Babcock partners with University of Victoria to support Engineering Students
Babcock is pleased to announce that it has partnered with the University of Victoria and sponsored their student-led human powered submarine team for a second consecutive year.
A long time champion of programs that promote STEM career fields to youth around the world, Babcock is committed to supporting Canada’s next generation of engineers and technologists. In addition to a financial contribution, Babcock employees will provide mentorship and technical guidance to the students as they design, build and test their human-powered submarine.
Learning in the Field
In honour of National Engineering Month, Babcock engineers invited the university students to visit its facilities in Victoria and experience a 2,400 tonne Victoria-Class submarine up-close. During their visit, they gained a greater understanding of the complex nature of these naval platforms and of the different skills that Babcock specialists use to maintain the vessels.
The submarine tour began inside the vessel’s motor room and wound its way through the various compartments and sections that make up these highly intricate vessels. The students then toured the exterior of the Pressure Hull, looked at the Hydroplanes and Bow Shutter Modules while Carl Walker, Platform Commissioning Manager at Babcock, explained the basic principles of submarine system design and operation, while relating this to the challenges that the student submarine racing team faces.
By the end of the tour, I received very positive feedback on the content and ‘story telling’, and I also had a good experience with the students. In conducting these types of tours, it makes you reflect objectively on the good work that we do on a daily basis.
Carl Walker, Platform Commissioning Manager at Babcock
Showcasing Canadian Talent on a Global Stage
This summer, the University of Victoria students will travel to Maryland and will be one of the teams representing Canada at the biennial International Submarine Races.
Sponsored by the Foundation for Underwater Research & Education and hosted by the Naval Surface Warfare Centre, this competition provides valuable educational experiences to the best and brightest engineering and science students from throughout the world. The races were initially designed to address difficulties filling careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by promoting interest in these industries. Each team designs and builds their human powered submarine from scratch, striving to make it the best in the world. Constant innovation, real time problem solving, teamwork, and theoretical knowledge are all required for a team to be successful.
By supporting competitions like the International Submarine Races, Babcock Canada is helping to develop the next generation of engineering talent in Canada. The experience these engineering undergraduates are getting will be invaluable in the workforce and highly applicable to the complex engineering work companies like Babcock Canada perform.
Tony March, Director and Head of Engineering at Babcock
Babcock Inspired Innovation
The University of Victoria Submarine Racing Team was established in 2017, by Manuel Gomez, following the was completion of a co-op term with Babcock. During his co-op term, Manuel worked on supporting the overhaul of a Victoria Class submarine, which allowed him to develop practical knowledge of submarines and their design. When he heard out about human-powered submarine racing, he decided to propose the idea of creating a team at the University of Victoria.
Manuel was able to apply the skills and knowledge he gained during his co-op with Babcock, and along with fellow students, they designed, developed, and maintained an effective human powered submarine. In the team’s first year competing, they finished fourth overall at the 2018 European International Submarine Races.
The team is looking forward to continually improving its submarine designs and gaining valuable experience in the marine industry.
You can learn more about the UVic Submarine Racing Team and follow their progress by visiting: https://www.uvicsubmarine.com/
