SHINING STARS
Recognizing Remarkable Achievements in Professional Engineering and Geoscience
2017 APEGS AWARD WINNERS
Saskatchewan’s professional engineers and geoscientists are constantly pushing the boundaries of science and technology. They strengthen our economy and enhance our quality of life while meeting the challenges of environmental sustainability and public safety. The remarkable achievements of our professional engineers and geoscientsists were recognized at the annual APEGS Awards Banquet on May 6, 2017.
FRIEND OF THE PROFESSIONS AWARD
Norm Sacuta was born in Montreal in 1962 into a family of engineers. His father was a chemical engineer and his two elder brothers are electrical and chemical engineers.
Norm received a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Alberta and a master of fine arts degree from the University of British Columbia. His full length play about the man who built the Titanic – A Certain Truth About Ismay – won the Alberta Culture Playwriting Competition in 1991. In 2001, his first poetry collection Garments of the Known was nominated for the best book by a first-time author at the Alberta Book Awards.
He joined Natural Resources Canada in Edmonton as a communications officer in 2000. He moved to Regina in 2008 to take over communications at the Petroleum Technology Research Centre.
While there, he has expanded public knowledge about CO2 geological storage, enhanced oil recovery and carbon capture. He speaks frequently at conferences about public education on carbon capture and storage.
THE PROMISING MEMBER AWARD
Michael Nemeth, P.Eng. grew up near Yellow Creek and attended school in Wakaw. In 2006, while studying at the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, he interned at Daniels Wingerak Engineering Ltd. In 2013, Michael started Bright Buildings to help others build homes to the Passive House standard, an international low energy building standard leading to 90 per cent space heating energy savings.
Michael and his wife Shannon Dyck (Environmental Coordinator for the City of Saskatoon) are co-founders of Radiance Cohousing, a collaborative, eight-unit housing development designed to Passive House standards. Michael has been active on volunteer committees, serving as president of the ASHRAE Saskatoon Chapter for the 2014-2015 year. Michael is currently a board member of the Saskatchewan Environmental Society Solar Co-operative.
In 2015, Michael was named by Corporate Knights magazine as one of Canada’s top sustainability leaders under 30.
In 2015, he received a Quest Climate grant from Canadian Geographic and Shell in support of his Passive House work.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARD SaskPower Industrial Energy Optimization Program
The SaskPower Industrial Energy Optimization Program is designed to help industrial facilities reduce energy waste and manage the cost associated with electrical energy use. Participants in the program receive financial incentives and customized technical support for identifying energy waste in their facilities, developing those projects to a business case level and implementing energy savings projects. The qualifying industrial facilities include those that are primarily involved in manufacturing or processing of goods or extraction of raw materials.
Partner engineers provide technical assistance to projects. As well, participants benefit from power bill savings, process efficiencies, emissions reductions, environmental credits and energy performance improvements.
The program was launched in 2012. Since the program launch, approximately 27 projects have moved from development to full implementation. The program forecasts between 2-4 megawatts per year in savings. To date there are 38 companies participating representing approximately 12 industries in Saskatchewan. There are approximately 55 projects currently active in development or in implementation stages.
THE EXCEPTIONAL ENGINEERING AND GEOSCIENCE PROJECT AWARD The Saskatchewan Geological Survey
Since 1998 the Saskatchewan Geological Survey has helped the natural resource industry access a wealth of digital maps and data through the Geological Atlas of Saskatchewan (GeoAtlas) CD/DVD and website.
The GeoAtlas provides a convenient single point internet access to scientific, administrative and framework data that the resource industry needs to help with exploration and development.
In the last 10 to 15 years, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have evolved into powerful tools for displaying, combining and analyzing geoscience maps and data.
In 1998, the GeoAtlas started as a CD-ROM product with 15 geoscience data layers plus geographic base layers. By 2002, it contained 50 layers and became available over the internet.
The Geological Survey is continually adding to and refining its existing geoscience datasets. It recently completed a project to scan all of its remaining paper mineral assessment files, doubling the number files mineral exploration companies can access to over 10,000.
THE MCCANNEL AWARD
Rick Kullman, P.Eng., FCSCE, FEC, FGC(Hon), FCSSE was raised in Regina. He received a bachelor of science in Civil Engineering (with Great Distinction) from the University of Saskatchewan in 1974. After working for several years with Saskmont Engineering Company Limited, Rick returned to the U of S and earned his master of science degree in 1987. Rick joined former Saskmont colleagues as an associate of MacPhedran & Robb Engineering Ltd. in Saskatoon (later named Robb Kullman Engineering LLP). He retired in 2015 after roughly 40 years of practice. Rick has been a professional engineer since 1976. He has been an active APEGS volunteer since 1994. He served as President of APEGS in 2009-2010.
In 2012, Rick served for three years on the Engineers Canada Board of Directors. He currently represents APEGS on the University of Regina Senate. In that capacity, he is a member of the U of R Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science Council. In 2004, Rick was awarded the designation of Fellow by the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. Rick received the distinction of Fellow from Engineers Canada in 2009. In 2013, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Geoscientists Canada. Rick was named 2015 Engineer of the Year by the Saskatoon Engineering Society.
THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Michael Sulatisky, P. Eng. has worked in alternative energy and energy efficiency for most of his career. He grew up in Saskatoon. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 1969 and 1972.
In his early career, Mike worked at Pratt and Whitney Canada, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and SaskPower. He joined the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) in 1982. He went on to become the Manager of the Alternative Energy group in 1990 and retired as a Research Emeritus in 2015.
During his career at SRC, he initially worked on energy conservation in buildings. Subsequently, he and his team worked on the development of natural gas, hydrogen and ethanol-fuelled vehicles and other technologies. In 2013, Mike worked with Cowessess First Nation on a wind-storage system. He has been working with other First Nations on wind, solar and biomass projects.
He currently serves as an adjunct professor at the U of S.
THE BRIAN ECKEL DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Dwayne A. Gelowitz, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) earned a bachelor of science degree in regional systems engineering from the University of Regina in 1988. He is currently a principal and the sector lead of the water practice division of Stantec Consulting Ltd. He has worked for Stantec in Regina for the past 22 years and in the consulting business for the past 27 years.
Dwayne has been a professional engineer since 1992. His volunteer activities with APEGS included a term on Executive Committee of Council culminating in a role as President in 2013-2014.
He is currently APEGS Director to Engineers Canada. He was named a Fellow of Engineers Canada in 2009 and an Honourary Fellow of Geoscientists Canada in 2015.
Dwayne is a Past President and member of the Regina Engineering Society Executive. He has also been actively involved with the Consulting Engineers – Saskatchewan (now ACEC - SK) as Past Chair, member of the Board of Directors and a member of various committees. In 2008, Dwayne served as Chair of the Annual Conference for Western Canada Water in Regina.