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VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2 MAY 2009

Publications Mail Agreement # 40875508

FEATURE:Light Emitting DiodesAn Impending Revolution In Lighting

NEWS:AGM 2008

EDUCATION:Marsville 2009

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Leadership in Technology is the official newsletter of TechNova, the Society of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists of Nova Scotia.

Leadership in Technology is published biannually by:

202 Brownlow AvenueCambridge 1, Suite 308Dartmouth, NS B3B 1T5Tel: (902) 463-3236Fax: (902) 465-7567Toll Free: 1 866 723-8867info@technova.cawww.technova.ca

Please direct all inquiries, submissions and subscription requests to TechNova at the above address.

Leadership in Technology is published in conjunction with:

Design Works Publishing Group41 Glendale Ave Unit 1Sackville NS B4A 1C6Tel: (902) 468-3440Fax: (902) 468-9044

Please contact DWP Group for advertising information.

EDITOREd Lingley, C.Tech

EDITORIAL DIRECTIONVivian Ernst

ART DIRECTIONMario Zamfir

The opinions expressed in this publica-tion are not necessarily those of the Association. TechNova assumes no re-sponsibility or liability for damages aris-ing from any error or omission or from the use of any information or advice printed in this publication.

Letters regarding the newsletter should be addressed to the Editor at the Society’s address.

Publications Mail Agreement # 40875508

Light Emitting Diodes 4

From the Editor 5

Bursaries 6

New Members 7

News & Events 8

AGM 12

President’s Letter 14

Marsville 2009 19

STORY IDEAS WELCOME*

Leadership in Technology strives to present news, stories and other content in the course of each year that is of particular interest or pertinence to TechNova members. We rely in part on your input to guide and gener-ate articles. This is your publication and you are always encouraged to contribuite.

NEWS: Your technology career is ever-changing. Let others know about the changes and trends in your particular field, discipline or worksite.

PROFILES: Want to share your own story? Leadership in Technology is a great way to demonstrate the ways that members utilize technology in their careers.

FEEDBACK: Write to us and share your viewpoints (members and non-members alike). Write to info@technova.ca or send your letter/article to the TechNova office.

(*See page 9 for more details and prize information)

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Light Emitting DiodesAn Impending Revolution In Lighting. In 1879, Thomas Edison was able to produce the first reliable, long-lasting source of light in the form of an incandescent light bulb and commercial lighting was born. Since then, there have been a num-ber of advances in “bulb” technology, but the core principles of the technology have remained the same…until now.

We are now on the verge of a revolution in lighting and global energy consumption with the development of high brightness light emitting diodes (LEDs). The LED is an electronic light source - a solid state device. LEDs are based on a semiconductor diode which produce light when forward biased. Manufacturers are now producing LEDs with an efficacy of 100 lumens per watt with a predicted life of 20 years. The future is even more promising, with LEDs having a theo-retical efficacy limit of well over 200 lumens per watt . Currently lighting accounts for about 22% of energy consumption in North America. Street lighting accounts for 1% of all energy con-sumption in Canada and the United States. In the case of street lighting, LED Roadway Lighting Ltd has been able to cut energy consumption in by 50% or greater in many street lighting applications. In North America, if all street lights were con-verted to LEDs with a 50% savings, this would be equal to the per-manent removal of 2 million cars from the roads.

Over 20 years, these energy savings street lights would prevent 200 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. People are now taking no-tice, with the City of Los Angeles recently committing to convert 140,000 street lights to LED street lights over the next 5 years. There are many other indoor and outdoor lighting applications where even greater energy savings can be achieved with LEDs. In the case of outdoor building lighting or parking lot lighting, end us-ers can take advantage of the “scotopic effect.”

The human eye contains two types of photoreceptors, rods and cones. Traditional outdoor light sources, such as High Pressure So-dium (HPS), emit light primarily in the photopic spectrum, which the cones of your eyes are sensitive to. One of the major advantages of LEDs is that they emit light both the photopic spectrum and scotopic spectrum (which the rods of your eyes are sensitive to). What does this mean? With both photoreceptors sensitive to the light emitted by LEDs, the lit area will appear twice as bright when delivering equal photopic light output as traditional HPS fixtures. This allows end users to dim the lights down and achieve even greater energy savings while providing equal scene brightness. In some outdoor applications, 75-80% energy savings can be realized while providing equal scene brightness.

The age of Thomas Edison’s light bulb will be coming to an end soon, and a greener era in lighting is about to begin.

Ken CartmillLED Roadway Lighting Ltd

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PRESIDENT:Louis LeBel, CET VICE PRESIDENT:Sean Piercey, CET PAST PRESIDENT:Steve Shaw, CET FINANCE CHAIR:Don Landry, CET TECHNOVA COUNCILLORS:E. Maria O’Brien, CETHugh Campbell, C.TechKevin MacInnis, CETRobin Hill, CETElizabeth MacKay, C.TechDimitri Sourtzis, CET REGISTRAR:Joe Simms, CET EXECUTIVE STAFF OFFICER:Ed Lingley, C.Tech OFFICE MANGERVivian Ernst

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

From the Editor

Hello and welcome to the spring edition of “Leadership in Technology” we hope that you enjoy the articles that we have assembled for you.

Since the last newsletter we held our 41st AGM and I was pleased with the attendance of 32 Members and 13 Guests including the Presidents of CCTT, OACETT and NBSCETT.

Nova Scotians are not immune to world events, and the recent down turn in world markets has resulted in some of our members unfortunately being let go from their jobs. It is times like these that people tend to view the $150 membership fees, and in the case of new applicants a $60 process-ing fee, as money better spent on something else.

However, it is in times like these that your professional association is more important than ever and your designation adds strength and credibility to your resume. For those unfortunate members who are temporarily unem-ployed we urge you to take advantage of our national CTEN employment service and TechNova web site career postings. For those members who are temporarily not employed in their technical field we offer Non-Active status with a reduced fee, renewable annually.

We would like to encourage more dialogue with you, the members, in the form of letters to the editor with comments as to what you would like to see in your newsletter.

I would like to close by wishing you all a safe and happy summer and look forward to see you again in the fall.

Ed Lingley C.TechEditor

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TechNova Presidents Employer of the Year Award presented to The Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School. Left to right: Commandant Cdr Simon Page, Engineering and Technology Division Commander Mr. Steve Rigden, TechNova President Louis LeBel, TechNova VP Sean Piercy

President’s Award:First awarded in 2004, the President’s Award is presented to an employer in Nova Scotia who has demonstrated consistent support of TechNova and its members.

To be considered for this award, the employer must show support in the form of: • recognizing the value of professional certification

among technicians and technologists. This requirement can be satisfied by hiring certified members, subsidizing their membership dues, or promoting certification among technology staff

• providing members with adequate professional development opportunities

• operating a safe work environment for its employees • allowing members time off to volunteer for TechNova

as a Council or committee member, or to take part in TechNova-sponsored events or programs

• operating within the TechNova Code of Ethics

Meloche MonnexAmong the richest prizes of them all, the $1,000 Meloche Monnex Continuing Education Bursary is awarded each year to a member, or child of a member, who is enrolled in a recognized technology program at the post-secondary level. The winner is selected at random from all eligible applicants. The deadline for entry is October 1. Entries must include proof of enrollment.

The Ray Fiske Memorial Award for Service Excellence:In memoriam to a founding member of TechNova and one of its most dedicated volunteer leaders, The Ray Fiske Memorial Award for Service Excellence is presented to a member who, as determined by Council, has distinguished

BURSARIEShimself/herself in “sustained and progressive” service in support of TechNova and its goals.

Manulife Scholarship:Each year the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT), through the generosity of Manulife Canada, will award two $1,000 scholarships to the son or daughter of individual members with one of CCTT’s 10 member associations (Constituent Member).

Purpose: To assist the son or daughter of an individual member of a Constituent Member (CM) of the CCTT with expenses incurred to undertake a course of studies leading to a technician or technology diploma in a recognized program of studies in engineering or applied science.

Eligibility: In order to be eligible, the applicant must:• secure a letter from a CM of the Council, attesting

to the fact that his/her parents are members in good standing

• confirm by official transcripts that he/she is a graduate from a Grade 12 secondary school program with second-class, or better, standing; and

• prove by official letter, that he/she is registered in a full-time engineering or applied science technology program in Canada

Selection: All submissions will be coded and the recipients will be chosen by lottery method. The winners will be announced annually at the CCTT awards banquet, held in conjunction with the National Directors’ Meeting.

Entry Deadline: Submissions must be received at the CCTT office no later than October 1 of each year.

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NEW MEMBERSOctober 2008 – May 2009

The Council has approved the following Certification Board recommendations for membership in TechNova.

Associate Technicians• Michael Salvatore• Michael Frampton• Cameron Thorne-Humphrey

Certified Engineering Technicians (C.Tech)• Janice Kidson• Charles Ryan• Edward Lawson• Sandy Fuller• Christian Raith• Dan Wood• James Boutilier• Christopher Cummings• Jeff Tanner• Michel Wigger• David Patriquin• Donald Ehler• William Dunphy• Andre Lavoie• Cameron Reed• Bruce Mavor• Lloyd Sweet• Jacques Bilodeau

Certified Engineering Technologists (CET)• Donald Evans• David MacLeod• Christopher Lawless• Sergey Averin• Susan McLeod• Matthew Matwyshyn• Peter Oster• Burke Fiset• James Muphy• Larry Hood• Matthew Pyke• Jeff Devoe• John Beckett• Aaron Hayne• Susan McLeod• Jamie Abraham

• Coli Matheson• Tom Rex

Upgraded from Associate Technologist to Certified Engineering Technologist• Jesse Wambolt• Michael Deagle

Upgraded form Associate Technician to Certified Engineering Technician• Zachary Deveaux• William MacDonald

Transfers• Kurt Stocki• Brooks Robinson• Robert White• Wanda McAlary• Robert Pebbles• Daniel Burrill• Jeffrey Shaw• Wanda McAlary•Associate Technologists• Adam King• Graham Crawford• Patrick Lafortune• Chris Nott• Michelle Whidden• Michael Doyle• Adam Curtis• Jessie Christenson• Sanjeev Tagra

Students• Richard Nickerson• Colin Dempsey• Alex White• Scott Knee• Justin Gale• Daniel Amirault• Alexander Poole• Cheryl Hill• Phillip Harris• Trent Fougere

• Scott Tutty• Jordan Brown• Mike Sheppard• Amanda Cole-Yemen• William Reid• Gerald Desjardins• John Kerr• Michael Foote• Heather Townshend• Ryan Parris• Aaron Spicer• Kyle MacEachern• Patrice Dechamp• Majorie Lynn• Mark Holdright• Katherine MacDougall• Mike Forbes• Gavin Edwards• Jayme Keddy• Blake Biso• H. Like Lewis• Christian Croft• Daniel Taylor• Aaron Fournier• Tor Markvorsen• James Simpson• Tim Vaughan• Jonas Mueller• Shane Oickle• Johah Boylen• Billy Baltist-Rhude• Ted Pecarski• Hussein Sadeqi• Luc LeBlanc• Michelle Montgomery• Elizabeth Denton-Robicheau• Colin Chalmers• Evan Embree• Daniel Wesley• Gregory MacLean

Non-Active Status• David Langham• Frank Wanke• Marc DeCarufel• Gary Allen

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2008 TechNova Lapsed Members

MacKenzie MelvinBelliveau MarkBissett ConradBourgeois AaronBussieres RobertButcher GlenButler ScottCampbell AnitaCampbell JohnCampbell WayneCaruso RyanCastel BrentColes JeffreyColwell RichardCoolen CharlesCote ShawnCreighton BruceCurrie ShawnDaw ChristopherDeviller ChristopherDoucet MauriceDoucette JosephDuncan PhillipDyker RobertEmerson ChristopherFinley ErinFlint CliftonGagnon AlainGillis CraigGlen StuartGrant StephenHampson PeterHarrison KentHirtle Jamie

Howley CatherineHudon LucHughes DonaldHunter RickKelly BrianKing RandallKnox KevinKnox JamesLand KeltieLawrence ScottLudwicki MichaelMacAloney JeffreyMacDonald ReneeMacKenzie NormanMacNeil C. BrianMalcolm JosephMason GlennMcNeil ThomasMurray RamondOakes PhillipO’Brien IanPartridge ChristopherPettipas AnthonyPower NeilRamsay TimothyRoy YvanSalesman StephenSampang AmancioScurlock TrevorSheehy DarylSmeenk AllanStevens Bill

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Thompson Garyvan de Ven PeterVig AmritWallace DavidWatters RodneyWhite BrianWilliamson RobertWoodworth GordonYu Eve

Skills Canada is a not-for-profit organization working with employers, educators, labour groups, and government to reposition trade and technology related fields as first choice career options for youth. Through programs and competi-tions, these career options are made more visible to teachers, students, and parents.

Programs include Young Women’s Conferences, Skills Energy Youth Quests, African Nova Scotian Youth Conferences, and TechShops held at various locations throughout the province during the school year. Beginning with a series of roundtable discussions hosted by mentors currently engaged within the trades sector, these activities culminate in hands-on workshops.

In addition, the Nova Scotia Skills Competition allows high school, post secondary, and apprenticeship level students from all over Nova Scotia to take part in numerous skilled trade, technology, and employability skill contest areas. Gold medal winners from most competitions go on to join Team Nova Scotia and compete at the Canadian Skills Competition. Teachers, students, and parents are welcome to tour the various competitions and an associated career showcase.

If you would like more information with respect to the various activities and/or if you are interested in volunteering with Skills Canada, please contact Melissa Allen, Skills Canada Volunteer and Alumni Coordinator, at 424-3719 or visit http://skillsns.ednet.ns.ca/

Skills Canada

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TD MELoChE MoNNEx SChoLArShIP

Through TechNova TD Me-loche Monnex offers annually $ 1000 in scholarships, to students enrolled in a nation-ally accredited Technician or Technology program. These scholarships recognize and reward academic excellence displayed by TechNova stu-dent members.

To be ellligible to apply for the TD Meloche Monnex scholarship, students must meet the following criteria:• be a registered student

member with TechNova• be enrolled, as a full

time student, in a Tech-nician or Technology program accredited by the Canadian Technolo-gy Accreditation Board,

• be in his/her second year of study in the ac-credited program.

The successful candidates will receive notification vial email and mail and will be an-nounced during the AGM of TechNova held in March.

The TD Meloche Scholar-ships will be presented dur-ing the awards ceremony of TechNova AGM.

Applications for scholarships are available on the Tech-Nova website (homepage), www.technova.ca Candidates must print the scholarship application and mail the com-pleted document, together with a copy of their academic transcripts, to: TechNova by November to:

TechNova202 Brownlow AvenueCambridge 1, Suite 308Dartmouth, NS B3B 1T5

requirements of Lay Coun-cilors: 1) Lay Councilors must:• Not be members of

TechNova• A non-technology

related Professional such as Accountant, Business Management, Realtor etc

• Be free of any percep-tion of conflicts of interest (e.g. not family members or potential members)

• Be resident of Nova Scotia

Member of Council for Cape Breton area

After many years service as a Council Member Kevin McInnis CET has stepped down and there is a require-ment to replace him prefer-ably with a Member from the Cape Breton Area. You would not be required to attend all Council Meetings but would be reimbursed expenses to attend our Annual General Meeting and any Special Meetings.

Councilors are requested to represent TechNova at NSCC Awards Ceremonies and also occasionally to address Student Members of Accredited Programs in their areas about the Benefits of Membership with TechNova.

If you are interested please contact the office for more information.

LoST MEMBErSWe have lost contact with the following Members. Would any-one having contact with them please ask them to contact TechNova so we can update our database.

Campbell John, CETHenderson Kelly, CETMercer Bradley, CETO’Keefe Michael, CETRoss Douglas, C.Tech Sampang Ameanico, CETStevenson Troy, CETWilderspin Hugh, CETYu Eve, CET

STorY IDEAS WELCoMELeadership in Technology strives to present news, stories and other content in the course of each year that is of par-ticular interest or pertinence to TechNova members. We rely in part on your input to guide and generate articles. This is your publication and you are always encouraged to contribuite.

NEWS: Your technology career is ever-changing. Let others know about the changes and trends in your particular field, discipline or worksite.

PROFILES: Want to share your own story? Leadership in Technology is a great way to demonstrate the ways that members utilize technology in their careers.

FEEDBACK: Write to us and share your viewpoints (mem-bers and non-members alike). Write to info@technova.ca or send your letter/article to the TechNova office.

STorY PrIZES:

If your article/story is published in our newsletter we will send you one of the following gifts valued at $50.00:

1. Executive Laptop Case (or)2. Executive Travel Mug Set

Each article submitted must be accompanied by good qual-ity photography if available. Articles not published will be archived for future use.

Forward all articles to the editor at info@technova.ca

WIN A PrIZEWANTED ASAP

SEArCh for PUBLIC MEMBEr To CoUNCIL

TechNova as a professional association has a governing board or Council elected by the membership. The Council acts on behalf of the asso-ciation and it’s responsible for applying the legislation. The association is respon-sible to the government and ultimately the public. As the governing body, which en-sures protection of the public interest, the Council needs to be responsive and open to public views. The Council should not in any matter be perceived to, or put, the interests of the member-ship ahead of the public’s interest. For this reason the majority of the Constituent Member organizations of the Canadian Council of Techni-cians and Technologists (CCTT) already have “Public Representatives” on their Councils.

If you know of a person who meets the following require-ments and would be inter-ested in serving as a Public Member of the TechNova Council please have them contact us for more detailed information.

role of Lay Councilors on CouncilAs TechNova serves to pro-tect the public interest, the presence of lay councilors is intended to ensure that Council is informed of, and considers the full scope of, public interests.

The role of Lay Councilors is:1) To help Council con-sider the public’s interest by contributing non-member perspectives to Council’s deliberation2) To be familiar with the purpose of the association, the ACT, By-Laws and poli-cies governing the profes-sion, to keep fully informed of Council business and to participate fully and freely in Council discussions and decision-making.3) To provide a further layer of public accountability and transparency

SChoLArShIP

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NSCC has a mission statement that is grounded in the economy of Nova Scotia. As such, industry is an important part-ner in ensuring that the organization is able to help in providing graduates that will be able to meet current, anticipated and emerging labour needs. The College has always been a leader in employer engagement. One of the important ways that this happens for the School of Trades and Technology is in the form of Program Advisory Committees (PACs). Through PACs, there is ongoing dialogue and engagement in order to keep pace with the ever changing needs of the Nova Scotia workplace. NSCC has been working to build on the strength of our industry relationships through a broad continuum of formal and informal employer engagement opportunities. This has meant trying different approaches for industry engagement including cross industry / cluster gatherings that convene industry representatives from sepa-rate but related industry sectors. Conferences, workshops, symposiums, and other organized events represent other important opportunities for connecting and engaging with industry partners. As a pan provincial institution, NSCC is well positioned to engage with industry members across the province. If you would like more information about NSCC Program Advisory Committees, please contact Stephanie Sullivan at 902- 491-2016 or Stephanie.Sullivan@nscc.ca

NSCC Innovating in How We Engage With Industry

As summer approaches and the weather gets warmer, I would like to give a short update on the national scene before members head out to cottage country.

The major item nationally is the third party review that was commissioned by the provincial associa-tions to seek ways to improve relations between the constituent members of CCTT and the national body. We wanted a third party to look at governance issues and define respective roles in the service of certified technicians and technologists. Consultants Tom Abbott and John Finley of the firm Association Management Consultants were hired to do an independent study and they presented their report on, April 4 – 5, to a gathering of provincial association Presidents and Ex-ecutive Directors. The range of recommendations that the Presidents chose to send to the National Board included the implementation of a complementary governance model for CCTT. (This is a blend of the traditional model where staff and Directors work to-

Director’s ReportCCTTgether on both operations and policy and the so-called Carver model, which strictly allocated operations to staff, and policy making to elected Directors.) This recommendation was approved by the CCTT Board on April 28, 2009. The provincial Presidents also recom-mended several other items which the CCTT Board is to consider during its meeting June 5 & 6.

I feel that this study and the resultant recommenda-tions have done much to open up lines of communica-tion and CCTT will be stronger internally and nation-ally. The study has also shown that CCTT performing very well.

Have a great and safe summer.

Steve Shaw CET

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NATIONAL NEWS!Do you know a girl between 12-17 that would like a FREE GOTECH GIRL T-SHIRT? These TECH GIRLS have their shirts already! Just go to technova.ca and answer the email. It is as simple as that.

Government Relations UpdateCCTT staff met with representatives of The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Govern-ment Services Canada, on April 14 to discuss CCTT’s on-going government relations priorities. Issues covered included public sector hiring practices, certification requirements in public sector procurement, and the promotion of careers in the technology professions. Looking ahead, CCTT staff are scheduled to meet with the Honourable John Baird, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities on May 5.

ETMF Close to LaunchAdministrative details are now being addressed to make the benefits of the Engineering Technologists Mobility Forum (ETMF) available to Canadian technologists. The ETMF is an international accord whose signatories--Canada included--have agreed to maintain a decentralized international register of highly skilled technologists. Those included in the register will have their credentials immediately recognized and accepted within the signa-tory states.

For more National News: Go to the CanadianCouncil Website @ http://cctt.ca and click onINNOVATION. The Newsletter of Canada’s Certified Technology Professionals.

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AGM

On March 21, 2009 our 41st AGM was held at the Ramada Inn followinga Meet and Greet hosted by TechNova President, Louis LeBel, CET. Both events were well attended by both members and guests.

The following Guests brought greetings from their Associations:

2008 AGM Celebrating 41 Years

• Stephen Gould, CET, CCTT President• David Tsang, AScT, OACETT President• Tim Scammell, PTech, NBSCETT President• Ed Leslie, CAE, PTech, NBSCETT Executive Director• Len White, PEng, Engineers Nova Scotia Executive Director• Ron Farrell, CET, NSCC Dean of Trades & Technology Programs

Ray Fiske Education Award Presented by President LeBel, CET to Patrick Lessard, a student enrolled in the Electrical Construction program at NSCC IT Campus.

Meloche Monnex Continuing Education Bursary Presented by Sally Rollins to Robert Hobson a student enrolled the Electrical Engi-neering Technology program at NSCC IT Campus.

The President’s Award Presented to an employer in Nova Scotia who has demonstrated consistent sup-port of TechNova and its members. The 2008 recipient was the Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School, Halifax. President LeBel, CET presented the award to Mr. Steve Rigden, PEng, Engineering and Technology Division Commander.

EVEN

T H

IGH

LIG

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After lunch members and guests enjoyed

a very informative presentation on Light

Emitting Diodes and their use in roadway

lighting. The presentation was given by

Charles (Chuck) Cartmill CET, President

/CEO of LED Roadway Lighting Ltd.

A second presentation was given by

Lt(N) Neil Ellerington from the Canadian

Forces Engineering School on the de-

velopment of Micro Electro-Mechanical

Systems (MEMS) and their uses.

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PrESIDENT’S LETTEr

Dear Members,

The past year as President seems to have gone by very quickly. Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with the Presidents from across the country, and found that to be a rewarding experience. So much information is lost and misunderstood when business is conducted via email. Working together with the dedicated individuals across the country, we quickly came to realize that a strong federation is what is best for the country. With this in mind, a third party review of CCTT was requested and completed. Last month, the Presidents, ESOs, and CCTT represen-tatives met and agreed upon recommendations for strengthening the federation. Over the next several months, we will move forward with the recommendations from the report, and trust that this will reunite the country and allow us to grow.

To that end, I am pleased to report that even in these tough economic times, the auditors have verified that we have grown by 3% over the past year. I believe that this growth is due to the excel-lent work of the Council and Committees, along with the support staff, in looking after the needs of our association. Through strong leadership, we will weather these tough economic times, and be ready to meet the challenge of providing certified and qualified professionals in the workforce. We must remember that there is, and will be, an even greater shortage of technology professionals in Canada. Companies are having a difficult time filling positions, and have to go to other provinces and countries to find qualified workers. To assist with this problem, TechNova has been working with the provincial government and other professional associations on the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Legislation and The Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT).

Canada will not be able fill our future technology positions unless we continue our efforts in promot-ing these well paid positions to young people. We must also increase our efforts to educate young girls as to the true nature and rewards of becoming a technology professional with more campaigns such as “Go Tech Girl”.

In closing, I would like to congratulate the staff and 83 Grade Six students from Tantallon Elemen-tary for the success of the Marsville project. Working with these students, we were able to bring hands-on science to the classroom. The students were given the opportunity to design and build their own electric circuits, and construct 3m cubes (domes) to house their projects. If you are inter-ested in this project, read on and visit the NRC website. Maybe you could be a mentor for a school near you next year!

Respectfully submitted,

Louis LeBel, CET

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Dear Member:The economic news just seems to get more and more unsettling and not-for-profit organizations throughout the country are looking at ways of cutting back on their expenses. But experts warn that one expense definitely worth keeping is your certified membership in the professional organizations that have benefited you so much in the past.

Human beings, anthropologists tell us, are hard wired to be tribal in nature. In good times and bad alike, we instinctively ‘herd together’ for the economic and psychological benefits which a community of like-minded people offers. In fact, our ingrained need to be together is one of the main reasons why the human race has succeeded so well in comparison to other species. We intrinsically know there is strength in numbers, strength in the ‘villages’ that we choose to create.

“Technical professionals find membership in their associations not only necessary but comforting during an economic downturn such as the one we’re currently experiencing,” states TechNova’s President, Louis LeBel. “It’s during these times that the expert advice of your peers, the solutions they ultimately arrive upon and just the sharing of mutual issues is of enormous benefit in getting through this challenging period.”

“TechNova is an extremely cost-effective way of keeping your name and position in the top of developments in your field, particularly during challenging times,” says Society Executive Staff Officer, Ed Lingley. “Your certified status is a great resource for professional information, networking possibilities and advice.”

President LeBel goes on to state that TechNova membership, as part of the national federation is essential, especially as new growth and increased entrepreneurial opportunities keep happening across the country more and more every day.

Bad times ultimately turn into good times so stick with the people and organizations that can help you the most through these rocky economic ‘blips.’

Sincerely,Joe Simms, CET Registrar

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SChoLArShIP

INNOVATIONfederal Parliamentarians Introduced to CCTT

In the last week of February all 308 federal Members of Parliament received letters of introduction from CCTT. The letter noted who we were, whom we represented, as well as the role played by our provincial member associations in maintaining and safeguarding the professional standing of the country’s 52,000+ certified technicians and technologists.

CCTT Launches New Initiative to facilitate Credential recognition and Labour Market Integration for foreign Trained Technology Professionals

Within its broader national skills development strategy, CCTT has identified

the integration of skilled immigrants as a key priority for expanding the

supply of Certified Technicians and Technologists in Canada.

With funding support made available from the Human

Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC), Foreign Credential Recognition Program, CCTT is launching a 30 month project that will facilitate the attraction of skilled immigrants overseas, expedite the recognition of their foreign credentials, and

facilitate their integration into Canada’s labour

market.

CTAB Gearing up for March-April Madness

On March 1st, seventy-seven nationally accredited programs were

required to submit compliance reports in accordance with the National Technology

Benchmarks for the first time. This review exercise will require over 120 individuals to carry

out a detailed analysis of material in

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order to ensure that programs remain compliant with the new criteria.

CTAB Training Complete

In preparation for one of the busiest years ever, CTAB held twelve Information Sessions for would be reviewers on the use of the National Technology Benchmarks. Sessions were held across Canada via conference calls and at ASTTBC. At last count, over 100 individuals took part and the feedback has been very positive. Packages are now going out to reviewers and thirteen site visits/audits are planned in April-May. With an estimated completion date of May 15th, the next few weeks will be hectic.

Next CTAB Meeting - April 3-4, 2009 in ottawa

The Canadian Technology Accreditation Board is pleased to welcome the following new members at their upcoming meeting:• Roger Poitras, PTech New

Brunswick• Harold Vokey, CET Manitoba• Jag Mohan, P.Eng Dean at

Centennial College (NCDoT rep)

National Technology Week 2009

CCTT staff met with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) officials last week to discuss the merits of aligning National Science & Technology Week (usually the third week in October) with NTW (the first week of November) for 2010. Both organizations recognize the importance of this outreach campaign to Canada’s youth and agree that efforts should be made to allow both weeks to co-exist in a complementary manner. This year, NSTW has partnered with

the Canadian Space Agency and features Canadian astronaut Dr. Robert Thirsk, as public relations Ambassador.

Today’s Tech Teaser

CO2 in the Air? Scrub it out.Take an existing technology; apply it in new and interesting ways, and innovation takes place. Take an existing technology, adapt it to a new application and innovation also takes place. Here’s just another example.

Share Your InnovationsAre you or your colleagues creating some innovative technology applications? Want to tell the world, or at least the Canadian technology community, about it? Let us know. We’ll gladly publish a story on your accomplishments. Send 200 words to: rtachuk@cctt.ca

BIOGRAPHY

Ed Lingley, CD, SSM, CTech.

Ed was born, raised and received his early education in rural New Brunswick. After graduating from High School in 1958 he joined the Royal Canadian Navy.Over the next several he received his technical education in Elec-tronics through the Navy.

During the next 26 years Ed served as a Fire Control Techni-cian on east Coast Ships and as an Instructor at CFB Halifax Fleet School and the Combined Support Division in Dartmouth.

After retiring from the Military in 1984 Ed continued his working career as a Senior Combat Sys-tems Technologists with Paramax Electronics/Unysis and later with Fleetway Inc. until 2006.

Ed has been a member of SC-ETTNS (TechNova) since 1984 and began volunteering by help-ing out at the office on Queen St. in 1995. He has since served on the Certification Board, Assistant Registrar, Registrar and presently as Executive Staff Officer.Ed has also served as a CTAB Accreditation team member and Chair.

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What can you do with over 1800 square meters of plastic, a dozen rolls of duct tape, hundreds of staples and a few fans? Ask 82 grade six students from Tantallon Elementary School and they will quickly respond,”Build an external structure for a self-sustaining colony on Mars, of course”. However, this mammoth undertaking never would have been possible, without the help of parent volunteers and mentors from TechNova, Lockheed Martin and the Discovery Center. Tantallon Elementary was the first Maritime school to pilot this innovative Marsville project from the National Research Council. The first Marsville project began when families of the Space Shuttle Challenger’s astronauts wanted to pay homage to their loved ones’ passion for space exploration. With that idea, a program to explore science and technology in an engaging and fun way was developed. NRC has been involved with Marsville for 10 years. The NRC offers programs such as Marsville to stimulate students’ interest in science and technology and to encourage them to consider future careers in these fields. 2009 was the 17th anniversary of Marsville, which involved more than 55 schools across Canada.

On January 28th, students at Tantallon began a journey of exploration and discovery, that would stretch their imagination, expand their team building skills, and extend their knowledge of space and general scientific inquiry.

Students prepared for their adventure by studying space exploration and the planet Mars, and then applied their knowledge as they created mission patches, designed and built models of human life-support systems, constructed Martian habitats, and shared their findings with other students from across Canada.Our school has two English classes and one French immersion classes. We decided to blend the classes into nine groups which would work collaboratively to complete the components of the Mars mission. The students were motivated by the unique opportunity to work with a variety of teachers, mentors, and students in an engaging forum. Although these groupings caused some demanding and “creative” scheduling issues for teachers, it soon became clear that the students valued the opportunity to work outside the traditional classroom structure. They rose to the challenge and most became quickly aware of the maturity needed to be successful in this complex project.

Each group spent the initial work sessions choosing pre-determined job roles and formalizing group management. Group members were responsible for roles such as: communications officer, project director, materials specialist, etc. The excitement increased as each of the nine groups was asked to design their own mission patch which would represent their

culture and mission to Mars. These mission patches were included in a national poster professionally published by the NRC. Each student received a personal copy.

After the management sessions were completed, each group was assigned their major project, which was to design one of nine life support systems. Life-support systems included: air, communications, energy, food, health and recreation, temperature, transportation, waste, and water. Students spent countless hours researching and understanding how these life support systems could function on Mars. They also discovered how each system is inter-dependent. A great deal of computer time was needed. As well, students were introduced to “Blogging”. As Bloggers, they recorded daily events, what was learned, what went wrong, and what they would try the next day. These blogs proved to be beneficial in determining how each group was progressing. Our students could read what other schools across Canada were thinking and how they were tackling the complex life support systems that they needed to design.

During the three months, teachers organized four special guest sessions which involved robotics, building electric circuits, a Discovery Center Star Lab presentation, and discussing safety engineering. Steve Thurbide, Director of Discovery Center, provided our students

MARSVILLE 2009Tantallon Elementary School

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with classroom sessions allowing them to learn about building robots which could be controlled by remote control simulating the Mars Rover. Louis Lebel, President of Tech Nova, provided our students with instruction on the electric circuits which were required for their life support systems. Dan Power, safety engineer for Lockheed Martin, lectured and provided group instruction on the necessity of system collaboration and the importance of back-up systems. These sessions proved invaluable as the students listened to and learned from professionals who were able to guide the students through the practicality and limitations of their designs.

In the weeks leading up to Link-up Day, teachers facilitated math explorations which allowed students to explore the best strategies for building the domes necessary for Link Up Day. These domes would serve as the structures needed to sustain 150 Martian visitors. First, students were given the task of constructing a 15 cm square cube from six pieces of paper. After some frustrating moments, a few decided it would be more efficient to build a net. This idea gained popularity among other students. Once several possible nets were constructed, the most efficient (least number of pieces to cut, edges to seal and most manageable pieces to maneuver) was chosen. Next, a 1 cubic meter prototype was constructed. Thus, with a few design concepts under their belts, students were then ready to tackle the preparation of making a cube measuring 27 cubic meters.

April 21st was the much anticipated Link UP Day. All Marsville schools were connected to other schools across Canada. With web-cam technology, schools were linked to share their successes and obstacles. At 9:00 am, the building began. Once the cubes were constructed and inflated with the fans, students placed their life support systems inside. During the afternoon, and the following day, students presented the life support systems to each other and to various grade levels in the school. For the finale, parents were invited to view all the cross-curricular work that was completed during this project. Parents were given escorted tours of the colony and learned about the life support systems. They were also invited to peruse the grafitti-style bulletin boards: “Marsville Facts” and “Final Thoughts” as well as the students’ story boards. A spectacular Power

Point photo album was broadcast in the gym. It recorded the learning adventure of major ideas and the journey through the stages of Marsville. Most viewers were mesmerized by the depth of the students’ accomplishments.

The old adage that it takes a village to raise a child is certainly appropriate for our Martian endeavor. Students had opportunities to learn and apply curriculum concepts delivered by our mentors and partners. They were able to share their first-hand knowledge of how these concepts are applicable to real world situations. This definitely provided us with an unparallel opportunity to learn.

Without a doubt, this was one of the most innovative projects the teachers and students of this project have ever experienced. This project provided a means to fuel the imaginations of students and teachers a like. Students were able to research, inquire, explore, and showcase their work. It certainly acted as a catalyst for students who sometimes have difficulty with traditional classroom activities. Hopefully, this experience will continue to instill a lasting interest in science, technology, team skills, and problem solving. Perhaps, one day, when Canada sends their first astronaut to Mars, s/he will say: “My interest in Mars started back on Earth in grade 6 at Tantallon Elementary School.”

Below are some quotes from the student communication and public relations teams:

1) Our team, waste management, has just discovered what teamwork really is. We would always disagree and argue but now, we have discovered ways to work as a team. We needed to work as small groups instead of one large group. We get more accomplished when we work this way. Learning teamwork has helped a lot.

2) Of all the things we learned through Marsville, like circuits, Mars facts, etc., I think the most valuable thing we learned was teamwork. Not only will our Marsville Mission not work without teamwork, teamwork is a very important life skill All the other things we learned, are great life skills too. Learning things and spending time with our friends is why we love Marsville.

3) We find it really hard to design a

logo because we had to make it so everyone liked it. Even though it was hard work, it was worth it because our logos are on the Marsville poster. We will have iron-on patches with our logos for our Marsville t-shirts. Making the logos was also really fun since we had to incorporate really bright colours.Our favourite part about the logos was seeing them on the big Marsville poster next to all the other logos from Canada. We all can’t wait to see the logos on our t-shirts and we hope they turn out well. Making logos was great!

4) Marsville is a great opportunity to work in a team. We’ve really enjoyed working with people from other classes and getting to know them. Working together is a fun way to get a job done. Our team gets along really well and we always have a spectacular time. Each member of our team has worked very hard and has been successful, creating, and building. Working hard really brings people together.

5) The experience of Marsville has been amazing, and working with the whole Energy Team makes it even better! It is great to know that millions of dollars have been spent on us, and that all the teachers have put in so much effort to let us have this experience. Our team hopes other grade 6 groups have a chance to do Marsville because it is so fun and is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. My favourite part is building models and doing blogs to be put online on Marsville. There are some parts of Marsville that make us frustrated sometimes, but we love Marsville.

6) During the Marsville experience, I know for a fact that everybody is having so much fun! Everything has been amazing. For example, building circuits, blogging and actually building the model. Something else that is good that comes out of Marsville is that it’s educational and we don’t know it! If we could do Marsville ever year, I’m sure we would.

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