Panel discusses role of automotive sector in Ontario

The future of the automotive sector and the impact for Ontario will be the focus of a panel discussion at the University of Waterloo next week.

The University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT) is hosting the discussion. UWAFT is one of the two teams that will represent Canada in the North American EcoCAR 3 competition.

The panel will address a variety of topics including ongoing Waterloo research in the area of automotive development, the electrification of vehicles, and the gender gap in the automotive industry and initiatives to address those gaps, such as HeForShe. Participating in the discussion:

• Catherine Fife, MPP for Kitchener-Waterloo, finance and Treasury Board critic and member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
• Ross McKenzie, managing director, Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research (WatCAR), University of Waterloo
• Stefanie Bruinsma, powertrain engineer, Green and Intelligent Automotive (GAIA) research facility, University of Waterloo

UWAFT, Women in Engineering, and Waterloo HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 are co-hosting the event, which will also include a job fair sponsored by General Motors Canada. This is an excellent opportunity for students to gain a better understanding of career opportunities in this sector.

Date: Monday February 8, 2016

Time: 2:15 to 3:15 p.m.

Location: Sedra Student Design Centre, Engineering 5, University of Waterloo

Admission is free. The event is open to the public.