Home for the Holidays 2020-21
DECEMBER 2020 Vice President of Communications
Director of Publications
Junior Editors
Cover Design
Contributors
Copyright
Delaney MacIntosh & Elizabeth DeCorby Jason Tao
Rae Callahan Ethan Franz Jennifer Long Stacey Sayler Adrian Wattamaniuk Zion Yua
Safiya Ahmad Ian Gauk
All materials appearing in The Bridge bear copyright to their creator(s) under the Engineering Students’ Society (ESS) and may not be used without written consent.
Website
essualberta.ca
Contact
esscomm@ualberta.ca
@essualberta
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Engineering Students’ Society of the University of Alberta
Photo: Delaney MacIntosh
DEAR READER, We have made it to the end of 2020! Thank you for reading along and following all of the incredible ways that engineering undergrads have been adapting to our changing world — but there is still more to come in the new year. The fall semester, albeit challenging, saw many great successes within our community. Putting our methods of virtual connection to the test, the 17th Annual Engineering Head Shave brought 47 participants and over 900 donors together, guiding us to historical fundraising totals. We found ways to connect with our peers, professors, and loved ones like never before, facing SEM proctoring, technical mishaps, burnout, and other pandemic implications head-on. You made it; be proud. This edition of The Bridge hopes to remind you to relax and recharge during your time off while acknowledging the growth and success of the past months, no matter how messy they seemed. We wish you and your loved ones the best in the rest of this holiday season. Continue to take care of yourselves and others. Cheers, Delaney MacIntosh & Elizabeth DeCorby Vice President of Communications
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Contents
6 Our Community
ENGGYAC: Growing your Engineering Community Tips for Wowing at the ESS Career Fair Engineering Head Shave Recap Group Feature: ESS Sustainability
18 Holiday Spirit
Acts of Kindness Holiday Traditions Ugly Christmas Sweaters: Engineering Edition A Holiday Treat Guide
26 Makerspace
Merry Grinchmas AutoCAD Snowman
30 Just for Fun
Text Debates
32 Upcoming ESS Initiatives
GEER Yeer Scoreboard
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A career fair, whether in-person or virtual, is a fantastic opportunity to gather information from potential employers that will enable you to develop a clearer picture of the career path options available to you, to learn about different companies, and to acquire the knowledge needed to pursue employment with those that interest you the most. To help you prepare for the upcoming ESS Career Fair on January 6 & 7th, 2021, here are seven tips to help you WOW the companies you meet:
KNOW
THE
TECHNOLOGY
For virtual career fairs it’s important to be familiar with the platform before the event begins. Your goal is to be as comfortable as possible with it so that you’ll be able to focus on the conversations that you’ll have. To attend, you’ll need a device with a camera, microphone, and speakers: the experience is best when using a laptop or desktop computer. The ESS is using the same platform, Symplicity, that the Career Centre used for their STEM Careers Day in October. If you attended you’ll already have a profile in the system and may only need to update it. New users will need to set up a profile beforehand.
Register by setting up your profile
Be sure to create your account a few days before the event. To make your account setup easy, visit the handouts and links available in the EEC Resource Vault. Companies will be using a variety of video chat tools including: Zoom, WebEx, MS Teams, and Google Meet. If you have these applications on your device, ensure that they are the most current version before you attend.
CREATE
A
STRONG
FIRST
EEC Resource Vault
IMPRESSION
Wear an outfit that makes you feel confident and, if possible, choose a location that will be quiet, has no distractions, and projects professionalism or is neutral. If you’re not able to relocate your computer, tidy the space visible on camera, so that the focus is on you instead of something behind you. If possible, place a lamp in front of you - behind your laptop or monitor - so that your face won’t be in shadow. Attendees who wear glasses may need to adjust the lamp and/or computer screen - or their posture - to avoid lens reflections. Adjust your camera so you are able to look straight ahead: you may need to change the camera angle or stack a few books under your monitor/laptop so that the camera is at eye-level. Place a postit note right above the camera that reminds you to look there instead of down at the computer screen when you’re speaking. Having good lighting, proper posture and maintaining eye contact all contribute to creating a positive impression - and don’t forget to smile!
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Knowing one’s interests, motivations, values, and aspirations are core to conducting an effective job search. It’s important that you take the time to reflect and answer questions like those identified on our Know Yourself handout (available in the EEC Resource Vault), so that you’ll be prepared to respond to questions in a meaningful way. Before a career fair, take the time to identify 5 to10 things that someone should know about you by the end of a conversation in order to see you as a potential future employee, and incorporate them into the answers you give. To gain insight into the types of questions you might be asked, review the traditional questions on our Sample Interview Questions handout to help you be prepared.
Prior to attending research the companies you’re most interested in so that you know what business they’re in, what they’re known for (key projects, services, products), their values, types of engineers they hire, etc. Based on this research and your prior self-reflection, prepare to articulate why you are interested in working for them and why they should be interested in hiring you. Aside from company websites, great sources of this information include news releases, current job postings, LinkedIn, your network, and industry reports.
Your event plan should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. By taking the time to reflect and define your purpose for attending and putting a plan in place to achieve it, you’ll start off more confident and significantly increase the benefits of attending. Example - Before: I will find a job by asking everyone I speak with to hire me. After: I will research my top 10 companies before I go. During the event, I will speak with reps from these companies to better understand what role Electrical Engineers play in their company and the typical career paths in their organization. I’ll also seek to find out the top three technical and soft skills needed to excel in a field/operations engineering role. In addition, I will identify what they look for when screening resumes, and learn about the hiring process and timing of new grad recruitment for 2022. For more info, refer to our Effective Networking: Preparing Your Event Plan Handout in the EEC Resource Vault.
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Prepare a list of 5 - 10 questions that align with your SMART goal and helps you: Clarify your understanding of the company’s purpose/direction/priorities, and get a sense of what it would be like to work for them; Learn from the experience of the individuals you speak with; Learn when and how to apply, and what you can do to help your application standout; and Gain valuable information that you might not have thought to to ask about. Important! Before asking your questions at an event, always know who you are talking to (i.e., an engineer or HR professional) and tailor them accordingly. Avoid asking questions that could be answered by doing a quick search of the company’s website. Not sure what questions to ask? Visit the Career Fair’s section of the EEC Resource Vault for ideas.
Ask follow up questions, build on the information they share with you, and have a positive attitude.
Finally, keep in mind career fairs aren’t about finding a job - they’re about gathering information and advice that helps you with your career planning, and making positive and lasting connections. By attending the ESS Career Fair and learning more about a company now, you’ll be best able to tailor future applications and increase your chances of landing interviews. For more helpful Career Fair advice attend our upcoming How to WOW at a Virtual Career Fair webinar on Monday, January 4th at 12:00PM MST, and/or bring your questions regarding the above tips to our Career Fair Q & A Session on Tuesday, January 5th at 12:00 pm MST.
Sign up for the prepatory events here
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ESS SUSTAINABILITY GROUP FEATURE
Introduction Meet the Sustainability Team of the ESS! We sat down and interviewed Janine, the Chief Officer of Sustainability, Allegra, the Mug Share Team Lead, and volunteers Shreya and Celine to learn more about sustainability. The Sustainability Team has been a part of the ESS for two years and has been working on many different initiatives around campus. Previous initiatives included “Engineering Our Future Week", which was a series of events focused on taking steps towards a sustainable future and working with the GEER Week team to ensure all events were LEED Certified. Most of the members of the team joined as a way to address environmental issues on an individual scale and to step outside of the realm of engineering focused project groups. "If you feel like sustainability is crazy daunting, one person can only do so much, but if that one thing is educating as many people as you can, it can turn into a really big thing" - Janine
Allegra Martel (4th Year Chemical Engineering Co-op)
An example of putting an idea into motion was the Mug Share Program. The Mug Share Program was a pilot program run out of the GEER store that offered free two day rental of reusable mugs during the 2019/20 school year. Celine and Allegra spearheaded the initiative and initially had their doubts about how it would succeed. "We weren't sure how everyone would respond to the program, it was something we had been working on for months and we thought it was a good idea but weren’t sure how others would see it. It was relieving and worth it seeing the sign out sheet becoming more and more full everyday" - Allegra Janine Schmitke (5th Year Chemical Engineering Co-op)
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(cont'd) The Mug Share program was a huge success with over two hundred cups being used in the two weeks alone and plans to expand the program outside of the engineering quad and into SUB. Besides the Mug Share program, another way the Sustainability team got engineering students involved was through increasing the awareness and accessibility of the Certificate of Sustainability. The Certificate in Sustainability provides undergraduate students recognition for the knowledge about sustainability that they have acquired during their academic career. In the upcoming year, the team is looking forward to projects such as GEER guides, adapting events to fit an online community and recruiting new members. “The best thing about this team is that you can come up with an idea and someone is like 'Yeah do it!', there’s always someone who has your back and is ready to hype you up” - Shreya
Shreya Roy Chowdury (Materials Engineering)
If you’re looking to get more involved in outside class activities and have an interest in environmental issues, this club is a very good opportunity for you. Each of the members estimate that the time commitment is about 1 2 hours in each week. The Sustainability team has weekly meetings and, from there, you can choose what you get out of the club. If you have an idea you would like to see on campus, email schmitke@ualberta.ca.
“This club gives you the opportunity to affect the lives of the people around you. In other clubs you don’t have that opportunity right away; you can have an idea and have in the community within a couple months.” - Celine
Celine Fong (3rd Year Computer Engineering)
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The holidays are all about giving and connecting with those we love; this year, this is more difficult. Even though we can’t all be together, these are some simple things you can do to safely show the wonderful people in your life how much they really mean to you. It is also important to take some time to recharge and reflect on the unusual year we’ve had. Reconnect with some of your favourite hobbies, and take a moment to be proud of all that you have accomplished — you made it. Make your way through this checklist, and be kind!
For Others Shovel a neighbour’s sidewalk. Text someone just to say ‘good morning’ or ‘good night’. Thank someone you appreciate; let them know you’re thinking about them. Thank an awesome professor; online learning is a challenge for them too! Leave a meaningful review of your favourite local business. Check in on at least three friends; see how they’re doing. Share a video that makes you smile. Give someone a genuine compliment. Congratulate someone on an accomplishment (even just finishing their exams!) Write a handwritten letter to someone you miss (near or far). Reconnect with an old friend.
For Yourself Before you go to bed, think of three things you are grateful for. Share one good thing that happened to you today. Do something you enjoy (reading a book or watching your favourite show or movie). Stay active; get outside and enjoy the winter weather. Reflect on past memories and traditions and how they may fit into your life now. Enjoy and create art (i.e. music, writing, painting). Give yourself recognition; celebrate this year’s successes (big and small). Engage in some personal goal setting; respect yourself and your dreams.
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HOLIDAY TRADITIONS Here are some traditions you may consider bringing into the new holiday season. We all celebrate in different ways, and it's great to find new ways to cherish the ones we love!
Don't obsessively check BearTracks! Enjoy the few weeks you've got off by doing the things you enjoy.
Go for a drive to look at Christmas lights!
Level up your gingerbread house, and see if you can make the tallest, most stable bridge. Don’t disappoint the CivEs!
Rewatch the entire Star Wars trilogy
Plan a virtual movie or game night (Skribbl.io, Among Us, and Jackbox)
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Bake your favourite holiday treats, grab some hot cocoa, and put on a classic holiday movie
Have a virtual Ugly Christmas Sweater Competition
UGLY UGLY CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS SWEATERS SWEATERS ENGINEERING EDITION
Spice up the holidays and impress your non ENGINEERING EDITION
engineering friends with these ugly Christmas Spice up the holidays and impress your non sweaters. engineering friends with these ugly Christmas sweaters.
"B Greater Than Average" Sweater
Pi Ugly Christmas Sweater
"Throwback to Algebra" Sweater
"B Greater Than Average" Sweater
Pi Ugly Christmas Sweater
"Throwback to Algebra" Sweater
"Classic" Engineering Hoodie
*disclaimer: not for sale
"Classic" Engineering Hoodie
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a holiday treat guide by: Safiya Ahmad
Here are a few confections I usually make as winter comes around. They're perfect with a glass of milk or hot chocolate. Enjoy! 22
Brownies Ingredients ¾ cup butter 1 and 2/3 cups granulated sugar 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1 and ½ tsp. vanilla extract 3 large eggs 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Recipe Preheat oven to 350° and grease an 8x8 square pan. Melt butter and whisk well with sugar. Add in cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and eggs. Whisk till combined. Add salt, baking powder, and flour whisking thoroughly to ensure there are no clumps. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let brownies set and cool before slicing. Notes: Add chocolate chips for an extra gooey element Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract for a mint flavor, or use mint chocolate chips!
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Snickerdoodles Ingredients 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup white sugar + 2 Tbsp. for rolling 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 1 tsp. cinnamon for rolling
Recipe Cream together butter and both sugars. Add egg and vanilla extract till the mixture is smooth. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Combine dry ingredients with wet and mix well. Once a dough has formed, let it chill in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes. This ensures the cookies don't flatten too much when baking. While chilling dough, combine 1 tsp. of cinnamon with 2 Tbsp. of white sugar. Preheat over to 300 and line cookie sheets with parchment. Once chilled, roll dough into preferred size (I find 2 tablespoons to make a good size). Roll in cinnamon-sugar mix and press onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes and allow them to cool on a wire rack.
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Lemon Shortbread Cookies Ingredients 1 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup confectioners sugar 2 tsp. lemon zest ( 1 lemon) 1 tsp. lemon juice 2 cups flour 1/4 tsp. salt
Recipe Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment. Cream butter and sugar until light. Add lemon zest and juice, stir till combined. Add flour and salt, then mix till a dough forms. Chill dough for 60 minutes. Once chilled, roll dough to about 1/3" in thickness and cut into desired shapes. I find it easier to roll between two sheets of parchment as the dough is quite soft. If it begins to stick, put it back in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. Place cut out cookies onto the prepared baking sheet, about an inch apart. Bake for 10 -12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Optional: sprinkle with coarse sugar or lemon zest. Note: Feel free to replace the lemon with a citrus of your choice.
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MERRY GRINC
YOU’RE A MEAN ONE, MR. GRINCH. YOU REALLY ARE A HEEL. YOU’RE AS PEEL. THAT IS NOT A CHEW TOY. NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME, YOUNG LAD CHRISTMAS. IT’S BECAUSE I’M GREEN ISN’T IT? AM I JUST EATING PITY. FOUR THIRTY, STAIRE INTO THE ABYSS. FIVE O’CLOCK, THIRTY, JAZZERCISE; SIX THIRTY, DINNER WITH ME. I CAN’T WITH MY SELF-LOATHING. I’M BOOKED. OF COURSE, IF I STILL BE DONE IN TIME TO LAY IN BED, STARE AT THE STUPID. UGLY. OUT OF DATE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. IF I I’M NOT GOING. WHAT IS THAT STENCH? KIDS ONE MAN’STOXIC SLUDGE IS ANOTHER MAN’S DESENSITIZED BY MOVIES AND TELEVISION. HOLIDAY WHO-BE WHAT-EE? I COULD USE A PEOPLE. GIVE ME THAT! DON’T YOU KNOW THINGSTHAT DON’T BELONG TO YOU? YOU SOME KIND OF WILD ANIMAL? I’M AN YOU’RE A REINDEER. HERE’S YOUR RUDOLPH, YOU’RE A FREAK WITH A RED THEN, ONE DAY, SANTA PICKS YOU AND YOU THAT PART IMPROVISE...JUST KEEP IT YOU HATE CHRISTMAS! YOU’RE CHRISTMAS IS A LOUSY ENDING, ACTION! AND THEY’LL FEAST, EAT THEIR WHO-PUDDING AND SOMETHING I CANNOT STAND IN RHYME! MAX, GRAB A BAG. WE’LL WHEN I SAY ‘WE’ I MEAN ‘YOU’. THAT IS WHERE IT’S BEEN. BE IT EVER SO HEINOUS, MAX, I DON’T KNOW WHY I EVER LEAVE THIS RIGHT HERE. THOSE WHOS ARE HARD TO FRAZZLE, THAT MATTERS. LOOK, I DON’T WANNA MAKE WAVES, MUCH AS ONE SYLLABLE, I’LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND GUT HELP ME... I’M FEELING. I’M ALL TOASTY INSIDE.THE RIBBONS! THE WRAP BLAST THE CHRISTMAS MUSIC! IT’S JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT. IT’S PRAC 26
By Rae Callahan
CHMAS 2020
CUDDLY AS A CACTUS, YOU’RE A BAD BANANA WITH A... GREASY BLACK DY! EVEN IF WE’RE HORRIBLY MANGLED THERE’LL BE NO SAD FACES ON BECAUSE I’M BORED? FOUR O’CLOCK, WALLOW IN SELFSOLVE WORLD HUNGER, TELL NO ONE. FIVE CANCEL THAT AGAIN. 7 O’CLOCK, WRESTLE BUMP THE LOATHING TO NINE, I COULD CEILING AND SLIP SLOWLY INTO MADNESS. CAN’T FIND SOMETHING NICE TO WEAR, TODAY. SO DESENSITIZED. IT’S FANTASTIC. POTPOURRI. KIDS TODAY. SO, BLEEDING HEARTS OF THE WORLD. LITTLESOCIALINTERACTION. EW, YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU? IDIOT. YOU’RE AN IDIOT! ALL RIGHT, MOTIVATION: YOUR NAME IS NOSE, AND NO ONE LIKES YOU. SAVE CHRISTMAS. NO, FORGET KIND OF LOOSEY-GOOSEY. GONNA STEAL IT. SAVING WAY TOO COMM ERCIAL. FEAST, FEAST, FEAST. THEY’LL RARE WHO-ROAST BEAST. BUT THAT’S THE LEAST. OH, NO. I’M SPEAKING IN COME BACK FOR THE REST. OF COURSE, NOT A CHEW TOY. YOU HAVE NO IDEA THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME. I TELL YOU, PLACE. I’VE GOT ALL THE COMPANY I NEED MAX. BUT, WE DID OUR WORST, AND THAT’S ALL BUT THIS WHOLE CHRISMAS SEASON IS... IF YOU UTTER SO YOU LIKE A FISH! IFYOU’D LIKE TO FAX ME, PRESS THE STAR KEY. PPINGS! THE TAGS! AND THE TINSEL! THE TRIMMINGS! THE TRAPPINGS! CTICALLY HERE! CHEER UP, DUDE. IT’S CHRISTMAS. NO REALLY. CHEER UP. 27
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Text Debates Published December 28, 2020
With Ethan Franz, and Adrian Wattamaniuk
Santa. ‘
Whats it all mean?
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Who won✓
What should they debate next✓
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