University of Alberta Student Chapter

Over the academic year, the CWB Association student chapter is involved in various aspects of welding education. The CCWJ plays host to the Fundamentals of Welding course in the fall semester (September through December) at the University of Alberta, and the CWB Association student chapter is involved actively in aiding with all of the demos for the course. Additionally, the student chapter (through the CCWJ and CWB Association national) played host to the Welding for the Hydrogen Economy last year. This seminar represented a large success for the student executive and attracted a high class of international speakers, who provided attendees with insights and experience about a growing segment of the welding field. This conference was a follow up to the extremely successful Overlay Seminar held in the previous year, another event hosted by the CWB Association student chapter.

The student chapter is driven largely by the passion and enthusiasm of graduate students in the CCWJ participating in masters and doctoral research. Under the leadership of Dr. Patricio, the Director of the centre, the chapter has grown to include an increasing number of undergraduate students who share an interest and passion for welding. Students who graduate from the UofA have gone on to continue actively in the local Edmonton Chapter in leadership roles. The continued education and involvement of students even after they have graduated has been an important contribution of the student chapter to the welding community in Edmonton.

The CCWJ has been an integral part of the chapter's membership and activities. Established in May 2010, the centre was inaugurated to revitalize welding engineering education at the University of Alberta and to meet the evolving needs of Canada's resource-based industries. In just a few years, the CCWJ has emerged as a focal point for welding research in the province, offering state-of-the-art facilities spanning 285m² of dedicated welding research space. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, including full online data logging capabilities, next-generation computer-controlled power supplies, a comprehensive metallography lab, and specialized equipment such as a gas chromatographer for hydrogen/oxygen/nitrogen analysis, quench dilatometer, and full-size instrumented impact testing. The centre also features high-speed cameras with imaging capabilities of up to hundreds of thousands of frames per second. Additionally, the center is equipped with a wide range of welding machinery, including a WAAM equipment and laser welding system.

Education

Over the academic year, the CWB Association student chapter is involved in various aspects of welding education. The CCWJ plays host to the Fundamentals of Welding course in the fall semester (September through December) at the University of Alberta, and the CWB Association student chapter is involved actively in aiding with all of the demos for the course. Additionally, the student chapter (through the CCWJ and CWB Association national) played host to the Duplex Stainless Steels Seminar. This seminar represented a large success for the student executive and attracted a high class of international speakers, who provided attendees with insights and experience about a growing segment of the welding field. This conference was a follow up to the extremely successful Overlay Seminar held in the previous year, another event hosted by the CWB Association student chapter.

One of the main aspects of welding education at a post-secondary level that the student chapter is heavily involved in, is the mentoring and training of Dean’s Research Award recipients. This award is offered through the Faculty of Engineering and allows undergraduate students at the University of Alberta to complete research projects over the course of an academic year. The executive of the student chapter has played a major role in the mentoring of these students and three of four members of the executive committee for the student chapter are previous recipients of the award on multiple occasions.

The largest impact that the CWB Association student chapter has is through the hosting of hands-on Open Labs. These events are run entirely within the CCWJ by the student chapter executive and members. The Open Labs allow undergraduate students, graduate students, professors, and staff at the university to try out welding in a comfortable and safe environment. This has allowed exposure to greater than 200 individuals to the joy of welding.

General Meeting Info

Every Wednesday at the Canadian Centre for Welding and Joining (room CME 108, University of Alberta)

Chapter Executive

Sofía Salazar Torres – Chair
Xinrui Liu- Vice-Chair
Nitheesh Kumar Ramasamy - Treasurer
Daniele Calista- Secretary
Alisha Cardanini- Publicity coordinator