Global Engineering Week: everything you need to know

Global Engineering Week is here. And whether you’re an engineer or not, you won’t want to miss out.

From March 10 to 14, the Concordia chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) will host events ranging from a Global Engineering Fair to a talk from former astronaut and Member of Parliament Marc Garneau, who will explore the role scientists and engineers play in government.

The idea behind the week is to give Concordians a sense of the role engineers play in our increasingly complex and interdependent world. To that end, the events are entirely free of charge.

“Whether as an engineer, a designer or simply an active citizen, we must never forget that we’re in the service of others,” says Keena Trowell, co-president of EWB. “We believe this week will allow people to see how they can make a real difference in both small and big ways.”

Here’s what’s in store.

Global Engineering Fair

When: Monday, March 10, to Friday, March 14
Where: The atrium of the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV Building, 1515 Ste. Catherine St. W.)

No experience is required for this interactive showcase of engineering case studies. In it, viewers will be led through an exhibition in which they will decide what to see and do next. Based on those choices, the outcome and impact of the project will change.

Lunch and Learn: Technology, International Development and Entrepreneurship – An Interactive Look at New Approaches

When: Tuesday, March 11, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where: Room H-762 of the Henry F. Hall (H) Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.)

Matthew Harsh, an assistant professor at the Centre for Engineering in Society, will discuss how for over half a century, smart, well-intentioned and well-resourced scientists and engineers have tried to help poor communities around the world by providing them with access to improved technologies, with only mixed results.

This session will also examine the role technology plays in international development, along with some of the latest approaches to social entrepreneurship and philanthropic capitalism. Audience members will have a chance to play the part of millionaire investors and try their hand at designing an X Prize for international development.

Lunch and Learn: Role Playing for Product, Function and Needs-Focused Design

When: Wednesday, March 12 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where: Room H-760 of the Henry F. Hall (H) Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.)

Carmela Cucuzzella, an assistant professor in the Department of Design and Computation Arts, will discuss how role-playing games can allow designers and innovators to move beyond the team context and envision the needs and interactions of a product’s user and, at the same time, take into account concerns like its ease of use, environment, setting and potentialities.

The role of scientists and engineers in government, with Marc Garneau, MP

When: Wednesday, March 12, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Room H-760 of the Henry F. Hall (H) Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.)

Marc Garneau, a former astronaut and current Member of Parliament for the Westmount-Ville-Marie riding, will discuss the role scientists and engineers play in the higher levels of government. The talk will be followed by a Q&A session.

The Question of Congestion: An Interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Assessment Workshop

When: Friday, March 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Room EV-2.184 in the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV Building, 1515 Ste. Catherine St. W.)

Drawing on the game Future City, this intensive, fast-paced workshop offers an interactive experience designed to identify and hone the skills necessary to work in interdisciplinary teams that solve tough cultural and social problems with unforeseen consequences, complex interdependencies, many stakeholders and contradictory and changing requirements.

The workshop presents a systems approach methodology for understanding and formulating problems, gathering relevant information from stakeholders and generating potential solutions and validating them with users.

Wine and cheese reception and Global Engineering Award presentation

When: Friday, March 14, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Room H-762 of the Henry F. Hall (H) Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.)

The Concordia chapter of Engineers Without Borders will present the Global Engineering Award to the faculty member who best incorporates global engineering into his or her teaching.

To follow the week’s activities, check out the Concordia chapter of EWB’s Facebook page.

Learn more about the Concordia chapter of Engineers Without Borders.