Newsletter 2016 - Issue # 2 (Winter 2017) 1

PEOSC Newsletter – 2016 Issue # 2 (Winter 2017)

PEOSC AGM 2017

Date: January 21, 2017 – Please keep it free. Time: 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Venue: Victoria Village Public Library, 184 Sloane Ave, Toronto ON, M4A 2C4

As per our By-Law requirements, the Notice of AGM was sent to all members. The Notice is also on our website: www.scarborough.peo.on.ca.

Chapter Activities – Fall Since June 2016:

June 30, 2016 – Seminar “Innovative and sustainable applications of GFRP reinforcing in structures”

July 23, 2016 - Technical Tour August 20, 2016 – Annual BBQ Family Event Sept. 15, 2016 – Seminar “Home Energy Saving

Measures and Common Design Issues during Building Permit Application”

Oct. 22, 2016 – Mathletics Nov. 5, 2016 – MEE Contest Nov. 12, 2016 – Balsawood Glider Contest (BGC) Nov. 26, 2016 – Mechatronics Car Contest (MCC) Dec. 3, 2016 – STEMZ Contest Dec. 10, 2016 – Volunteer Appreciation Event Upcoming: Jan. 21, 2017 – Annual General Meeting For details visit: www.scarborough.peo.on.ca

Board of Executives 2016 Chair - Jega Jeganathan, Ph.D., P.Eng. Vice-Chair - Murad Hussain, M.Eng., P.Eng. Secretary - Peng Zhang, P.Eng. Treasurer - Lin (Victor) Lan, P.Eng. Past Chair - Madu Suthanan, P.Eng., FEC Executive - Narayana Pillai Asogan, P.Eng. Executive - Elvis (Pinjing) Wang, P.Eng. Executive - Javeed A. Khan, Ph. D., P.Eng., SMIEEE Executive - Rajendra Gadhvi, EIT To contact the board: email – scarborough@peo.on.ca

Chair’s Message

Jega Jeganathan, Ph.D., P.Eng. Chair, Scarborough Chapter – PEO

nce again, I would like to thank the Scarborough Chapter board of executives,

councillors, volunteers and members for their support in helping us achieve another great year and to fulfil our vision of promoting the engineering profession in the greater community.

We continued organizing our regular events like Bridge Building Competition (13th), Mathletics (11th), Mechatronics (3rd), Modular Electronic Engineering (2nd), technical seminars and family events with the help of new leaders and many volunteers. We hope to continue these events in the coming years.

The chapter pioneered two new programs for school children in 2016: the STEMZ contest for high school students involving science, technology, engineering and math; and the Balsawood Glider Contest competition for middle school students. Both competitions were well received by the students, teachers and parents.

Our monthly board meetings were well attended by board members, members-at-large, newly licensed engineers and volunteers, and averaged about 20 attendees per meeting.

The chapter attracted new volunteers to help out at our events. It also built relationships with local secondary schools, the community and politicians. As part of the Government Liaison Program, the chapter participated in many political events and hosted local MPPs at our events.

The Chapter AGM will be held on January 21, 2017 and we request members to attend and take part. Voting for the PEO Council Election opens January 20 at 2 p.m. EST and will close on February 24, 2017 at 4 p.m. EST. Remember to vote!

O

We wish all our members, volunteers, well-wishers and families a

Newsletter 2016 - Issue # 2 (Winter 2017) 2

Mathletics Javeed Ahmed Khan, Ph.D., P.Eng., SMIEEE

2016 Project Manager

his was the 11th anniversary of the PEO Scarborough Chapter (PEOSC) Mathletics event. There were 62 registered participants, out of

which 54 (87%) attended the contest at the Scarborough Civic Center on October 22, 2016. Among the 54 participants, six had competed in the 2015 event—including a top 5 winner for both in 2014 and 2015.

The event, which started at 9:30 a.m. and finished at 3:00 p.m., went very smoothly thanks to the efforts of the 22 PEOSC volunteers. We received many positive comments about the registration process and the overall event. We also received feedback to separate Grade 3-6 teams into two teams for future events.

The IT setup was well done and functioned as expected.

Visiting chapter volunteers shadowed PEOSC volunteers to learn how to organize a Mathletics competition for their local schools.

Annual BBQ Family Event

he Chapter held its sixth Annual Family event on August 20, 2016 at the Bluffs Park restaurant. About 40 people, including members and their

families, attended. The chapter has been conducting this event annually since 2011, where families, including children and grandchildren of members, get together. Several games for children and families are organized at the event.

T

T

“Projects we have completed demonstrate what we know. Future projects decide what we will learn.”

- Dr. Mohsin Tiwana

Newsletter 2016 - Issue # 2 (Winter 2017) 3

GLP Activities at PEOSC

N. Asogan, P.Eng., Chapter GLP Chair

EOSC participated in the following GLP activities from May to December 2016:

June 2016 – The PEOSC GLP chair participated in a joint GLP/PAN (of OSPE) meeting with Soo Wong (MPP for Scarborough Agincourt) to discuss the underemployment of engineers. August 2016 – GLP Chair participated in Scarborough—Guildwood MPP Mitzie Hunter’s BBQ event. October 2016 – GLP Chair attended the PEO reception at Queen’s park. December 2016 –GLP Member Samuel Jacob attended Mitzie Hunter’s Winter Fun Fest

December 4, 2016 – PEOSC Secretary Peng Zhang, P.Eng., participated in Scarborough-Agincourt MPP Wong’s Annual Year End Open House at the Stephen Leacock Community Centre.

Volunteer Appreciation

Jega Jeganathan, Ph.D., P.Eng., Chapter Chair

n December 10, 2016, the active volunteers of our chapter, their spouses and children met at the Mandarin Restaurant for a lunch and get-

together. Our VIP guests included Changiz Sadr, P.Eng., CTP, CTME, ITILv, FEC, Executive Member, PEO Council (and East Central Councillor) and member of PEOSC.

We recognized our volunteers’ contributions with blue document bags custom-labelled with our chapter logo.

It was a very memorable event and everyone had a good time.

Aspiring Engineer Scholarship

Javeed Ahmed Khan, Ph.D., P.Eng., SMIEEE 2016 Project Manager

very year, PEOSC awards two $500 scholarships to one male and one female graduating high school student. This year, the

scholarship went to Safeerah Zainab of W.A. Porter C.I. (There were no other eligible candidates for 2016.)

P O

E

Newsletter 2016 - Issue # 2 (Winter 2017) 4

Modular Electronic Engineering (MEE)

Murad Hussain, M.Eng., P.Eng. Project Manager 2016

he Modular Electronic Engineering Contest and training event took place at Yee Hong Centre on November 5, 2016. This was the second year the PEO Scarborough Chapter conducted this educational outreach program for grade 5 and 6

students attending Scarborough schools. This year the program attracted 36 students from 11 schools (a 20 per cent increase over last year!). There was also a significant increase in the number of PEO Scarborough Chapter volunteers who participated, along with parents and teachers, bringing the total number of participants to 82 (36 students, 19 PEOSC volunteers, five teachers, 20 parents and two special guests: PEO President George Comrie, M.Eng., P.Eng., CMC, FEC, and Ward 41 Scarborough Rouge River Councillor Chin Lee).

T

Newsletter 2016 - Issue # 2 (Winter 2017) 5

Balsawood Glider Contest (BGC) Murad Hussain, M.Eng., P.Eng.

Project Manager 2016 he Balsawood Glider Contest (BGC) is the newest program introduced by the Professional Engineers Ontario Scarborough Chapter

(PEOSC) in 2016. It is an educational project that engages volunteers, Scarborough area schools and the public to enhance the knowledge and interest of area teachers and students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by using and building flight capable balsawood gliders and reinforcing engineering principles such as Bernoulli’s theory.

PEOSC held the glider contest on November 12, 2016. There were 21 students registered for the program from 10 different schools, 10 parents/teachers, 18 PEOSC volunteers and four special guests, including PEO President George Comrie, MEng, P.Eng., CMC, FEC.

In addition, Greg Merrill from PEO Muskoka Chapter and the current Chair of Air Cadet League – Ontario Provincial Committee, presented various educational videos on the gliders used by the Canadian Air Cadets trainees. The videos highlighted the use of aerodynamic engineering principles in real gliders and reinforced learning from the morning sessions. Greg’s presentation also reviewed Isaac Newton’s aerodynamics principles.

We anticipate the Balsawood Glider Contest will be

the next annual STEM event added to the Scarborough Chapter’s outreach roster and we are planning new

ideas to promote this program through TDSB, EWB and any other willing partners. Anyone interested in volunteering with the glider contest can contact us at scarborough@peo.on.ca

House Inspection – An Effective Way to Protect Property Value

Elvis (Pinjing) Wang, P.Eng. LEED AP, ASHRAE Chapter Executive,

Member, President of RN’K Engineering f you’re buying a house, a reliable engineering report based on a detailed site inspection can provide important information on the property.

First, a house inspection should start with a property site evaluation examining grading, service water and fire protection provisions, etc. A poor site condition may affect the house value greatly. For example, un-expected sediment may cause serious foundation leakage. Or, an unrecorded renovation opening close to an adjacent property may be a fire threat. Or, un-controlled storm water may wash away the soil of a scenic garden.

Secondly, a lovely house may look great on the outside, but looking beyond the facade appearance is extremely important. The building envelope on exterior work (like brick veneer, stucco and board works) greatly affects the house value, but may be neglected by house buyers. The building exterior (including roof, walls, windows and doors) determines a house’s thermal insulation R values and fundamentally affects its energy consumption. Needless to say, an energy efficient house is preferable.

Thirdly, structural work should be considered—

especially if there have been any unpermitted renovations on the property. An inspection with frame scanning and beam counting is a good practice to avoid these safety threats.

Lastly, a house’s inside services systems should be inspected. These include space heating/cooling,

T

Newsletter 2016 - Issue # 2 (Winter 2017) 6

ventilation, plumbing on water supply and sanitary drain, etc. The heating/cooling system and electrical lighting fixtures also affect a home’s energy efficiency. Upgrading an old inefficient system is very beneficial to reduce energy costs and an extensive upgrade should be performed with professional suggestions to deliver cost effect solutions.

In short, a proper house inspection, ideally from time to time, but not limited to when ownership transactions happening, is recommended. This is the best way to protect and maintain a property’s best value. For questions, please contact Info.RNKengineering@Gmail.com.

Mechatronics Contest

Madu Suthanan, P.Eng., FEC. Past Chair, Project Manager 2016

n November 26, PEOSC conducted its third Mechatronics Car Contest for Scarborough high school students (Grades 9 to 12). This exciting

contest involves the new and upcoming area of engineering known as Mechatronics (a multi-disciplinary field of engineering).

The contest was divided into two groups at the Yee Hong Centre in Scarborough. The groups were: Juniors: Grade 9-10 and Seniors: Grade 11-12.

This year, we had four schools participating, including eight senior teams and six junior teams.

PEO Past President Thomas Chong, MSc, P.Eng.,

FEC, was our special guest, along with Nick Shelton, P.Eng. Willowdale-Thornhill Chapter Chair and Rana Ty, P.Eng., Willowdale-Thornhill Education Chair. We had 18 volunteers participating in the event.

We held the previous two events in a TDSB school gym and cafeteria, providing ample space to stage a 20m race track and accommodate our guests. This year, it was not financially viable to hold the event in a school so we opted for the Peace Corner Hall at Yee Hong (at a fraction of the cost). Although the new venue could only hold an 11m track, the event was still enjoyed by all.

The PEOSC Board decided that future Mechatronics Contests shall be modified to be hosted in a smaller space such as Peace Corner, and shall include some elements of microcontroller and programming. We expect this change to be more challenging and exciting for the students, teachers and our volunteers.

O

A doctor gave a man six months to live. The man couldn’t pay his bill, so the doctor gave him another six months. I married Miss. Right. I just didn’t know her first name was Always. Where should an older man look for his glasses? On his forehead.

Newsletter 2016 - Issue # 2 (Winter 2017) 7

STEMZ CONTEST Madu Suthanan, P.Eng., FEC

Past Chair, Project Manager, 2016. his year, PEOSC introduced a new contest for Scarborough high school students (Grades 9 to12) called “STEMZ". This exciting contest

involves: an educational component to enhance students’ knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); and a contest to prepare students to become good citizens. This is our second program offered for high school students.

The STEMZ contest also covers art, finance, business, sports, health and other areas in which math and science play a vital role. The chapter started this contest to both enhance the engineering profession’s educational outreach and to improve student’s interest and performance in STEM subjects.

The contest was based on articles published on the Scarborough Chapter website by chapter members. Students had to read and understand the contents, and prepare sample questions for the contest. The articles were authored and published by our volunteers, and were edited and moderated by an editorial board of chapter members. This program gives our volunteers a great opportunity to author and publish STEM articles of interest to high school students.

The first STEMZ contest was successfully held on Dec 3rd, 2016 in Scarborough. Our Chapter Secretary Peng Zhang, P.Eng., successfully got her company CH2M to fund the STEMZ project up to $1,000. We thank her for her initiatives.

For this first year, we had only four students for Juniors (Grades 9 & 10) and four students for Seniors (Grades 11 & 12). Two seniors were registered by a teacher, and others by their parents.

One thing to consider for next year is scheduling. The chapter’s mechatronics and STEMZ contests were

held only one week apart. I hope that in future, we will be able to spread out our programs more evenly throughout the school year.

The science and technology teacher who registered two students had this to say: “Let me begin by saying that I felt the contest was an excellent outreach activity and provided my students with a valuable opportunity to undertake independent learning of engineering topics which go beyond the secondary school curriculum. Both of my students commented on how much they enjoyed learning from the articles and the opportunity to learn more about the engineering profession.” We thank him for this comment and his suggestions for improvements of future STEMZ.

Changiz Sadr, P.Eng., FEC, CTP, CTME, ITILv,

Executive Member on PEO Council and Senior Councillor for East Central Region, was our special guest.

T

Newsletter 2016 - Issue # 2 (Winter 2017) 8

PRESENCE SOUVENIR carborough Chapter has published an annual souvenir magazine since 2006 to raise funds to

provide scholarships to Grade 12 students who are enrolling in an accredited engineering program within Ontario. This year, we planned on showcasing all our chapter activities in the publication, which is named “PRESENCE” to illustrate the presence of our chapter in the Scarborough community. We also wanted to include a wider spectrum of sponsors (advertisers), articles, messages and items of interest to our community. For further details, please see our website: www.scarborough.peo.on.ca

TECHNICAL TOUR – THOUSAND ISLAND CRUISE AND FORT HENRY

Jega Jeganathan, Ph.D., P.Eng., Chapter Chair

carborough Chapter organized a Thousand Island Cruise and tour of Fort Henry in Kingston for

chapter members and volunteers on July 23, 2016 to visit. Around 50 members and volunteers participated. The first part of the tour was a one-hour cruise in Rockport for sight seeing the Thousand Islands. Then the group visited the Fort Henry for a guided tour.

S

S

Editor: Peng Zhang, P.Eng. LEED AP. We welcome contributions from our readers: • Articles of engineering interest (recommend 500 words or less), and subjects of interest to the engineering

community (within guidelines of PEO) • Suggestions for future events – seminars/technical visits/ workshops, etc. • Suggestions for improvement of newsletter/website. Notes: 1) Editor reserves the right to accept, reject or edit articles received. 2) Opinions expressed by authors are their own and are not necessarily of the PEO or PEOSC. Contact: editor@peoscarborough.ca; Website: www.scarborough.peo.on.ca