November 2009

Members in the News

Drs. Mohammed Ahmed, P. Eng. and Octavia Dobre, P. Eng., Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science; Dr. Jeremy Hall, P. Geo., Department of Earth Science, and professor Dag Friis, P. Eng., Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science were among the researchers recently awarded funding from the provincial Industrial Research and Innovation Fund.

Randy Billard, P. Eng., executive vice-president of Virtual Marine Technology Inc. [VMT] recently celebrated the graduation of the company from the Memorial University Genesis Centre. VMT develops simulators for fast-response and survival craft.

After more than thirty years with the city of St. John’s, director of planning and engineering Art Cheeseman, P. Eng. will be retiring in December 2009.

Andy Fisher, P. Eng., Dr. Kelly Hawboldt, P. Eng. and Dr. Faisal Khan, P. Eng., of Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, are working on a gasoline that has no harmful inhalants. Similar to opal gasoline [first developed in Australia to combat substance abuse], this product can function in the cold Labrador climate, where gas sniffing has become a problem.

Dr. Ray Gosine, P. Eng., vice president, research [pro tem], Memorial University, was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the provincial Research and Development Corporation. Dr. Gosine also made an announcement recently that Memorial is partnering with the American Bureau of Shipping to establish the new ABS Harsh Environment Technology Centre on the St. John’s campus.

Wayne Manuel, P. Eng., BAE Newplan Group Ltd., Cory Grandy, P. Eng., Provincial Department of Municipal Affairs, and Andy Fisher, P. Eng. of Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science were among the presenters at the recent Upside of Waste Management Conference.

Steve May, P. Eng. is one of three people appointed to the Marble Mountain Development Corporation. He is an engineer with Corner Brook Pulp and Paper and raced for Team Newfoundland and Labrador at the 1987 Canada Winter Games.

Rob McKeown, P. Geo. has been appointed General Manager of the new Atlantic Canada office of Abitibi Geophysics Ltd. in St. John’s.

Doug Moody, P. Eng., president, Innovaquest, was among those launching Outward Bound 2015, developed by Oceans Advance. The target of this strategy is to grow the ocean technology industry to one billion dollars annually.

Dr. David Murrin, P. Eng., of Memorial’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, has developed a two-day course for high schoolers in Junior High Enrichment Programs, in order to encourage heir interest in science and engineering.

Dr. Ross Peters, P. Eng., of Memorial’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, has been honoured with the designation professor emeritus.

Howard Pike, P. Eng., Chief Safety Officer, Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, spent two days as a witness at the Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry, describing the Board’s role in regulating the provincial offshore oil industry.

Howard Richards, P. Eng., of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, said recently that the wind/hydrogen power plant at Ramea should be operating by the end of 2009.

Kevin St. George, P. Eng. has retired as chairman of the Corner Brook Port Corp. He was an original member of the corporation’s board when it was established in 2001.

© Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador