher . And scrape it into the compost bin you should have in your kitchen .

Popular science writer, Joe Schwarcz, MCIC,

is the director of McGill University’s Office for

Science and Society. He hosts the Dr. Joe Show

on Montréal’s radio station CJAD and Toronto’s

CFRB. The broadcast is available on the Web at

www.CJAD.com. You can contact him at

joe.schwarcz@mcgill.ca.

First thiNg ABout PhosPhAtEs

Pacifichem 2010

Technical Program

Core Areas of Chemistry: analytical, inorganic, macromolecular, organic, and physical, theoretical, and computational

Multi-and Cross-Disciplinary Areas of Chemistry: agrochemistry, biological, environmental, and materials and nanotechnology

Challenges and Opportunities for Chemistry: alternate energy technology, chemistry outreach to the community, health and technology, and security

Promoting scientific exchange in the Pacific basin for a healthy and sustainable future.

w w w . p a c i f i c h e m . o r g

Call for Symposiaround one of two opens January 1, 2008 and closes april 14, 2008.

he Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) is the host society. Howard Alper, HFCIC, O.C., University of Ottawa, is the Congress Chair and

Steven Holdcroft, FCIC, Simon Fraser University/National Research Council (NRC) is the Technical Program Chair. Other sponsoring societies are the

American Chemical Society (ACS), Chemical Society of Japan (CSJ), Chinese Chemical Society (CCS), Korean Chemical Society (KCS), New Zealand Institute of

Chemistry (NZIC), and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).

Guidelines for submitting proposals and more information on the Congress can be found on the Pacifichem 2010 website at www.pacifichem.org. It is best to submit proposals early as room for new symposia will decrease after the first round.

1�  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

The president of Maxxam Analytics shares his successful job application formula.

Pierre Beaumier, MCIC

Over the past 34 years working in the “lab” industry, I have interviewed and hired many job applicants . I thought I might share some of my thoughts and experiences on the hiring

process and how to get the job you want .Is there a secret method to getting a good job? Yes . Based on my experi-

ence, I would say that there are three key variables to the successful job application formula—the interview, the interview, and the interview . And the two primary skills to acquire in order to master the interview process are: (1) how to get an interview; and (2) how to conduct yourself during the interview . More often than not, it’s these fundamental skills that suc-cessfully transform the job applicant into the valued employee .

getting the interview The most fundamental and critical part of the equation in the in-terview process is: No Interview = No Job . It’s as simple as that . Without an interview you’re simply not going to get the job . Therefore, the number one priority has to be to get the interview . Otherwise, it will make no difference how smart you are or what qualifications you have . So, what’s the standard operating procedure that you should be following to get your foot in the door? The pri-mary tool at your disposal is the résumé—where it all begins .

JObS ARE OuT THERE

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs 1�

résumés and cover letters

Your résumé needs to be well written, fo-cused, and interesting to read . For each job that I’ve posted over the last quarter century, there have usually been over 100 applicants . If the résumé doesn’t immediately attract and hold my attention, then I will return to working on the many samples on the Bunsen burner . Inevitably, I’m going to move on to the next résumé in the pile .

The résumé needs to be concise while con-veying as much information as possible with-out any spelling mistakes . It always amazes me how many applicants don’t take the time to run their résumés through the Spell Checker . Inevitably, there are errors . Spend time on your résumé or don’t expect anyone to spend time reading and considering it .

In assessing a résumé, I definitely con-sider the experience and length of employ-ment with previous employers . When I see that someone has switched jobs every year like a bouncing ball, a red flag goes up and I set the résumé aside . The cost of training is an issue for most companies these days and we’re all seeking individuals who are in-terested in becoming long-term employees . Companies are looking for people we can invest in with the confidence that we’re not just being used as another short-term rung in their career ladder .

While as much as 20 percent of the appli-cations I receive do not include a cover letter, it should be considered as a key component to the overall résumé package . Your covering letter should be tailored to the specific job as much as possible . Nearly 80 percent of the covering letters that I receive come across as form letters . Without the personal touch, it will neither attract nor hold my attention, and I’m back to that Bunsen burner .

While a covering letter also needs to be concise by definition, it should contain more information than “please find my résumé attached .” The letter should be personable, polite, positive, and grammatically correct . As I am a scientist, I tend to walk on the wild side, so I’ll dare to emphasize again that it cannot contain spelling mistakes . None whatsoever! Enthusiasm is a key element that should be evident in the covering letter . In fact, that single attribute that will usually prompt me to consider a résumé further . On rare occasions, it may be enough for me to forgive a dreaded spelling mistake!

Be sure to include any volunteer work on your résumé . Those who contribute to soci-ety will always receive additional attention during an interview .

At the interview

Once you’re at the interview, your priority shifts to selling yourself . I’m the buyer and it’s your task to fulfill the dual role of service provider and sales person . It’s all about how you present yourself to the interviewer . Ensure that you answer the questions about what you have and haven’t done honestly .

The ubiquitous Hr-type question that we’ve all learned to ask is, “What are your

strengths and weaknesses?” I usually hear a barrage of strengths, but very few weak-nesses . That is clearly an indication that the interviewees are either being dishonest with me or with themselves . As a profes-sional, you should know what areas need further development and growth . I want to hear what you are doing to improve in those areas . What is your plan? How open are you to grow as an individual and as a profes-sional in my organization?

Most Hr professionals look for positive attitude emanating from the covering letter/résumé, however, this is especially critical during the interview . If the key three vari-ables to getting a job are the interview, the interview, and the interview, then the three

key variables to being successful in the inter-view are attitude, attitude, and attitude . With the right attitude, you are capable of tackling problems and adapting to the ever-chang-ing work environment . With the right atti-tude, the weaknesses that you so honestly conveyed will come across as opportunities to grow, an eagerness to learn, and a will-ingness to adapt . Stay positive throughout the interview . And no matter what, never say anything negative about your previous employer . Bad mouthing your previous em-ployer is to the interview what spelling mis-takes are to the résumé .

Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the interview . The questions asked of the

interviewer initiate a two-way dialogue that will demonstrate your communication skills, intelligence, and that you’ve done your homework relating to the company . A lack of questions conveys an interest in getting a job, not particularly this job, but any job . That said, avoid questions about overtime policies, start/stop times, break durations, vacations, and employee benefits . If the an-swers to these questions are critical to you, wait until you’ve been offered the job before asking them .

Multi-tasking is a critical part of life these days and the typical lab is certainly no ex-ception . You’ll have an advantage over your competition if you can demonstrate an abil-ity to manage multiple tasks simultaneously

Interview OverviewWhen searching for a position, plan your approach by:• learning as much about the company as you can; • preparing your résumé accordingly;• identifying the name of the person reviewing the résumé;• sending a covering letter that highlights why you should be considered;• following up with a phone call to determine if the résumé was of interest and

focus on getting an interview;• preparing for the strengths and weaknesses question, and

communicating openly;• selling yourself on your total skill set. your scientific knowledge may

be a given;• making sure your references will give a positive assessment of you;• staying positive in all your communications.

1�  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

while prioritizing your workload . Demon-strating a methodical approach to ensuring tasks are completed to schedule and that risks are avoided will set you apart . The value of your scientific knowledge and experience increases tenfold when combined with good,

sound project management skills . If you have any experience or formal training in this area, be sure it is clearly stated on your résumé and that you communicate this strength during the interview . It is one thing to have leader-ship skills, but an entirely different thing to manage projects well .

The working environment in most indus-tries today is team oriented and employers are looking for smart individuals who can function well in a team environment . I need to know that you will not be disruptive but will add to the “chemistry” of the team .

I am always interested in individuals who are passionate about their profession . I am less inclined to pursue those who view their profession as “just a job!” remember, passion is what drives change in our world . Passionate leaders motivate and inspire their followers .

To be an effective leader, you need to be pas-sionate about your profession, your work, and your company . Too often, we scientists mask our passion, as we tend to be more reserved by nature . Take pride in your profession!

Practice makes perfect

Along with the ever-changing industrial base in Canada come opportunities that should be considered by the job hunter . Think beyond the lab . There are positions in quality depart-ments that did not exist 30 years ago . There are positions in process improvement pro-grams like Six Sigma in which corporations are investing . I suggest that you look further into topics such as ISO accreditation and Six Sigma processes . If you have a creative nature and a science background, there are also marketing or sales positions that should be explored .

One of the most troubling things I see in today’s job market is the PhD looking for a job . Opportunities to pursue “pure” research in the Canadian marketplace (outside of academia) are few and far between . How many times have I heard from individuals who were turned down because they were over qualified for the job? From my perspective, the letters “PhD” after a candidate’s name indicates someone who is passionate about chemistry, has tenac-ity, and potentially, has solid leadership and

communication skills . These are the attributes they should portray in their résumé and cover-ing letter . The PhDs reading this article might scream, “What about my thesis that has been my life for the past few years?” Your thesis topic may or may not be of interest to the po-tential employer . let the interviewer bring it up if he/she is interested .

Be selective about your references, and make sure your references are reliable . I am often asked the question, “Would you hire the individual back?” If your references are previous employers, be sure they have pre-pared an answer for this question .

The interview is a learning experience and should be seen as such . You have the oppor-tunity to improve every time you go through the process . If you are relaxed and enjoying the process, you will come across as being confident and pleasant to work with .

Finding a job is made easier by remember-ing the fundamentals . The candidates with the strong interpersonal skills, integrity, and persistence will succeed .

Pierre Beaumier, MCIC, has witnessed Maxxam

Analytics’ growth from a small company of

four people to a Canadian success story with

1,400 employees. He’s been with Maxxam for

34 years and has held many jobs from chief

chemist to president.

Is there a secret method to getting a good job?

Yes.

February CAREERS IN ThE ChEMICAL PROFESSIONS March STUdENTS ANd ThE PUBLIC UNdERSTANdING OF ChEMISTRy april ChEMISTRy IN ART May RESEARCh June SPORTS July/august ThE ChANGING FACE OF ThE ChEMICAL ENTERPRISE septeMber GEOChEMISTRy OctOber CLIMATE ChANGE nOveMber/DeceMber GENETICS

ACCN 2008

subMit yOur iDeas tO | envOyez vOs iDées à EdITORIAL@ACCN.CA

Mars LES éTUdIANTS ET LE PROGRAMME dE SENSIBILISATION à LA ChIMIE avril LA ChIMIE dANS L’ART Mai LA REChERChE Juin LES SPORTS Juillet/aOût LA ChIMIE : UNE INdUSTRIE EN ChANGEMENT septeMbre LA GéOChIMIE  OctObre  LE ChANGEMENT CLIMATIqUE  nOveMbre/ DéceMbre LA GéNéTIqUE

www.wcce8.org

ChAllENgEs For A ChANgiNg World­

moNtréAl, QuEBEC, CANAd­A • August 23-27,

8th World­ CoNgrEss oF ChEmiCAl ENgiNEEriNgINCORpORATINg THE 59TH CANADIAN CHEMICAl ENgINEERINg CONfERENCEAND THE XXIV INTERAMERICAN CONgRESS Of CHEMICAl ENgINEERINg

2009

1�  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

EXAmiNiNg thE ChoiCEs mAd­E By tod­Ay’s WomEN iN sCiENCE ANd­ ENgiNEEriNgADVOCATINg CHANgE

What makes a woman enter a male-dominated career? Perhaps a better question is what keeps women from

entering lucrative, cutting-edge chemical fields? Although more and more women have been entering professions like chemis-try, a significant gender imbalance still persists .

Statistics Canada reports that Canadian women, despite making up over half of the population, represented only 19 .15, 19 .03 and 21 .48 percent of the workforce in natural and applied science-related fields in 1991, 1996, and 2001, respectively .1 Similarly disproportionate representation with increasing female participation has been seen across chemical fields .

Professional engineer and University of Guelph professor, Valerie Davidson, MCIC, is one example of a woman entering and succeeding in what has long been a male-dominated field . She is a woman who is both living and supporting change . With early intentions to study medicine, Davidson remembers being encouraged by a university li-aison officer to consider chemical engineering because of its potential to be a foundation for so many things . Davidson considers her entry into engineering as somewhat serendipitous . Trained as a chemical engineer, Davidson began her post-secondary education in a program where she remembers being one of two women . While this came with certain advantages, including greater recognition within the uni-versity engineering community, things like the limited number of fe-male washrooms emphasized the fact that the presence of women in the field was still relatively new . After participating in some exciting

work in research laboratories, she was mentored toward graduate studies . This support, she believes, was instrumental in her decision to complete a Master’s of Science in food science at the University of Guelph . She later returned to Guelph as a professor .

After completing her Master’s, Davidson took an exciting position as a consulting engineer . She recalls that this was an unusual posi-tion for a woman, but she doesn’t recall it being a problem . After finding she enjoyed research, Davidson entered a doctoral program in applied chemistry and chemical engineering at the University of Toronto and recognized that a cultural shift had begun . While women were still under-represented, their presence in non-traditional fields had increased . Collaborating with a research group and Agriculture Canada in Ottawa, ON, Davidson obtained her PhD in a short three and a half years and began working in commercial process develop-ment . Taking small-scale food production ideas and turning them into feasible large-scale commercial production processes allowed her to get back into the analytical laboratory . She was able to focus on applied problem solving, which, to Davidson, is the best part of being an engineer .

Davidson realized her love of teaching and made the move to aca-demia . She has established a strong interdisciplinary research program in food engineering with an emphasis on the applications of fuzzy mathematics and statistical methods to process control and decision-support systems, especially in relation to food safety . Beyond the tra-ditional teaching and research roles of an academic, she has become

Jennifer Fender

… there are little things that everyone can

do to help address the gender imbalance …

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs 1�

women’s contributions and build on success-ful initiatives to advance women in science, engineering, trades, and technology (SETT) . Conference participants will examine the in-tersecting areas of education, the workplace, and career/life balance . There will be oppor-tunities to communicate the latest research and best practices to enhance diversity in SETT, participate in professional and career development, network, and engage in strate-gic planning of future initiatives .

Davidson also works with women in uni-versity careers, working on issues of institu-tional support . While many policy changes have taken place in the past 20 years, the trickle down has not been equally felt . She notes, for example, that while adequate ma-ternity leaves may seem “old hat” in many places, in some disciplines, they are a rela-tively new issue and continue to be a struggle

for new parents . The “tenure versus children” challenge is still ongoing for many current and aspiring academics . Issues like these em-phasize the importance of continued efforts towards change .

From Davidson’s perspective, “everybody probably has different points when they start to recognize the gender imbalance … [and] start to question it because it’s either clearly causing them a roadblock or they’re reluctant to consider a certain path because, again, they will be isolated .” Perhaps through the contin-ued efforts of Davidson and other advocates for change, these experiences will not be re-peated by the daughters of future generations .

learn more about Davidson’s activities at www .soe .uoguelph .ca/webfiles/cwse . For

additional information on the CCWESTT Conference, visit www .CCWESTT2008 .ca .

references

1 . Statistics Canada . Catalogue No . 97F0012XCB2001022 .

2 . Statistics Canada . Catalogue No . 97F0012XCB2001022 .

3 . Frederick Evers, James rush, and Iris Berdrow, The Bases of Competencies: Skills for Lifelong Learning and Employ-ability (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998) .

Jennifer Fender completed her MA in political

science and international development at the

University of Guelph and is now working as

a project manager for Women in Science and

Engineering.

a champion of women in science and engi-neering, encouraging change by supporting women throughout their career path .

recipient of the prestigious Natural Sci-ences and Engineering research Council (NSErC) Chair for Women in Science and Engineering for Ontario supported by Hewlett Packard, Davidson runs a program with the aim of increasing the participation of women in science and engineering and providing role models for women considering careers in these fields . Outreach activities, such as Go Eng Girl, encourage girls in elementary and high school to keep studying math and science, and to recognize and explore the array of study and career opportunities open to them .

Other NSErC Chair activities focus on ca-reer transitions and support, including up-coming mentoring and skill development activities . The importance of more than just technical competencies is often overlooked by new graduates, employees and in educational programs . Employers repeatedly point to flex-ibility, leadership, conflict management, com-munications, creativity, and visioning as value skills that employees lack .3 Davidson recom-mends looking for experiences to broaden these complementary competencies .

Despite our busy schedules, Davidson sug-gests that there are little things that everyone can do to help address the gender imbalance in many science and engineering fields . role models are of fundamental importance, yet, much of what we know about careers comes from television . Conveying to others what you do and thereby expanding girls’ under-standing of their options is an important step . NSErC Chair outreach work has revealed the general public’s limited understanding of what engineers do . Expressing an honest but positive impression of your work, even in a casual conversation, can also make a differ-ence . While academic positions come with certain stresses, it is important to share the benefits, including the freedom and the op-portunity to travel and work with great stu-dents and colleagues on important and cut-ting-edge subjects .

Davidson’s role as the chair of the upcom-ing 12th Canadian Coalition of Women in En-gineering, Science, Trades, and Technology (CCWESTT) Conference is another avenue to counteract the gender imbalance in many science and engineering fields . The confer-ence will be held at the University of Guelph May 29 to 31, 2008 . The event will celebrate

Percentage of Women in chemical Professions� 1��1 1��� �001

Chemical engineers 12.01 13.99 17.62

Chemists 28.51 33. 36 38.62

Applied chemical technologists and technicians 38.58 38.05 44.03

CsWE chair valerie d­avidson, mCiC, project manager Jennifer Fender, and outreach coordinator virginia Kostianiuk.

Group photo by Martin Schwalbe

18  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

WhAt CAN BE d­oNE to AttrACt WomEN to thE FiEld­ oF ChEmiCAl ENgiNEEriNg? ANd­ KEEP thEm thErE?

Since the Montréal Massacre in 1989, there has been a concerted effort by the engineering profession to recruit more women . These efforts have yielded significant fruit . From 1991 to 2001,

the enrolment of women in Canadian undergraduate engineering pro-grams rose steadily from 16 percent in 1991 to over 20 percent from 1999 to 2001 . However, female enrolment has eroded in the past few years, from 20 .6 percent in 2001 to 17 .5 percent in 2005 (“Canadian Engineers for Tomorrow—Trends in Engineering Enrolment and De-grees Awarded 2001 to 2005,” Engineers Canada, 2006) . The cause of this decline is not clear .

A closer look at the data suggests that chemical engineering is not immune to the national trends . While the discipline continues to have the highest female participation rate, the percentage of women in un-dergraduate chemical engineering programs has followed the same arc, declining from a peak of 43 .8 percent in 2001 to 38 .2 percent in 2005 .

Of course, recruiting more women into engineering is only half the battle . retaining them in the profession is just as important . reten-tion is more difficult to track and measure, but we can begin by look-ing at the trends from undergraduate to graduate degrees . A survey of the Canadian Association of University Teacher’s data for 2004 to 2005 shows that the participation rate declines in postgraduate de-grees, with women accounting for 40 .2 percent at the BSc level, 29 .6 percent at the MSc level, and only 26 .0 percent at the doctoral level .

Perhaps the women who are not going into postgraduate work are opting for industrial careers instead? Data on women in the Canadian chemical engineering workplace is hard to find, but there are several studies to which we can look for insight .

The 2001 Canadian Census found that only 11 .1 percent of the total Canadian engineering workforce was female . This low number may re-flect the low participation rates in undergraduate programs prior to 1991, but it does suggest a loss of women post graduation . A study published in October 2007 by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) surveyed more than 6,000 U .S . engineering graduates and found that one-in-four women who enters engineering leaves the profession after the age of 30 . Only one-in-ten of their male counterparts does the same .

Given the recognized importance of having senior leadership role models and mentors for retaining and recruiting women in any pro-fession, the chemical engineering community must ensure that it is developing women into senior leadership positions . It is important that the profession looks to the reasons that women are leaving the profession and develop strategies to retain them . The 2007 SWE study found that while both men and women cited better opportunities for advancement and increased salary as the top reasons for leaving the engineering field, women were more likely to cite desire for a more family-friendly work environment and more interesting work . These observations are certainly consistent with other studies that cite the

RECRuITMENT AND RETENTIONemily moore, MCIC

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs 1�

update on professional StatusIt’s the perfect time to revisit the status of the recognition of the profession of chemistry in Canada. Dave Schwass, MCIC, introduced you to some of the basic issues in the March 2006 issue of ACCN, and provided an update in the December 2006 issue. There has been a lot of acitivity across Canada since then.

The Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) has taken a prominent role in working with the various chemists associations and societies to promote the value and contributions of chemical professionals. In June 2005, under Schwass’ leadership as CSC vice-president at the time, the CSC board of directors approved an initiative to “increase the awareness and recognition of the practice of chemistry as a profession in Canada.”

An impor tant step forward was the formation of the National Advisory Committee on the profes-sion of Chemistry in Canada—a Canada-wide committee that unites organizations concerned about advancing the professional practice and recognition of chemists in Canada. The committee includes the newly formed Association of the Chemical profession of british Columbia (ACpbC), the Association of the Chemical profession of Alber ta (ACpA), the Association of the Chemical profession of Ontario (ACpO), the Nova Scotia Chemists’ Society (NSCS), and the Ordre des chimistes du Québec (OCQ). Each group has its own characteristics but the goals and objectives are the same. for example, only the OCQ has the right to practice and the right to title under law so far. ACpbC, ACpO, and ACpA all have the right to title.

What’s the difference between the right to practice and right to title? These concepts and others that are critical to the practice of chemistry will be the subject of future ACCN ar ticles. Stay tuned! for now, visit the profession Awareness Web site at www.chemistry.ca/profession_awareness to fur ther investi-gate the profession in Canada.

At the December 2007 meeting, NACpCC par ticipants identified four priorities for 2008 and a task team was formed for each. The priorities are to provide a professional liability insurance package, to address the issue of transferability of professional designations, to recognize and better include chemical technologists, and to include profession-related subjects in the curriculum.

Chemists are professionals who contribute substantially to the economic, environmental, and personal health and safety of Canadians. We just think everyone should know! look for more in the coming months from the NACpCC.

Ray Clement, FCIC

particular importance of work/life balance to women .

Another challenge for many engineering women is the reality of being part of a dual career couple . Several universities, especially those in less urban centres, have started to recognize the challenge of recruiting faculty in a dual-career relationship and have started in-novative programming to help the “accompa-nying partner” to find meaningful work close to the university . Employers need to consider that when they are hiring an engineer, they are often “hiring” the whole family .

This is perhaps increasingly true as we consider the demographic shift that is

happening now as Generation Y—the new-est recruits to the profession born between 1977 and 1994—enters the profession . It has been often reported that Generation Y also cites work/life balance as ranking extremely high . For these young students and new pro-fessionals, the need for balance is often not about parenting yet, but about diversity of interests and a commitment to family and friends . “Making a difference” is also an often cited requirement for Generation Y . Perhaps this is relates to the need for “more interest-ing work” cited by the women in the SWE study . It may be that employers who can offer balance, flexibility, and meaning will be more successful recruiting and retaining not only women, but Generation Y as well .

Emily Moore, MCIC, is an area manager in

process engineering at the Xerox Research

Centre of Canada in Mississauga, ON, and the

CSChE director of outreach and student affairs.

chemical engineering is not immune to the

national trends

ACpbC Enters the Scene The Association of the Chemical profession of british Columbia (ACpbC) was incorporated as a society under the Societies Act of british Columbia on May 8, 2007. This is the first provincial body created to represent the profession in bC. ACpbC’s raison d’être is to provide a voice for all chemical professionals in the province.

ACpbC president paul West, fCIC, said, “The practice of chemistry plays a vital role in environmental pro-tection, health, and new energy technologies, and as the basis for many advances in the emerging areas of nanotechnology and biotechnology. The ACpbC will bring a formal presence, representing members of this important profession in british Columbia.”

The association’s Web site offers additional information on its mandate, its proposed code of ethics, and how to join. Visit www.pchembc.ca.

long before its official incorporation, the ACpbC was active in the professional awareness program initiated by the CSC to raise awareness and recognition of the practice of chemistry as a profession in Canada. The creation of this new association brings to five the number of provincial associations participating in the National Advisory Committee on the profession of Chemist in Canada (NACpCC).

ChEmists IN CANADA

�0  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng

engineering chemistry

oNE huNd­rEd­ yEArs oF ChEmiCAl d­EPENd­ENCE Jennifer clarke, MCIC

CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem CHEM ENg eng chem eng chem CHEM ENg engineering chemiSTry

chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng engineering

One Hundred Years of Chemical Dependence—Eng Chem .” That slogan was printed on our t-shirts back in 1998, as we celebrated the 100th birthday of the engineering chemistry

(Eng Chem) program . Engineering chemistry? That’s right . Not to be confused with

chemical engineering (Chem Eng), Eng Chem is a program unique to Queen’s University . It’s similar in principle to the engineering science program at the University of Toronto and the engineering physics pro-grams at various universities .1 The oldest applied science discipline at Queen’s, Eng Chem combines chemical sciences and engineering into a challenging curriculum, one that is accredited by the Cana-dian Engineering Accreditation Board as an engineering discipline, and by the Canadian Society for Chemistry as a chemistry program .2 As such, graduates have the option of pursuing work or studies in chemistry, chemical engineering, or anywhere they can apply their chemical sciences knowledge .

What’s the difference?

To understand the difference between an engineering chemist and a chemical engineer, the fields of chemistry and chemical engineer-ing must be distinguished . While chemistry is the science concerned with the observation and discovery of chemical phenomena, chemical engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the design, analysis, control, and optimization of an economical process . In doing so, chemical engineers must look at the macroscopic behaviour of chemical processes, including chemical reactions, phase equilibrium, and heat, mass, and momentum transfer .1

As with the engineering science program at the University of To-ronto, the aim of the Eng Chem program is to train students as both scientists and engineers, in order to enhance their problem-solv-ing abilities . Engineering Chemistry is therefore the use of chemical knowledge to solve engineering problems, which are not limited to chemical engineering problems .3 An engineering chemist is educated in both chemistry and chemical engineering principles, resulting in

a more in-depth knowledge of chemistry than a chemical engineer . This depth is at the expense of some training in chemical engineer-ing, notably in process control and design .1 Graduates may choose to apply their education in the chemical or chemical engineering sectors, but some have worked in metallurgical, materials, civil, or mechanical engineering, solving problems that require knowledge of chemistry .2

The chemical engineering department has administrative respon-sibility for the Eng Chem program, but it is offered jointly by the departments of chemistry and chemical engineering .1

Eng Chem vs. Chem Eng—the curriculum

Eng Chem and Chem Eng represent two of the ten disciplines avail-able to Queen’s applied science students starting in their second year of study . The second year in both disciplines is similar, with stu-dents sharing courses in inorganic, analytical and organic chemistry, thermodynamics, ordinary differential equations, analysis of process data, chemical processes and systems, and numerical methods, as well as laboratory projects of an industrial nature .

It is in the third year that the core difference between the two disciplines becomes apparent . In addition to traditional chemical engineering courses in heat and mass transfer, chemical reaction en-gineering, phase and reaction equilibrium, and technical commu-nication, Eng Chem students take several courses in chemistry, in-cluding advanced inorganic and organic chemistry, spectroscopy, and quantum mechanics . Meanwhile, Chem Eng students take courses in wastewater treatment and process control, as well as advanced laboratory projects of industrial significance .

In the last year of study, both Eng Chem and Chem Eng students take a process design course where they gain experience with indus-trial process design software . Chem Eng students continue their educa-tion in process design by working in teams to solve process problems for industrial clients .1 The project involves teamwork, project man-agement, on-site visits, a presentation to industry management, and

��  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng

engineering chemistry

chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem chem eng eng chem eng chem chem eng engineering chemistry

the outstanding woman engineer of her year . Kimberlee Potter (Eng Chem ‘90) became a re-search fellow at Cambridge and later worked for the National Institutes of Heatlth (NIH) .3

Challenges with the Eng Chem programAlthough well-respected, the Eng Chem program does have its downside . There is a constant struggle to balance the engineering and chemistry content to ensure accreditation as an engineering discipline while still pro-

viding a solid foundation in chemistry . Squeezing both fields of study

into four years results in a demanding program that

can lead to a sense of being undefined, and graduates may feel deficient in some areas . Those who choose to pursue graduate studies in chemistry will have

to hit the textbooks harder to catch up

to the chemists . Simi-larly, when compared to

chemical engineering gradu-ates, those who choose to work

as chemical engineers will lack some experience with process control, and ad-

vanced industrial projects and design .

Eng Chem graduates

It can be argued that engineering chemistry students have the initiative and preparation to overcome such problems, due to the pro-gram’s strong emphasis on fundamentals and its heavy workload . This usually proves to be true, with many engineering chemists moving on to graduate school or industry in chemistry or some form of engineering .3

One such graduate is Alfred Bader, HFCIC, who founded the Aldrich Chemical Company that is now part of Sigma-Aldrich . Bader used his education in both chemistry and chemical engineering to mass-produce fine chemicals for purchase .3

Graduates have also done a variety of work in other areas of engineering, applying their knowledge to the development of polymers, semiconductors, lasers, fibre optics, the extraction and purification of metals from

ore, the development of new materials for construction and biomedical purposes, and the restoration of the environment through site assessment and bioremediation .3 Others pursue completely new careers by entering

medical school, law school, consulting firms, education and MBA programs . regardless of what they do, Eng Chem graduates receive support from their faculty, who take pride in the program, its history, its diverse education, and the students it attracts .

references

1 . Correspondence with P . James Mclellan, acting head of chemical engineering at Queen’s University

2 . http://appsci .queensu .ca/calendar/ 2001-02/engchem .php

3 . Correspondence with James D . McCowan, former dean of applied science at Queen’s University

special thanks

Many thanks to Michael Cunningham, MCIC, James D . McCowan, MCIC, and P . James Mclellan, MCIC, for their support and help-ful discussions .

To contact Queen’s about engineer-ing chemistry, please visit http://appsci .queensu .ca/programs/ and follow the links to engineering chemistry .

Jennifer Clarke, MCIC, is a freelance

science writer based in Ottawa, ON. She

received her undergraduate training in

engineering chemistry at Queen’s University,

Kingston, ON. She can be reached at

jennyclarke@rogers.com.

graduates have the option of pursuing work or studies in chemistry,

chemical engineering, or anywhere they can

apply their chemical sciences knowledge

Why ChoosE ENg ChEm?Knowledgeyou want to understand more of the fundamental chemistry behind chemical processes.

Science you want to pursue a career in a scientific laboratory environment.

dual perspectiveyou like to look at chemical processes from a molecular and a macroscopic perspective.

dual interestsyou like chemistry and engineering sciences.

expanded career optionsyou don’t want to be restricted to the chemical engineering field. you want to have the career options open to both chemistry and engineering graduates.

a professional report of findings . In contrast, Eng Chem students are required to conduct an independent research project, as are Hon-ours Chemistry students .

As with all the applied science disciplines, engineering chemistry is quantitative and is an accredited professional program . Gradu-ates can enter the work-world and pursue careers similar to chemical engineering stu-dents . However, there are distinct benefits to choosing Eng Chem .

The discipline typically draws students who are looking for a challenge and who like the broad education it provides . Com-pared to other applied science disciplines, a higher than average percentage of Eng Chem graduates pursue graduate studies or other professional degree programs . In addition, employers familiar with the program are quick to recognize the quality of its students and their value to a variety of industries .

As with Chem Eng, Eng Chem seems to at-tract female students, accounting for ~50 per-cent of the discipline enrolment, in contrast to the 21 to 25 percent found in the applied sci-ence class .1 Many have moved on to impressive careers, including Emily Moore, MCIC (Eng Chem ‘92), who was a rhodes scholar and is now a senior researcher at the Xerox Canada research Centre . She bridged the gap between chemistry and manufacturing groups develop-ing toner technology as a scale-up engineer . Kathy Preston (Eng Chem ‘92) graduated as

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs ��

Nobel laureate richard Feynman once said, “Imagination reaches out repeatedly trying to achieve some higher level of understanding, until suddenly I find myself momentarily

alone before one new corner of nature’s pattern of beauty and true majesty revealed .” Feynman was a brave man because turning a new corner is not an easy thing to do, particularly when the unknown awaits you on the other side . I was in school for an extensive amount of time for my undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral studies, but the most overwhelming task wasn’t completing my thesis . It was hunting for a job within my field .

When I began my undergrad work in chemistry at York Univer-sity, I was not aware of how interesting, diverse, and challenging the subject matter really was . In my fourth year, in a class taught by my thesis project supervisor Sylvie Morin, MCIC, I decided to pursue graduate school in the sciences . When the time came to choose a graduate school, I explored a few universities in Southwestern On-tario, and e-mailed professors in eastern and western Canada . It was

A chemist’s journey from books to the boArdroomTu rning A corner gavin Pereira, MCIC

quite an overwhelming process, but I am grateful to professor Morin for encouraging me and reassuring me that this was simply part of the process .

I eventually met Peter Norton, FCIC, from the chemistry department at The University of Western Ontario (UWO), who presented a few projects that he was investigating . I remember two projects being de-scribed . One involved cell-motility regarding the molecule fibronectin, and the second was about “tribology .” The tribology project appealed to me because it had to do with target molecules in engine oils and the remarkable chemical and mechanical properties they possess . I wanted an industrial-based project within the materials science field, and this tribology project was directly supported by the Centre for Automotive Materials and Manufacturing (CAMM) and General Motors of Canada with General Motors r & D in Warren, MI . I remember leaving UWO after that initial visit feeling the excitement of having finally chosen a project . But I was also puzzled about how engine additives related to three types of biology . I quickly learned that tribology is the science

the author loads an auto-sampler and will measure the volatiles from transformers using a tandem gC-ms. ��  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

of interacting surfaces in relative motion with underlying principles involving friction, lubri-cation and wear .

It took me approximately four years to develop my skills through graduate school . I was investigating how a specific class of molecules called zinc dialkyldithiophos-phates (ZDDPs), which are present in engine oils and transmission fluids, interact with emerging surfaces in the automobile . The automotive industry is interested in stud-ies involving reduced ZDDPs because of the detrimental effects they have on the catalytic converter within an automobile engine . The U .S . Environmental Protection Agency has an on-going mandate to reduce the harmful pollutants caused by ZDDP emissions .

My graduate experience at UWO offered me the opportunity to develop a varied skill set in the areas of surface science, mechani-cal engineering, physics, and contact me-chanics . Due to the applied nature of my research, I also had the benefit of working closely with a number of academic and in-dustrial experts in several of these fields . My graduate research had captured my imagina-tion to such an extent that upon finishing my PhD, I accepted a post-doctoral position at UWO under Peter Norton and William lennard . I continued my studies on wear in tribological systems using an ion beam approach . I was already in a position to ad-

vance the work rapidly and gain new skills in the process, while delaying my entry into “the real world” until I knew what I wanted to do at the next corner of my life .

I have had the great fortune of being directly exposed to both academic and industrial re-search throughout my graduate training . I have been consistently encouraged to seek out new contacts that allowed me to develop a strong network of mentors who could provide me with unique insights into the inner workings of the industrial research sector—a realm rarely explored by academic scientists . The connec-tion between business and science had always intrigued me . The simplest means to network-ing was through introductions from my thesis supervisor, collaborators, and discussions at

workshops and conferences . Conference-mix-ers, poster sessions, lunches, and dinners are great ways to meet people on a personal level . I’ve learned many new things just by introduc-ing myself, and asking about their research interests or anything that piqued my curiosity . Most scientists become engaged in these con-versations because they are passionate about their work . The opportunity to travel and rep-resent our group at major industrially oriented conferences played a major role in my decision to pursue my chosen career path .

My educational background prepared me for a career in the oil, gas, and energy sec-tors, which are mainly located in the U .S . I had interviews with several companies in the U .S . and Canada, and I was forced to decide which factors were most important to me in choosing a career . The main factors I used to help me prioritize my career and company was the type of job . What I’d be doing 40+ hours a week was very important, but equally important was the location, company history, distance from family, and benefits . The job search and wait period were slightly frustrat-ing, as was the uncertainty that comes with any job search . There was also the anticipa-tion of not knowing where I’d be living, work-ing, or end up doing .

Staying in Canada has been very impor-tant to me . A major deciding factor was the high quality of living and proximity to family

and friends . Beyond those benefits just men-tioned, scientific research itself is undergoing a tremendous surge and there is a huge po-tential for growth . One needs to only look at the Canadian light Source, National Institute for Nanotechnology, and the MarS Centre for a few recent examples of scientific excellence in Canadian .

I accepted a position as a scientist with the Petroleum Products Team in Kinectrics life Cycle Management group located in Toronto, ON . Kinectrics is an internationally recog-nized entity, enjoying success in providing r & D support across the energy industry . Part of Kinectrics’ business supports the grow-ing nuclear industry primarily in, but not exclusive to, Canada . Growth in sustainable

A chemist’s journey from books to the boArdroomTu rning A corner gavin Pereira, MCIC

energy has been and will continue to play an important role to many generations of Cana-dians . The attraction of nuclear energy has been its low fuel costs and possible reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared with coal, oil, and gas-fired plants . It has promis-ing growth potential, and Canadians are po-sitioned favourably at the forefront . Nuclear power emits none of the noxious gas emis-sions that contribute to climate change and global warming . Between the 1960s and 1990, domestic nuclear power saved approximately $17 billion in foreign exchange . In 2005, three Ontario nuclear stations provided ~15 per-cent of Canada’s electricity and ~51 percent of the province’s electricity!

Having worked in the Petroleum Prod-ucts Group for a few months, I can say, that the nuclear industry is growing worldwide . Within Canada, Alberta has shown great initiative to build a nuclear generating sta-tion, and all the reactors in Ontario and east thereof have made encouraging strides toward achieving sustainable development through improved energy efficiency .

My current role is dynamic . Not only am I fortunate enough to learn from and work with world-class experts in various disciplines (environmental, electrochemical, nuclear, and biological), I’ve also been given the op-portunity take on various projects, such as finding solutions for an efficient method for

formulating biodiesel . Coming straight out of university and into the working world, I’ve had to adjust to the quick pace at which research moves in industry compared to academics .

Everything I enjoyed about graduate school is found in my work, and I’m very happy with the choice I made . I’m excited about my future in this industry . I can finally, truly appreciate what Feynman alluded to!

Gavin Pereira, MCIC, obtained his PhD at

the University of Western Ontario focusing

on understanding and correlating the

tribology and lubrication of Al-Si alloys at the

nanometer scale. He is currently a scientist in

the petroleum products group at Kinectrics Inc.

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs ��

��  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

thE World­ is Wid­E oPEN

Broaden your horizons when you launch into your job search in today’s chemical industries . Your

chemical degree has prepared you for a large variety of career opportunities . With your knowledge and motivation, you can chart your own career course . The world is wide open to you!

science Writing for the Web, magazines, newspapers, TV . Start at your small, local newspaper or advance to a general interest magazine like The Atlantic Monthly, Popular Science, or Discover . Also visit TheScientist .com or NewScientist .com for on-line writing that can be enhanced with hyperlinks and pop-ups and surveys and quizzes and also put your advanced technical skills to good use .

technical Writing Write for any science-related organizations that publish technical documents . Be a journalist for Canadian Geographic, or the writer of an instruction manual for Gaussian .

translation Use your language skills to translate scientific documents . Work in-house for publishers in the scientific fields or freelance .

Publishing/Editing Write for all sci-ence-related materials . Some of the well established science publishers are Wiley, McGraw-Hill, and Elsevier .

illustration Combine your artistic skills with your knowledge of science to illustrate scien-tific concepts in published material .

science museums Throw yourself headlong into the exhibit process from conceptualiza-tion to opening day . Educate and influence

the public in your role as technician, conser-vator, curator, or director .

sales and marketing Get products out into the chemical market place and sell . Work for almost any company in product develop-ment, placement, and sales .

science Policy Work for any science- or technology-related government department and provide scientific expertise and analysis to support and influence the policy-makers .

Publicist Promote Canada’s major corpora-tions such as Shell Canada limited, Alcan Inc ., and AECl . Clarify for the general public the important work they do .

Consultancy Train companies to overcome obstacles in their product development . Companies in the chemical industries look to consultants to learn more about the mar-kets for potential products or hire consulting firms like Chemical Consulting Group Inc . and TErA Environment Consultants .

Patent law Patent chemical discoveries and products . Chemical lawyers and patent prac-titioners can also work in patent litigation to enforce patents in court .

occupational health and safety Evalu-ate work environments and design programs to control, eliminate, and prevent disease caused by chemical factors that impact workers’ health and the environment . The Government employs most health and safety specialists and technicians .

hazardous Waste management Solve problems caused by improper management of waste materials that are hazardous to the environment and human health . Pre-vent future problems through treatment and

proper disposal of hazardous waste . Work throughout academia, government and chem-ical companies that specialize in cleaning up hazardous waste .

Forensic science Collect evidence in the field, analyze evidence in the lab, or manage the whole process . Forensic labs are part of a federal or provincial police department .

military Join the communications and electronics branch of the Canadian Forces . Become a pharmacist or medical officer with any branch of the military .

oil and Petroleum industry Study the im-pact of bacteria on oil, produce polymers from the crude oil, or use your statistical and com-puter knowledge to get lab instruments on-line at a refinery . Chemists and chemical engineers can find work at Canadian Natural resources limited, Husky Energy Inc ., and Nexen Inc .

Plastics Produce plastics for use in ev-eryday life for cutting-edge advances like prosthetic limbs or the space program . Polymer and plastics chemists work with companies like lANXESS, DuPont Canada, and BASF Canada .

Food science Develop, process, package, preserve, store, and distribute foods and beverages for the government or companies like Maple leaf Foods Canada or Nestlé . Consider your favourite brewery like Molson or Sleeman .

Pharmaceutical and d­rug industry Design, synthesize, and manufacture drug and vaccines with companies like AstraZen-eca and Merck Frosst .

Perfume and Cosmetic Chemistry Pre-pare esters for perfumes . Create make-up in

anne campbell, mCiC

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs ��

a chemistry lab . lend your expertise to the innovation of earth-friendly and animal-friendly products .

Paints and Coatings Manufacture paints, varnishes, lacquers, shellacs, and stains . Synthesize polymers or use natural products to create the binder as the base material for paints and coatings . Work with companies like Home Hardware, Cloverdale Paint, and Benjamin Moore & Co ., limited .

Pigments and Colorants Change the colour of reflected light of paints and coat-ings by adding pigments, colorants, and dyes . Plastics companies also often require chemists with knowledge of the pigment and colorant industry for colouring of all their materials .

Adhesives Design and manufacture synthetic adhesives of today or even natural adhe-sives of 1,500 B .C . Work in companies like 3M Canada Company, Technical Adhesives ltd ., and Chembond limited .

textile Chemistry Discover the function and indulge in the aesthetic of fibres . Process them into clothing, carpets, and upholstery found in every home today . Chemists are hired by dyeing houses and chemical com-panies that manufacture and synthesize the polymers .

Pulp and Paper industry Work in a mill, a lab, an environmental management firm, or with a government department in interna-tional trade .

Forestr y research Save the trees! Environmentally conscious chemical pro-fessionals can look towards the NrC and the Canadian Forest Service .

Agriculture Monitor all chemical composi-tions and chemical changes in the production, protection, and use of crops and livestock . Ag-ricultural chemists find work in government agencies and in food companies including those involved in genetically modified foods .

geochemistry Analyze the chemical com-position of rock and mineral deposits in the field or in the lab . Determine where to drill for oil . Develop theories about the structure of the earth .

soil Chemistry Examine the nature and property of soils for extent of pollution, agriculture, or horticulture to determine best growing conditions to increase crop yield and plant life .

Water Chemistry Got water? Purify H2O for companies like Culligan International Inc, analyze water samples for analytical and en-vironmental testing labs, or save the fisheries and oceans with the Government .

Pyrotechnics love setting off firecrack-ers in your backyard? Get paid to do it . Share your skills with fireworks companies across Canada .

software and hardware d­evelopment Code and design software . Create programs that model chemical systems to predict mo-lecular shapes, bond lengths and angles, or to introduce orbitals to students . Find computa-tional chemistry work with companies such as Advanced Chemistry Development and Chemical Computing Group .

Career recruitment recruit chemical professionals for top jobs with science re-cruitment agencies like Kelly Services, Inc ., David Aplin recruiting, and Brainhunter .

investment Banking Earn money for your-self and others . Go to Bay Street or beyond for various chemical-related firms covering health care to biotechnology stocks .

library sciences Enjoy lifelong learning as your profession . Become an expert of the Information Age at academic, corporate, gov-ernment, and health care libraries .

laboratory Assistance/maintenance Get knee-deep in the day-to-day dealings of a uni-versity lab . Prepare reagents, monitor teaching assistants, or moderate undergraduate labs . Keep your lab skills active outside the field of research in an academic or corporate lab .

Chemical Education Enhance students’ grasp of the world around us . Share in their joy of discovery and as they reach their po-tential . Chemical educators are required at all levels—elementary, high school, community colleges, and universities . Professors can also focus on research and pursue the frontiers of the chemical sciences .

Plus many more …

The chemical fields are vast and varied and expand into almost every disci-pline . Determine where your interest lies and you can craft your own career .

Anne Campbell, MCIC, has an MA in

chemistry from Brown University in Providence,

RI, and a BSc in chemistry with a minor of

math from the University of Guelph. She is the

CIC career services and student affairs officer

and tutors chemistry students of all ages.

tod­Ay’s ChEmiCAl FiEld­s ArE tEEmiNg With oPPortuNity.

�8  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

�1e congrÈS eT eXPoSiTion canadienS de chimie

Concours d’affiches des étudiants­ de 1er cycleTravaillez-vous présentement à un projet de recherche et souhaitez-vous partager vos résultats? Présentez-vous un exposé à un Congrès pour étudiants de 1er cycle en chimie de la Société canadienne de chimie (SCC) et aimeriez-vous le présenter à nouveau sous forme d’affiche? Aimeriez-vous présenter une affiche pour la première fois? Voici l’occasion de démontrer à vos pairs et aux professionnels en chimie ce dont vous êtes capable.

Le 91e Congrès et exposition canadiens de chimie de la SCC aura lieu du 24 au 28 mai 2008 à Edmonton (Alberta). Nous vous invitons à participer à la présentation d’affiches des étudiants de 1er cycle que se tiendra durant l’événement.

Les affiches peuvent être présentées dans les domaines de la chimie analytique, biologique et médicale, inorganique, organique et physique. Deux prix seront remis dans chaque domaine. Les prix seront remis lors de la réception de remise des prix de la Division de l’enseignement de la chimie qui se tiendra le mercredi 28 mai 2008.

Une aide de voyage est disponible pour les étudiants de 1er cycle qui assistent au congrès.

AdmissibilitéCe concours est ouvert aux étudiants actuellement au 1er cycle, ou aux étudiants qui ont obtenu leur diplôme moins de quatre mois auparavant, dans tous les secteurs de la chimie.

Les affiches peuvent traiter de la recherche effectuée dans le cadre d’un cours de 1er cycle, d’un projet coopératif ou d’un emploi d’été dans un environnement universitaire, gouvernemental ou industriel.

Les étudiants des cycles supérieurs qui n’ont pas complété plus de deux trimestresde leur programme peuvent soumettre une affiche portant sur le travail effectué en tant qu’étudiant de 1er cycle, à condition que le sujet de l’affiche diffère de celui du sujet de recherche actuel.

Dates de soumission des résumésLes résumés doivent être transmis en ligne à compter du 17 décembre 2007. La date limite de réception pour le concours d’affiches des étudiants de 1er cycle est le mercredi 16 avril 2008 à minuit (HNE).

Veuillez consulter le site Web du congrès (www.csc2008.ca) pour de plus amples renseignements sur les caractéristiques des affiches, l’aide de voyage, l’inscriptionau congrès et l’hébergement.

DATE­LIMITE­:­

le 16 avril 2008

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs ��

�1st canadian chemiSTry conFerence and eXhiBiTion

Undergraduate Student Poster CompetitionAre you working on a research project and want to share your results? Do you havea paper to present at a Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference and would like to present it again in poster format? Are you interested in presenting a poster for the first time? Here is an opportunity to show your peers and chemical professionals what you can do.

The CSC’s 91st Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition will be taking place May 24–28, 2008 in Edmonton, AB. We invite you to participate in the undergraduate poster competition that will be organized during this event.

Posters will be accepted in the general areas of analytical, biological and medicinal, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. Two awards will be given in each area.The awards will be presented at the Chemical Education Division Awards Reception held on Wednesday, May 28, 2008.

Some travel assistance is available to undergraduate students attending the conference.

EligibilityThis competition is open to current undergraduate students, or students who graduated within the last four months, in all branches of chemistry.

Posters may be based on research done as part of an undergraduate course, co-op project, or summer job in a university, government or industrial setting.

Graduate students, who have not completed more than two semesters of their graduate studies program, may present a poster on work done as an undergraduate student on the condition that the poster topic is different from their current research topic.

Abstract Submission DatesAbstracts must be submitted on-line beginning December 17, 2007; the deadline for receipt of abstracts for the Undergraduate Student Poster Competition is midnight (EST), Wednesday, April 16, 2008.

Please visit the conference Web site (www.csc2008.ca) for more information about poster specifications, travel assistance, conference registration, and accommodation.

DEADLINE:­­April 16, 2008

�0  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

rECogNitioN rECoNNAissANCE

andré arsenault won first prize in the NSErC Innovation Challenge Awards . The competition is designed to get graduate students thinking about products or ser-vices that could be developed from their thesis research . Arsenault is a chemist at the University of toronto and has con-ducted research in photonic crystals . He has developed a photonic “ink” that will change colour in response to a stimulus . His company, opalux incorporated, develops applications for this technology that include signs that can be modified electronically, co-lour-changing sensors for use in forensics, biometrics and security, and anti-counter-feiting measures .

eugenia Kumacheva was elected a fellow of the royal Society of Canada . She heads the polymers, interfaces, and materials science group at University of toronto’s department of chemistry .

thomas r. tritton became president of the Chemical heritage Foundation (CHF) on Janu-ary 1, 2008 . He is the second president in CHF history, succeeding arnold thackray, who founded CHF in Philadelphia, PA 25 years ago . He was selected following a worldwide search for someone with both scholarly and entrepre-neurial talents, who combines a passion for chemistry and molecular sciences with the drive to build and sustain a successful enterprise .

the University of western ontario chemis-try professors yang Song and James wisner, MCIC, have each been awarded an Ontario Early researcher Award . These awards help promising, young Ontario researchers build their research teams of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows .

On the recommendation of the Advi-sory Council of the Order of Canada, richard J. Puddephatt, FCIC, has been appointed an officer of the order of Canada . Puddephatt is recognized for his contributions to the advancement of organometallic chemistry related to catalysis and materials science and for his inspi-rational leadership of generations of researchers . Puddephatt is a Distin-guished University Professor at the University of western ontario in london, ON .

The University of toronto’s gregory Scholes was named winner of the rutherford Me-morial Medal in Chemistry for outstanding research in physics and chemistry .

The former vice-president of medicinal chemistry at Merck Frosst Canada, robert n. young, FCIC, O .C ., has joined Simon Fraser University (SFU) as professor and B .C . Discovery Chair in Pharmaceutical Ge-nomics, Bioinformatics and Drug Discovery . He will support pharmaceutical research and drug development at SFU . His research will focus initially on osteoporosis and bone degenerative diseases .

Eugenia Kumacheva

StudentS Nominate your Faculty Advisor Has your faculty advisor taken an active role in working with your student chapter throughout the year? Why not recognize him or her with one of the faculty Advisor Awards? Three awards are given annually, one per Society. Terms of Reference are available at www.cheminst.ca/faculty_advisor. Nominations due march 31, 2008.

etudiantS soumettez la candidature de votre conseiller Votre conseiller aux étudiants a-t-il joué un rôle actif dans votre chapitre étudiant au cours de l’année? Récom-pensez son travail en soumettant sa candidature pour le prix du conseiller de l’année. Trois prix sont octroyés chaque année, un pour chaque société. les conditions de mise en candidature se trouvent à www.cheminst.ca/fac-ulty_advisor. les candidatures doivent nous parvenir d’ici le 31 mars 2008.

richard J. Puddephatt, FCiC, o.C.

robert N. young, FCiC

in memoriam The CIC extends its condolences to the families of:

l’ICC désire offrir ses condoléances aux familles de :

robert H . Betts, FCICW . C . Cooper, FCICPatrick Dunn, MCIC M . George Grant, FCIC S . liang, MCIC Brian G . Sayer, FCIC Hari D . Sharma, FCIC John r . Wagstaff, FCIC Timothy C . Woods, MCIC

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs �1

rECogNitioN rECoNNAissANCE

Crowds gathered for the undergraduate oral student competitions at the 57th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference in Edmonton, AB, on October 28, 2007 . The awards were presented to the students at the Awards luncheon on the following day .

Here are the final results of these competitions:

robert g. Auld CompetitionStudents were given ten minutes to present an oral paper pertaining to any aspect of chemical engineering .

1st placeStefan Sigurdson, ACIC, University of Saskatchewan

2nd placeeric arsenault, ACIC, McGill University

3rd placeVivian hsieh, ACIC, The University of British Columbia

reg Friesen CompetitionStudents presented oral papers on any aspect of chemical engineering relating to education .

1st placeMabel Fulford, ACIC, McGill University

2nd placeJosé Condos-tarco, ACIC, University of regina

sNC lavalin Plant d­esign CompetitionThe top three teams competed in the oral part of the SNC-lavalin Plant Design Competition presenting their plant designs to a panel of judges and their peers .

1st placeLouis-ghislain roy and emmanuelle Plante presented their team’s design . Other members of their team include audrey Bernard, Dominic St-onge and Pierre-Luc gagnon, ACIC, of the Université de Sherbrooke .

2nd placeStephanie Davidovsky, rami issa, Jean-Michel Lavoie and antonina tosia Lopata of McGill University .

3rd placeMelissa Sandbeck, ACIC, presented on behalf of her team that included Mark Bersheid and rihanna Vanin of the University of Saskatchewan .

robert sparrow, mCiC, of sNC-lavalin inc. invites students to participate in the 2008 sNC-lavalin Plant d­esign Competition. the winner will represent Canada in the 2009 international competition in montréal.

RESulTS of the 2007 CSCHE STuDENT COMpETITIONS

ACCN

Quoi

de

neuf

?Envoyez

à ACCN les

d­ErNiÈrEs NouvEllEs

de votre entreprise, votre classe ou

votre laboratoire .

editorial@accn.ca

��  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

CArEErs CArriÈrEs

The University of Windsor, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry invites applications for a Tier I Canada research Chair in Inorganic or Materials Chemistry commencing January 1, 2009 . This position will provide leadership in the Centre for Catalysis and Materials research . For a detailed position description visit our website at: www .uwindsor .ca/facultypositions .

Contact: Dr . Philip J . Dutton, Head, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, N9B 3P4, Phone: (519) 253-3000, Ext . 3526; Fax: (519) 973-7098, Email: kimber1@uwindsor .ca .

For information on the University of Windsor or the City of Windsor, contact Dr . Janice Drakich, Director, Faculty recruitment at 877-665-6608 (Toll free) within North America, call collect outside of North America at 001-519-561-1432 or Email: recruit@uwindsor .ca .

TIER I CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR IN INORgANIC OR MATERIAlS CHEMISTRY

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs ��

CArEErs CArriÈrEs

The Department of Chemical Engineering at McGill University

invites applications for two tenure-track positions at the level of

Full, Associate or Assistant Professor . We are looking for applicants

with a chemical engineering background conducting research in

the area of advanced materials or energy; however any excellent

candidate with a background in chemical engineering will be con-

sidered . McGill University is a research intensive university with

a distinguished history in Medicine, Science and Engineering . In

addition to developing a successful research program, the success-

ful candidate will be expected to participate in teaching chemical

engineering at the undergraduate and graduate levels .

Applicants must have a doctoral degree and must be a member

or eligible for membership with a Canadian professional engi-

neering licensing body . They should demonstrate evidence of

outstanding potential for teaching and research . The successful

candidate will join a high-profile, dynamic department of 15 ten-

ured or tenure track staff, which includes eight recently hired

Assistant Professors . The Department has a B .Eng . program with

380 undergraduate students and about 90 graduate students are

completing M .Eng . and Ph .D . degrees . We have excellent in-

frastructure for both teaching and research . Information about

the Department, including its current research activities, can be

found at http://www .mcgill .ca/chemeng/ .

McGill University is committed to equity in employment and

diversity . It welcomes applications from indigenous peoples,

visible minorities, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities,

women, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender iden-

tities and others who may contribute to further diversification . All

qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accor-

dance with Canadian immigration requirements, priority will be

given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada .

Applications will be reviewed starting on January 1, 2008 and will

continue until the positions are filled . Send a resume, the names of

three references and a brief research and teaching plan to:

Professor J-l . Meunier,

Chair, Search Committee

Department of Chemical Engineering

3610 University Street

Montreal, QC Canada H3A 2B2

(or by email to: jean-luc .meunier@mcgill .ca)

fACulTY pOSITIONS IN THE DEpARTMENT Of CHEMICAl ENgINEERINgMcgIll uNIVERSITY

��  l’ACtuAlité ChimiQuE CANAd­iENNE FÉvrier �008

CArEErs CArriÈrEs

short Course in industrial oilfield ChemistryHeld in conjunction with the 91st Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition (CSC 2008)

monday, may 26, 2008Westin Hotel, Edmonton, Ab

Early bird registration: $350 CIC and ACpA members, $400 non-members After April 15, 2008: $400 CIC and ACpA members, $450 non-members

Organized by ACpA, CIC Edmonton, and CSC 2008

for more information and registration, visit the CSC 2008 Web site at www.csc2008.

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs ��

Con t i n u i n g   E du c a t i o n   f o r   Ch em i c a l   P r o f e s s i o n a l s 

risk Assessment and management for Continuous improvementThis two-day course is geared to those whose respon-sibilities include risk assessments, development of management systems, and providing advice to de-cision makers . The learning objective is to reach a thorough understanding of integrated risk assessment and management principles and techniques . During the course, participants are provided with a broad overview of the technical tools available to assess risk in industrial environments as well as how these tools fit in the bigger picture of the broader risk manage-ment systems to control risk .

Elements of the course• introduction• major historical Accidents in Process industries• risk Concepts, how to Estimate risk and Evaluate

its Acceptability• integrated risk management: success Factors for

high Performance• the risk management Process• techniques for risk Analysis• Qualitative techniques: hazard identification

(screening level, What-if, hAzoP, FmEA) with hands-on application examples

• index methods• Frequency Analysis techniques (Fault and Event

trees), svA, loPA • Consequence Analysis methods for hazards

Associated with hazardous materials (with reference

to us EPA risk management Program rule)• Elements of Process safety management

(with reference to us oshA Psm regulations) • Emergency management (with reference

to Environment Canada and other Canadian legislation)

• summary and Conclusions

recommended forindustry and government personnel who have responsibilities in:• safety, health and Environment• Worksite safety• Asset management• operations management • Process safety and loss Prevention• risk management • security and Emergency response

Course leader

ertugrul alp, PhD, PEng, MCIC, Principal, Alp & As-sociates Incorporated, has over 20 years' experience in assessment and management of risks to environ-ment, health, safety, property and reputation . His experience covers a number of industrial sectors, including chemical, energy, pulp and paper, min-ing, steel, and transportation, and government sec-tors such as labour, environment, health, natural re-sources, and municipal planning .

The Chemical institute of Canada (CiC) and the Canadian Society for Chemical engineering (CSChe) are presenting the following course designed to enhance the knowledge and working experience of safety, environmental and process safety professionals.

2008 Schedule

May 26–27Edmonton

June 16–17Toronto

October 21–22Ottawa

Registration fees

$845 CIC/CSChE members$995 non-members

www.cheminst.ca/ profdev

Professional d­evelopment

the Chemical institute of Canada

Canadian society for Chemical Engineering

FeBruary �008 CANAd­iAN ChEmiCAl NEWs ��

EvENts évéNEmENts

CanadaConferences

February 27–29, 2008 . Canadian Nuclear Energy Seminar “Going the Distance—Nuclear Energy in the Nuclear Age,” Ottawa, ON, www .cns-snc .ca .

May 24–28, 2008 . 91st Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Edmonton, AB, www .csc2008 .ca

May 26, 2008 . Short Course in Industrial Oilfield Chemistry at the 9ist Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Edmonton, AB, www .csc2008 .ca

May 29–31, 2008 . Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology (CCWESTT) Conference, Guelph, ON, www .ccwestt2008 .ca

June 2–5, 2008 . International Pulp Bleaching Conference, Québec, QC, www .paptac .ca

June 15–18, 2008 . 20th Canadian Symposium on Catalysis, Kingston, ON, www .20csc2008 .ca .

June 16–18, 2008 . Control Systems/Pan Pacific Conference, Vancouver, BC, www .paptac .ca

July 14–18, 2008 . IUPAC International Conference on Biodiversity and Natural Products—ICOB-6 and ISCNP-26, Charlottetown, PE, www .iupac-icbnp2008 .com .

September 6–10, 2008 . 6th International Symposium on radiohalogens, Whistler, BC, www .triumf .info/hosted/6ISr

october 19–22, 2008 . 58th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference, Ottawa, ON, www .chemeng .ca/csche2008

august 23–27, 2009 . 8th World Congress of Chemical Engineering incorporating the 59th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference and XXIV Interamerican Congress of Chemical Engineering, Montréal, QC, www .wcce8 .org

u.s. and overseasMarch 10–12, 2008 . Global Plastics Environmental Conference (GPEC), Orlando, Fl, www .sperecycling .org .

april 14–17, 2008 . Hazards XX: Harnessing Knowledge—Challenging Complacency, Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Manchester, UK, www .icheme .org/hazardsxx

april 27–30, 2008 . Fifth Annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing . Chicago, Il, www .bio .org/ worldcongress2008

June 15–19, 2008 . World Hydrogen Energy Conference, South Brisbane , Australia, www .whec2008 .com

august 3–8, 2008 . Chemistry in the ICT Age—the 20th International Conference on Chemical Education (ICCE 2008), reduit, Mauritius, www .uom .ac .mu/20icce .htm

august 4–6, 2008 . 12th Asia-Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering Meeting—the Chemical Engineering Exhibition, Dalian, China, apcche@163 .com

august 17–22, 2008 . 24th Meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology, State College, PA, www .chemecol .org/meetings/meetings .htm

august 24–28 2008 . 18th International Congress of Chemical and Process Engineering, Praha, Czech republic, www .chisa .cz/2008

September 16–20, 2008 . 2nd European Chemistry Congress–Chemis-try: the Global Science, Torino, Italy, www .euchems-torino2008 .it

october 20–22, 2008 . lABTECH Conference & Exhibition 2008, Manama, Bahrain, www .lab-tech .info

november 16–21, 2008 . 2008 AIChE Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, www .aiche .org/Conferences/AnnualMeeting/index .aspx December 12–15, 2008 . 10th European Meeting on Supercritical Fluids, Strasbourg, France, www .isasf .net/strasbourg

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