The Kingston conference - something old and something new.

The 46th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference provided all with a technical and information update and a glimpse back into Canada's history

The 46th annual conference of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering was an interesting experience with the technical program providing

a look at what is new in Canadian chemical engineering. Portions of the social program took us back to the old. Held in Kingston, ON from September 29 to October 2, 1996, the Conference featured a strong program including many top-notch award lectures. Using the meeting facilities of three downtown hotels, and even City Hall, the Conference was well organized and timely.

The diverse nature of the technical program brought over 300 paper presentations drawing 940 members of the Canadian and international chemical engineering community. The record-setting contingent of students (over 600) gave the Conference a unique flavour.

The smooth registration process began Sunday afternoon and continued through for single day registrants to the end of the Conference.

An Official Opening

The Conference began on Sunday evening, September 29, 1996, with a very crowded Welcoming Reception held in the historic Memorial Room of City Hall. Delegates, and especially students, gathered for a lovely opening at which Kingston's Town Crier officially proclaimed the Conference open.

The enthusiasm of delegates was evident with the numbers in attendance. Many searched for old friends and students in attendance were able to mingle with practising chemical engineers.

The Kick Off

Monday morning began early with a very well attended opening plenary by Geraldine Kenney-Wallace of the Rotman Centre for Management at the University of Toronto. Her talk, entitled 'From Discovery to Market: Technology Partnerships in International Business', provided a wrap-up of the importance of science, engineering and technology to the opening of international opportunities. Kenney-Wallace spoke of partnerships for discovery research, technology and for international business in reaching international markets.

She noted the importance of an investment in education. Such spending is definitely strategic for the future.

Profiling Canada's place in the international economy, Kenney-Wallace compared Canada's expenditure on R&D to that of other G7 countries. For example, the U.S. spends 2.6% of the GDP on R&D, Japan 2.9%, Germany 2.5%, while Canada spends only 1.4%. She emphasized that in this high-tech world, all of the G7 nations are moving toward a larger R&D investment.

In closing, Kenney-Wallace suggested that a large opportunity for Canada's highly skilled researchers and for our high tech work force was in the Asia-Pacific region where there was not a shortage of money, but a shortage of skilled people.

Sessions Galore

Once the opening plenary was over, the sessions took off with something available for everyone.

A special Keynote Speaker was D. Grant Allen, MGIC of the University of Toronto. The topic of his talk was 'Challenges and Opportunities in the Monitoring of Mixed Microbial Communities in Biological Waste Treatment Process'. This informative keynote examined the background of research in this area and the contributions cooperation between microbiologists and engineers have brought to enlightenment in this area. He closed his talk with a look at the many challenges and opportunities that lie for the future of research on biological waste treatment processes.

At the same time as the Keynote, the 'Symposium on Environmental Content in Chemical Engineering Education', sponsored by both the Chemical Education and Environment Divisions, began. This one-and-a-half day session (ending on Tuesday morning) was organized by Deniz Karman, MGIC of Carleton University and David Minns, MGIC of the National Research Council. This symposium covered the environmental content side of chemical engineering programs across the country as well as looking at computer training issues and what the corporate world needs in environmental training for chemical engineers. [For copies of the Proceedings of the Symposium, contact Deniz Karman, MGIC at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, 3432 Mackenzie Building, 1125 Colonel-By Drive, Ottawa, ON, KlS 5B6; e-mail: dkarman@ccs.carleton.ca]

Annual General Meeting

Monday evening the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering (CSChE) was held. There was good attendance from Society members. Lois E. Cramer, MGIC, outgoing President of the Society, presented the year in re-cap with special attention to how the CSChE was doing against its goals for its Strategic Plan. Treasurer Bob Betty, MGIC emphasized that the Society finances continue to be strong due to a sizeable equity developed over the years.

Fellowship (FCIC) certificates were presented to Warren Baker, Queen's University; Karl Chuang, University of Alberta; Yves Deslandes of the National Research Council; and Almeria Natansohn, Queen's University by President Cramer. During the meeting, Jack Mackey, MCIC, CIC Chair, presented an Honorary Fellowship to J.E. Newall, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NOVA Corporation, in recognition of his special service to the chemical industry through his years with Du Pont Canada and now with NOVA.

A Special Reception

Following the AGM, the Kingston Local Section held a reception in honour of Newall and the new FCICs who received their certificates at the AGM.

The highlight of the reception was a brief talk by Newall on a new Canadian technology in polyethylene that had been developed by NOVA. [This talk triggered the article in our January 1997 issue on SCLAIR, see pp.24-25.] The reception was well attended with many renewing acquaintances with colleagues. The group from Du Pont especially enjoyed the occasion.

Off and Running

Tuesday morning again set delegates off and running for a plenary to start the day and then more sessions. Walter Petryschuk, FCIC, Director General of the Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Institute of the National Research Council, offered a very dynamic talk on the topic of 'The Business of Manufacturing Competitiveness'.

Petryschuk's talk began with a short look at the concept of manufacturing where the simplest explanation involved raw materials put through a given process to provide a product. Today's perspective of manufacturing involves a value chain, a market, customers and maintenance. The strength of competitive forces impact on corporate survival - higher customer expectations, product flexibility, fewer/larger multi-national players, fewer suppliers, new technologies, and more emphasis on the design of the actual product. To be competitive today, Petryschuk noted, companies must add value today and constantly be developing new products for tomorrow. To add value companies must differentiate themselves from the competition in one or more of the following categories: delivery, cost, quality/specifications, features, flexibility and innovation.

Petryschuk said that technology is a competitive weapon. Industry needs good, trained and driven people. He noted that we must "stop fighting flies" and "do it once and do it right". There is a strong role for industry and for responsible management. In creating competitive products and services, however, industry must get rid of the concept of "lean and mean"; stop downsizing, rightsizing, etc.; and hire the youth of our nation. He concluded this section of his plenary with the statement that the challenge for good management today is to help our nation and our community.

The role of government in supporting 'competitiveness', according to Petryschuk, is to provide a positive environment for development of regional innovation systems, to aid in the finance of the R in R&D. The role of academe is to train and develop the human resource for industry, to develop new and more competitive methods, and to lead the change.

Petryschuk's challenge to all was to assume that someone somewhere is improving the technology you are working on, be it product or process. "It had best be you!"

Again a smorgasbord of sessions faced delegates following the plenary.

Awards

Tuesday lunchtime brought the annual Awards Luncheon for the CSChE. Held at the Holiday Inn, site of many conference activities, the luncheon began with Conference Chair Keith Marchildon, FCIC, welcomed all to the awards ceremony and introduced those at the head table.

Incoming Society President Alistair Miller, FCIC, accepted the traditional hard hat of authority (or is it protective gear?) from outgoing President Cramer. Afterwards, he gave a brief address on the role of the CSChE as it pertains to society at large. Noting that the CSChE must focus its efforts on applying the knowledge of its members to serve society as a whole. [The text of is remarks were published in our January issue, pp.31-32.]

Back in Time

The Conference Banquet was an event not to be missed. On Tuesday evening, delegates were transported to historic Fort Henry by shuttle bus. On arrival, military officers in period costume put all new recruits (delegates) through a short drill welcoming them as recruits would have been welcomed in the mid-nineteenth century. All recruits received a brief tour of the facility and then were free to rove the Fort on their own.

The Banquet itself was held in a huge tent and the meal was served by both officers and servants in costumes of the time. "General" Weir (Ron D. Weir, FCIC of Royal Military College) was introduced as a staunch supporter of Her Majesty and the rules of the Banquet were provided: no elbows on the table, no teeth picking except at the end of the meal, and that all in attendance were to be rude and aloof to servants. The General provided all with a bit of information about Royal Military College and what the curriculum involved for its 1200 students who live-in. Following the meal, entertainment was provided by the Rob Roy Pipe Band and Highland Dancers. The sounds of pipes and drums filled the tent in spite of the wild winds outside.

Final Day

Wednesday morning's plenary was the R.S. Jane Memorial Lecture Award presentation, the premiere prize of the CSChE. Maurice A. Bergougnou, FCIC, of the University of Western Ontario, this year's winner presented his address on 'Development of the Jet Impact Reactors, a New Generation of Major High-Performance, Short Contact Time, Fluidized Reactors. From the Bench to the First Commercial Plant in Ten Years'.

Bergougnou traced the development of the Jet Impact Reactor, a new technology for the chemical, petrochemical, petroleum, metallurgical and para-chemical industries, which began in the Process Reactor Laboratory (PROREACTOR) at the University of Western Ontario. The reactor was tried for the ultrapyrolysis of biomass and led to the construction of a commercial plant within ten years of the original research. Bergougnou reviewed gasification chemistry and said that the original reactor has been built by students which took the cost from $1 million to about $150,000.

The first plant has been sold to Ensyn (who use it to produce flavours for foods) and currently eight plants have been sold. Europe wishes to develop this process to obtain oil from biomass.

Pyrolysis is the ideal way to convert biomass into high value feedstocks which can be accepted by conventional refineries to produce transportation fuels or petrochemicals. The importance of this technology to the future of humanity can be seen in the tightness of oil reserves which are quickly depleted.

This the final day of the Conference offered more technical sessions and, for those seeking enlightenment in specific areas, a series of short courses.

Topics for the courses were: Analysis for Hazards, Process Monitoring and Control, Environmental Management, Modern Tools for Process Simulation, Flow and Energy Systems, and ISO Certification. This special opportunity was a bonus for interested delegates. [Copies of the set of course notes (six in all) are available from Keith Marchildon, FCIC, DuPont Canada Limited, Research Centre, P.O. Box 5000, Kingston, ON, K7L 5A5; Fax: 613-548-5240. The cost of the set is $50.]

Conclusion

The Kingston Conference was a fine one. High attendance and quality sessions. It offered delegates lots of what's new on the technical front and a look back in time.

Now, we look forward to the next point in the continuum - Edmonton. We'll all gather there from October 5-8, 1997 for the 47th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference.

Conference Sponsors

The Organizing Committee is pleased to acknowledge the companies which have provided financial support for the 46th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference.

Imperial Oil Products and Chemicals Division Imperial Oil Resources Ltd. Dr. Robert Auld Memorial Awards H.L. Blachford Ltd. 3M Canada Inc. Novacor Chemicals Ltd. Union Carbide Canada Inc. Xerox Research Centre of Canada DuPont Canada Inc. Alcan International Inc. Monnex Insurance Brokers Ltd.

We wish to thank Royal Military College of Canada in particular for its important contribution.

Thank You to the Organizing Committee

I would like to thank the Organizing Committee and the many volunteers involved in bringing about the 46th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference. The members of the Organizing Committee have, on behalf of our Society, worked very hard to bring about such a successful conference. The Board of Directors of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering acknowledges the contributions of: Warren Baker, FCIC (Technical Program); Yvette Bayers (Logistics & Special Events); David A. Berg, MCIC (Treasurer and Logistics & Special Events); Goran Bibic (Posters); Taras Broadhead (Refresher-Update Courses); Van Tam Bui, MGIC (Technical Program); Ian Burt (Logistics & Special Events); Francois Chaloux (Refresher-Update Courses); David Chinloy (Refresher-Update Courses); Dan Dickson (Refresher-Update Courses); Gemma Duley (Logistics & Special Events); Gerald Dyer (Industrial Outreach); Nick Farkas (Publicity); Christian Finlay (Student Program); Vicki Flaris (Logistics & Special Events); Ted Grandmaison, FCIC (Technical Program); Dean Gray (Registration); Des Hensman, MCIC; Jennifer Hooper (Refresher-Update Courses); Cheng C. (James) Hsu, FCIC (Technical Program); Sue Hornbeck (Industrial Outreach); Livia Keuhl (Student Program); Michel LaBonte (Refresher-Update Courses); Charles Langevin (Student Program); Miguel Larocca (Refresher-Update Courses); Steve Lauridsen (Refresher-Update Courses); David Lawrence, MCIC; Jean-Francois Legault, MCIC (Student Program); Even Lemieux, MGIC (Posters); Fok-Yan Leung (Student Program); Keith Marchildon, FCIC (Conference Chair and Refresher-Update Courses); Laura Martin (Student Program); Carol Ann McGuinty (Refresher-Update Courses); David Mody (Refresher-Update Courses); Peggy Murphy (Industrial Outreach); Sandy Pitfield (Student Program); Meghan Price (Student Program); N.S. Raghavan, MGIC (Technical Program); Chris Roberts (Student Program); Don Robinson, FCIC (Refresher-Update Courses); Alana Robson (Publicity); Peter Robson, MGIC (Refresher-Update Courses); Marty Rybiak (Logistics & Special Events); Tammy Salway (Student Program); Sarah Schroeder (Student Program); Colin Sealey (Refresher-Update Courses); Bryan Smith, MCIC (Industrial Outreach and Technical Program); Ranga Soundararajan, MCIC (Refresher-Update Courses); Chris Thurgood (Posters); Michael Twigg (Refresher-Update Courses); Tyson Verstraete (Student Program); Ron Weir, FCIC (Vice-Chair); Christine Williams (Logistics & Special Events); Tuyu Xie (Refresher-Update Courses); Chris Yan, MCIC (Posters); Ron Zelonka; and Diane Goltz (Program Manager, Conferences).

Lois Cramer, MCIC CSChE President