Iron Ring Are you an engineering student who's graduating this semester? Don't forget to register for the Fall 2010 Iron Ring ceremony. To register, please fill out the form located here.

Last day for registration is September 20, 2010.

Questions can be directed to Vijeta Patel, VP Academic at academic@ecaconcordia.ca but first take a look at the questions below:

Who will be approved to receive their Iron Ring for Fall 2010?
Undergraduate students who have completed their final courses in Summer 2010 or who are completing their final courses in Fall 2010.

When and where is the ceremony happening?
November 4th, 2010 at the Holiday Inn (420 Sherbrooke Ouest). The ceremony will begin at 17:00. There will a cocktail afterwards at 18:00 (open bar includes wine, beers, soft drinks, and mineral water. For anything else, you will need to pay. Canapés will be served with vegetarian options).

What is the cost?
Ticket prices still have to be determined. The maximum number of guests per student has yet to be determined.

Can guests come to the ceremony?
Nope, the ceremony is private to students and mentors. However, there will be a cocktail after the ceremony to mingle and take pictures with guests. During the ceremony guests can wait outside or simply arrive later. More Info about the Iron Ring The Iron Ring is given as part of "The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer", written by Rudyard Kipling. Legend has it that the rings are made from the steel of a beam from the Quebec Bridge, which collapsed during construction in 1916 due to poor planning and design by the overseeing engineers, killing 75 construction workers. Although this is not true, the Ring is a symbol of both pride and humility for the engineering profession.

The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer is the ceremony during which the young engineer takes an oath, which has been compared to the Hippocratic Oath that young doctors take. Although the details of the ceremony are not secret, they are considered sacrosanct and obligated engineers will normally decline opportunies to discuss the ceremony, particularly with engineering students.

The Ritual is administered by a body called The Corporation of the Seven Wardens Inc. Société des Sept Gardiens inc. The seven past-presidents of the Engineering Institute of Canada in 1922 were the original seven Wardens. The Corporation is responsible for administering and maintaining the Ritual and in order to do so creates Camps in various locations in Canada.

Iron Rings are given to graduating engineers who choose to obligate themselves to the highest professionalism and humility of their profession. It symbolically reflects the moral, ethical and professional commitment made by the engineer who wears the ring. Due to the private nature of the ceremony, invitations are only extended to engineering alumni and professionals. The ring is given to the inductee by a relative or mentor who has already received their ring. At Concordia, students who do not have mentors that have performed the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer, can be given their rings by professors or other professionals attending the ceremony. The ring is always worn on the little finger of the dominant hand, where the facets act as a sharp reminder of the obligation while the engineer works. This is particularly true of recently called engineers, whose rings still bear facets nearly sharp enough to be considered serrations. The location of the ring on the dominant hand also means that it is the furthest from the wedding ring that is usually made of gold or other precious metals. This symbolises monetary gain should not be what motivates an ethical engineer. This symbolism, however, is not necessarily true for left-handed engineers.

The ECA hosts two Iron Ring ceremonies per year for fall and winter graduates. Eligible students must register and have their academic credentials verified before being approved to attend the ceremony.

Adapted from: Petrosky, Henry. 1995. "The Iron Ring," American Scientist Vol 83. May/June: 229-231, Wikipedia article: "Iron Ring" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Ring), and "The Iron Ring: The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer" (www.ironring.ca)