Engineering students attended a panel discussion on the relationship between their profession and politics. From left: Peter Frise, Bill Altenhof, Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie, and moderator Jill Urbanic.
Capstone co-ordinators invited Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie to participate in a panel discussion on how politics fits into engineering.
The event was multidisciplinary with all capstone disciplines participating. The panel was made up of Bill Altenhof, a professor of mechanical, automotive and materials engineering and former member of Tecumseh town council, and Peter Frise, associate dean of professional programs, as well as Dowie, who is also a civil engineer. The panel was moderated by Jill Urbanic, a professor of mechanical, automotive and materials engineering.
The panel’s questions reflected issues that impact the community today and tomorrow: climate change, electric vehicles, water management, and resource management.
“The idea is to expose the students to a series of topics that are outside of what they have learned in class,” said Dr. Urbanic. “The discussion exposed students to the issues they hear in the news.”
In addition to learning more about the issues, students asked about career opportunities available in the political system.
—Naomi Pelkey