As we head into autumn, we are nearing the time that a call for nominations for council will be announced.
This year, members will notice there has been a change in the council nomination process. This significant update will make the process more transparent to members, stakeholders and the public. The process will reflect on the needs of council, based on APEGS strategic plan, identify any gaps on council and ensure those who can successfully fulfil its needs are voted on by the members.
Going forward, anyone can be considered for the process, which will take each candidate through the same evaluation and interviews to ultimately put forward candidates for members to vote on.
The change was to ensure good governance practices and will result in a sound process that is fair and equitable to members seeking a nomination. It also helps promote diversity among the members on council.
In this issue, you will find a few examples of how our many members benefit our economy and make the province better.
The positive contributions made by geoscientists and engineers through projects they participate in or lead helps Saskatchewan address significant concerns of humanity.
Take energy. It is important to showcase a company that has claimed a piece of the energy pie to benefit our power production in an environmentally-conscious way. DEEP, which is led by Kirsten Marcia, P.Geo., is a leader in geothermal energy production in Canada, showing the rest of the country that we in Saskatchewan have the technical skill, but also the business knowledge and relationships necessary for innovative ideas to become producing enterprises.
Then there is the need to feed the world, which people in Saskatchewan know we have a vital role to play and that our people are among the best in the world at doing it. The vital contributions of engineers to this endeavour transforms a commodity into a food source for people and livestock. Through their dedication to improvements, members such as Amanpal Bilkhu, P.Eng., Wayne Goranson, P.Eng., and Heather Quale, P.Eng., P.Geo., can develop new technology, optimize processes and maximize the crops being grown by our local producers, delivering greater value to the stakeholders in the food chain. The story of Goranson and Quale’s business shows how the connections we make in our careers can support fresh and creative thinking in order to deliver original solutions.
Looking at all three feature stories in this issue of The Professional Edge, we can see the significance of new processes and technology to transform what we have today into something better. By highlighting projects such as these as well as tracking announcements of major investments in Saskatchewan that have depended on engineers and geoscientists, such as the $7.5 billion Jansen S1 mine that BHP is moving ahead in the Humboldt area, we hope to renew your sense of excitement about the value of your work in your chosen area of engineering or geoscience.