Speaker: Andrew H. Wilson, Fellow CSSE, EIC, CAE Canadian Society for Senior Engineers (CSSE)

Date: Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014

Time: Refreshments, Registration and Networking: 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Seminar: 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Place: Algonquin College, 1385 Woodroffe Ave., T-Building, Room T129.

Parking: No fee after 5:00 p.m. at the Visitors’ Parking Lots 8 (green) & 9 (red). Please respect restricted areas.

Admission: Free.

Registration: Pre-registration required. To ensure a seat, please register by e-mail contacting: branislav@ieee.org.

Organized by: IEEE Ottawa Section Educational Activities and Algonquin College IEEE Student Branch.

URL: http://www.ieeeottawa.ca/ea/

Abstract: Although usually taken for granted, engineered structures, machines and devices are all around us. Their history is also all around us and available to be studied. Unfortunately, the history of engineering is not usually taught to students of engineering, business, history, economics, or politics. The general public gets aware of it mainly as the result of failures and disasters. In addition, the media is prone to mislabel any successful engineering as science. Over the past century, engineering’s scientific base has increased significantly, but its practice still requires much input from experience. Economists and politicians frequently refer to technology and innovation, which may be – but not entirely – associated with engineering. The general public, the media, economists or politicians do not appear to know the achievements and names of prominent engineers, past or present, but business people may well do. While engineers may seek careers in business, they seldom seek political office. There have been ways in which distinction among engineers and their creations have been officially recognized. Engineers have sometimes identified their own heroes, particularly from the 19th century. Engineers tend to write for their peers and rarely for non-engineers. But non-engineers have written up much of the history of engineering in Canada for the general reader. Engineers have used anniversaries of the profession as opportunities for reaching a wider audience. The pace of change is fast in many branches of engineering, but their histories still have much to teach today’s professionals.