On September 23, the Canadian Rail Research Laboratory (CaRRL) hosted its first student-industry interaction night at the Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering. Held in collaboration with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC), the event highlighted potential research and employment opportunities for undergraduate students within the railway engineering sector.
Representatives from AECOM, Canadian National Railway (CN) and Stantec made presentations and interacted with 100 undergraduate engineering students throughout the evening. Former UAlberta undergraduate students, Timothy Robinson and Mitchell Schutta, both now employed with CN, also spoke on how undergraduate students can become involved in the railway industry prior to graduation.
"Membership in the University of Alberta AREMA Student Chapter is one of the best ways to get connected and network with members of the railway industry. The professional development opportunities are amazing," said Robinson. (For more information about the University's AREMA Student Chapter, visit http://carrl.ca/UAASC)
To end the evening, Dr. Derek Martin and Dr. Michael Hendry, Director and Associate Director of CaRRL, respectively, spoke on graduate research opportunities available at the University of Alberta through NSERC's industrial research programs. Hendry is the Principal Investigator for the Railway Ground Hazards Research Program (http://carrl.ca/RGHRP), and Martin holds the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Railway Geomechanics (http://carrl.ca/CaRRL). These railway research programs strengthen collaborative partnerships between the University of Alberta, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways, Transportation Technology Center Inc., NSERC, Transport Canada, the National Research Council of Canada and Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures.
CaRRL was established at the University of Alberta in 2012 to be Canada's premier education and research program in railway engineering. Canada has one of the most extensive rail networks in the world, requiring industry and government regulators to manage extreme climatic conditions including cold temperatures, strong winds, snow, ice, seasonal freeze and thaw cycle, and climate induced geohazards. Such conditions, if not properly managed, can impact the safety of employees and the travelling public, as well as the overall efficiency of rail transportation.
Another pressing challenge facing the rail sector is that a high percentage of its skilled work force will be eligible for retirement within the next five to ten years, and therefore the need to attract high calibre candidates and provide rail specific university training at the undergraduate and graduate level is greater than ever.
In addition to innovative research for the railway sector, CaRRL aims to inform and educate current undergraduate students about potential opportunities open to them, be it through co-op placements, NSERC industrial scholarships, post-graduation full-time employment or graduate studies in conjunction with the railway industry. Additionally, CaRRL promotes direct engagement between industry participants and soon-to-be graduates to demonstrate the advantages of a career in railway engineering and strengthen the demand for railway engineering education and training at the University of Alberta.
Representatives from AECOM, Canadian National Railway (CN) and Stantec made presentations and interacted with 100 undergraduate engineering students throughout the evening. Former UAlberta undergraduate students, Timothy Robinson and Mitchell Schutta, both now employed with CN, also spoke on how undergraduate students can become involved in the railway industry prior to graduation.
"Membership in the University of Alberta AREMA Student Chapter is one of the best ways to get connected and network with members of the railway industry. The professional development opportunities are amazing," said Robinson. (For more information about the University's AREMA Student Chapter, visit http://carrl.ca/UAASC)
To end the evening, Dr. Derek Martin and Dr. Michael Hendry, Director and Associate Director of CaRRL, respectively, spoke on graduate research opportunities available at the University of Alberta through NSERC's industrial research programs. Hendry is the Principal Investigator for the Railway Ground Hazards Research Program (http://carrl.ca/RGHRP), and Martin holds the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Railway Geomechanics (http://carrl.ca/CaRRL). These railway research programs strengthen collaborative partnerships between the University of Alberta, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways, Transportation Technology Center Inc., NSERC, Transport Canada, the National Research Council of Canada and Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures.
CaRRL was established at the University of Alberta in 2012 to be Canada's premier education and research program in railway engineering. Canada has one of the most extensive rail networks in the world, requiring industry and government regulators to manage extreme climatic conditions including cold temperatures, strong winds, snow, ice, seasonal freeze and thaw cycle, and climate induced geohazards. Such conditions, if not properly managed, can impact the safety of employees and the travelling public, as well as the overall efficiency of rail transportation.
Another pressing challenge facing the rail sector is that a high percentage of its skilled work force will be eligible for retirement within the next five to ten years, and therefore the need to attract high calibre candidates and provide rail specific university training at the undergraduate and graduate level is greater than ever.
In addition to innovative research for the railway sector, CaRRL aims to inform and educate current undergraduate students about potential opportunities open to them, be it through co-op placements, NSERC industrial scholarships, post-graduation full-time employment or graduate studies in conjunction with the railway industry. Additionally, CaRRL promotes direct engagement between industry participants and soon-to-be graduates to demonstrate the advantages of a career in railway engineering and strengthen the demand for railway engineering education and training at the University of Alberta.