Media invitation - École Polytechnique de Montréal inaugurates Québec's first
bachelor's degree program in aerospace engineering: The event to be attended
by Michelle Courchesne, Québec Minister of Education, Leisure and Sport, and
first cohort of students enrolled in the program

MONTREAL, March 17 /CNW Telbec/ - Media representatives are invited to attend the official inauguration of Québec's first bachelor's degree program in aerospace engineering. The event will take place this Friday, March 19, at 9:30 a.m. at École Polytechnique de Montréal and will be attended by Michelle Courchesne, Québec Minister of Education, Leisure and Sport; Lyne Lavoie, Executive Director of the J. Armand Bombardier Foundation; Maud Cohen, President of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec; Christophe Guy, CEO of École Polytechnique and Vice-Chair of the Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Québec (CRIAQ); along with several representatives of the aerospace industry and 90 of the first students registered in the program. A roundtable, led by Jacques St-Laurent, advisor to senior management at Bell Helicopter, will follow, featuring specialists who will discuss the aerospace industry today and in the future.

A PROGRAM BUILT IN CO-OPERATION WITH MAJOR INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Québec's first aerospace engineering undergraduate degree is intended to create a critical mass of specialized engineers who will form the succession, one of the major issues facing the province's aerospace industry. With the support of Bombardier Aerospace, Bell Helicopter and Collège Édouard-Montpetit's École nationale d'aérotechnique, the new program plans to train about 60 high-quality engineers every year.

The J. Armand Bombardier Foundation is contributing $500,000 to equip two simulation and manufacturing laboratories for use by the students.

ROUNDTABLE - AEROSPACE INDUSTRY ISSUES

    
         Discussion about the future of the Québec aerospace industry
         from the perspectives of technology, the environment and the
                   role of future generations of engineers.
    

Québec is a major player in the aerospace sector, with 60% of the Canadian industry's sales. Québec's current leadership of this industry is based largely on a qualified workforce. Three professionals have agreed to share their views on the future of the industry in Québec and the challenges facing tomorrow's engineers.

École Polytechnique de Montréal has invited key players from the aerospace sector to take part in the discussion:

    
    - Fassi Kafyeke, Director, Strategic Technology, Bombardier Aerospace
    - Pierre Rioux, Director, Canadian Research, Bell Helicopter Textron
      Canada Ltd.
    - Marie-Josée Potvin, structural dynamics engineer, Canadian Space Agency
    

Moderator

Jacques St-Laurent, advisor to senior management at Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd. Mr. St-Laurent has worked at Bell Helicopter Textron Canada since 1984, serving as its from 2002 to 2008. In June 2009, on the recommendation of École Polytechnique, he received a doctorate honoris causa from Université de Montréal.

    
    DATEBOOK

    What:  Inauguration of Québec's first bachelor's degree program in
           aerospace engineering

    Where: École Polytechnique de Montréal
           Official photo session : Entrance hall of the Main Building
           Presentations : Amphitheatre, 6th floor (C-631)
           Main Building
           École Polytechnique de Montréal
           2500, Chemin Polytechnique
           Université de Montréal campus

    When:  Friday, March 19, 2010, at 10 a.m. (official photo session
           at 9:30)

    - 9:30 to 9:35 a.m. - Official photo session with first cohort of
      students enrolled in the aerospace engineering bachelor's degree
      program, Minister Courchesne; Polytechnique CEO Christophe Guy;
      Bombardier Foundation Executive Director Lyne Lavoie; Ordre des
      ingénieurs President Maud Cohen; Clément Fortin, Program Director and
      Director of the Department of Mechanical Engineering; and Pierre
      Lafleur, Director, Teaching and Training at Polytechnique. The photo
      will be taken in the lobby of the main building.

    - 10 a.m. - Clément Fortin, welcome and introduction of the aerospace
      engineering bachelor's degree program

    - 10:10 - Christophe Guy, CEO, Polytechnique

    - 10:14 - Lyne Lavoie, Executive Director, Bombardier Foundation

    - 10:18 - Maud Cohen, President, Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec

    - 10:22 - Michelle Courchesne, Québec Minister of Education, Leisure
              and Sport

    - 10:30 - Media question period

    - 10:45 - Roundtable and questions
    

Interviews can be arranged with students in the program, Polytechnique professors, Polytechnique management and special guests.

For further information: Chantal Cantin, École Polytechnique de Montréal, [phone], ext 4970, Cell: [phone], [email protected]