Posted on Oct. 24: Student engineers connect with colleagues at national conference

One of Ontario's largest gatherings of undergraduate engineers will take place Oct. 26-29 at the Hamilton Convention Centre.

More than 400 undergraduate students from across Canada will attend the 53rd annual Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering Conference.

“This conference gives students the chance to learn about the latest trends in our profession through lectures and seminars, develop speaking skills at presentation competitions, and make valuable connections in academia and industry at graduate studies fairs and receptions,” says Jon Ng, a fifth-year chemical engineering and society student who heads the student conference program. “Most importantly, being able to meet and mingle with hundreds of our undergraduate colleagues from across the nation offers a deeper respect for the spirit that is shared by engineers.”

Hundreds of professionals from around the world will attend seminars, workshops and lectures and discuss the latest in chemical engineering technology, education and innovation, adds Ng, who is president of the Chemical Engineering Club.

There will also be student-oriented activities such as paper competitions, keynote speakers and a beer and wine workshop, where students will learn the craft of brewing and winemaking. As well, participants can join local industrial tours including Dofasco, Zenon Environmental, Xerox Research Centre of Canada and Niagara Falls Generating Station.

Ng, and a committee of 15 students, have been preparing the conference program for more than a year. They also have received support from more than 100 McMaster chemical engineering students as committee members, volunteers and delegates.

“Our committee and army of volunteers have put countless hours into preparing this, the largest gathering of undergraduate engineering students in Ontario, quite possibly in Canada,” says Ng.

The conference is co-chaired by Andrew Hrymak, professor and chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at McMaster.

The Department of Chemical Engineering, in conjuection with the Faculty of Engineering and the Alumni Office are hosting an alumni reception during the conference to greet McMaster engineering graduates attending the conference.

“Hamilton has proven again and again that it can hold a world-class event,” says Ng. “The CSChE conference is a great example of how Hamilton and McMaster are capable of hosting delegates from around the world showcasing the technological innovation in true style.”

Last year the conference was held in Vancouver and next year will take place in Calgary.