1982 Names and faces

Stelco – First Assignment

I applied for a job at Stelco in February, 1968. I came to my first interview on a very snowy day– so snowy that the R&D centre was shut down right after I got there. But not to worry they said, come back tomorrow. So I slogged off and got on the Burlington to Toronto bus. But things were not to be so simple. On Lakeshore Boulevard, the bus driver ran into a butcher’s truck, killing the truck driver, injuring the bus driver and sending dead chickens all over the road. After much delay, I finally got back to my brother’s place in Toronto.

Next day was much better. In fact, Ray Meadowcroft said that having enough nerve to come back for an interview after the terrible events the previous day, I must be able to handle the job. In any case, I was hired and assigned to the Thermics section.

My first position was in #1 Bloom and Billet mill.... More here

Fundraiser Memorial

 

 

 

 

Final Memoir (Part 1)

“From the Beginning” has been modified thanks to the efforts of: Rick Grigg, Les McLean, Harold Cipywnyk, John Hood, and John Prikryl.  Collectivly, they found 19 typos, and factual and grammar errors.
I made the changes and encourage by this, I decided to have another go at editing, editing with a fine-tooth comb.  As I result I found many more problems: clumsy wording and errors in grammar. Now I’m pleased with the end product and have posted it (see below).

Here are some comments I have received:
• “I’ve just completed reading your memoir and enjoyed it very much – a bit of a time machine.  I especially liked your perspective of the Stelco culture which we all felt but perhaps didn’t put into words.” – John Hood
• “A wonderful read.You sure packed a bunch of memories and technology into the first 120 pages.
Brought back lots of good thoughts to hundreds of former R& D'ers I'm sure..”  –Stewart McKechnie
• “Well done, Sir! Your memoirs, "From The Beginning", are marvellous.” – Les McLean
• “A very interesting read. “ – Harold Cipywnyk
• “I really enjoyed perusing your R&D Memoir Part 1, even though the stories mostly precede my time with Stelco (I was recruited from Voest-Alpine in 1981). Nevertheless, many of the tales rang bell with me too, e.g. your first entry into the private dining room at Hilton Works. I was similarly impressed  when "inducted" into the eatery "Hall of Fame", having been promoted in 1982 to "Private Payroll" . Both the private dining and private payroll must have been long forgotten in the new era...).” – John Prikryl
Click to download:From the beginning

U of A’s Indira Samarasekera: Canada’s R&D lag costs us

The Globe and Mail

This piece is one of a series of high-profile Canadians commenting on the Canadian Chamber of Commerce's Top 10 reasons Canadian competitiveness is dropping.

Indira Samarasekera is a lady of steel, in more ways than one. In 1974, she became the first female mechanical engineer in her native Sri Lanka, then went on to do a master’s in materials engineering in California and a PhD at the University of British Columbia. Using mathematical models to find defects in steel led her to consulting gigs with steel makers around the globe and, in 2000, the role of vice-president of research at UBC. Five years later, the University of Alberta lured her to Edmonton. Since taking over as president, Dr. Samarasekera has focused relentlessly on research and development, raising $1.4-billion in funding for world-class research facilities like the National Institute for Nanotechnology and the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, and enticing world-renowned researchers to Edmonton, a town better known for its massive mall than its elite academics. We talked to Dr. Samarasekera about how to spur research and innovation in her adopted country.