It’s more fun to overcome challenges that to give up, and wonder what if.

Justin Blanchfield –Mechanical Engineer One of two Mechanical Engineers on staff. His expertise includes hydrodynamics, thermodynamics, and modelling. Justin is involved in the design of water supply systems and outfalls. He is currently modeling the Skeena river in Terrace to design a bank protection system to stop erosion and flooding. He is also on a team of engineers designing the water system for a $2 billion coal gasification plant in North Dakota (which includes carbon sequestration). His business development activities include developing the renewable energy department for Worley Parsons Canada. His renewable energy expertise includes ocean energy, small hydro, geoexchange and energy from waste. Justin also gets involved with a great deal of “green” development projects including Dockside Green and several new communities in BC <What students said about Justin > <view his interview>

Themes: Sustainable and renewable energy systems.
Triple Bottom LIne
Looking for like-minded people
Developing the skills that help the environment

Paul Ellegood grew up in the Maritimes with few of the comforts that we take for granted. He went on to a successful career as a survey engineer in Alberta. When he sold his last last business he had 110 employees. He took a leadership or ownership position in the companies he worked with. He knew what to look for in a business opportunity and how to make it a success. Hiring employees and team members was one of his primary responsibilities. His last company was so successful with working with their employees that no one every left the firm to work for another company. Read what students learned

While Michael Marr started out in medicine in university, he soon switched to engineering. His passion is design. The highlight of his career was the designing , and being part of the team that produced a revolution in power-based electric wheel chairs and scooters. Design and invention were early interests in his life. Neighbours called him ‘the mad scientist’ because they never knew what was going to come out of his garage next His stories and examples would make almost anyone look twice at this exciting profession. He can tell a wide range of stories including how ‘mechanical advantage’ can help level the playing field of boys and girls in a classroom. His passion of learning and teaching would make anyone want to be part of one of his workshops.

Art Jackson’s experience in international engineering has many lessons for today. His experience highlights the need to be able to work in the real world, as well as having a theoretical grounding. He took on pulp and paper projects worth more than half a billion dollars. Reading his profile alone illustrates the wide range of projects engineers can be involved in. He has taken his professional life into the community including Habitat for Humanity projects. How people deal with challenges and new territory reveals a lot about whom they are. His challenges include economic downturns and sudden employment loss.

Jason Heinrich , as anengineering student , he he won many academic awards such as the Top Academic/Governor General’s Award, UVic Excellence Scholarship and Richard Talbot Engineering Award. His athletic and leadership has been recognized by the Coach’s Choice award for high school Soccer, MVP for the basketball team, and the Baynes Award in Engineering for athletic involvement.

However, his work with community volunteerism and leadership stands as highlights in his life. Stemming from high school, he has volunteered locally and internationally, applying a lending hand and his educational background from Victoria to East Africa. His personal challenges have included helping close relatives deal with substance issues and handicaps. Learn how he copes with demands at school and work. Find out what motivates him away from the ordinary in almost every part of his life. < Read what students said>
< Part of a class interview>

Will Fraser likes to pick up skills that people don’t normally develop. Activities like playing and dancing with fire, or theatre improvisation may never be useful but they are fun to learn. His ‘getting the job done ‘ attitude has seen him in leadership and tech support positions since he was 13. One summer early in his coursee work, he aws the technology director for a 5 Star Resort. His profile is full of great ideas and stories about networking, and moving ahead in one’s career. His questions about life and work are those who’d expect of someone in middle or upper management.

Kevin McCaugherty The Eco Car Project
Kevin McCaugherty is an engineering student at the University of Victoria and is helping to design a greener vehicle as part of the EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge. The EcoCAR Challenge is a three-year collegiate advanced vehicle technology engineering competition. Seventeen universities across North America have been tasked with exploring solutions to achieve improved fuel economy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions while still maintaining a high level of consumer acceptability. The UVic EcoCAR team will be given a 2009 Saturn Vue, which they will then turn into a hybrid vehicle. Using cutting-edge technology, the team will transform the vehicle to make it more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The University of Victoria was fortunate to be selected as one of only three universities in Canada to take part in this special competition sponsored by General Motors and the US Department of Energy. UVic’s team is turning the Vue into a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with an all-electric range.
< Kevin talks>