Important Dates
January 24, 2012
Check your email for an election message from PEO
January 26, 2012
Northern Region All Candidates Meeting
February 7, 2012
Check your email for an election message from PEO
February 14, 2012
Check your email for final election message from PEO
March 2, 2012
Close of voting (4:00pm)
Sandra Ausma, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Thank you for visiting my PEO Council Election web page.
I am running for the position of Northern Region Councillor and I would like to represent you for the two year period 2012 to 2014. My motivation for answering the PEO Call for Candidates is the level of frustration and dissatisfaction that I sense within the profession around fiscal accountability, the Toronto centric nature of PEO’s focus and initiatives, and the ongoing friction between PEO and OSPE. With my successes within other organizations with overcoming challenges, affecting change, developing respective relationships and building bridges, I know I can make a difference on PEO Council!
PEO Council must change! Despite years of promises, the profile of engineers has not improved, and fiscal accountability has fallen by the wayside. It’s time to elect a council that will engage and represent the membership, and encourage pride in the profession.
My positions on issues relevant to PEO members:
Who elects the PEO President?
The membership should elect the president. Why? It boils down to simple democracy, the members are most affected by the president, they should vote for that position.
What is the most important issue facing PEO today?
The huge lack of fiscal responsibility which has brought PEO to the brink. It’s a symptom of the general malaise at council. Significant decisions were made without consulting the membership; this speaks to trust and transparency. My position is that Council be clear, be honest and be issue driven.
How will repealing the industrial exception impact the profession?
It will impact the profession in a positive way. Firstly, I would expect there to be an increase in membership resulting from currently unlicensed engineers joining the PEO. Secondly, I believe that for society our workplaces will become safer. I also feel that PEO needs to reach out to industry and form a partnership that will help ensure that the repeal moves forward smoothly. The repeal needs to be done by develop a trusting and respectful relationship.
Should EITs be allowed to vote in Council elections and referendums?
Most definitely! We are always trying to engage engineering graduates and persuade them to join the PEO, what better way is there to do this than by increasing the relevancy of PEO to them? I would go a step further and suggest that there should be an EIT position on Council that is elected by peers.
More about me:
I am a professional engineer well connected and engaged in my community and Northern Ontario. My pledge to you is:
· to ensure that the unique needs and concerns of Northern Ontario engineers are represented and understood by council;
· to ensure that the massive resource-based engineering projects taking place in Northern Ontario receive the coverage and support that they need from the PEO;
· to encourage members to participate in PEO activities and committees so that a broad range of northern engineers will be represented;
 · to ensure that PEO and its activities are respective and inclusive of all of its members;
· to work with OSPE towards resolving outstanding issues;
· to challenge the activities of PEO to ensure fiscally accountability to its members in all of its decision making; and,
· to work to improve the relevancy and importance of the profession to future engineers both female and male.
I look forward to being your voice on council and to serving the unique needs of Northern Professional Engineers. I am dedicated to Northern Ontario and I have witnessed firsthand the lack of recognition of our unique needs in the Toronto centric policy world in Ontario. While with the Ministry of the Environment, I ensured that the challenges of northern communities and industries were considered during policy-making.
The huge regional growth in mining and support industries along with a focus on developing alternate energy sources will create challenging opportunities for the profession and growing demand for even more professional engineers in our communities. With the significant numbers of engineers from various parts of the province working on very large engineering projects in our region, we need the PEO to be more engaged in Northern Ontario.
Experience:
I have been a registered professional engineer since 1989 and I am currently a Senior Air Quality Engineer employed by a Sudbury consulting firm. I have also held a variety of technical and policy positions in academics and government both in Ontario and internationally.
Employment Experience:
· Senior Air Quality Engineer, AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Sudbury – 2011 to present
· Project Manager, Air Policy and Climate Change Branch, Ministry of the Environment, Toronto – 2009 to 2010
· Air Quality Analyst, Technical Support Section, Ministry of the Environment, Sudbury – 2003 to 2009
· Post-doctoral Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany – 2001 to 2003
· Doctoral Candidate, University of Guelph, Guelph – 1997 to 2001
· Lab Technician/Lab Manager, School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph – 1987 to 1997
I am active in my community through mentoring youth and internationally trained scientists, judging at science fairs, participating in local and provincial groups that require technical and engineering expertise, leading workplace United Way campaigns, and acting on boards of professional associations. I have been recognized for my efforts by being nominated for a United Way Toronto Spirit Award in 2010 and a Ministry of the Environment Emerald Award in 2011.
Affiliations and Recent Engineering, Science and Community Service:
· Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, member of Northern Regional Committee – since 2011
· Ontario Air Practitioner’s Group, Member – since 2011
· Ontario Society of Professional Engineers – since 2011
· AWMA-OS Real-time Particulate Matter Workshop, Organizing Committee – 2011
· Sudbury Regional Science Fair, Science fair judge – 2011
· Rainbow District School Board, Science fair judge – 2011
· Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Emerald Award nominee – 2011
· United Way Toronto, Spirit Award Nominee – 2010
· Ministry of the Environment, Campaign Co-Chair United Way GTA Campaign – 2009
· Mining & the Environment International Conference, Organizing Committee – 2007
· Board of Directors, Air & Waste Management Association – Ontario Section – 2006 to 2007
· Clean Air Sudbury Steering Committee Member – since 2005
· Air & Waste Management Association – since 2004
· Women in Science and Engineering (Sudbury Chapter) – since 2004
Education:
Ph.D. Land Resource Science, University of Guelph
M.Sc. in Biological Engineering, University of Guelph
B.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo
Testimonials
Steve Reitzel, MASc, P.Eng:
"Sandra is a tireless advocate of the Profession of Engineering and
Engineers. She is engaged in her community in the promotion of
engineering and engineering principles within organizations such as WISE and
Clean Air Sudbury. Sandra is a problem solver who is not afraid to take
on the tough issues. She is highly motivated, with a great sense of humour and
strong interpersonal skill. Sandra's involvement would be an asset to the
organization"
Meggen Janes, M.Sc., PMP, P.Eng: "Sandra is a
well-spoken champion that can lead stakeholders to a common goal. She
directs with initiative, energy and knowledge and is seen as a highly skilled
professional that excels managing complex problems and gaining consensus.
She has a keen passion for the engineering field, and in particular, the unique
northern practice that is demonstrated by her involvement on and contributions
to northern technical committees such as the Northern Committee of the
OSSGA and Clean Air Sudbury, workshops, and conferences, and her advocacy of
northern issues while working on policy development with the Ministry of the
Environment"
