Note: This document is hosted here for archival purposes only. It does not necessarily represent the values of the Iron Warrior or Waterloo Engineering Society in the present day. 1 THE NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO ENGINEERING SOCIETY VOLUME 28 ISSUE 3 | WEDNESDAY, FEBUARY 28, 2007 China puts on a FEDS Co-op Student show of arms Council meets Page 4 Page 8 Check us out @ http://iwarrior.uwaterloo.ca/ Ottawa Hosts UW 50th Anniversary Celebration Adel Sedra was among the staff present, along with Ottawa CECS Field Co-ordina- tors Steve Barr and Ed Papazian. Upon arriving, guests were presented BAHMAN HADJI with name tags and given a chance to SENIOR OTTAWA walk around and meet some of the other CORRESPONDENT bright minds who have been a part of UW over the last 50 years. For current stu- n Monday, February 19th, the dents on co-op, it was a thrill getting the OUniversity of Waterloo held a special chance to meet and talk to past faces such alumni event at the National Gallery of as Paul Koch, one of the first graduates Canada in Ottawa as part of its on-going of Waterloo Engineering (Chemical ‘63), 50th anniversary celebration. The event one of the co-founders of the University was attended by staff as well as alumni, of Waterloo Engineering Society, and the co-op students, and co-op employers in the very first President of the Engineering Ottawa area. Speakers included President Society ‘B-Term’ (1958-59), as it was David Johnston, Co-operative Education known back then. & Career Services Executive Director After the guests were seated, President Peggy Jarvie, and Waterloo alumnus and David Johnston took the podium and, Kitchener-Waterloo Member of Parliament Dean Sedra and Tom Brzustowski, former UW Provost (1975-87) and Mechanical Engineering Andrew Telegdi. Dean of Engineering See "Anniversary", Page 10 Professor (1962-87), now with the University of Ottawa School of Management Declining Enrollment of Behind the Scenes: Women in Engineering JobMine Shutdown women. By creating a culture that doesn’t Did the shutdown impact co-op inter- welcome women robs the engineering pro- views? fession of highly talented and intelligent Mr. Naese stated that we were fortu- people, who could otherwise have made nate that the JobMine shutdown occurred great contributions, by looking at and solv- when it did. Even though it was during ALICIA LIU ing problems in a different way. JEFF KAO the busiest period for co-op job applica- 4B COMPUTER Furthermore, if engineering is not 3B SYSTEMS DESIGN tions, the solution was found early enough appealing to women, this is indicative that to give enough time prior to the begin- he problem: some men are being pushed away too. In hese days, having recently dealt with ning of interviews. As a result, only a T A commonly heard complaint in the long term, this could mean a general Tthe stress of midterms and co-op inter- few employers moved their interview date the halls of Engineering is the lack of decline in the engineering profession. The views, the JobMine shutdown may only so as to allow themselves more time to women in this faculty. Unsurprisingly, women tend to be the first to go, which seem like a distant memory. But at the review applicants. the data backs up what has become a makes it all the more important to attract time, it probably seemed like the end of Are there concerns of the impact on running joke. Data from the Women In and retain them. the world for co-op job seekers. I, for UW co-op’s reputation? Engineering Committee show that the So why is this happening? one, welcomed the extra time to fix up my percentage of women entering Waterloo There are many reasons why girls are resume, but I eventually realized how dif- Engineering are only around 15% and not pursuing engineering. Family, culture, ficult this was to do without knowing what have been on a decline since it last peaked society all play a large role, notes Christine the jobs were! A system problem of 5 years ago. This is a Canada wide trend Moresoli, a chemical engineering profes- On January 19th, JobMine experi- this magnitude has according to the Canadian Council of sor at Waterloo and co-chair of Women enced a shutdown that was first thought Professional Engineers (CCPE), which in Engineering. I won’t go into a wide to be temporary. But instead, the prob- never happened before. shows an increase in enrollment of women discussion about differences between men lem turned out to last for several days. up until 2000, after which enrollment lev- and women and male and female roles in Students were left wondering why this elled off and started to decline. society, but instead will touch upon a few was, or whether CECS was even doing A more disconcerting statistic from directly relevant points. Engineering is still anything to help solve the problem! Even Upon asking whether this event CCPE is that only 9% of practicing pro- seen as a very male-oriented profession, the current wikipedia entry for JobMine has negatively impacted the reputation fessional engineers in Canada are women, building bridges, tinkering with circuits, recounts the “consternation and confu- of Waterloo’s co-op system, Mr. Naese and in Ontario, that number drops to only working with cars. One major problem, I sion” experienced during the shutdown. assured that no complaints were received 5%, according to Ontario’s Ministry of think, is that girls are not exposed to the After all the stress and confusion, stu- from employers, and very few were Education. fact that engineering isn’t limited to these dents certainly have a right to under- received from Waterloo co-ops. He went But is this a problem? decades-old stereotypes, but rather a very stand what happened. Fortunately, upon on to say that the recovery time was Occasionally I hear remarks made by rich profession that can open many doors some inquiry, CECS and the Information relatively fast, and that a system problem male classmates and friends who do not in business and industry. Systems & Technology (IST) staff working of this magnitude has never happened think having such a low percentage of Compounding the problem is that on fixing the shutdown were kind enough before. women in engineering is a problem. After because of the lack of women currently in to provide their insight into the situation. Was there any data loss associated with all, if girls don’t want to pursue engineer- engineering, girls have very few role mod- Mr. Olaf Naese is the Communications & the shutdown? ing, why spend all this effort to attract els and potential mentors, who can point Public Relations administrator of CECS at Mr. Kibble was confident that no data them? them to this career path. I know many if the University of Waterloo, and Mr. Dave loss had occurred. In addition to the hard- The fault with this kind of logic is not most engineering girls I know all Kibble, himself a former UW engineering ware issues having only affected a small that it overlooks the fact that engineer- student, is one of the directors of informa- ing is unnecessarily unattractive towards See "Bringing", Page 4 tion systems at IST. See "JobMine", Page 8 2 WEDNESDAY, FEBUARY 28, 2007 Iron Editorial: How to Complete Your Education The Newspaper of the University of Waterloo Engineering Society develop the trait in all of us. How many wheelchairs to play basketball with, men- Editor-in-Chief times did you hear “You need to main- tors for high school-aged shadows, a stu- Harout Manougian tain a balance. You can not study all the dent voice in university administration, time.”? The truth is, outside the lecture and a newspaper in your hand. HAROUT halls, a different genre of classes are tak- Sometimes the University of Waterloo Assistant Editor MANOUGIAN ing place all the time. They do not have is portrayed as a campus with a lack of Faraz Syed EDITOR-IN-CHIEF syllabi or exams; neither do they cost student life. Have these critics seen the a penny to take. The main topics cov- list of EngSoc Directors? Have they ever Photo Editor It is no secret that students at the ered are leadership, teamwork, satisfac- asked for a Resume Critique? Were they Teri Leung University of Waterloo are arguably the tion from accomplishment, and making a at the CFES Congress where we had twice most qualified in the country. The pair- difference. You can sign up by dropping as many delegates as any other school due Layout Editor ing of theoretical knowledge gained in by the Midnight Sun Solar Car office, to our twin societies? Michael Simoes the classroom with the practical experi- UWAFT garage, or EWB Discussion with- Engineering students at UW have ence of working in industry provides a out Borders. You can nominate yourself enough student life to spare. And they do. Technical Editor degree of focus and understanding that to run for an EngSoc Executive position, Every term, groups of students spread the David Yip other Canadian universities cannot com- apply for a directorship, sign up for the wealth throughout the globe by academic pete with. What not all students are aware Engineering Jazz Band, join the staff of the exchanges, international work terms, or Webmaster of, however, is the third ingredi- David Yip ent, without which no education is truly complete. Advertising Manager You can probably remember Taneem Talukdar (unless you are in 4B and still recovering from IRS) the first Copy Editor thing UW Engineering sent you Kristi Herlein after you applied in your senior year of high school.