Engineering Conversations

Send us Fan Mail The world of consulting engineering is a diverse field of practice that challenges engineers to come up with unique solutions for their clients.  As a result, there are all kinds of consulting engineers working to solve problems that help make our lives better. In this episode, we sit down with Brett Kelln to talk about his experience as an Electronics Systems engineering consulta...

Send us Fan Mail Professors often help to inspire and encourage students as they find their way to a successful and rewarding career path.  In this episode, we sit down with Professor Emeritus Art Opseth to discuss his journey in engineering and his amazing career at the University of Regina, which spanned more than 30 years.  Professor Opseth taught thousands of students and was one of the leader...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever noticed that we are surrounded by software?  It’s in our phones, our cars, our appliances, and more!  The opportunity for Software Systems engineering to make positive impacts on our lives is limitless. In this episode, we sit down with Nikki Pelchat to talk about her experience as a Software Systems engineer.  Nikki is currently the co-Chief Technology Officer and P...

Send us Fan Mail Do you ever wonder about the infrastructure and services in your community?  How did the roads, sewer, landfill, and water services get there?  Engineers are responsible for setting up communities that are functional and safe for the people who live there. In this episode we sit down with Ryan Johnson, an Environmental Systems engineer with close to thirty years of experience.  Ry...

Send us Fan Mail Engineers often find themselves in leadership positions as their career progresses. Managing large projects and groups of people can be very challenging and requires skills that are not fully developed during university studies. In this episode we sit down with Tara Paton, an Industrial Systems engineer and the President and founder of Red Blaze Solutions. Tara spent 20 years work...

Send us Fan Mail Do you like industrial projects?  Are you interested in manufacturing and processing modern resources?  Do you want to help companies improve their efficiencies, quality control, reliability, economics, and sustainability? In this episode we sit down with Rob Jones to learn about Industrial Systems Engineering.  Rob has been teaching laboratories at the University of Regina in our...

Send us Fan Mail Do you ever notice street lights or the exterior lighting on buildings?  Have you ever wondered who put them there, or how they get their power supply?  Engineers design these systems!  In fact, there is even an Illuminating Engineering Society to help support engineers in this field of practice. In this episode we sit down with Ariele Chow to discuss her career as an Electronic S...

Send us Fan Mail International students can be found studying at many universities and colleges across Canada.  They bring their culture and knowledge to the classrooms and laboratories, and they broaden the educational experience for all students and professors.  Moving to the other side of the world to pursue an education is a giant leap in life that takes a lot of courage, determination, and ef...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever thought about your own energy use?  People need energy, and the global energy demand continues to rise year after year.  Engineers play a huge role in helping address the challenges and opportunities that exist in the energy sector, from demand to sustainability to safety, and more. In this episode we sit down with Lex Ewen to learn about his experience as a Petroleu...

Send us Fan Mail Do you have an interest in the environment?  Do you want to reduce pollution, improve sustainability, and help ensure that new engineering projects meet current environmental standards?  In this episode we sit down with Ben Lichtenwald to learn about Environmental Systems Engineering.  Ben teaches the laboratories that help give students a hands-on learning experience in our Envir...

Send us Fan Mail Do you like to write code?  Have you ever dreamed of starting your own software engineering company?  Software Systems Engineering is a rapidly growing field, driven by the need for safe and reliable software products.  We are literally surrounded by software in our homes, vehicles, places of work, phone apps, and more. In this episode, we sit down with Kyle Smyth to talk about hi...

Send us Fan Mail Does anyone remember what life was like before cell phones and the internet?  The telecommunications industry has changed so much over the past thirty years.  Engineers are working hard to keep up with this rapidly changing industry. In this episode, we sit down with Patti Kindred to talk about her experience as an Industrial Systems Engineer.  Patti spent over two decades in the...

Send us Fan Mail Environmental engineers can work in a number of different fields including environmental remediation, environmental impact assessments, water projects, air quality, transportation, and much, much more!  Virtually all industries need environmental engineers. In this episode, we sit down with Dwayne Gelowitz to learn about his career as an environmental and civil engineering consult...

Send us Fan Mail Are you thinking about going into engineering, but you are not really sure what it is all about?  You are not alone.  There are lots of students in first year engineering that are not quite sure what the profession is all about. In this episode, Lucas Hollinger sits down with David deMontigny to ask him a bunch of questions related to engineering education, engineering careers, an...

Send us Fan Mail Pipelines are commonly used to transport energy from one location to another.  They are complex systems that are designed to be safe, reliable and compliant with federal regulations. In this episode, we sit down with Vanessa Cozine to learn about pipelines and her experience in the energy transportation sector.  Vanessa is an environmental systems engineer with over twenty years o...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the power goes out?  It seems as though life comes to a halt.  Who are the engineers that help ensure we have a safe and reliable source of electricity? In this episode we sit down with Jason Whitelaw, an electronic systems engineer who works at SaskPower, the principal electric utility in Saskatchewan.  Jason is one of hundreds of engineers who work to provide a...

Send us Fan Mail Would you like to get practical work experience that relates to your degree while you are studying as a student in university?  It almost sounds too good to be true. In this episode we sit down with Carlo Palazzo, a Coordinator in the Co-operative Education and Internship Program at the University of Regina.  He outlines how students can get real life work experience related to th...

Send us Fan Mail Going to university can be intimidating.  To make matters worse, engineering programs have a reputation of being very difficult.  The truth is that millions of people have graduated from engineering programs around the world, so it does not need to be scary.  Success comes from hard work, commitment, and perseverance. In this episode we sit down with Justin Gwilliam, a fourth year...

Send us Fan Mail Do you like playing around with electronics?  Have you ever fixed your computer, built a small robot, or programmed a control system?  Have you noticed that we are surrounded by electronics in our day-to-day lives? In this episode we sit down with Dave Duguid to learn about Electronic Systems Engineering.  For the past 37 years, he has taught the electronic laboratories at the Uni...

Send us Fan Mail People often have a hard time describing what engineers do in their day-to-day work.  This is because the career paths are so diverse, it is hard to come up with a common definition. In this episode, we visit a local elementary school and high school to talk with students about engineering.  Listen to what students in Kindergarten, Grade 6, and Grades 10-12 have to say about what...

Send us Fan Mail In this introductory episode of Engineering Conversations, we will learn about the host David deMontigny and the goals for this podcast.   Quite simply, Engineering Conversations is a series of conversations with engineers, students and engineering stakeholders.  We will learn what is going on in the profession of engineering, across a wide range of sectors. These conversations wi...