January 2006 ISSUE
Permit Holders, Member Receive
Major U of C Awards
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WINNERS’ CIRCLE |
Devon Canada Corp-oration, Imperial Oil and Kathleen Sendall, P.Eng., all received honours in December for their “tremendous contribution” to engineering. Awards from the University of Calgary Schulich School of Engineering, in conjunction with the Engineering Associates Program, reached the recipients during the dean’s annual Christmas reception at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel.
Engineering Dean Dr. Chan Wirasinghe, P.Eng., presented the Dean’s Award for Corporate Leadership to Devon and Imperial. Ms. Sendall received the Canadian Engineering Leadership Award.
Established in 1999, the corporate leadership award acknowledges corporations for their significant leadership in supporting research and educational activities within the Schulich School of Engineering.
Devon has built a strong association with the Engineering Internship Program and is a dedicated supporter of Schulich School of Engineering graduates. Over the past eight years Devon, and its predecessors Anderson Exploration and Home Oil, have hired over 60 interns. The company currently employs 13 engineering interns and is the largest employer in Canada for the Engineering Internship Program.
Devon executives have provided valuable contributions by assuming leadership roles in the Engineering Internship Advisory Council with Kevin Stashin, P.Eng., VP operations, sitting on the council since 2002.
Imperial Oil has also provided leadership through positions on advisory coun-cils. Currently, Howard Dingle, VP production, is the chair of the advisory board for the Calgary Centre for Innovative Technology.
In addition, Imperial Oil has supported education and research in the Schulich School of Engineering. Support for educational initiatives includes student projects and the Minds in Motion Science and Engineering Camp. Imperial Oil has also been an active participant in the Engineering Internship Program.
And through the Imperial Oil University Research Grants Program, the company has made multi-year commitments to a variety of research projects.
The Canadian Engineering Leadership Award was initiated in 2003 by the U of C's Faculty of Engineering. It’s designed to recognize entrepreneurs and pioneers of progress in the engineering world for their outstanding achievements, determined leadership, generosity in sharing their experiences, and their role-modelling.
A true leader for women in engineering, Ms. Sendall played the key role in the establishment of the NSERC/Petro Canada Prairie-Regional Chair for Women in Science and Engineering at the Schulich School of Engin-eering. The chair, a pioneering endeavour, promoted opportunities for women to consider engineering studies and research.
With over 27 years of career experience, Ms. Sendall has nurtured a strong and positive corporate community presence, and extends her leadership to many groups. She is a director of the Canadian Centre for Energy Infor-mation, a director of the Canadian Academies of Sciences, and a director of the Calgary Opera.
In addition, Ms. Sendall sits on the Board of Governors of the University of Calgary and is president of the Calgary Chapter of the International Women's Forum.
Ms. Sendall is a governor of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and currently chairs its CEO Task Force on Climate Change. In April 2005 she became the first woman to be named vice- chair of the petroleum producers, and she was named president of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in June 2005.