McMaster honours engineering entrepreneurs and faculty

Joe Liburdi	Stephen Elop

HAMILTON, Ont. — University, business and community leaders gathered to recognize Joe Liburdi, founder and president of Dundas-based Liburdi Engineering Limited, and Stephen Elop, chief operating officer, Juniper Networks, for their contributions to engineering, the community and McMaster University at the fourth annual Applause and Accolades Awards Gala on May 10.
Liburdi was presented with the Faculty of Engineering Leadership Award for his achievements in the field of engineering, and for his support of research and educational initiatives. He established Liburdi Engineering Limited in 1979 to provide independent support to industrial gas and steam turbine users. Located in Dundas, Ont., the company has since expanded into the United States and Europe.
Elop was presented with the L.W. Shemilt Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award for his contributions to the field of information technology and support of the faculty of engineering. He graduated from McMaster in 1986 with a degree in computer engineering and management. He was previously president and CEO of Macromedia, and guided its merger with Adobe Systems Inc. in 2005. Elop joined Juniper Networks, a developer of IP networking and security solutions in Sunnyvale, Calif., as president and COO in January of this year.
More than 30 members of McMaster's faculty of engineering were also recognized for their achievements in teaching and research during the past year.
www.eng.mcmaster.ca

Engineering graduates to benefit from new licensing program
TORONTO, Ont. — Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), the licensing body for engineers in the province, recently introduced a new program to encourage engineering graduates and newcomers to Canada to apply for licensure as professional engineers. Under the program, called the Engineering Intern Training Financial Credit Program (FCP), graduates of bachelor of engineering programs accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB), and international engineering graduates with a bachelor of engineering or a bachelor of applied science degree, may be eligible to apply for the professional engineer licence at no cost. They may also be registered in the engineering intern training program for the first year at no cost, provided they meet the eligibility criteria established by PEO.
"This program further demonstrates our commitment to ensure that all qualified applicants in Ontario are given a fair and equal opportunity to obtain their P.Eng. licence," said PEO 2006-2007 president Patrick Quinn, who championed the program's introduction.
Graduates of programs accredited by the CEAB are eligible for the FCP if they apply within six months of the date their degree was conferred. Those who graduated between November 1, 2006 and April 30, 2007 have until October 31, 2007 to apply. International engineering graduates are eligible for the program if they have a bachelor of engineering degree or a bachelor of applied science degree acceptable to PEO, and apply within six months of their landing in Canada. Those who arrived in Canada between November 1, 2006 and April 30, 2007 have until October 31, 2007 to apply.
To apply online, visit www.peo.on.ca/FCP/FCP1.html.

New post-graduate diploma in the works at Northern College
KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. — Northern College is seeking the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities' approval for a new post-graduate diploma in plant automation and data logging.
"The program's genesis was in the college's instrumentation and environmental technician program advisory committees," said Richard Kallio, co-ordinator of the environmental technician program at the Kirkland Lake Campus. "Advisory committee members were recommending the addition of an IT component to the instrumentation and environmental technician curriculum. In fact, every water and wastewater plant manager who took on Northern College co-op students indicated that environmental technician students would greatly benefit from more IT and instrumentation courses and training due to the fact that plants have become highly automated."
The college's instrumentation, computer studies and environmental technician program faculty are collaborating to design the full-time post-graduate diploma, which is intended to round out the skills of graduates from any school's instrumentation engineering technician, environmental technician or computer studies programs. Some courses will be modularized and available online.
The program is slated to start in 2008 pending Ministry approval.
www.northernc.on.ca

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