Computer and Computational Intelligence Seminar

Title:

Breeding the Global Engineer: An Engineer with Soul

Date:

Monday, November 14, 2011 at 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Location:

Rm E1-270, EITC (Engineering & Information Technology Complex),
Fort Garry Campus, University of Manitoba

Speaker:

Mark Talesnick, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Departments of Civil Engineering
Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
Haifa, Israel

Abstract:

Technion (Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel) is proposing the establishment of a center for educating a new type of engineer, the “global engineer.” The term “global engineer” was coined by Professor Bernard Amadei, founder of Engineers Without Borders (EWB), an international association dedicated to initiating and fostering sustainable engineering projects in developing and disadvantaged communities all over the world. “Global engineers” are engineers trained to work together with developing communities to respond to their particular local needs. While in a more perfect world, this training would be an integral part of the education, practice, and research at many levels of a university, the establishment of the proposed Global Engineering Center will constitute a significant first step in highlighting and addressing areas that need improvement, and perhaps ultimately bringing them into the mainstream of engineering education.

The establishment of the Global Engineering Center will enable the Technion to host visiting professors and practitioners who are expert global engineers; will provide the resources for workshops and hands-on projects, and the materials and travel funds required to construct and install engineering projects in developing areas; and will provide fellowships for graduate students and funding for a half-time administrative staff member.

The Global Engineering Center will enable the expansion of the type of activities carried out by the Technion’s EWB group, and crucially, will enable more students from a variety of faculties to learn how to apply their skills and knowledge to create innovative solutions to real-world engineering challenges in developing areas.

Professor Talesnick will address a number of pertinent critical questions, including the need for global engineers, and why we should take part in the global engineering revolution. He will also provide examples from his work related to EWB.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Mark Talesnick (born 1959 in Toronto) has been a professor at Technion in the field of GeoMechanics, earthquake engineering and soil structure interaction, since 1993. He obtained his BSc in Geological Engineering from the University of Toronto in 1982. After moving to Israel in 1982, he obtained MSc and DSc in Civil Engineering from Technion in 1985 and 1990, respectively. He has a number of journal and conference publications in these fields.

He formed Engineers Without Borders (Technion) in 2007, and led student groups to remote villages in eastern Nepal to construct BioGas reactors, water harvesting and social/economical projects. He is credited with the development of the concept of a new breed of engineer, the Global Engineer. Together with Professor Bernard Amadei, the founder of Engineers without Borders, he developed a “study abroad program” for international students to work with Israeli students, with two rounds already completed in August 2010 and 2011.

He was the one who formed and captained the Israel National Ice Hockey Team (1992-1994), and coached the Junior Israel National Ice Hockey Team (1995/6).