Turbo Expo was bigger, better than ever in '07

John Varrasi
ASME Communications

The 2007 ASME Turbo Expo, which convened last month in Montreal, set one of the highest attendance records for the event, with more than 3,000 delegates representing 54 countries.

More than 3,000 people attended the 2007 ASME Turbo Expo last month in Montreal, where one out of every 95 people are employed in the aerospace industry.

With one in every 95 people living in the Montreal area working in the aerospace field, the conference, featuring 760 technical papers and nearly 150 exhibitors, leveraged a strong local market for gas turbine professionals.

ASME Turbo Expo participants gathered at the Palais des Congres to listen to presentations on the state of the industry and learn about the advanced technologies and engineering tools that are improving efficiencies in both aero engines and stationary gas turbines used in electric power generation. A total of 217 technical sessions were held on combustion diagnostics, engine repair and maintenance, microturbines, and alternative fuels, among other subjects of interest to the worldwide industry.

Sheenu Srinivasan (left) and David Wisler of GE at the "Education and Training of Engineers in the New Century" session.

At one of these sessions, "Education and Training of Engineers in the New Century," the question of whether engineering school graduates possessed the necessary technical and managerial skills to meet job requirements in the gas turbine field was examined. Sheenu Srinivasan, who chaired the panel session, said the answer was "no" in most cases.

"The engine manufacturers have been saying that young engineers out of college, while bright in a broad range of engineering, in many cases lack the knowledge and aptitude specific to gas turbine technology and the gas turbine business," said Srinivasan, who is currently the chair of the IGTI's Education Committee. He believes that the problem lies not with overall quality of engineering education in the United States, but rather with emerging industry needs demanding newer sets of skills for young engineers entering the gas turbine field. He pointed out that gas turbines have become extremely complicated regarding aerodynamics, materials and structures, controls and heat transfer and that even graduates of the best engineering schools aren't ready for these challenges without extensive and costly employer-based orientation and training.

(Left to right) Keynote panelists Charles Soothill of Alstom Power Systems, David Wisler of GE Aircraft Engines, and John Saabas of Pratt and Whitney Canada.

More than 1,600 attended the keynote session, which examined the need to recruit and train the next generation of engineers to meet the demands of technology programs either in place today or planned for the near future. The keynote speakers were John Saabas, executive vice president at Pratt & Whitney Canada; Charles Soothill, vice president of technology at Alstom Power; and David C. Wisler, manager of university programs at GE Aircraft Engines.

Saabas, who opened the keynote panel session, encouraged the audience to embrace the role of educating the next generation of global gas engineers. All three keynoted agreed that the challenges in recruiting and training future gas turbine engineers were wide-ranging. The gas turbine industry worldwide is positioned for strong growth in the next five years, due in part to corporate efforts to produce cleaner, more efficient engines to meet new governmental regulations. This and other mandates exert pressure on manufacturers to "find the right people with the right skills," Saabas said.

The Bell 412 research helicopter, which was on display at the Turbo Expo, is configured with a control system that allows the rotorcraft to function as an airborne simulator.

For the first time at Turbo Expo, the keynote session was held in conjunction with the awards program, in which the ASME International Gas Turbine Institute (IGTI), the organizer of Turbo Expo, honored six individuals for outstanding contributions to gas turbine technology. Edward M. Greitzer, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, presented the 2007 Scholar Lecture, pointing out the connection between professional collaboration and technology advancements.

The Bell 412 helicopter, owned by the Canadian research organization NRC Aerospace, was the showcase of the exhibit, which sold out the floor space in the exhibit hall at the Palais des Congres.

The Turbo Expo exhibition hall featured a truly global representation of manufacturers, businesses and government organizations.

NRC Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Rolls-Royce Canada, Bell Helicopter, Textron Canada, and Bombardier provided facility tours in conjunction with the conference. In total, 20 sponsors provided support and resources, ensuring the success of Turbo Expo 2007.

The Turbo Expo also hosted the Women Working in the Gas Turbine Area Reception and Dinner on May 15. The event was a program of networking and information exchange in which participants also discussed the opportunities and challenges relating to career advancement in the field.

The exhibition was comprised of more than 150 exhibitors, showcasing the latest products and services for the gas turbine industry.

"The gas turbine industry must be more proactive in recruiting young female engineers," said Karen A. Thole, the organizer of the networking reception on behalf of the IGTI. "A diverse workforce will have the effect of producing the new ideas, new methodologies, and new business practices that will drive the industry toward a successful future."

The reception and dinner was the third in a series of similar programs held at the Turbo Expo.

On May 13, the ASME Center for Professional Development, Practice and Ethics held an Early Career Forum and Fair. The forum, titled "The Global Landscape: Essential Strategies to Transform Your Career in the Gas Turbine Industry," focused on how early-career engineers working in the gas turbine business are succeeding. During the program, early-career engineers and students networked with industry professionals to gain firsthand knowledge of key industry trends and opportunities, and also asked questions concerning career development. The career fair featured local organizations, advocacy groups and graduate schools.

ASME Turbo Expo 2008 will be held June 9–13, in Berlin. The site is Estrel Berlin, Europe's largest convention, entertainment, and hotel complex.

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