Engineering Conversations

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Did you know that the world uses a little more than 100 million barrels of oil per day?  That oil is turned into a variety of products including gasoline, diesel, kerosene, heavy oils, asphalt, lubricants, and more.  Petroleum refineries rely on a variety of engineering disciplines to help make these products!

In this episode we sit down with Matt Cooke to learn about his career in the petroleum industry.  Matt has a background in Petroleum Systems engineering and over 12 years of experience working at a petroleum refinery.  Matt is a Process Supervisor in Continuous Improvement at the Federated Co-operatives Limited Refinery Complex in Regina.  In that role he develops cross-plant initiatives and policies, facilitates communication among engineering groups on site, performs incident investigations, and develops action plans to improve refinery and human performance. During this conversation Matt talks about his career at the refinery and he also offers advice to young people that are thinking about studying engineering at university.

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The modern world needs bridges, buildings, tunnels, dams, and other infrastructure for society, industry, and commercial businesses to function.  The engineers that design these structures take into account client goals for the project while maintaining high levels of safety, durability, and longevity in the project.

In this episode we sit down with Sean Kilback to learn about his journey in engineering and how he ended up specializing in structural engineering.  Sean is a Principal Partner at Brownlee Beaton Kreke, a structural engineering consulting firm in Regina, Saskatchewan.  Sean has close to 25 years of experience as a structural engineer and in his role at BBK he oversees the structural design for new and re-purposed buildings.  In this conversation we hear about his journey in engineering, BBK, and some of the large projects he has worked on during his career.  Sean also offers some advice for young people that are thinking about studying engineering at university.

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We are all affected by health care, including our own health and the health of friends and family.  Did you know that there are opportunities for engineers to make a difference in health care?  It may not seem obvious at first, but when one considers the engineering that goes into the physical design and layout of hospitals and care facilities, on top of the design of all the diagnostic equipment, surgical facilities, neonatal intensive care units and more, there is a world of engineering to be found in health care.

In this episode we sit down with Jon Giambattista to learn about his engineering career.  Jon has a background in Electronic Systems Engineering.  He spent the first two years of his career working in the energy sector, but then he made a bold move with some business partners to enter the radiation therapy industry.  Jon and his partners cofounded Limbus AI and developed software to improve the contouring process in cancer radiation therapy.  Eventually they sold the company to Radformation, where Jon is currently the Technical Lead.  In this conversation Jon talks about the great work he and his team did to advance cancer radiation therapy at Limbus AI, and he talks about his new focus at Radformation.  Jon also offers advice to young people thinking about a career in engineering.

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Over the course of a long engineering career it is likely that the engineer will work in a variety of sectors and be exposed to many industries.  Along the way, the engineer gains knowledge and experience, becoming an expert and mentor in those fields.

In this episode we sit down with Kathryn Black to learn about her extensive career as a mechanical engineer.  Over a period of 40 years, Kathryn worked in a wide range of jobs and sectors in private industry and government.  Kathryn has worked on steam turbines, coal-fired boilers, and as a maintenance engineer in the food industry.  Kathryn also spent a large part of her career working as an inspector for boiler and pressure vessels.  During that time she loved working with people to develop improved regulations and standards so that equipment can stay safe and in service.  As she heads into retirement, Kathryn reflects on her career and offers advice to young people thinking about studying engineering at university.

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What does it take to manufacture complex industrial equipment?  It takes a team of talented individuals to meet with the client and develop a feasible solution.  Engineers involved in the manufacturing sector have to design and build products that meet the client’s expectations, while at the same time satisfy industry standards for safety and efficiency.

In this episode we sit down with Josh Dumalski to learn about his career in design and manufacturing.  Josh has a background in Industrial Systems engineering and seventeen years of experience working in the rail, mining, and consulting industries.  Josh is currently a Project Manager at Rockford Engineering Works.  In this conversation, he talks about his journey in engineering and some of the projects he has worked on in his career.  Josh also offers advice to young people that are thinking about a career in engineering.

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Did you know that before large civil projects are completed they have to undergo a geotechnical assessment?  This is so the engineers can determine the structural properties of the soil.  It does not matter if it is the construction of a new highway, a dam, a new building, or a railroad.  Geotechnical engineers will study the soil conditions and make recommendations to structural engineers so they can design a proper foundation.

In this episode we sit down with Ilyas Akram.  Ilyas has a background in civil engineering and a love for geotechnical engineering.  He has ten years of experience in the field in addition to his academic training.  His career has taking him from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Canada.  Ilyas is currently a Geotechnical Project Manager at the Government of Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways.  In this conversation, he talks about his passion for geotechnical engineering (and cooking!).  Ilyas also offers advice to young people that are thinking about studying engineering at university.

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How many of us have spent time star gazing at night?  Most of us do this for fun, hoping to see a shooting star, spot a planet, or find a constellation.  Scientists take things a step further and use high tech equipment to study our universe.  In order to do this research, scientists need help from engineers to design and build ground-based telescopes.

In this episode we sit down with Sarah Gajadhar.  Sarah has a background in Electronic Systems engineering an over 20 years of experience working on world class astronomical observatories.  In this conversation, Sarah tells us about some of the projects and telescopes that she has worked on in Hawaii and Chile.  Sarah also offers advice to young people that are thinking about going to university to studying engineering.

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Have you ever thought about how many items around your home are made from products that came from a mine?  Whether it is copper, gold, aluminum, diamonds, or iron, these materials came from a mine and the mining industry relies on engineers to help run their operations.

In this episode we sit down with Ibe Marcus.  Ibe has a background in Industrial Systems engineering and twelve years of experience in the energy and mining sectors.  The bulk of his career has been in the mining where he has worked as a maintenance and reliability engineer.  Ibe is currently a Senior Reliability Advisor with Rio Tinto.  In this conversation Ibe tells about his journey in engineering and some of the remote mine sites he has worked at in the Northwest Territories and Mongolia.  Ibe also offers advice to young people that are thinking about studying engineering at university.

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Have you ever thought about starting your own business?  There are a lot of engineers that end up starting their own consulting firms after they have gained sufficient experience in industry.  Pursuing an entrepreneurial path allows engineers to focus their skills and talents in areas they find both challenging and rewarding.

In this episode we sit down with Penny Popp to learn about her career in engineering.  Penny has a background in Environmental Systems engineering and over 25 years of experience working on infrastructure projects.  In this conversation she tells us about some of the large, complex engineering projects she worked on while in government, and we learn how she decided to start her own firm, Pyvot Consulting, which provides engineering and project management services to clients.  Penny also offers advice to young people who might be thinking about studying engineering at university.

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When students graduate with an engineering degree, it is hard to know where their career will take them.  The one certainty is that their engineering degree has prepared them to solve problems in whatever sector they find work.

In this episode we sit down with Greg Godwin to learn about his career.  Greg has a background in Industrial Systems engineering and 18 years of experience working in a variety of sectors including manufacturing, potash, and agriculture.  Greg is the Technical and Engineering Services Manager for BASF at their production facility in Regina, Saskatchewan.  In this role he oversees the operation and maintenance of their plant, which produces agricultural crop protection products.  In this conversation we hear about Greg’s extensive engineering career.  He also offers advice to young people thinking about studying engineering in university.