OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 25
members
When OSPE members Step up to create a New Picture
mEmBEr PrOFILE
WE SaT DOWN WITh KEVIN WrIGhT, P.ENG. WhO IS a mEmBEr OF OSPE'S
rESEarch aND INNOVaTION (r&I) TaSK FOrcE aND Our POLITIcaL acTION
NETWOrK (PaN) TO hEar hOW OSPE haS EmPOWErED hIm TO aFFEcT
chaNGE aND PuSh hIS OWN BOuNDarIES.
K
evin is someone who is excited by variety in his career
and who demonstrates a willingness to jump into new
and unfamiliar territory. In both his personal and professional
life, Kevin has always been drawn to interesting and unique
challenging experiences - specifically around innovation and
the idea of creation. He is constantly pushing himself to get
outside of his comfort zone and is someone who asks, "What
can I do to make an impact?"
When Kevin moved back to Ottawa after living abroad
in New Zealand for five years, he reached out to OSPE as a
resource to reintegrate himself into the engineering community.
He wanted to see if his skills in innovation and research could
be put to use. We were thrilled to have him join our R&I Task
Force and contribute his ideas and a fresh perspective. Then,
after hearing about PAN, without a political or a government
relations background, Kevin decided to also become a PAN
member. The idea of meeting with Members of Provincial
Parliament (MPPs) and advocating for engineers was something
that appealed to him, although it was also something that was
entirely out of his wheelhouse.
"I've got the general view that if someone can do it,
then anybody can do it - you've just got to have the
right training. A few years before going to university I
knew very little about engineering and while at school
I created an engineering club and said, 'I want to learn
about robots,' and that's what I did. It's always been
about trying new things for me. I find the most exciting
experiences come from trying something I never even
expected to do before."
So, when there was an opportunity to meet with his MPP, Kevin
jumped right in. He wasn't sure what to expect, but after a few
26
The VOICe
March 2018
Kevin Wright,
P.Eng.
Ottawa, Ontario
emails and phone calls with OSPE's policy team, Kevin was
ready to hit the road running. Something that came as a surprise
to Kevin was that engineers had the ability to affect change at a
political or policy level.
"I had always gone through my career thinking that
the best way to make a change was to come up with a
solution, but sometimes the best solution still needs to
have efficient buy in."
Having both a strong interest in the labour market and equality
and diversity within the profession, (specifically women
in engineering) Kevin identified a need to promote STEM
programs for women and to help workplaces be more open to
new ideas and perspectives.
"I have always found that good ideas come from
unique perspectives, and that the best way to learn is
to be surrounded by these different ways of thinking.
So, if there was a way that I could advocate for a more
diverse engineering profession, I would also be able to
surround myself with more diverse ideas."
After looking online Kevin found that not only was Natalie
Des Rosiers his MPP, but that she was also the Parliamentary
Assistant to the Minister of the Status of Women. At that point,
Kevin knew what he wanted and needed to speak to his MPP
about. What Kevin didn't realize was that as a Member of
Provincial Parliament, MPP Des Rosiers' job is to meet with
her constituents and give back to the community. To his surprise
Kevin was easily able to book a meeting with MPP Des Rosier,
not only was she interested in speaking with him, but she was
very open and accommodating.
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OSPE - The Voice - March 2018
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - I
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - Cover1
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - Cover2
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 3
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 4
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 5
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 6
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 7
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 8
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 9
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 10
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 11
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 12
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 13
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 14
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 15
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 16
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 17
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 18
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 19
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 20
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 21
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 22
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 23
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 24
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 25
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 26
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 27
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 28
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 29
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 30
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 31
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 32
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 33
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 34
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 35
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 36
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - 37
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - Cover3
OSPE - The Voice - March 2018 - Cover4
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