Engineering Challenge 2010

Goal and Objective The 2010 local contest involved the design and construction of a water dam. Each student team received

supplies to build a dam to withstand flowing water and a surge of water in a channel. Scoring was based

on each team’s design and construction of a water-retaining dam made from recycled materials to ensure

it meets the specified criteria and compared with other projects, as well as marks for written answers.

There was a short tutorial on water resources engineering to provide some insight for the students as to

how to optimize their projects.

Results

In 2010 we had participation by 25 teams of 4 from 6 area high schools

We had good local media coverage from TV and two local papers

Media web coverage was new this year

Nice trophies by IEEE and Subaru were presented at the event

Winners: St Peters – 1

st Place Port Hope - 2

nd Place

Holy Cross – “Most Efficient Dam”

Lakefield College School won the Peterborough

Subaru National Engineering Month Challenge

“Award for Superior Engineering”

Presentation – We were pleased to present an award to Eugene Springer, CET who as Chair of

OACETT Peterborough Chapter was instrumental in starting the Engineering Challenge 9 years ago.

Photos:

Engineering Challenge 2009

Purpose -The Engineering Week Challenge is an annual celebration of Canadian engineering

excellence that allows youth to discover the important and exciting engineering profession, as

well as important elements of being an engineer including ingenuity, teamwork and creativity.

National Engineering Week promotes engineering as a career choice and reminds Canadians of

the role engineering plays in their daily lives. Events are organized at the provincial, territorial

and local levels. The Engineering Challenge in Peterborough is a day long out-of-class event

focusing on bringing awareness to high school students in applied science and math, employment

within engineering and having fun in a team environment.

Goal and Objective -The 2009 local contest involved the design and construction of a water dam.

Each student team received supplies to build a dam to withstand flowing water and a surge of water in a channel. Scoring was based on each team’s design and construction of a water-retaining dam made from recycled materials to ensure it meets the specified criteria and compared with other projects, as well as marks for written answers. There was a short tutorial on water resources engineering to provide some insight for the students as to how to optimize their projects.

Some Pictures

February 28, 2007: This year’s Engineering and Technology Challenge was held on February 28th at the Evinrude Centre as a part of National Engineering Week. Over 40 participants from surrounding high schools competed to build a small electric motor.

Getting down to work

Attention to detail pays off

High Hopes

Trophies for the winners

The Winners

The Runners-up

The Support Team

Thanks to Jim Bailey, P.Eng., Ryan Worral, P.Eng. and Clarence Klassen, P.Eng. of PEO, to

Sean Dunne, P.Eng. and Kevin Kirley, P.Eng. of IEEE Peterborough Section and to Maurice

Coderre, A.Sc.T., Sharon Reid, C.E.T., Tara Welbourn, C.E.T., and Eugene Springer, A.Sc.T. of

OACETT whose dedicated volunteer effort made the event such a great success. Also a special

thanks to IEEE Peterborough for donating the spectacular trophies.

November 25, 2006: This year’s Engineering Symposium was one of our best efforts. The

event, entitled Electricity in Ontario Doing the Math, explored various costs and capabilities of

different forms of electrical energy production, compared in terms of real cost, scalability,

production of environmentally undesirable wastes or impact and reliability. Keynote speakers

included the following:

David Whitehouse, Manager of Customer Service, PUC

Dan Meneley, P.Eng., PhD, President, Canadian Nuclear Society

Bill Pearson P.Eng. MBA, Senior Research Engineer, CANMET

Kim Allen, P.Eng., PEO Registrar

July 15, 2006: This year’s summer social was an overwhelming success thanks to the combined

efforts of the local IEEE, OACETT and PEO Chapters. The sold out event hosted over 80

participants! The evening began with a guided boat cruise through the Peterborough Liftlocks

and was followed with a delicious Immediately following dinner on the upper deck, six new

engineers were presented with PEO licence certificates. Live Musical entertainment and the

dazzling fireworks display from the water brought the night to its conclusion. A great time was

had by all. A special thanks to Bob Jameson, C.E.T. (chair of the local OACETT chapter) for his

outstanding organizing efforts.

.

Thanks to Jim Bailey, P.Eng., Rajan Subramanian, P.Eng., Ryan Worral, P.Eng. and Lionel

Magumbe, P.Eng. whose volunteer efforts were the key to the success of the event. Thanks to

Sean Dunne, P.Eng. and Kevin Kirley, P.Eng. of IEEE for their assistance and for donating the

spectacular trophies. Also a special thanks to Maurice Coderre, A.Sc.T. Vice-Chair OACETT

who was instrumental in organizing the event and preparing the dazzling visual effects.

February 17, 2006: Our Chapter AGM was held on Friday, February 17th at the Holiday Inn in Peterborough in conjunction with the IEEE AGM. The meeting was well attended with over 70 members and guests. This year those in attendance were not only privy to the exciting business of the AGM but were also favored with the story behind the top-secret Camp X spy training school as presented by Novelist, playwright, and biographer Shane Peacock. The presentation was well received. This summer look for The Art of Silent Killing as written by Mr. Peacock presented at the 4th Line Theatre. This is a dark, romantic story of a Canadian man and woman who train to become secret

agents at Camp X and then embark on a fateful mission behind enemy lines. Bob

Jameson, C.E.T. chair of the local OACETT chapter attended the AGM as an invited

guest.

March 2, 2005: The 2005 Peterborough Engineering and Technology Challenge was

held at the Evinrude Centre in Peterborough. This year's straw bridge building

competition was a big success, with bridges being built much more efficient and

stronger than anticipated. We had 7 schools participating with a total of 65 student

competitors. Designs were mainly based on truss frames, but there were a few bridges

that incorporated arches and pyramid frames, Creativity and industry was in the air.

The team for the most efficient bridge, as measured by the ratio of the ultimate

bridge load to its own weight, was from Lakefield College School. Team

members included Raymond Chan, Simon Denure, Martin Cayouette, and

Quinn Richardson.

The second most efficient bridge was constructed by a team from Adam Scott

CVI, including Brett Edgeton, Pat Conley, and Rob Amirault.

The team exhibiting the best planning and teamwork was from St. Peter's

Secondary School, including Nicole Marion, Allessandra Ruzzini, Natalie

Binette, and Caitlin Jago.

For additional information and pictures on the 2005 Engineering and Technology

Challenge click here.

February 17, 2005: The 2005 Chapter Annual General Meeting was held at the new

Memorial Centre, in concert with the local chapter of the IEEE. A short business

meeting was followed by a licensing ceremony, when the following Professional

Engineers were welcomed into our profession:

Jason Conrad, P.Eng.,

Paul Hurley, P.Eng.,

Michael Frederick Lang, P.Eng.,

Lionel Nhaka Magumbe, P.Eng,

Nandakishore Sathyanarayanarao, P.Eng.,

Rajan Subramanian, P.Eng.,

Aaron Mathew Styles, P.Eng.,

David Snopek, P.Eng. (absent)

Afterwards, we enjoyed a hockey game between the Peterborough Petes and the

Guelph Storm from our private Skybox above the ice. During intermissions, the

Memorial Centre staff were gracious enough to offer us tours of the refrigeration

plant. This was a very successful event, attracting a record number (71) of attendees.

For more pictures of our meeting, click here.

November 13, 2004: Our chapter, together with the local chapter of the IEEE, held the

Peterborough Engineering Symposium. Last year's symposium was selected by PEO

as one of the best chapter events and was outlined by our Chapter Chair at that time,

Haran Karmaker, P.Eng., at the Annual Chapter Leader's Conference. The theme of

this year's symposium was local technology and commerce. Forty of our members and

guests were able to hear the following speakers:

The Honourable Peter Adams, MP,

Ms. Laura Lauzon, of the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development

Corporation,

Dr. Brad White, of the DNA Cluster Project,

Mr. George Comrie, P.Eng., President of the PEO,

Mr. Raphael Sussman, Manager, Land Information Ontario, OMNR.

After lunch, there was a panel discussion on local issues, with questions coming from

the audience and from other the panel members. Members of our distinguished panel

included Mr. Raphael Sussman, Manager, Land Information Ontario, OMNR; Mr.

Andrew McDougal, Hispano-Suiza; Mr. Doug Hofmann, General Electric; Mr. Paul

Hurley, Greer Galloway; Ms. Clare Morris, Director, Ontario Society of Professional

Engineers; and Dr. Brad White, of the DNA Cluster Project. We are most grateful to

our host for the event, Mr. Peter Spasov of Sir Sanford Fleming College. Additional

pictures of our symposium can be seen by clicking here.

September & October, 2004: Ryan Worral, our education coordinator organized two

career days, one at Lakefield High School and the other at Adam Scott High School.

October 14, 2004: We organized a tour of the Peterborough General Electric plant for

eleven of our members. The plant is over 110 years old and has world product

mandates for a number of GE products, such as large industrial motors and hydro

generators.

September 16, 2004: The chapter and the IEEE Peterborough section organized a tour

of the Peterborough Siemens Milltronics plant on Technology Drive. Sixteen

members and guests attended the tour, learning that the plant celebrated its 50th

anniversary this year. The members enjoyed the tour thoroughly as it presented a

showcase of local modern technology.

June 27, 2004: An exciting summer social was held at the famous Shaw Festival

Theatre at Niagara on the Lake. Eight members and their partners enjoyed the play

entitle Man and Superman, a four-act comedy with its third act comprised mainly of a

long dream sequence known as "Don Juan in Hell". Those who attended can vouch

for the excellent and enjoyable time had by all, including the complementary picnic

lunch provided by the theatre.

March 2, 2004: Our chapter, together with the National Engineering Week Ontario

Steering Committee (NEWOSC), the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, the

Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE), and the Ontario Society of

Engineering Technologists and Technicians (OACETT) sponsored the Peterborough

Engineering and Technology Challenge at the Evinrude Centre in Peterborough. This

was an official National Engineering Week event and was open to all local high

schools. This year's event attracted 65 participants in teams from Port Hope High

School, Adam Scott Collegiate & Vocational School, Lakefield College School, Holy

Cross Catholic Secondary School, Cobourg District Collegiate Institute East, and

Thomas A. Stewart District Collegiate Institute. The challenge was to design, build,

and test a mechanical flinger device from a limited set of very basic materials

(cardboard, tape, etc.) to throw a mystery projectile a predicted horizontal distance.

The projectile also had to clear a vertical obstruction. Scoring was based on the

distance the projectile was flung, the quality of calculations made to predict the

distance, and the difference between the predicted and actual distances. The winners

were:

Grade 10: Thomas A. Stewart District Collegiate Institute (Preston Stringer,

Dusty Hare, Eric Elgar)

Grade 11: Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School (Mathew Jang, Mike Leroux)

Grade 12: Lakefield College School (Wayne Chau, Brian Maxwell, Mike

Studli)

Honourable mention (best calculations, good distance, but one misfire):

Cobourg District Collegiate Institute East (Brendan Bellaire, John Mizanski,

Brian Nelson, William Stirling)

Additional pictures of our winners can be seen by clicking here.

February 17, 2004: Alex Webster, our Treasurer, conducted an investment seminar at

Sir Sandford Fleming College. Alex provided us with much more than suggestions for

RRSP portfolios, including:

Recent & predicted economic growth in Canada and the world

Commodity prices and their effect on the economy

Pent-up demand in housing starts and vehicle sales

Capital, versus consumer, spending

Projection of overnight and 10-year bond rates

Relative strength of the Canadian dollar to other currencies

Selected bond and equity market sector opportunities

Recommended asset mixes for various risk models

Performance benchmarks.

January 20, 2004: Our Annual General Meeting was held at the Centennial Museum.

Complementary drinks and hors d'oeuvres were served. The PEO meeting (including

a license ceremony) was followed by the annual IEEE General Meeting.

Dr. Brad White, Professor of Biology, Trent University and Director of the Natural

Resources DNA Profiling and Forensic Centre was the guest speaker. DNA Profiling

is now the best method to connect or exonerate suspects with crimes. A combination

of DNA markers provides a unique bar code for each individual. DNA can be isolated

from blood, hair, body fluids and even finger prints and a DNA profile established and

compared to victims and suspects of crimes. Even in the absence of a suspect, the

profile can be matched with profiles in the National DNA Bank, which contains

profiles of individuals convicted of many types of crime. Prof. White discussed the

application of DNA Profiling to a number of high profile cases such as OJ Simpson,

David Milguard, Steven Truscott and Paul Bernardo. He also described the new

robotic and automated equipment that is being used in this type of work.

November 8, 2003: Our fall Professional Engineering Symposium was held from

10am to 2:30pm at Sir Sandford Fleming College in Peterborough and included a

lunch, provided by your chapter. We heard from speakers on the following topics:

The Current Status of Global Warming and Kyoto Agreement in Canada, by

Dr. Wayne Evans.

Wind Energy Developments in General Electric Company, by Mr. Erich

Ossowski.

Photovoltaics, Wind Power and Solar Thermal Technology, by Mr. Simon

Boone, P.Eng.

Astronomy, by Mr. John Crossen.

September 24, 2003: Our Treasurer, Alex Webster, presented an investment seminar,

entitled "Stocks, Bonds or Cash". Alex discussed diversification among various

investments and their expected returns. He also went through a risk analysis, including

time as a variable, in determining the risks.

June 27, 2003: We held our second joint social event with the Peterborough chapter of

OACETT, an Otonabee River dinner cruise. This year, we cruised down the Otonabee

River from Lock 19 to about half way to Rice Lake. More details and photographs

will be available shortly.

May 10, 2003: We held our second tour of the Hope Mill. Twenty of our members

and guests had a guided tour of the mill and we were all impressed by the restoration

progress made by the volunteers. Bob Rehder, a PEO senior member, is leading this

volunteer group. Several years ago, our chapter and PEO Head Office each

contributed funds towards the restoration of this historic mill.

April 8, 2003: Our chapter participated at the Peterborough Regional Science Fair.

Ryan, Mani, Chandru, and Haran spent the day at a PEO-supplied booth, handing out

information and rulers and introducing students and parents to what engineers really

do.

March 4, 2003: Our chapter organized the Peterborough Engineering and Technology

Challenge during National Engineering Week, under Ryan's leadership. Teams of

grade 11 and 12 high school students were challenged to build a vehicle that would

lift and transport a suspended load over the greatest possible horizontal distance. The

event was a huge success and received coverage on TV and in newspapers. Lakefield

College School took 3 of the 4 in best drawing quality for grade 11 and best scores in

test runs for both grades 11 and 12. Holy Cross Secondary School received the best

drawing quality prize for grade 12.

February 11, 2003: About forty members and guests attended our Peterborough

Chapter Annual General Meeting at the Peterborough Theatre Guild. Complementary

drinks and first-rate hors d'oeuvres by the Parkhill on Hunter were followed by a

personalized tour of the theatre backstage. A joint business meeting with the IEEE

was followed by a license ceremony to welcome new members to the PEO. The

keynote address was delivered by Mr. Ken McMartin, P.Eng., the incoming President

of PEO, on his plans during his tenure.