Stantec connects with the #NextGen of engineers from the University of Auckland
05/08/2019 AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND TSX, NYSE:STN
Every year a group of fourth year engineering students from the University of Auckland visit us to discuss research topics with our transportation engineers and deliver formal presentations.
As part of their final year Honours students must complete a 300-hour research project. To make it relevant and industry-focused Stantec staff in Auckland work voluntarily with supervising teachers to develop ideas into research topics for the students.
‘This allows students to get a taste of the real world,’ says Bevan Clement, Professional Teaching Fellow in the University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. ‘And having access to Stantec’s engineering staff provides an invaluable mentoring function.’
This year’s ideas include capacity and delays at lane merges at roadworks and climate predictions on Auckland’s Tamaki Drive.
Alian Gabriel Fernando is a fourth year civil engineering student working on a project about weather and its effects on public transport.
‘This project has given me the opportunity to sharpen my problem-solving skills and to research an issue that has never been addressed before in Auckland, and I’m really excited about it because it has real-world policy implications,’ says Alian. ‘Stantec has given me expert advice and direction on how to approach this project.’
Our staff spend around nine months of the year with university students and teachers, mentoring the students and answering their questions, and providing technical support. This is Transportation Engineer Tegwen Atkinson’s first year with the initiative.
‘Our work with the university students is like a mentoring relationship and we help guide the direction the students take with their research,’ says Tegwen. ‘The idea is for the students to research something that’s relevant to the transport engineering industry, which is where Stantec comes in. This is my first year in the role, but it feels rewarding to be able to help young engineers.’
Find out more about our New Zealand Graduate Programme here.
Bevan Clement, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Auckland; engineering student Siqi Chen; Transportation Engineer Tegwen Atkinson