On April 7, 2018, students from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), and Saskatchewan Polytechnic gathered in the newly constructed Center for Applied Technology at NAIT’s Main Campus in Edmonton, AB for the 15th Western Canadian Society for Chemical Technology (CSCT) Student Symposium.
Attendees at the 15th Western CSCT Student Symposium, hosted at NAIT, listening to the student presentations. Photo credit: Michael Korney.
Students from both first and second year of each schools’ chemical technology programs presented projects that they completed as part of their studies. Many projects involved primary research and lab work, and others involved technical discussions of topics related to the field.
The symposium consisted of both oral and poster presentations. Presentations were judged by a panel consisting of Margaret-Ann Armour, C.M., FCIC, University of Alberta, along with Bach Duong, Metrohm, and Paul Meyer, Guardian Chemicals, both of who are NAIT alumni. The presentations varied greatly in topics such as food chemistry, green chemistry, oil and gas processing, water treatment, analytical method development, environmental chemistry, and more.
The Symposium provided students with the opportunity to discuss their scientific findings, network, and experience the atmosphere of an academic conference. In 2019, the symposium is tentatively scheduled to be held in Saskatoon, SK.
The event was organized by students of NAIT’s Chemical Technology Student Council and funding was graciously provided by ASET, Metrohm, Guardian Chemicals, Gilead, Ruetz Construction, NAIT’s School of Applied Science and Technology, and both the Edmonton CIC Local Section and the CIC’s Chemical Education Fund.
As a presenter in the symposium, I enjoyed the opportunity to not only showcase the research and studies that I have completed during my time in the chemical technology program at NAIT, but also to see what other students across western Canada have focused on in their studies. Whether the projects involved compiling research completed in the field of study or working in the lab to collect and analyze experimental data, everyone that attended understood and appreciated the work involved and obstacles faced in each project presented. Summarizing a semester of research into a 15-minute presentation, plus fielding questions from the panel of judges and the audience, was no small achievement either.
Along with being a presenter, I was also one of the organizers; I would like to thank our sponsors and judges and congratulate the award recipients:
1st place: Riley Csenar, Saskatchewan Polytechnic
“The Validation of a New Chlorine Titrator at the Saskatoon Water Treatment Plant”
2nd place: Grace Morrison, NAIT
“Simultaneous Analysis of a Multi-component Mixture by UV Spectroscopy”
3rd place: Evan Swick, Saskatchewan Polytechnic
“Polymer Fluid and Clay Control Evaluation”
Poster presentation award: Colleen Jackson, Meagan Moroney, Sergei Popov, SAIT
“The Potential Influence of the Kananaskis Golf Course on Water Chemistry and Microclimate along the Kananaskis River Shore”
The winning poster presentation at the 15th Western CSCT Student Symposium. Photo credit: Michael Korney.