PEG Magazine - Fall 2016

Movers & Shakers

MEMBER NEWS

water to more 150,000 people from Crossfield to Ponoka, along the corridor of the Queen Elizabeth II Highway. Constructing the system required innovative approaches and leading-edge technology to manage long distances and high time variations in wastewater retention, ranging from one-and-a-half to four days along the length of the system. “It’s really critical to the sustainability and protection of the Red Deer River, and it’s all about the long-term sustainability of our community,” says Russ Wlad, P.Eng. , Executive Vice- President, Regional Operations Unit Leader, Stantec. Research Excellence Award Presented to Members who have conducted innovative research in engineering or geoscience that has been successfully applied to improve economic and social well-being Has your navigation system ever failed you in the concrete jungle? Portable navigation in devices such as smartphones and wearables has improved with technology, but its unreliable accu- racy in different environments still constrains devices and frus- trates users. Navigation using global navigation satellite systems, such as GPS, is accurate in an open-sky, outdoor scenario. But accuracy often suffers downtown, indoors, and underground. Dr. Jacques Georgy, P.Eng. , is changing that. As direc- tor of navigation research and development at a leading sensor technology company, InvenSense, he has developed a system that enables a continuous, accurate, portable navigation experience. It works by using sensors integrated with other systems to provide a seamless, indoors-to-outdoors transition. These sensors are self-contained, provide continuous infor- mation, require minimal power consumption, and are small and inexpensive to produce. The technology is now being incorpo- rated into commercial devices and is available in many of today’s smartphones. Dr. Georgy’s work contributes to Alberta’s leadership in technological innovation, and his efforts have resulted in two pat- ents and 32 more that are pending. He has published more than 80 papers and co-authored a book on his work. Women in Engineering and Geoscience Champion Award Presented to Members in recognition of exceptional achievement as a champion of women in engineering and geoscience.

Dr. Botros has published more than 195 technical papers in journals and for refereed conference proceedings. He has five patents, and he has co-authored two books. Outstanding Mentor Award Presented to Members of APEGA in recognition of exceptional achievement as a mentor Effective mentors selflessly share their knowledge to help others succeed. Exemplary mentors also leave a lasting, positive influence on the lives of their mentees. Time and time again, Arden Spachynski, P.Eng. , ticks all those boxes with those he mentors. As the Principal Engineer of Substation Engineering at ATCO Electric, Mr. Spachynski brings with him decades of experience in electrical engineering. He has an innate ability to explain complex problems in a way that his mentees understand, can relate to, and can apply to their own specific interests. Mentees consider Mr. Spachynski a trusted source of leader- ship and knowledge. He treats their learning as being equal to the time commitment he would give to any supervisor or staff mem- ber. And his confidence in the capabilities of his mentees gives them the confidence in themselves they need to flourish in their fields. “Arden has always been willing to share his knowledge with me whenever I need support,” says one of Mr. Spachynski’s mentees. “And yet not once did he do so because it was expected of him. He just genuinely wants to help others.” Project Achievement Award Awarded in recognition of a project that has made a substantial contribution to technological progress and the betterment of society The South Red Deer Regional Wastewater System, designed by Stantec, began operation in 2015, transmitting wastewater from communities in central Alberta to the upgraded City of Red Deer Wastewater Treatment Plant. This regional solution was developed to support growth and economic development, ease implementation of future wastewater treatment technologies, and allow participating communities to respond to changes in waste- water discharge standards. By implementing the South Red Deer Regional Wastewater System, about 119 kilometres of sensitive river segments are now better protected — including a stretch that provides drinking

Engineering Group International Corp EGI is a highly experienced team of engineers in all disciplines with a proven record and history in Oil and Gas Facilities and Plants Pre-

LAMBERT I n t e l l e c t u a l • P r o p e r t y • L a w Protect your invention. www.lambertlaw.ca Contact Tony Lambert 780-448-0604

commissioning. We produce and develop all related check-lists and procedures —Mechanical, Electrical, Instrument, Control and Civil. Also full hand-in-hand with operations support until Mission Accomplished! We provide all types of drafting services. We can create drawings for your next project from scratch, based on your requirements, whether based on an existing facility or a green field facility. Contact us now at: 1-888-909-9976 info@eng.gi.com Find out more at www.eng-gi.com

20 | PEG FALL 2016

Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker