University of Manitoba Engineering Society 

As an engineering student at the University of Manitoba, you will have an opportunity to attend many conferences, participate in competitions, and join students groups. Some of the conferences that you can attend are the National Conference on Women In Engineering, Congress, and the Western Engineering Student Societies' Team Retreat. At these conferences you'll meet engineering students from other universities, listen to prominent guest speakers in various fields, and participate in networking social events.

Student competitions are a great way for you to use your classroom knowledge and creativity. Of the many design competitions available to students, there are a few that are very popular. The University of Manitoba Engineering Competition (UMEC), the Western Engineering Competition (WEC), and the Canadian Engineering Competition (CEC) are three of the most popular events. UMEC is the qualifying competition for WEC, while WEC is the qualifier for CEC; where the best and brightest design groups compete. Winners of the regional and national competitions receive fame and fortune.

There are also many Engineering student groups that one can join in order to meet fellow students and compete at national and international student competitions. Civil engineering students can join the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE) and participate in the Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race. During the school year, they build a toboggan out of concrete and other materials, and race it in an annual competition down a mountainside at speeds exceeding 60 km/h. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and partakes in the AeroDesign and Formula competitions. The Formula SAE competition has teams from many universities building and racing their own Formula 1 cars. The SAE Aero Design Competition requires teams to build an airplane throughout the year and then brings it to a competition during the summer. In the competition, teams try to lift as much weight as possible with their airplane. In 2001, the team from the University of Manitoba placed 3rd out of 40 teams from across North and South America. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a student group for computer and electrical engineers. Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is a non-profit, charitable organization that stresses development of underdeveloped communities on a local level. In the summer of 2005 EWB was able to send an engineering student to Africa on a development project.

These are just a few of the many activities that are available to engineering students and the University of Manitoba. Engineering offers its students many opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities that will complements their studies and enrich their time spent at the university.