WC137 JulyAug 2024 - Magazine - Page 36
H2OPINION
schedules to foster meaningful conversations, and learning from the community’s
unique experiences, even the unspoken
moments that hold valuable insights.
“The capstone project has proven to be
an invaluable tool for the growth of my
young team. It has provided me with the
opportunity to delegate project responsibilities to younger operators, allowing them to gain real-world skills such as time management, documentation, project management, and communication,” said Mitchell. “This hands-on experience not only instills
confidence in the operators but also increases my confidence as a
manager to entrust them with greater responsibilities.”
The project’s straightforward yet innovative approach secured
them a top-three finish at the University of Calgary Capstone
Fair, which featured more 700 students and 131 projects. The
partnership between WM and the University of Calgary’s capstone group exemplifies a transformative approach to engineering education and collaboration. This not only maintains the
importance of equipping the next generation of engineers with
essential technical skills, but also adds the critical aspect of building relationships with stakeholders—something often overlooked
in traditional educational settings. By nurturing this collaborative
spirit, with support from those with lived experiences and real
situations that affect or have affected people, we can better address engineering problems with not just engineering solutions,
but human ones, that require human interaction and human
problem-solving. Water Movement is proud of this collaboration
and to be able to transform some of tomorrow’s engineers to
address not just a drinking water problem, but how Indigenous
communities can defend their fundamental human right to clean
water.
“The true challenge lies in stakeholder relationship building, a
facet rarely taught by universities. The engagement piece is where
projects truly face their trials, not in the technical aspects.”
a “client,” and a supervising professor, and not every project
involves the necessary exposure and experience to prepare the
students for the real world of engineering. With WM’s approach,
the young minds in this capstone group experienced how to
build, manage, and maintain multiple stakeholders with varying
needs in the same project, received guidance directly from an
industry leader, worked alongside Indigenous partners to really
understand OCAP (ownership, control, access, and possession)
principles, and very importantly, learned directly from WM’s
operator committee, comprised of expert operators who have
lifted advisories from their communities, about their relevant
lived experiences at each stage of the project.
One member of the committee, Desmond Mitchell, the
utilities manager for Tsuut’ina Nation, highlighted a pressing
real-world issue: the accumulation of algae floating within one
of their lagoon systems. This challenge spurred the capstone
students into action, as they collaborated closely with Tsuut’ina
Nations team of Operators to develop innovative solutions.
As they delve into this project, they must navigate the familiar
constraints of budget, timeline, and available resources, all under
the guidance of the Tsuut’ina’s Operators. WM has introduced a
crucial dimension to the project—community decision-making.
This emphasis stresses the importance of consulting the community throughout the design process, rather than simply sending
off drawings that may prove unfeasible on-site. This approach
involves investing in community visits, allowing flexibility in
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WATER C AN ADA • JULY/AUGUS T 2024
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
