This weekend, I had the privilege of attending the Global Engineering Conference hosted by the McMaster Engineers Without Borders chapter. GEC 2024 was dedicated to showcasing the significance of SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, emphasizing the importance of building cities that can withstand disasters. The main theme of the conference revolved around resilience, empowerment, and leveraging individual strengths and assets for the betterment of future generations. This theme was presented in various presentations, including the practices demonstrated by Jody Boston, who illustrated how creative expression and positive reinforcement can profoundly impact individuals. Breaking down barriers within teams fosters empowerment and often leads to remarkable success.
Following the theme of empowerment, Cassondra Fonseca, P.Eng. and Rana Tehrani Yekta, P.Eng. advocated the idea of being a voice for the marginalized and underrepresented members of our community. They expanded the definition of what being an Engineer is. As the future leaders of our community, it is in our power to inspire individuals to engineer change and make a positive impact.
Furthermore, Ramla Qureshi had the opportunity to share her research revolving around structural resilience against
extreme hazards; such as earthquakes and fires. Her stories and insights helped highlight what Engineers Without Borders stands for. Bringing forth the concept of resilience within buildings, and how certain buildings are designed differently to behave according to what their purpose is in the face of extreme hazards. Being resilient in the face of adversity is an important skill to possess.
Lastly, I had the opportunity to participate in a Seismic Design Challenge, where our challenge was to design and construct a building that was capable of withstanding a shake test. The idea of the challenge was to further understand the various aspects of urban sustainability, including safe housing, resilient infrastructure, environmental impact reduction, and disaster mitigation.
This challenge was a unique experience that was educational and competitive. Our group placed 3rd in this design challenge and I am proud of how we did! I had a great time connecting with other students seeking to inspire and empower and it was incredibly fulfilling having the opportunity to learn more about disaster-resilient structures and the crucial role they play in our society.