822P801238PCE UAE(NEWSLETTER 2008No2

Registered with the Engineering Council (EC) plus all other members of the 35 EC Linked Professional Engineering Institutions (PEI)

Date & week numbering aims to comply with International (ISO), European (EN), & British (BSI) Standards

Eg.: ISO 8601& BS EN 28601:1992 “Representation of dates & times for information interchange”, & BS 4795:1972.

We meet on the first & second Tuesday of each month in Abu Dhabi & Dubai respectively & plan related visits on the third Tuesday plus other events throughout the Emirates. Come along for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), meet colleagues and network

While the last NEWSLETTER referred to APRIL with five events in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ghantout we have enjoyed the first two of these and confirm that although attendances were relatively low totalling about 30 with six PEI plus others represented the average general rating was well above 4 on a scale of 1 to 5. We wonder how others who are EC Registrants and members of PEI meet their obligations to support events and comply with CPD and IPD requirements? Some members have been audited by their respective Institutions.

We therefore suggest that others consider supporting PCE UAE by registering and attending. While the last NEWSLETTER referred to APRIL with five events in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ghantout we have enjoyed the first two of these and confirm that although attendances were relatively low totalling about 30 with six PEI plus others represented the average general rating was well above 4 on a scale of 1 to 5.

Do attend events arranged by your committee. The two attached NOTICES for APRIL & MAY provide an opportunity to attend at least one of the seven listed between weeks 15 and 21. There are other interesting and relevant events. One Contact HonSec for others. I was at the first two meetings this month but to fly home to Scotland this evening, apologise and regret having to miss others in April.

Mon 2008 04 14-08:30 to 16:15 DUBAI ENGINEERING CHALLENGES 2008

PCE UAE members are invited to register (dubaiengineeringchallenges.org) and attend this event which will be held at the Higher Colleges of Technology Mens College (HCT DMC) This is an International Conference for Engineering Professionals and students examining engineering challenges shaping the future of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. The opening address will be given by HE Shaikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Call (04) 4038302 for further information.

At least three Chartered Engineer members of PCE UAE are involved including Dr David Hall, Dan Savage and Angus McFarlane. Each of these members have kindly presented papers at PCE UAE monthly meetings in the last two years. Please refer to the attached flier, copies of which were issued at PCE UAE meetings.

The first series of meetings of PCE UAE after it was established 1996 01 01 were to visit and have briefings at the HCT in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah. Last year Dr Hall arranged similar visits. Also, HE Shaikh Nahayan has been a keen supporter over the years and welcomed Presidents of ICE and IMechE at his Majlis when they paid official visits to UAE. They all and addressed members at Ghantout.

Tue 2008 04 15 16:00 Visit to Al Qos modular construction workshops in Dubai

Tue 2008 04 22 16:00 Visit to Yas Island Camp complex for 10 000 in Abu Dhabi

Tue 2008 04 29 19:00 Professional Review Preparation (PRP) meeting at Ghantout

For details of these see attached NOTICE for APRIL (OR ON PCE UAE WEB PAGES)

Also, see NOTICE for MAY attached and on web for meetings on Tuesdays 2008 05 06, 13, 20 and 27 - now loaded thanks to webmaster NOTES CONTINUED >

822P80411PCE UAE(NEWSLETTER 2008No5 CHECK WEB www..pceuae.net

PCE PROFESSIONAL CHARTERED ENGINEERS NEWSLETTER 2008No5

UAE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES GROUP (PCE UAE) & NOTICES APR & MAY

We welcome all UAE based Chartered Engineers (CEng), Incorporated Engineers (IEng) and Engineering Technicians (EngT)

Registered with the Engineering Council (EC) plus all other members of the 35 EC Linked Professional Engineering Institutions (PEI)

A BIT OF ENGINEERING HISTORY

Provided we aim, plan and look towards the future it is relevant to take a look back if for no other reason than to avoid ‘reinventing the wheel’ This maxim is relevant for career planning where one can benefit from experience of others.

At the video shown by Hyder when they kindly welcomed PCE UAE members at the Burj Dubai (we planed fo 50 and 120 turned up) I noted reference to a former employer – Sir Bruce White and Partners. I noted they had became part of Hyder. I had been on their $2bn 40 contract Dammam Area Development Project. Following this up I obtained two interesting books which provide the history of much of British engineering background and quote below the books and some extracts.

1) ‘Footprints on a Global Landscape’ - Advancing the Human Environment for 150 Years – The History of Hyder.

2) ‘Chelsea to Cairo’ – The History of John Taylor and Sons and their predecessors by Gwilym Roberts a former President of ICE.

In delving back I was surprised to find just how many eminent former Presidents of ICE were multi-discipline and were also elected Presidents of IMechE and other PEI and how in fact the firm John Taylor so well known for water engineering developed from the James Simpson (1799-1809) who apart from establishing a thriving consultancy James Simpson also developed a leading manufactory for steam engines and pumps. James Simpson was the seventh President of ICE.

In 1836 James Simpson had taken on to his staff John Taylor who went in to partnership with Simpson’s son when the former died in 1869. The partnership died three years later and John Taylor set up his own practice. Also interesting is that the Simpsons merged with an American company to form the well known Worthington Simpson pump manufacturers

More interesting was to trace that Hyder developed from Freeman Fox and John Taylor both established in the 1860s merged to form Acer Consultants in 1987 and merged with Sir Bruce White Wolffe Barry and Partners in 1991. Acer was acquired by Welsh Water in 1993 and became Hyder in 1996.

The latter book outlines John Taylor’s involvement in the $2bn Cairo Waste Water Project and their work in Abu Dhabi where the client initially insisted in retaining the John Taylor name. The book provides an interesting overview of Professional Engineering ranging from worldwide multi discipline organisations, e.g. World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) and International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) back to original Institutions such as ICE founded 1818 and the London livery organisations going back to The Carpenters Livery company in 1333. I first quote the following.

‘Unlike the medical and architectural professions, the engineering profession has never been registered, that is there is no legal restraint on anyone adopting the title engineer – but only suitably qualified engineers (generally those who have joined professional institutions can style themselves Chartered Engineers, Incorporated Engineers or Engineering Technicians’ That remains the status even today.

PCE	PROFESSIONAL CHARTERED ENGINEERS	PCE
UAE	UNITED ARAB EMIRATES GROUP	UAE