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Engineers Celebrate

Published:Friday | November 22, 2013 | 12:00 AM
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Guest speaker for the evening Kelly Tomblin converses with JIE president Dr Noel Brown. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Neckeisha Walcott (left) and Sonja Phinn were dressed to impress at The Jamaica Institution of Engineers Annual Awards Dinner and Ball, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, last Thursday.
Renee Williams (left), top Jamaican engineering student from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus, poses with her award alongside Cordell Williams-Graham.
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Shanica Blair, Gleaner Writer

The 50/50 band had guests humming to their every tune last Thursday night (November 14) inside the grand ballroom of The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, where The Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE) held their annual awards dinner and ball.

The ceremony is the official event for the 'changing of the guard' as well as awarding outstanding engineering students and engineering projects. Held under the theme 'Engineering Change', those in attendance were encouraged to be the change they wish to see in the world. Some who seem to already be the change were rewarded for their outstanding performances in the field. The most outstanding student awards went to Kerri-Lee Chintersingh and Pierre-Anthony Archer from the University of Technology, and Renee Williams from the University of the West Indies. Outstanding graduate member award went to Melissa Townsend, while Christopher Hamilton received the President's Cup. The 2013 Engineer's Week committee, got the Best Committee Award.

In the symbolic changing of the guard, current president Noel Brown presented the past president medal to immediate past president, David Smith. Andre White is the JIE president elect and will take over the reins from Brown in 2014.

Leading Lady of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS), Kelly Tomblin, was the night's guest speaker. The university graduate who went to engineering school but switched to business, told guests that she was honoured to be their guest speaker. "I am not an engineer but I have worked with engineers all my life. I live with one," she laughed as she informed the guests that her husband is an engineer. While outlining her focus at JPS, she challenged the young engineers to understand that leadership is a science and art. "We are all counting on you to be the change," she challenged.

The night ended with the engineering project of the year award being presented to the Westmoreland Bridge and the Award of Excellence in Engineering presented to Peter Morais. In receiving the award, Morais noted, "It's a great pleasure and honour to be presented with this award. I mean you are just doing your job and your friends give you this," he laughed.

It was a night well spent between individuals of like mind that ended with the 50/50 band encouraging guests to take to the dance floor.