Conference on Diversity in Engineering

Conference on Diversity in Engineering 2019

November 1-3, 2019

The Conference on Diversity in Engineering (CDE) is presented by the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students (CFES) in collaboration with universities from across Canada. It aims to encourage discussion and collaboration between engineering student leaders and professionals around the theme of diversity in engineering. The conference will encourage and aid students in developing knowledge surrounding the variety of individuals, cultures and perspectives found within engineering communities to better address the multidisciplinary issues of society. Their goal is to foster an open and welcoming environment that values the differences within engineering groups to improve the quality and inclusivity of engineering design.

Each university registered as a member of the CFES sends a delegation of engineering students of their school to attend CDE. The CDE Delegation representing McGill University is created according to the CDE Delegation Selection Committee, which is under the VP External's portfolio.

History

The Conference on Diversity in Engineering was established to replace the very successful National Conference on Women in Engineering (NCWiE). NCWiE was founded by students at Queen’s University in response to the 1989 massacre at l’École Polytechnique in Montreal. Since then, it continues to be hosted by different universities across the nation. The intent to change the title was to encourage an inclusive environment, cover additional topics, and allow for different discussions.

Programming

This conference usually occurs in the month of November and hosted by an engineering school which is bid and voted at the yearly Congress.

Each year, the sessions at CDE revolve around a central theme and are led by professionals in the industry or other student leaders who are passionate about the topics being discussed at theses sessions. Topics in the past include learning about anti-oppression, afro-descendant women in engineering, women of colour in STEM, being queer in the industry, and much more! The theme and workshop subjects change every year and are organized by an organizing committee of engineering students from the host school and is overseen by the CFES VP Services.

Each night, there are opportunities to socialize with the other delegates of the conference, as well as a networking session to meet the sponsors of the conference! For more information of the programming, checkout the schedules from previous CDEs!

CDE 2016: Montreal

As Canada’s second largest city, Montreal serves as a great location for CDE as it presents great cultural diversity and is a growing hub for engineering and innovation. Planned day and night activities throughout the conference will allow delegates to experience firsthand the spirit of the city. McGill’s excellent academic reputation is topped only by its diverse and passionate student body from all walks of life and every corner of the world. CDE 2016 will unite these perspectives with the goal of promoting excellence, diversity, and inclusion in the field of engineering in Canada -- and throughout the world.

The Theme

This year's conference theme is Building Momentum for Change. During our time at the conference, we intend to build upon the current momentum of positive change that continues to make engineering an environment conducive to exploration and creativity.
Our mission is to Have every delegate understand and appreciate diversity as well as develop the tools, resources, and motivation to implement change in their engineering community.

Schedule

CDE 2016 will be taking place from Friday, November 18-20. Detailed information can be found here. The conference itself is comprised of a variety of workshops (such as anti-opression,inclusivity, and more), self care activities, and a host of keynote speakers.

CDE 2015: Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is proud to be hosting CDE 2015. A medium sized city, Waterloo, Ontario is home to two universities, Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo, as well as Conestoga College, Ontario’s engineering- accredited college. It is also home to a growing tech industry that thrives off the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit boasted by the University of Waterloo.

The University of Waterloo was founded in 1957 to focus on cooperative education in applied science education, and it now hosts the largest undergraduate cooperative education program in the world. The university has over 30 000 students enrolled in 6 faculties across 10 campuses. Home to a vibrant campus community that is truly representative of the Canadian cultural mosaic, the University of Waterloo an ideal host for the first Conference on Diversity in Engineering.
A summary of the events can be found in the agenda:

2015 Agenda2015 Agenda

The Theme

The theme for this year’s conference is Algorithms for Success. The sessions and speakers will expand on this theme to deliver a balanced and multifaceted approach towards understanding and tackling the challenges surrounding diversity, and creating opportunities for inclusivity in the Canadian engineering industry.