The engineering life chose you. Now you deal with it.
2 0 1 7 October Edition
• ESS Events • Interviews with
Dr. Andrew Martin and SPEAR • Crosswords, Sudoku, Comics & Memes
The Bridge
October 2017
CONTENTS FEATURES Halloween Treats for Engineering Students
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Engineering Employment Centre (EEC) Announcement
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Interview With a Professor: Dr. Andrew Martin
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Interview With Space Exploration Alberta Robotics (SPEAR)
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CAMPUS NEWS First Year Retreat So ESS, What’s happening? #2
12 13
DIVERSIONS Crossword Sudoku Comics Memes Corner October Events Calendar
14 15 17 18 19
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AVP Publications Solbee Seo Jr. Editors Abby Paul Aishwarya Venkitachalam Derek Shultz Krizelle Mendoza Marianne Rosal Megan Rowbottom
The Bridge
October 2017
Halloween Treats for Engineering Students by Abby Paul There’s a chill in the air, and it’s not just the dread of midterms it’s almost Halloween! For many of us, it’s been years since we put on costumes (sometimes over our snowsuits) and went Trick or Treating. We collected chocolate, candy, and a few frights as we went door to door in our neighbourhoods, trying to see through our masks and not trip over our cloaks. Why should Halloween handouts stop when we’re not cute anymore? Kids don’t get tricked by midterms during October like we do we’re the ones that need treats on October 31! Here are some treats that engineering students deserve on October 31: NO ASSIGNMENTS DUE NOV 1 Like a werewolf as the full moon rises, that pile of assignments we’ll “worry about after midterms” becomes a terrifying beast at the end of October, terrorizing Halloween plans. It would be great to take a silver dagger to those assignments until at least November 2.
ENGG PAPER This one’s definitely low hanging caramel apples, but if someone just gave you a fresh pack of Engg paper just for wrapping yourself in toilet paper and calling yourself a mummy, would you say no? Use it to plan a better costume for next year!
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The Bridge
October 2017
THE TIME SPEND STUDYING STUFF THAT WASN'T EVEN ON THE MIDTERM Nothing is as bone-chilling as the feeling of looking down at your midterm and realizing that nothing you studied will help you. We could put all that time spent studying in vain towards good use, like going to Halloween parties, or sleeping! It would almost make up for the midterm horrors we’ve endured.
A NAP We’re not zombies- we can’t shuffle around awake, but not truly conscious, for our entire miserable existence. At least, we can’t keep that up for more than a few weeks. Instead of rising from the grave, we’d like to go to bed.
TIM HORTONS GIFT CARDS Engineering students are like vampires: there’s only one liquid that can sustain our life force. For us, it’s coffee. The beginning of October is already two-coffee-per-day territory, probably up to three by the end of the month. A thick stack of Tim Hortons Gift Cards might last the rest of semester, or at least until reading week.
CANDY Any of the above things would be appreciated, but we’d also accept a pillowcase stuffed with all the treats it can hold, and be thrilled about it. You’re never too old for free candy.
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The Bridge
October 2017
Engineering Employment Centre Announcement by Megan Rowbottom Throughout this year, The Bridge will be collaborating with the resident employment experts from the Engineering Employment Centre (EEC) to answer your submitted questions on anything from interviews to information sessions to industry trends in a series of articles. According the EEC’s Employment Coordinator, Stacey Sayler, “The EEC helps connect students and alumni to companies interested in hiring engineering talent from the University of Alberta. In addition to job postings, we strive to make it easier for students to launch their engineering careers by offering workshops and resources on everything from career planning and job search strategies to networking, resume, and interview best practices.” The EEC, located on the second floor of ETLC, provides these resources to all U of A engineering students and alumni year-round and free of charge.
EEC’s Stacey Sayler
Amazing resource for students, I wish I knew this stuff
Do you have burning questions for the Engineering Employment Centre? Look for the Google Form in your weekly EnggLink to send them in!
four years ago. - Testimony from a senior Chemical Engineering student following one of the EEC's workshops
If you’re searching for more information, check out the EEC’s online Resource Vault (uab.ca/eec), and stay tuned for more articles in The Bridge!
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The Bridge
October 2017
Interview With a Professor: Dr. Andrew Martin by Marianne Rosal This month’s issue features Dr. Andrew Martin, an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Alberta where he also completed his engineering physics undergraduate study at the University of Alberta, before switching to the mechanical engineering discipline to complete both his his graduate and postgraduate diplomas. In 2008, he obtained his PhD at the Aerosol Research Laboratory of Alberta. Dr. Martin’s experience encompasses biomedical applications, such as medical device development, inhalation drug delivery, and investigating therapeutic gas applications in the medicine.
Probably because at first engineering is
Q: What motivated you to choose engineering and, more specifically, this type of engineering? A: Probably the same reason as a lot of other students: because I was good at math and science in high school and wanted something that I could apply the fundamentals; I wanted to do something applicable. I mostly just went into it because I knew I was good in math and physics and engineering seemed like a field where I could apply what I was good at. [However], I like engineering more and more as I advance in my career.
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hard and coursework can feel like a grind, you don’t really see many of the cool applications. I like it more now than as an undergrad; I liked it more in grad because I could start to see applications first hand, and then I liked it even more in industry because so many of the projects I worked on allowed me to appreciate more what I learned in my education. I switched into mechanical engineering in my graduate studies because I did a project with [in that field] and it seemed like something I could continue work on and enjoy.
The Bridge
October 2017
Q: Why choose the biomedical field?
Q: Having had industry experience,
A: Once I got exposed to biomedical
what made you choose industry and go
engineering, and specifically aerosol drug
back to academia?
delivery, through a research project in my
A: Lifestyle. Professors do work really
undergraduate time, I decided to make a
hard and some of the demands of the job
switch. If I was exposed to a different
require you to manage your time carefully.
biomedical field, I would have enjoyed that
But, you have control over your personal
too. I just gravitated towards the field of the
time. With a job, if you need to travel
project I did during my undergraduate
because there’s a meeting, you have to
degree in large part because that was the
go. I was starting a young family at the
opportunity that presented itself. Now I'm
time I started academia. My daughter was
very glad thing worked out the way they did.
two when we made the move back to Edmonton. On an average day in my
Q: What is something fun you like about
previous job, I was leaving the house
your work:
before she was awake, and coming home
A: I like people, I like meeting people from
just to see her to bed. Now my wife and I
all different kinds of backgrounds. Our field
take kids to school together most
[in inhalation drug delivery] is very
mornings and we're all home for dinner
international, a lot of people [I work with] are
together. So having autonomy over my life
from Europe and U.S. And to make a
was important to me.
medical device you need engineering skills,
Also, [In industry] I was coming more and
but you also need to talk to clinicians and
more into project management and
other users who are operating this device.
spending less time in research. Even in
Sometimes you need to talk to patients
R&D, a lot of exploratory projects are
about how they use their device. It becomes
outsourced and done on contract. So
a really diverse range of expertise. So
another reason I went back to academia
working with people from a diverse range of
was so I could focus more directly on
expertise, the human aspect, to me is more
research than other aspects in business.
fun than any one technical discovery I could make.
"Don t be too tied to one place or one particular career path when it s very narrow."
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The Bridge
October 2017
Q: What advice do you have for
Edmonton that aren’t, necessarily, on
undergraduate students who want to
Whyte Ave or in campus. There is plenty
pursue your field?
of culture in Edmonton, but sometimes
A: Get as much diverse experience [as you
you have to scratch the surface to see it.
can] when you’re young. Don’t be too tied
The last one is, the importance of
to one place or one particular career path.
interpersonal relationships. Network on
When your goal is very narrow you might
your future career. The people all around
wait around for a perfect opportunity to
you are already your network, and 5
come, but none of us really know what we
years after graduating, if you have a
like best until we learn and try different
decent relationship with your cohort of
things.
students you will know a hundred or more
Be prepared to move to a city you might not
professional engineers. That helps if you
think you want to live in. Go to a job where
are looking for a job or if you have a
the roles isn’t exactly what you thought you
problem. It’s important to know you have
would work at, and give it a change. At the
a network of peers to tap into.
same time do make a mental note to come back occasionally and assess if you like where you’re at. Once you start a job, it doesn't have to be forever; there’s ways to talk to your managers and still leave on a good note and go do something else if you decide to. You’re not tied or committed for life to an initial job that you take, so why not take the chance to stretch out your experience? Q: What are three things you wish you knew when you were my age/ undergrad? A: First is the breadth of interesting things around campus to tap into. Second is all the cool and interesting things to do in !8
"The last one is, the importance of interpersonal relationships. Network on your future career. It s important to know you have a network of engineers to tap into."
The Bridge
October 2017
Interview with Space Exploration Alberta Robotics (SPEAR)
INTERVIEWEE: Mackenzie Hart (Project Manager, 4th Mechanical Engineering)
by Solbee Seo SPEAR will be participating the University Rover Challenge June 2018 for the first time. The University Rover Challenge is an international robotics competition held at the Mars Desert Research Station every June in Hanksville, Utah. Last year, 82 universities from 13 countries applied to the competition, and 36 universities were invited to compete. Each team builds a Mars rover that must complete intensive trials during the competition. Some of the tasks that the Mars rover must complete are: • • • •
Science cache: the rover collects and analyzes soil samples in the field Extreme retrieval: the rover chooses its path through extreme terrain to retrieve an object Equipment servicing: the rover services machinery in the field with no assistance Autonomous traverse: the rover must guide itself through specific regions along the desert course
Q: As your club is quite new to U of A Engineering Department, can you give us a little bit of history of your club? A: Space Exploration Alberta Robotics (SPEAR) [was] started a year ago in September 2016 by five people, including myself. After 8 months, we had about 50 members at the end of the year! During the first two weeks of school this year, 200 people signed up and showed that they were interested in the club, so we are very excited about it. IMAGE SOURCE: https://mars.nasa.gov/MPF/parker/highres-stereo.html
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The Bridge
October 2017
Q: Alberta generally is not keen on space science; what made you to be interested in space robotics and start this club? A: Since I was young, I always had interest in space exploration. Once I got to university I found out about the competition and found out that I wasn’t the only one who was interested in this, so we gathered and that’s how it all started. Q: For 2017-2018, what are the objectives/goals that you have for the team? A: Our current rover design is 80 to 90% completed, so now we need to build then test the rover. We would like to build more sponsorship base. Q: What are some of the biggest achievements that you have made so far? A: So far we are proud of our rim design which is integrated with suspension and motor. We are all satisfied with the overall design because we didn’t have a clear idea on designing [a] Mars rover at the beginning, and now our design is almost complete and has passed critical design review held by U of A professors who have expertise in this area.
Q: What were some of challenges or failures that you’ve had to face as a team? A: Being in Alberta where the oil industry is prominent, our Mars rover project – especially a newly-established project – had a challenging time to find sponsorship. But now we get a lot of help from Canada Jetlines and King & Bay West, who enabled us to start building the model.
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The Bridge
October 2017 Furthermore, we didn’t realize how much work goes into design when we began, so when we thought we finished the design, critical design aspects reminded us that there is way more to it. We also had those times when we faced the complications that we didn’t think beforehand during design phase while manufacturing or assembling.
Q: What additional support do you get from external sources? A: We have SolidWorks, engineering departments, and AlbertaSat supporting our project. Dr. Michael Lipsett has been incredible help to us, with respect to both knowledge base for the project and project management. Q: In hope of increasing awareness of space exploration, is SPEAR planning to do any outreach to elementary/junior high/high schools? A: Yes! We’ve been talking to the Education Department & other groups about community outreach, such as seminars to elementary or high schools. Q: Any upcoming events that general students can expect? A: We will be at U of A Aero-Day happening at ETLC Solarium on October 5th! Q: Motivational words for students who are hesitant to join the club? A: SPEAR deals with any aspects related to real-world design problems, project management, financial, and marketing. You will find plenty of opportunity to work as a team and potential to grow your leadership skills. We build things for the first time ever with innovative, novel design. Be adventurous- join the club.
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The Bridge
First Year Retreat The only time when you thought you had free time. 2017 First Year Retreat. Sept 8-10th, 2017 Darrell, AB Hosted by the ESS, U of A Engineering first-year students went off for a 3-day camping. Through this opportunity, students met their classmates, played games, had a bonfire, won prizes, and most importantly, had a blast over the weekend.
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October 2017
The Bridge
October 2017
So ESS, What’s Happening? #2 September 2017 Board of Directors Meeting Summary by Solbee Seo
Past events review • UAEC (UAlberta Engineering Competition) • Beer Garden and Engg Carnival: not as successful as expected • First year retreat: 135-140 people attended Upcoming Student Life events UAEC (UAlberta Engineering Competition) Oct 29th: Categories will be junior design, senior design, innovative design, impromptu debate, consulting engineering, engineering communications, reengineering and programming 14th Annual Engineering Head Shave Nov 28th: In support of the Alberta Cancer Foundation. High interest from faculty so expect to see higher faculty participation. Hair dying event a few days before Nov 28th, Giving Tuesday GEER Week Rule book has been updated. Engg Ball is going to be huge!!! Tentatively at the Sutton Place Hotel. Ski Trip Tickets will be on sale as soon as Student Life is provided with a sign-up link from the tour company. First 100 people who signed up will be entered into a draw
Updates • 2017-2018 ESS budget has been approved by ESS executive members as well as discipline club presidents. Expecting surplus by the end of year. • GEER Pass had 244 downloads (as of Sept 18). GEER pass is expected to play as a main hub for gaining points during GEER Week event. • VP Internal and President Election on Oct. 4th and 5th • ESS is working with the faculty to obtain a new server, since current server has been used for long, long time. • Faculty representative: Faculty wishes to initiate project where they can connect all the project groups via booking spaces, etc.
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The Bridge
October 2017
Crossword
Crossword
by Krizelle Mendoza
by Krizelle Mendoza
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Across not against comes after you but not me drink that rhymes with GEER gas in signs a crime with fire object speed divided by speed of sound animal that slithers (also, your ex-friend) computational knowledge engine E.T.'s ride, maybe is wet BCC: __-centered cubic popular Starbucks drink, this time of year fish that took 1h 40m to find Machu Picchu locale epsilon, for example
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Down Absolute __ unit of electrical capacitance Princess __ Organa not convex Musk who founded SpaceX engineering gang sign a charged particle life, in France you can't cross it with a vector deformation a messenger at Hogwarts
The Bridge
Sudoku by Krizelle Mendoza
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October 2017
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Crossword and Sudoku answers
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October 2017
The Bridge
Comics
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October 2017
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Memes Corner by Krizelle Mendoza
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October 2017
The Bridge
October Events Calendar
EMPLOYER INFO SESSIONS IN OCTOBER Oct 2: Canada Revenue Agency Oct 4: Garmin Cochrane Oct 10: Schlumberger Oct 23: BMO Capital Markets
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October 2017
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October 2017