2026 Engineers Nova Scotia Spotlight on Innovation Event
Last week, members of the Women in Engineering Group joined Dr. Jennie Rand in attending the 2026 Engineers Nova Scotia Spotlight on Innovation Event. This evening highlights the projects that women in engineering are working on, and gives students and professionals the chance to connect, celebrate and share their stories.
It is inspiring to hear from local women in engineering about their journeys and accomplishments in the field, targeting issues like climate change, affordable housing, and other impactful projects in our communities. Thank you Engineers Nova Scotia for hosting such a wonderful event!
Pi Day 2026!
In honour of this year's Pi Day the AES organized a very special opportunity to pie your prof! A HUGE thank you to Dr. Tango and Dr. Arnold for participating as well as our AES Co-presidents, Eva and Eliza!
Floating Wind Challenge 2026
The 2025/26 Floating Wind Challenge in Nova Scotia was presented to us by COVE, in partnership with OffshoreWind4Kids, and with support from the RBC Foundation and the Nova
Scotia Departments of Natural Resources and Energy. The challenge invited teams of 3 to 10 post-secondary students to design and build a floating support structure for the Vevor 500W Turbine. It was open across Canada, with the top-scoring team winning the opportunity to advance to the international competition.
Our team – Katie Penney, Ava Feltham, Quinn Lockhart, and Quade Shand–was multidisciplinary, consisting of Acadia engineering students going into study fields of industrial, environmental, electrical, and mechanical engineering. For the design, we decided on a ballast system with a triangular, semi-submersible floating
platform and dynamic mooring. This design allows for improved structural stability and consistent energy production in response to dynamic sea conditions, making it optimal for any offshore environment. Additionally, it was designed for efficiency across transportation, installation, and operation, featuring modular components that allow for easy tow-out
deployment and port-side assembly.
As third-year engineering students, we used concepts and strategies we have learned to navigate the design process. Courses like Fluid Mechanics and Strength of Materials gave us an understanding of the theory behind how floating turbines operate upon deployment, while courses like Design 1 and 2 provided the tools to design our 3D software models, as well as an understanding of the components and timeline of a full-scale design process. The competition required us to work within pre-determined cost constraints, which meant that we had to adjust the materials we had planned to use in our initial theoretical design. This gave us valuable experience learning what real-world design processes are like, instead of theoretical concepts often encountered in a classroom setting.
Over the past two months, we have worked countless hours in the evenings after class, creating our design with limited resource availability. This turbine was built with a handsaw, a drill, and a dream. We failed, we learned, we redesigned, and through this trial-and-error process, we were able to tie for first place with a team that had an outstanding design – a result far beyond what we had hoped for. Although, after further deliberation, the team from NSCC, Scotian Gales, was the one selected to continue forward to the global contest, we are super proud of what we have accomplished over the span of this competition. We hope that, with this being Acadia’s first year participating, our actions will inspire future students to take on the challenge in the years to come.
Dr. Martin Tango on Skill, Voice, and Self-Determination
Check out this wonderful article highlighting our very own Dr. Martin Tango.
"Dr. Martin Tango knows the value of self-motivation and self-empowerment because he lived it. From an early age, his success depended on beating the odds." To read the full article please visit: Dr. Martin Tango on Skill, Voice, and Self-Determination - Acadia University
Dalhousie’s Women in Engineering Professional Development Day
We had a wonderful crew visit Dalhousie’s Women in Engineering Professional Development Day on Sunday. This event is an opportunity to connect with inspiring peers, sharpen skills, and explore opportunities in engineering. A big thank you to Acadia's Women in Engineering leaders for organizing our students' participation.
FIRST® LEGO® LEAGUE CHALLENGE
A big thank you to our engineering volunteers, Sam, Dr. Tango, Layla, and Justin for your help judging this year's FIRST® LEGO® LEAGUE CHALLENGE with Acadia Robotics and the Jodrey School of Computer Science. Click here to learn more about Acadia Robotics and other upcoming events.
Happy Holidays!
Launchbox Innovation Challenge Winners!
Launchbox Innovation Challenge: Micro-Transit in Wolfville
University of New Brunswick Information Session
Dalhousie Engineering Co-op Information Sessions 2025
Open House: October 24, 2025
A huge thank you to Dr. Jennie Rand and our student volunteers for helping us welcome potential engineering students at Acadia's Open House this past weekend! Want to learn more about Acadia and our Engineering program? Register for the next open house on November 4th by visiting: Fall Open House - November 2025
2025 Graduation & Convocation Celebration!
Dalhousie Engineering Co-op Presentation
To view a slideshow explaining various important details, dates, and general information on the co-op application process, click here.
Atlantic Engineering Competition (AEC) 2023
This January, Acadia sent two teams of students to the Atlantic Engineering Competition (AEC) in Halifax, NS to compete in the junior design category. They spent the weekend in Halifax attending the event which consisted of an opening ceremony, competition day, and an awards banquet. The teams were tasked with designing a windmill that would be able to lift up a set weight. They were given designated times for designing, building, and to present to the panel of judges for scoring. Both teams faired very well with the team consisting of Kacya Vanhelden, Emma Rushton, Cailyn Sheehan, and Will Bartlett placing second and qualifying for nationals. A few weeks later the team travelled to the University of Waterloo and competed at the Canadian Engineering Competition (CEC).
Engineering Students Represent Acadia University at Atlantic Collegiate Baseball Association Tournament
The Ivan Curry School of Engineering is well represented on the Acadia Axemen Baseball team, as two members study engineering at Acadia. Aaron Stacey who catches and wears number 15 is currently in his third year of studies at Acadia and final season with the Axemen before transferring to Dalhousie to complete his degree in Mechanical Engineering. Scott Long wears number 34 and is a designated hitter with the team. He is currently in his second year of studies and his first year with the team with a remaining year of eligibility before heading to Dalhousie to pursue Civil Engineering.
After a successful 2021 regular 16-game season in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball Association, Acadia finished in third place with a 9-7 record and qualified for the year-end tournament in Charlottetown, PEI. This past weekend, Acadia took on the UNB Reds in the first game of the tournament where the Axemen were defeated by a score of 12-1. Needing two wins to give Acadia an opportunity to play in the finals, the Axemen came out swinging on day two of the tournament defeating St. FX by a score of 15-5.
The final round robin game Saturday evening featured a must win game for both the Axemen and Hurricanes with the winner earning the right to play the Reds in the championship final the next morning. The Axemen jumped out to a quick start scoring three runs in the first inning and added more insurance scoring four runs in the second inning to lead 7-0. That’s all Acadia would need as starting pitcher Jake Mackinnon would go the distance and only allow two runs, securing a 7-2 win and punching the Axemen’s ticket to the final.
On a chilly Sunday morning, Acadia took on the first place UNB Reds for ACBA supremacy. Acadia would jump out to an early lead, but the Reds would come roaring back in an intense final. After four innings the Axemen would lead 5-4, but the Reds once again would come back and lead 7-5 after six innings. Entering the final inning, UNB held Acadia to only one run claiming the victory 7-6 earning its second consecutive ACBA title.
