AWS Dinner Meeting & Tour - Grand Opening of the UofA Canadian Centre for Welding & Joining

Grand Opening of the University of Alberta Canadian Centre for Welding & Joining
Click here to download PDF dinner meeting notice.

The American Welding Society Alberta Section is pleased to host Prof. Patricio Mendez from the University of Alberta (UofA) to discuss the latest developments on welding teaching and research at the new Canadian Centre for Welding and Joining (CCWJ) at the UofA.  This dinner meeting will take place immediately following the grand opening of the Welding Laboratory of the CCWJ.  This lab is based on a $1M facility funded by the Faculty of Engineering of UofA and $500K in equipment loaned or donated by industrial partners and government grants including Lincoln, Miller, Praxair, Hitachi, LJ Welding, JV Driver, and NSERC.

With approximately $14 billion per year of existing activity, Alberta is quickly becoming one of Canada’s major metal manufacturing centres. Tens of billions of dollars are being spent in both the oil sands and conventional oil and gas sectors each year.  In response to the unprecedented demand placed on local manufacturers, Alberta’s metal fabrication companies are looking to new and innovative practices.

The CCWJ was created around the Weldco/Industry Chair in Welding and Joining.  The creation of this unique chair, currently standing at $3.5 million in pledges, was led by the Weldco Companies together with Acklands Grainger, Canadian Welding Bureau, CESSCO, Lincoln Electric, Metal Fabricators & Welding, Miller Electric, Hobart Bros., Suncor, Syncrude, and the Government of Alberta.


Our Guest Speaker:  Dr. Patricio Mendez (Professor – University of Alberta)

Prof. Patricio F. Mendez joined the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta in January 2009. He is the inaugural Weldco / Industry Chair in Welding and Joining, as well as the Director of the Canadian Centre for Welding and Joining.

Prof. Mendez holds Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Materials Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina). His areas of research and teaching focus on welding and materials processes and their mathematical modeling including heat transfer, fluid flow, phase transformations, and their simultaneous interactions. Before joining UofA in 2009, Prof. Mendez was taught and researched on physics of welding, casting, and phase transformations at Colorado School of Mines, and before then he was a consulting engineer for two years at Exponent Inc.  In 1995 Mendez co-founded Semi-Solid Technologies Inc. in Cambridge, MA where he participated in the invention and development of an aluminum casting process that was licensed to manufacture OEM engine parts for the Ford Focus between the late 1990s and early 2000s.


WHEN:
    Wednesday, May 5, 2010

WHERE:
    University of Alberta ETLE Building - Solarium (2nd Floor)
    (Use Windsor Car Park, off 116th Street)

TIMES:
    5:30 – Reception
    6:00 pm – Dinner (Buffet Style)
    7:00 pm – Presentation

COST:
    Members $25.00
    Non-Members $30.00
    Student Members $10.00
    Student Non-Members $15.00.

All members of AWS, CWA, ASM, NACE, SME and ASME will be charged as members. Cash or cheque only please.

REGISTRATION:
Please confirm your attendance before May 3, 2010 by contacting:
(780) 422-4757 or by E-mailing Ken Nelson at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Please state name(s), company, phone number and member affiliation when registering.

If interested in attending the Grand Opening of the Welding Laboratory on May 5, 4:00 - 5:30, please send e-mail to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).


Click here to download PDF dinner meeting notice.

RECAP - AWS Dinner Meeting with Ken Johnston (the Canadian Welder)

April 21st was the AWS Alberta Section’s first annual “Welder’s Night.”  The section was thrilled to have Mr. Ken Johnston (from the Canadian Welder) as the speaker. During the dinner meeting, Ken gave a great presentation of the career and life options that are possible for welders.  He shared a range of fascinating stories, and wrapped up the evening by touring his portable welding test unit.  The event was held at the University of Alberta Faculty Club, and enjoyed a very strong attendance of over 30 people.  Photos will be available soon!

AWS Dinner Meeting - Ken Johnston “Beyond the Welding Helmet - Career Options for Welders” (Apr. 21)

Download the Dinner Meeting Notice!

Beyond the Welding Helmet – Career Options for Welders
The welding industry in Alberta is extremely diverse.  Many of the people working in the
industry including welding inspectors, supervisory personnel and business owners started their
careers as welders. Working as a certified professional welder is an excellent career choice in
and of itself;  however a significant number of welders choose to exercise one of several
options in related and complementary fields. The evening’s presentation will explore some of
the career options that complement the skills and knowledge of apprentice and journeyperson
welders.
Our Guest Speaker:  Ken Johnston (The Canadian Welder)
Ken Johnston is a living example of what one can do with a Journeyman welder certificate.
Having started his apprenticeship in a small town welding shop,  Ken obtained his Alberta
Journeyman Welder certificate with Interprovincial Red Seal endorsement in 1980. Since then,
he has spent the last 30 plus years working as a Journeyman and “B” Pressure welder along
with a host of other careers closely connected to welding. Some examples include working as
an owner/operator rig welder,  a CSA-certified inspector for the Canadian Welding Bureau,
producer of welder testing and training videos and the development of a unique mobile welder
training and testing unit.  Please join us for a provocative, interesting and entertaining evening
with Ken Johnston on the topic of career options for welders. 
 
WHEN:  
  - Wednesday, April 21, 2010

WHERE: 
  - University of Alberta Faculty Club, 11435 Saskatchewan Drive
  (Use Parking Lot V, or Windsor Car Park, off 116 Street)

TIMES:  
  - 6:00 pm – Reception
  - 6:45 pm – Dinner (Buffet Style)
  - 7:45 pm – Presentation, followed by a tour of the “Mobile Welder Test Unit”

COST:
  - Members $25.00
  - Non-Members $30.00
  - Student Members $10.00
  - Student Non-Members $15.00.
All members of AWS, CWA, ASM, NACE, SME and ASME will be charged as members. Cash or cheque only please.

** One Lucky Student (Includes Apprentices) Will Win an AWS Welding Handbook **
** One Free Drink to Each Welder Holding a Valid Apprentice / Journeyman Ticket **
** Register Early – Seating is Limited **

REGISTRATION:
Please confirm your attendance before April 19, 2010 by phoning (780) 422-4757 or by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Please state name(s), company, phone number and member affiliation when registering.

Download the Dinner Meeting Notice!