The CWB Association brings you a weekly podcast that connects to welding professionals around the world and unrepresented communities as we continue to strive for a more diverse workforce. Join us as we celebrate National Volunteer Month to showcase the incredible contributions of our Chapter Executives from across Canada and globally.
Join us on an incredible journey with Sofia Salazar, a Mechanical Engineer from La Serena, Chile, and the University of Alberta. To all aspiring engineers and young women considering migration, don't miss out listening to this episode! Sofia's transformation from a young girl intrigued by culinary arts and medicine to an engineer driven by innovation provides a rich narrative that transcends cultural barriers. Her move across continents, linguistic hurdles, and academic challenges to engaging with the CWB community, and the power of community involvement in shaping a fulfilling career.
Follow Sofia:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofiast
Find your Local CWBA Chapter Here: https://www.cwbgroup.org/association/chapters
Thank you to our Podcast Advertisers:
Canada Welding Supply: https://canadaweldingsupply.ca/
There is no better time to be a member! The CWB Association membership is new, improved and focused on you. We offer a FREE membership with a full suite of benefits to build your career, stay informed, and support the Canadian welding industry. https://www.cwbgroup.org/association/become-a-member
The CWB Association brings you a weekly podcast that connects to welding professionals around the world and unrepresented communities as we continue to strive for a more diverse workforce. Join us as we celebrate National Volunteer Month to showcase the incredible contributions of our Chapter Executives from across Canada and globally.
Join us on an incredible journey with Sofia Salazar, a Mechanical Engineer from La Serena, Chile, and the University of Alberta. To all aspiring engineers and young women considering migration, don't miss out listening to this episode! Sofia's transformation from a young girl intrigued by culinary arts and medicine to an engineer driven by innovation provides a rich narrative that transcends cultural barriers. Her move across continents, linguistic hurdles, and academic challenges to engaging with the CWB community, and the power of community involvement in shaping a fulfilling career.
Follow Sofia:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofiast
Find your Local CWBA Chapter Here: https://www.cwbgroup.org/association/chapters
Thank you to our Podcast Advertisers:
Canada Welding Supply: https://canadaweldingsupply.ca/
There is no better time to be a member! The CWB Association membership is new, improved and focused on you. We offer a FREE membership with a full suite of benefits to build your career, stay informed, and support the Canadian welding industry. https://www.cwbgroup.org/association/become-a-member
All right, I can check. Check, I'm good. So I'm Max Duran. Max Duran, cwb Association Welding Podcast, pod pod podcast. Today we have a really cool guest welding podcast. The show is about to begin. Attention, welders in Canada Looking for top quality welding supplies, look no further than Canada Welding Supply. With a vast selection of premium equipment, safety gear and consumables. Cws has got you covered. They offer fast and reliable shipping across the country. And here's the best part All podcast listeners get 10% off any pair of welding gloves. Can you believe that? Use code cwb10 at checkout when placing your next order. Visit canadaweldingsupplyca now. Canada welding supply, your trusted welding supplier. Happy welding. Hello and welcome to another edition of the CWB Association podcast. My name is Max Saron and, as always, I'm looking for the coolest people I can find, and you're not going to find a cooler girl than this one I'm interviewing right now, who is doing wonderful work all over the world. We have Sofia Salazar coming to us here from Edmonton and the University of Alberta. Sophie, how are you doing?
Speaker 2:I'm doing great, thank you.
Speaker 1:So go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 2:I was going to ask how are you doing?
Speaker 1:I'm doing good. I'm doing good. It's been a long day, long week. Gwb. We've got lots of projects. It's a busy, busy time. As you know, you're busy too, so it's been, it's been pretty crazy. So, sophia, let's start with a couple obvious things for people that are going to be coming on. Um, let's start with the first one where are you from?
Speaker 2:well, I am from chile, uh, from a city called la sirena, which means like, uh, the serenity, and yeah, I did my my school, my my high school, over there, and then I went to santiago, which is the capital, to study my university career all right.
Speaker 1:So la serena, beautiful, beautiful little town. I have family that lives there. Uh, one of my cousins is a tattoo artist in la serena and he just moved to canada. He's in coluna now. You know, la Serena is a smaller kind of area, nice place, you know, kind of middle class, upper middle class. How did you, as a young girl, you know? What did you think you were going to be when you grew up? Because I feel like in Chile still lots of people think about like women and women's jobs, men and men's jobs, you know, and for yourself, what was your dream when you were a little girl? What did you think you wanted to be?
Speaker 2:well, actually, um, I wanted to be a chef, yeah, yeah, but I am the youngest of of four brothers, so, uh, I kind of knew that that wasn't an option. My father was very strict regarding education and he always was saying that the only thing he required from us was good grades for us to study. So my dream as a kid was to be a chef. Then I wanted to be a doctor, but I thought it was kind of boring, like after a while it's the same thing.
Speaker 1:So then, yeah, I went with engineer so chef cooking and engineering are very similar. I've had this conversation with uh chefs and people in the sciences my whole life, because they do basically what any good scientist does. They, you know, work with their ingredients, they mix them in the right, you know quantities and they have an expected outcome. And if the outcome doesn't come out correctly, then they have to review the process, the ingredients, and see what happened. That's very similar to what we do in the sciences yeah, that's true, that's true doctor.
Speaker 1:I understand nobody wants to be a doctor. Yeah, you know, like I don't want to be a doctor, I didn't think it was boring, but I thought it was just yucky. Like I don't want to touch people, I don't want to look in people's I don't know armpits and mouths and ears and whatever else you got to look at. No, thank you.
Speaker 2:Actually, like I still feel like a passion for it, like I don't, I don't mind, like human body, like I cannot feel like any kind of aversion to something that it's literally in everyone. Yeah, like if someone tells me, like would you study? Like racing? It would be like if someone like was great, why not? But yeah, too many years, that's true.
Speaker 1:So you're in La Serena, you're finishing high school and you decide that you want to get into engineering Did you decide that right out of high school, or did you try something else first?
Speaker 2:Actually it was like a last moment decision because, uh well, my father has this, uh like clock, these cuckoo clocks, like the ones with the bird that come out and I, yeah, okay, yeah, yeah yeah, so one day, like it fall and it opened and I I was trying to see for the, for the batteries, and my father tells me that it doesn't require any batteries.
Speaker 2:So yeah, because of that I started thinking, ah, that's interesting. And first I have this kind of I wouldn't say naive, but kind of naive idea of maybe we could make everything work without electricity and just any other kind of mechanical energy. And that's why I went to engineer. I thought it would be fun. I will never get bored. There are always different projects and I kind of like that.
Speaker 1:Now mechanical engineering specifically. Is that because of the cuckoo clock, or did you choose mechanical engineering for any other reason?
Speaker 2:No, it was actually because of the cuckoo clock, other options. I think I should maybe like have given like a second thought to that, but I didn't. I was when I entered to engineer I was like I want mechanical mechanical engineer and after the two first years you have to decide the speciality. And yeah, I just went to mechanics.
Speaker 1:Now, once you know being in the mechanical engineering field as a woman in Chile, did you feel that there was good representation? Was there lots of women in your program, you know, was it pretty diverse or not very much?
Speaker 2:No, we were like two women every 10 guys.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So not at all, but I will say it's actually like a very good advantage.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, an advantage to be a female surrounded by men. What's the advantage that you would have?
Speaker 2:so, honestly, this was. This would sound like maybe not very accurate, but they never considered you as part of the competition oh, I see.
Speaker 2:So they're like oh, you're just a woman, I don't have to worry about you, but you're like, I'll show you I mean, I mean my, my game is like be quiet and then when I like actually got the scholarship or whatever it's like everyone is like, oh my god, did she apply? Like nobody even thought that I would like be applying to these kind of things really, and you know I I've met you.
Speaker 1:I've known you for a couple years now, now here in Canada. I never would have thought of you as quiet.
Speaker 2:I mean not now, because I'm already here. Right, I'm already here, yeah, no, I wouldn't say I am like a very quiet person. I'm just saying, like you know, you should like. I try not to say you try to be like low key.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly so. So yeah, like in that, in that like aspect is like an advantage. Yeah, I have to look around my, my whole like university life, um, yeah, mainly that, actually, I will say, is like my biggest now as, uh, as someone getting into engineering in chile, were you worried about finding work?
Speaker 1:because, like, I mean, there's something weird happening in chile where for the last 30 years it's like everyone got told to go to university and there are so many engineers in chile, like everyone took engineering, like everywhere you look there's engineers. Like two-thirds of my cousins are engineers, but now they're struggling to find work. You know, did anyone talk to you about that? Look, sofia, sure you can go into engineering, mechanical engineering, great, great profession, but you know, know, what about the work? Where are you going to work?
Speaker 2:like many people ask me about this, in chile there is a problem. I mean, I wouldn't say it's a problem, but the thing is that they like to call engineer like everything, and this is a difference. Like when I came here, I realized that over here I am a mechanical engineer, but in chile the career is called like mechanical civil engineer. And the thing is that in chile most of like the like I like how can I say this? Like engineering engineer is being considered civil engineer. So if you're, for example, like mechanical engineer, uh, that's not the same as mechanical civil engineer. It has the name of engineer but it's not like here, it wouldn't be considered an engineer okay, so what would be the equivalent of a mechanical engineer in chile to a engineer here?
Speaker 2:so what I believe what happens is that there are like different levels, more levels than the ones that you can find here, like it wouldn't be the same as a technician, because over there you also have a technician, but then, like that's the thing, like the range of like works is is is different. So my whole point here is that a mechanical engineer is not the same as a mechanical civil engineer, which here is a mechanical engineer. Yeah, not confusing at all.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not confusing at all. Yeah, not confusing at all. Yeah, but, um, but yeah, like what you're saying is also true. Like, uh, I wouldn't say that the amount of work is the same as before, especially because many companies have like leave the country. And yeah, after like the, the, the social crisis that we have, like a few years ago that was kind of worse, but I wouldn't say it's like impossible or very hard to find a job.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, okay. Now, as you were going through your mechanical engineering education, did you ever think that you would be, you know, one day, leaving the country? You know, did you have that thought, as you know, even a young person growing up, that you wanted to travel or work elsewhere? You know how did that happen?
Speaker 2:Yeah, like, honestly all my life. It's like I don't know I was 12. I always wanted to leave the country and like, no, I don't know other cultures or any work in other places. And when I came here, when I came here, I never thought I was going to be here like that soon. I thought like I should finish first my, my undergrad, and then I will probably like apply for other options. Right, yeah, um, and yeah like, when I came, I I saw I don't know the safety, for example, it was a very important point for me to be able like to go outside I don't know 11 pm and be sure nothing's going to happen.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I just love it and so when you were in the university course in chile, the university of santiago, when did you start thinking about leaving and how did the opportunity present itself?
Speaker 2:so the opportunity presented. A night I was in a party and I saw this post of a friend Vicente, which you probably know him and yeah, I saw the post saying like, if you want to apply to this scholarship, it's like super easy, most of people get accepted. So, yeah, I went to sleep that night and I thought about it like three times and I have this rule like if I think about something three times it's because I wanted it. You know this dilemma when you're like in your bed and you start like thinking on the ice cream that is rich.
Speaker 2:I say like if I think it three times I will stand up and go for the ice cream, because otherwise it will be just there like bothering me. It's like my personal law. So yeah, I thought about it three times. And then next morning I I said I think I thought about it three times so I will apply. And yeah, I did. But I never thought I was going to be accepted. Actually, like many months have like passed and I was already in another thesis with another professor when I got the email saying that I was accepted for the scholarship.
Speaker 1:So I was like, yeah, and then, when you got accepted, a couple of things have to happen. First of all, you know, what did your family think about you getting accepted to the scholarship, which meant that pretty quickly, you're going to have to pack your bags and go to another country. What did they think about that?
Speaker 2:My parents were super happy.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Actually everyone in my family. We were having dinner and I say like oh, I got accepted, but I just couldn't, like you know, digest the idea. So everyone was like oh my God, congratulations right. And I was like wow, is this real?
Speaker 1:So yeah, how far along were you in your undergrad? When you got accepted Were you in your third year?
Speaker 2:No, I was in my last year.
Speaker 1:In your final year.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, I applied for the scholarship to do my thesis because in my country you have to do undergrad thesis to finish the career. So, yeah, actually it was crazy because, like I needed, my sister was going to get married in April and my brother was getting married on November of the previous year. So I literally had my brother's wedding and like after two days I came here to Canada and when I went back, because the scholarship ended after two, I had my sister's wedding.
Speaker 1:So what was the scholarship for and what did you do when you came for that period of time?
Speaker 2:So it was for four months, like basically research. I use it to do my thesis. It's not necessary, you can do just a normal research, but I use it to do my thesis. It's not necessary, you can do just a normal research, but I use it for that. And yeah, I choose friction and steel welding by Patricia Mendez, my supervisor. He gives you different options like would you like to study?
Speaker 2:But I didn't know anything about welding. I didn't know anything. We don't study welding in in undergrad of mechanical engineer. I don't know why. I mean we did so it's like for a couple classes, but it's not really something that you like will remember, like the difference between TIG, mig. So yeah, I just saw like okay, fresh welding is for, like it's different, it's for like aluminum alloys. So I was like I am going to go for that one and it was way harder than I expected. But I love the complexity. It's like everything when I was actually searching for because that's like the idea to find a problem that involves like mechanics, like heat transfer, plastic deformation. So it was like the whole packaging one.
Speaker 1:And in the four months, what was expected of you to complete? You know they say, ok, here's your scholarship. You're coming up four months from the university in Canada's angle. You know, dr Patricio Mendez, what does he expect you to do?
Speaker 2:and finish in those four months so Patricia first wanted me to like replicate the previous results of the person that was working with this, because he was kind of stuck on this problem and, like from the previous like students nobody could like actually get something done. So he said, like okay, the next one I will first ask to get the same results as the previous person that started this whole mathematical model. So I remember I studied the whole model for like a month. Then I got the results and yeah, he was happy because I got them do a little bit of changes regarding, like, heat transfer phenomena, like incorporating the heat transfer for the base plate that is happening. I don't want to go into very much detail, but yeah, I incorporated that and I got new results which were better. So I remember I got new results which were better. So I remember I just did that, like I replicated the previous results and did this little bit of improvement and yeah, and that's it. That was my four months.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. And then you get sent back home to Chile to finish your thesis and graduate, and you know what's your, what were your thoughts? You got a little bit of taste of Canada. You know Edmonton it sounds like you were up here in the winter, you know. So it's cold in Edmonton in December, january, february. And then you go back home, you finish your degree and you're going to go to work like a normal Chilean. You know what?
Speaker 3:what happened?
Speaker 2:you know, because no, no, no, what happened here? I was like I really really want the master's, like I really want to come back, like I knew it even before coming. So so, yeah, like when I came, I was like I'm going to work a lot, I really hope Patricia like likes my work and and I will probably be able to apply for the master's. So that was the whole plan since the beginning. So when I went back to Chile, I defended my TSTs and then, yeah, I applied for the master's and in a couple of months I was here again.
Speaker 1:So that was pretty quick. You know, at this point is your family still very supportive, Because now this looks like a more permanent decision now.
Speaker 2:No, no, yeah, my father is. There was this moment where I was really missing them and my father was like no, you have to be strong, you have to like stay there and people can see you and you can come to visit. But yeah, it was always the plan and my, my family, especially my father, was super he's super proud because I am here and you know what?
Speaker 1:what about if it was somewhere else? Like, why canada? Like I know, there was a scholarship with the? U of a. They have a very unique program when it comes to, like you know, combining welding engineering with other forms of other engineering, whether it's mechanical or materials or or fluid dynamics or whatever.
Speaker 1:Um, so, so that's a good mix. That doesn't happen too many places in the world, so I understand that. But when you were, you know, in chile, before applying for the ELAP scholarship, were you thinking about other countries? Were you thinking, you know, I would like to go to Europe or Australia? Or you know what was your list of top five?
Speaker 2:So my first option was Germany, and I was actually studying German in.
Speaker 3:Chile.
Speaker 2:I was really really considering Germany and yeah, then, like Canada happened and actually it was for the best, my sister, she moved to Essen. Now she's over there and what I really like about here in Montreux, or I don't know. I don't know if I kind of spoke for entire Canada, but immigrants here it's like a thing, or I don't know if I can't spoke for entire Canada.
Speaker 2:But immigrants here. It's like a thing, it's normal. Yeah, it's normal for so many countries, so I have never felt like discrimination at all. But my sister that she's in Germany, she have already like, of course, so yeah, Are you going to go to the big essen show?
Speaker 1:they do a huge welding and fabrication show in essen, germany, every two years, I think are you gonna go to one of them?
Speaker 2:I mean, I hope so me too. I want to go I have been traveling so much since since I came here.
Speaker 1:So, uh, yeah, I hope I can be done, but in the future so now you know you, you finish your, your undergrad, you count, you get on your master's, you come back to Canada and at this point are you feeling like you want to make you know this country your home, or are you still thinking that when you finish your master's you can go work somewhere else? Because I know how difficult it is for many immigrants. They come to Canada and they as much as they like it and they love it and it's great. They just miss home too much, like they just want to get back home, you know, did you feel that?
Speaker 2:I feel like I really, really miss the culture. I really miss the fact of being in the street seeing two friends to meet each other and they are like, hey, how are you? And they hug each other. I hear it's very weird to see that People are not used to being very touchy yeah exactly.
Speaker 2:I know it maybe sounds weird. Uh, that's something I really miss about my country and, yeah, like the interaction that people have. Also, I have noticed like, uh, this also sounds kind of crazy, but uh, I believe that in chile, people like speak a lot and they really they are not afraid of saying their ideas. I know that there are many cultures that consider that that being, like you know, always calm is something good, but I really miss the fact that people express their emotions like yeah, chileans aren't calm no, they are like I don't know.
Speaker 2:it's like just being like super honest regarding what are you feeling, and of course, sometimes that is not something very good, but I really miss that Like people actually expressing themselves. Like I was the other day on this traffic for like one hour and it turns, it turned out that there was these two cars that crashed, but it was like nothing. It was nothing Like you could see, it was absolutely nothing. You couldn't even see like a little mark in the car and and the driver says like oh my god, I can't believe. We just wait like an hour because of that and what would?
Speaker 1:what would the? What would have happened in chile if there was an accident like that and there?
Speaker 2:was. That's the thing where that happens. In chile, everyone starts shouting like move, or or or starts you know, nobody says anything and I am sure that everyone was like super upset when they saw like the tiny, tiny, like accident. So that's something I really mean is like people just like expressing themselves and what about the school?
Speaker 1:you know how different was university in chile versus university in canada. Was it the same, was it similar or was it way different?
Speaker 2:I love the fact that here they um, how can I say this? Uh, sports is like everywhere. I I really love that. Like they are always saying, like I don't know, we have these uh hockey game on this day, like, um, or or the fact that they have like a very big gym for people here. Maybe it's normal to have like a two-floor jeans, but I have never seen one in my life. So so, yeah, I like that here like there is more energy in that. In that sense, and also the university here like involve a lot like community. You know, like, for example, in the gym, there is this like swimming pool and there is this day for family like to come in and swing with our like kids and that's super free and they involve like families, they involve community.
Speaker 2:Also, industry is way more like incorporated, like. I know industries that like provide for like masters, for example, subject for students, and I wouldn't say that that's something you don't ever see in Chile, but it's more.
Speaker 1:It's more weird, yeah ever seen chile, but it's more, it's more weird. Yeah, well, that's one of the things that you know I'm working on in chile is trying to connect the universities to the public and to the industry, because I've always noticed that in chile, that the, the you know the levels don't talk to each other. You know like it's like. You're over here, this is your road, don't look over there, don't go over there, this is where you stay and and I don't think that's good, I think it's better when there's communication between the you know the research centers, the universities, the training centers, where the welders are, and the uh and industry, because you know that's those are the people that should be talking to each other, because they need each other, right yeah, no, absolutely like.
Speaker 2:That was very shocking for me here. Like to realize that how like university is a main component of like society, but you can see that in many aspects.
Speaker 1:And then what about the schooling? You know, would you say that the schooling was the same level? Was it harder in Chile? Was it harder here? Or kind of engineering is engineering, no matter where you are in the world.
Speaker 2:I would say it's different because in Chile I was in my bachelor's, so for what I have seen for bachelor's students here, it was kind of the same.
Speaker 2:We have a lot of classes, a lot of assignments and projects. But now here, because of the same, we have a lot of uh classes, um, a lot of like assignments, some projects, uh. But now here, because of the masters, I hope I have to take different kind of classes with different like requirements. Um, they were like a little bit like harder, but I don't know if that's because of the masters or because if actually classes are like harder here.
Speaker 1:Or you.
Speaker 3:Or me yes, yeah, because maybe you didn't like those classes.
Speaker 1:It's hard to do well in a class you don't really like too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, but like I like the subject, it was also new to learn the whole like technical language in English. But, yeah, no, like I really like the classes here, like professors are very committed. Yeah, that's the next question I was going to. I really like the classes here, like professors are very committed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's the next question I was going to ask you is the language barrier. You know Chile. People ask me like if people in Chile speak English and I always say yeah, kind of because they do learn in school, you know there is English classes in school of because they do learn in school, you know there is english classes in school, and but I say it's like people in chile speak english, like I speak french very poorly, you know. So for you were you already pretty good at english, because your english now is excellent and within a, you know, within a couple years. That seems almost impossible. So you must have had some English before you came.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I did. I studied English like my whole like school until like eighth grade and all of my classes were in English, and then I had two hours of English until I was 18. And after that, in the university, we also have to take English classes. Um, so, yeah, I like I will say that the biggest difference is to learn as a kid. The pronunciation is is something like you usually get when you're like you know. So so, yeah, um, I agree with you. I would say I will say that, yeah, it depends where you are.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because, even compared to Vicente and Stefano, you speak better English than them.
Speaker 3:No, thank you.
Speaker 1:But Vicente was here longer. You know what I mean, but I don't think he had as much English to start.
Speaker 2:For my father. It was also a very like clue point and I I laugh nowadays because I remember that I hated english, I didn't like it, I I was terrible at it, I didn't. So. So, yeah, like I would say, it's on like education basically and what about the technical language?
Speaker 1:you know how hard was it to start picking up the technical language.
Speaker 2:Um, the specific engineering terms, but then, even further, the specific welding engineering term um, so, regarding welding, it wasn't that hard because I learned it in english, but for the classes that I had to took that were not welding related, um, yeah, that was hard, like I remember I didn't know what was alloy, uh, but yeah, like, after a while it wasn't that hard. Like I remember I make this list of, like main concepts that you for sure should know. Um, and yeah, then it wasn't hard awesome.
Speaker 1:Well, let's take the break right now for our commercials and sponsors and advertisers and then when we come back, sophie, I want to talk about what you're doing at the university now and all the different projects you got going on. So don't go anywhere. Everyone. Stay tuned here to the CWB Association podcast. I'm Max Ron and with Sophie Senesad, and we'll be right back after these messages.
Speaker 3:The CWB Association is new and improved, and focused on you. We offer a free membership with lots of benefits to anyone interested in joining an association that is passionate about welding. We are committed to educating, informing and connecting our workforce. Gain access to your free digital publication of the Weld Magazine, free online training conferences and lots of giveaways. Reach out to your local CWB Association chapter today to connect with other welding professionals and share welding as a trade in your community. Build your career, stay informed and support the Canadian welding industry. Join today and learn more at cwbassociationorg.
Speaker 1:And we are back on the CWB Association podcast. My name is Max Duran and I'm here with Sophia Sarasat. Thanks so much for being with us. A fellow Chilean here on the show and in Edmonton at the University of Alberta. Now we were talking about before the break. You know where you were in terms of your transition to the colleges here and then working on your master's. So are you almost done your master's now?
Speaker 2:When you're doing research. That's like a hard thing to say, because I would say that I was close to finish, but then we realized that we were missing something. So now we have to incorporate that, and that involves like redoing all the equations, uh. But yeah, I will say that I am way closer to finish, um, so maybe one more year, two more years no, I think maybe I will be able to finish this year yeah, so and and in that journey here now to your master's, you know what.
Speaker 1:What involvements have you been getting into? Because you know you, at the University of Alberta, they have a number of different programs going on and you know, you've noticed, obviously, in Canada, there there's associations, there's group, there's committees, there's student groups. There's all sorts of things to get involved with that you don't have to be a part of, but you chose to be. So you know in when you got here, I guess what was your you know learning process about? You know all these other organizations and why would you even decide to work with them?
Speaker 2:Yeah, like, actually that was kind of funny, in the moment they came here I was already part of the student chapter and I even didn't. I didn't even know what was a student chapter. Like it took me a while to actually get the the meaning of it. And yeah, I was publicity coordinator first. Uh, the last year, um, and yeah, I started learning that we should like organize this, for example, this annual seminar, that we participate, for example, in different like uh conference, canwell fabtech, uh, so, yeah, uh, then I started learning and the next year I became president, so now, why did you want to be involved with these things?
Speaker 1:you know they're extra work, it's extra time, even the conferences and the papers. Not all engineering students do that. You know not all engineering students that are working on masters's or doctorate do the conferences. They find other ways to get their information out there. You know, what is it that attracts that to you?
Speaker 2:So, yeah, that's one of the things I really like about being here. There is more involvement. There is more involvement and actually you want to do it because the people that is also involved like, for example, in the, in the CWB, like you they want to be there because it's something that it's helping people, like it's improving the whole system and you're actually happy of doing your job and I can see that. So that's something that it was very interesting for me. I thought that I could learn and I have learned a lot by being involved in, like, for example, the student chapter. So, yeah, like it's basically that's that's why I wanted to get involved, like to get experience in in that aspect, and also because I wanted to be, like, more involved in this area. Like I think it's amazing to see like a community of the, of the area where you're actually working on.
Speaker 1:And how do you feel the community is in Edmonton? You know for, for you, because Edmonton, you know Alberta in general is kind of seen as a as as a very, I guess, central hub for oil and gas research. There's a little bit of mining, there's some forestry, there's a lot of industry in the prairies. In general, if you just look at central Canada, how is your reception into that world? Do you feel like you fit right in and has it been easy to navigate all that information?
Speaker 2:No, no, not at all. And it was shocking for me, for example, the oil and gas industry here, because in Chile everything is like green energy, you know, and here when you give us like oil and gas, we all we love oil and gas. So that was, that was kind of shocking. But yeah, the fact that the whole like industry know each other like more than in like a professional way, like, for example, the trivia night, it's like a nice like instance where actually people get involved and they like to participate and yeah, like that's, that was like shocking for me to to see. Uh, so I felt like I was like very well welcome in the in the whole community, like people like you and and yeah, like they have like guide me very well and your master's.
Speaker 1:Now, as you get closer to being done, is it still in the friction stir world? Is that? Have you? Have you transitioned your thesis into your master's?
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, absolutely yeah. And what is?
Speaker 1:it you're trying to solve right now. Let us know what you're trying to figure out. Okay, and people that listen to this show are educated and no welding, so don't worry about trying to be make it simple.
Speaker 2:People can figure it out so our like biggest problem was, uh, the sheer layer thickness. So we had problems because when we were calculating, uh, the sheer layer thickness, uh, we got that some results were super big. That didn't have any sense at all, even if we established as a hypothesis that the shear layer should be way thinner than the pin radius. But then we just realized that we were not considering in the Bessel function that we should consider the addition of this shear layer thickness in the equation. So right now we're incorporating that and, yeah, like, after that we believe we will have to like recalculate the four main like equations and then we will compare again the results that are like experimental versus the one that are theoretical, theoretical, theoretical, thank you and to see if they're like very similar.
Speaker 1:And that was like the last of our problems regarding the model so when, in the process of friction stir welding, the heat generated obviously through friction, but you need to get to a sheer value where you'll actually peel the material off the parent metal in order to create the weld pool, am I on the right track here? Yes right, and once you got it spinning, then it's easy to quantify the, the temperatures, the heats, the, the penetration um yeah so like yeah, like I stopped you there, because that's where we have like our clue point.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 2:Like. One of the main purposes of this model is to find this temperature where you have enough plastic deformation to be able to stir and mix the two plates. But there is no equation so far that tells you like oh, this is the like, the temperature to have this enough plastic deformation to join it with another metal. So that's the equation that we're trying to get Like. It's not the melting temperature or the solidification one, it's the temperature that we call T delta, which is that one Like this is our clue temperature here and the whole model actually tries to calculate it. And the whole model actually tries to calculate it and we believe it will be like generic for all the materials. And of course it's related with the melting temperature. So far in literature it is believed that it's like the 60% of the melting temperature. That's a generalization.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly Like someone said like oh, it's the 60%, that's like that's a generalization yeah, yeah, exactly Like someone said, like oh, it's the 60% and that's it.
Speaker 2:There is no like mathematical verification. So with this model we will be able to say okay, actually so far we have that is the 72%, and we will have something to prove it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you can. Then, without actually running a machine, you should be able to gather the alloys, thicknesses, pin size, and be able to calculate how much heat, how much pressure, all of that prior to even starting.
Speaker 2:Right, so, yeah, the idea is like with the, the, the mechanical properties of the, of the alloy, and by knowing this temperature, like we will, we will say, okay, we need to reach this temperature. So this is the rotational speed, the travel speed and the plunging force that your machine should do.
Speaker 1:Now, hypothetically, if you come up with this magic number for a plate or two plates that you're planning to weld or join, I guess in this situation could you preheat the plates to just below that temperature in order to take a lot of the pressure off of the plunging and the mechanical properties that are being introduced externally.
Speaker 2:I mean you can take out. I mean no, actually, actually that wouldn't even be a good idea.
Speaker 2:Like if you appreciate the plate yeah okay, you can like release the plunging force, but that's also like super important because it makes the even when rotating, makes the, the material, to flow like upwards. So therefore, like shoulder is compressing all of that and making like the well to be very nice. And also you will still have the friction. So if you increase the temperature, you will probably reach a higher temperature than the one that you are uh seeking for okay, next question about this because I'm interested.
Speaker 1:I'm interested and I'm imagining it in my mind right now With is there a possibility that you can weld through friction stir by getting above that critical you know that T delta but below melting Couldn't you join like in a cold state, not non-melted?
Speaker 2:Okay, so the friction is in cold state. We never reach the melting temperature but okay.
Speaker 1:But in friction stir at the puddle.
Speaker 2:That's melting temperature, right no, no, still not because it looks red.
Speaker 1:I mean to the common person that watches friction stir welding. They see it and they think that this is, you know, 1600 degrees melted metal. But it's not.
Speaker 2:Um. So okay, uh, friction stir welding it's not the same as friction welding, because one is like when you have like the two cylinders and there yeah and the other one is when you have like this uh pin and shoulder tool that like goes. So when that happens, like it's not actually like the same, like red color, as when you're like melting, melting or welding with like a yeah, yeah, you, you never reach, or you should never reach the melting temperature when you're doing frictionless or welding and if you did, you went too far yeah, exactly so, because the whole idea is is to use it.
Speaker 2:I mean, you can use it in different materials, but it was mainly created for aluminum alloys that have like, for example, um elements, that they're like melting point is very low yeah and you don't want to lose the mechanical properties of the materials by getting them too hot, and then you'll get green uh, dilution, or or migration, green migration, and they'll separate.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, I'm with you. See, I could have done this. I should have been an engineer I'm not dumb I can figure these things out yes, uh, absolutely of course.
Speaker 2:Of course you can. I, I mean, of course, this is just like the, the math behind is is the problem, but like, if you actually like, think about it and after you imagine it, it's, it's solved okay, so a year from now, tofias that I said is going to walk across that stage with her masters and it'll be a very happy moment.
Speaker 1:And then what the heck are you gonna do?
Speaker 2:um on like now maybe, um, I hope that some opportunities uh come up. Like I'm going to nashville to do our presentation, um, and yeah, I will like meet more people over there and I hope like opportunities can like appear, probably in the States as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, do you want to stay in North America, though? Do you want to stay in, like Canada, us? Would that be preferred?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Not back to Chile. No, even if the opportunity presented itself.
Speaker 2:No, no way, Like I really want to say yeah, no, I wouldn't go back to Chile. If they take me out of this country, it will be very sad.
Speaker 1:Now what about? You know your status as a Canadian. You know because you have to be in Canada a certain number of years before you can apply for PR. But you should be getting close to that now. You should be able to apply for permanent residence pretty soon.
Speaker 2:So the system works like this you study and when you finish studying, you can get this visa that is post-study work visa, something like that, and that provides you with three years, and in these three years, of course, you should start working anywhere, and after two years, you will get enough experience in order to get the points to apply for the PR.
Speaker 1:That's exciting. And what kind of industry would you like to work in? You know, if you had your choice, where you think your expertise would fit the best? Do you see yourself working within, like a university setting research, working within um like a university setting research, or you want to get out into industry and and you know, work with a company to try to do something.
Speaker 2:No, I, I for sure I would love to go to industry. Um, yeah, like I have been for a long time in universities, so, yeah, I would like to gain some experience in the industry, hopefully something fun. Yeah, there are different kinds, right? I am not sure like which one. I am not sure if I should like say names. But, even types of industry. Yeah, yeah, like mining related, it will be great okay.
Speaker 1:Well then you should move to saskatchewan. Um, you know, this is where all the mining is in canada and we have taken a few of the? U of a grads here. Quite a few have come to evraz because we have the steel mill here in regina and they have a big R&D product and I believe they have two TCWJ grads working at here in Regina. But there's lots of work in mining.
Speaker 2:I think that's a good choice yeah, yeah, I like I don't know if it is because like of Chile, it's all, because it's also like very mining related, but yeah, I feel like mining will be a good experience.
Speaker 1:And then what about your volunteer work? You know the? U of A chapter. You know, once you graduate, you'll be kicked out of the? U of A student chapter because you will not be a student anymore and you know, would you be still looking to work with? You know the association or any to work with? You know the the association or any associations, because I know you're a part of the aws as well and you know, and depending on which province you're going to be in, there's other associations. Every province has their own. That for industry, right? Um, do you see yourself still continuing with the volunteer work in the future?
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, of course, absolutely yeah. Like if I could get like more involved into the CWB, that would be great. We do hire you know, have you checked out the job postings at CWB. Yeah, no, like I like it, like I feel like I have found that I am good like at this kind of um jobs yeah volunteer, as you say.
Speaker 1:I like organizing stuff and like meeting people and, yeah, being do like projects that they are good for everyone and in the last two years that you have been, you know both volunteering and now chair of your chapter here in Canada. What are some of the most memorable memories that? What are some of the best experiences you had as a volunteer? You know things that you thought maybe you wouldn't get to do if you weren't a volunteer.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't say it's like a memory yet because it hasn't happened, but I think that, like, the biggest thing, as like being in the student president, like in the student chapter, is the annual seminar in the student chapter is the annual seminar.
Speaker 2:It's great to see that last year and I have all my hope that this year as well we were able to gather so many people, organize an event that is high profile, with speakers of very important companies. And, yeah, even this year we're like one month from the annual seminar, which will be on May the 2nd, and yeah, like most of the things have already been like solved. Yeah, like that's like a very nice thing, like, even if it still hasn't happened, the one of this year, from previous year, was nice to see that we were able to organize such a like a big event. Yeah, to see that we were able to organize such a like a big event. Yeah, uh, students, you know like I'm being involved like by emails with, uh, the speakers and companies and that's now.
Speaker 2:They know who you are yeah, yeah, like that was like, and I was super nervous. I was like, how should I talk to this like people, like for real? I was like, should I be like super, super polite, like? And then, yeah, I start like having more confidence and yeah, we're playing fast and what about the, the conferences?
Speaker 1:you know what's the favorite part of the conferences for you, because I know you've. You've spoken at quite a few. You've attended quite a few in in Canada and the US. You know what what's. Your've attended quite a few in Canada and the US. You know what's your favorite part as a student and now a professional, with the conference.
Speaker 2:My favorite part will be networking. Yeah, also, that was like I feel I grew a lot in that aspect. At the beginning, everyone told me no networking and I was like I don't know how to do networking. And then, yeah, like I just like I wrote and started saying like hi, and yeah, people were super nice. It's nice to like see that people want to talk to you and they are teaching you about what they do, why they're there, and yeah, I would say that's my favorite part. Also, good opportunities have come up from networking, like this presentation that I'm going to do in Nashville now. That's only networking.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's amazing what networking can do. And I always think about when I was chair, when I was my local chair and you know, volunteering and getting to know people and expanding my professional you know life, my window of professionalism, how I would not be in this job today if it wasn't for the networking I did with the associations when I was younger, because it was a hundred percent just getting to know people and showing people your skill and eventually someone will come knocking and say, hey, that's what we need, you know yeah, that's yeah.
Speaker 2:I haven't even talked to you several times in conferences.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm everywhere.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know, yeah, like we have had like good, very good, like conversations as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember, and this is such a fond memory. You know, on my end, as you get older and you move up, you have less and less opportunities to have really nice. You know authentic moments where you get to just be happy and just be happy with other people and not be thinking and planning and blah, blah, blah. And I remember when we were in New Brunswick and I rented that vehicle and I was going to take my staff for lobsters and you and Vicente were like, can we come? Yeah, and I was like, yeah, get in the truck, let's go.
Speaker 1:And uh, I remember watching the two of you talk and we went in. We were like, you know, when we snuck into that area to go climb the that big platform and and you said I never, ever thought that I would be here. You know, in New Brunswick, at the ocean, you know, just because I decided to go to school in Canada and I, and that moment for me was nice because you know that's what associations are supposed to do. We're supposed to help young people broaden their horizons, learn new experiences, and you want to see people be inspired. You want to see them have that inspiration where you know they're going to take that energy and do something with it.
Speaker 2:you know yeah, like that's the thing. The whole, the whole thing has been like like really crazy. Like like in one moment I was in chile and I never, like I wasn't expected to go at that time, and then I finished in this city called edmonton, which I have never heard before, and then, like at the other, like few months more, I am like in new brunswick also another place I never heard before like it's such an amazing place, you know, with like people I never thought I was going to meet, like come on, like I don't know, uh, my supervisor is like argentinian and he speaks spanish. Like do you know how lucky I am for being able to speak with my supervisor in canada.
Speaker 2:I mean, you like you're like all involved with cwb and you're even chilean and I am like what? And yeah, like the both of us we have been like in new brunswick. Um, we also were together in chile, so it's it's really like amazing to see how things happen Very random.
Speaker 1:Everything has a reason, everything happens for a reason. It's just physics, physics and science. It all happens for a reason.
Speaker 2:It's so nice. It's really unexpected.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's wonderful. That's what volunteering and associations are supposed to do. They don't exist just for nothing. That's what the. I remember being young and being a part of a group and everyone tells you to be a part of something. And then you go do it and you're like what am I here for? You know what's the point and you shouldn't. Hopefully I never have that happen for people where it's like what's the point of this? Hopefully it's the point of this. I hopefully it's obvious that this is the point, this to do this or to network, or to to learn, or to share or whatever it is you know.
Speaker 2:And this is exactly the reason why I also wanted to be involved in the Chilean one Like it's something that can turns out to be something so nice.
Speaker 1:Like, yeah, now, in the future, what do you see for yourself? You know what's, what's the end game for sophie.
Speaker 2:you know exactly because of this, I don't know, like I like I never expected to be here. Like what I am confident is that, yeah, like life is kind of taking me through a very good like way or role. So, yeah, I don't know where I'm going to finish, but I know I will be like very happy to be there and probably will be the same. I will be like I never expected to be here that's perfect, because I always say the same thing.
Speaker 1:I have been asked in my life thousands of times. You know what's the pathway, what's the way to get to the top? And, uh, and honestly, for me, I had no plan. My only plan was to work as hard as I could. Be me, just be max, just be me. Don't. Don't let anyone tell me not to be me. And um, you know, and obviously, watch your relationships. That's an important one for me, you know. Just watch your relationships because it's an important one for me. You know, just watch your relationships because it's it. You can be nice to someone 99.9% of the time, but if you're mean to somebody once, they will never forget that moment, you know. So you got to be careful where you, where you put your emotions. And if you want good things, you got to give good thing. You put your emotions, and if you want good things, you got to give good thing. Yeah, exactly, you can't give bad and expect good. You got to give good to get good, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely, and I absolutely agree with you. Also, like another um kind of suggestion that I always receive when I ask um kind of my mentors uh, what should I do when I like finish my master's? They always told me to accept, kind of like, all offers change of job, gain experience. Never reject opportunities, like, especially if you're scared of them. Like, just go and do it, you will be able to do them and you will learn in the way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I mean, if, if it's in front of you, if it's an opportunity, take it. I remember even I sometimes I have staff in my career come up to me and say I have, you know, there's a job opportunity, but I don't want to leave this company and I said go go. You know, like everyone has to, you have to find out what you like and what you don't like, and the only way you figure it out is by trying. There's no other way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's true. So yeah, that's like my philosophy so far. I will finish strong and give the best of me and see where life takes me.
Speaker 1:And do you feel like Edmonton is kind of like home now or not really? Is it starting to feel a little bit like home, like do you have friends? Do you have your favorite restaurant? Do you have like is it starting to kind of become or still doesn't quite feel like it?
Speaker 2:It did feel like it until someone told me about Victoria and that Victoria has like ocean, and told me about victoria and that victoria has like ocean and mountains and I really miss that victoria is beautiful, but it is expensive.
Speaker 1:Good luck, it's just that I feel like I am missing, like ocean, like the sea in front of me so well you can go back to munt and work for irving shipyard out in the east coast and there's ocean there or c-span, c-spans on the west coast. We have great relationship with them, but there's actually quite a bit of mining. You know there's a great mining company just outside of vancouver my dad worked at it um called nelson nelson mining. So there you go. It might be write that down. Maybe that's a place you could apply. Then you can work by the ocean and have a good job.
Speaker 2:And does it have mountains?
Speaker 1:All BC has mountains. It's easy Right in Vancouver you got grouse. You know you can go skiing and snowboarding in the day and then at night relax.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I miss, I miss that combination Like ocean, mountains.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. And what about connecting back with Chile? Like, do you feel like you want to go back every couple years, visit family?
Speaker 2:Yeah, of course, especially in summer, because I really miss, like the summer food.
Speaker 1:Me too.
Speaker 2:But it's almost summer here.
Speaker 1:It's almost summer here, so that's okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but here we don't have the corn that we have over there.
Speaker 1:No, that's funny. We were just talking about the corn because we made paté de choclo here in my house and my parents came over and it's like it's good and I said, I know, I know the corn is not the same, it changes everything.
Speaker 3:It does.
Speaker 1:It's everything I cannot do, like umitas either, like I really, really miss that corn. That's. My wife's favorite food is umitas, and for all the people listening that doesn't know anything about chilean food, google pastel de choclo or umitas fantastic, fantastic it's great, like I.
Speaker 2:I really, really miss that. I have tried tried tamales from Mexico. Yeah, it's not the same.
Speaker 1:No, they're okay. Same with papusas from El Salvador, not the same.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's where I really miss the corn, but like very much.
Speaker 1:So come to Canada, but you'll miss the corn. Okay, there we go. That's the new logo.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, absolutely. If they sell that corn here, my life will be completed.
Speaker 1:Okay, Well, we're at the end of the interview here, Sophie, and you know it's always wonderful to share time with you. I love hanging out with you, You're a wonderful energy to be around and you know you're just a great person. Let's get some advice from you now, as a young woman who's, you know, left her country to start a new thing in another country. You know for and now. We have a Chilean chapter and we're working with how we can incorporate that into being a pathway for migration, maybe both ways. Maybe people in Canada want to work in Chile, vice versa. But for someone like you, like a young woman in chile who's thinking about getting into maybe some type of engineering, what kind of advice would you give them, knowing the path that you took?
Speaker 2:like to be prepared, like uh, here are things like have a process and people follow these processes.
Speaker 2:Here are things like have a process and people follow these processes it's not like, and yeah, like, basically read the whole thing like I know it's a lot of information when you can, because there are a lot of like steps in order to get like some documents, but you will have to read them like, you will have to do it and go through the whole thing. There is no like easy way like to to skip. So, yeah, I would say just that like, read, be always informed and, uh, keep the best of you. It's a nice experience. Like also, I will say uh, get involved in the in the communities. Like Also, I will say get involved in the communities. Like do relationship with people. Like when you come here to these countries, you're alone right at the beginning, so friends are a very good support yeah they're very important and yeah, I will say mainly that.
Speaker 1:Okay, and then what would you say would be the biggest thing to be careful about? You know something that you know as a possible obstacle, or something they can maybe prepare for, that they may encounter. That would be good for them to know.
Speaker 2:Well, besides the, cold.
Speaker 1:Yes, besides the cold, like I tell everyone in chile, don't buy a winter jacket in chile, they're all garbage.
Speaker 2:you need to buy the winter jacket here we know what we need no, and also like your legs do feel cold, like most people, when they come here they just put the jacket and it's like, oh, my legs are fine by snow pants so, aside from the cold, what would you say?
Speaker 2:aside from the cold. I would say, um, I'm not sure, like I I believe like the system is is very like well prepared here. Like I will say, like, just search for all the options. Like, for example, I never expected like a food bank to be available for students and I have met many students that they told me like, oh, I have been here for a year, I never knew that that existed. And yeah, you can have like food for free. Then, like it will actually help you. Yeah, I would say that the opportunity of doing sports like it's not as expensive, for example, to do a snowboard or like ski here than in chile yeah, that is something that I always like.
Speaker 1:I have a cousin coming from chile in three weeks, coming here, an engineer, uh, coming to live with me, and he wants to live in Canada and he's starting just like you. You know, he's young, 24, coming to do his thing. And he said well, what should I do when I get there? And I said you need to sign up for sports, because he loves to play soccer and there's lots of soccer leagues here. And he said well, what about winter? I said it doesn't matter. We have huge arenas built for soccer in the winter and it's cheap and you'll make friends and you'll get to practice the language and stuff like that. So it's very important to use so many of the systems that even people here take for granted.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Also, don't shout.
Speaker 1:I realize we shout a lot, I get told all the time that I'm too loud and to talk slower Because Chileans we talk so fast. I get told all the time to slow down.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that would be also another Our Chilean and Spanish. Nobody understands it except Chileans, so you'll have to neutralize your Spanish and reduce the speed, for sure. Yeah, just be respectful with other cultures, yeah, basically.
Speaker 1:Awesome, sophie. Well, thank you so much for taking time to be on the show today. Is there any shout outs or anything? Anybody you want to for taking time to be on the show today. Is there any shout-outs or anything?
Speaker 2:anybody you want to say hi to before we go. To my family, my sister, she will understand everything.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Yeah Well, thank you very much, sophie. I hope this year goes well. I hope you solve your mathematical problem that you're trying to solve right now. I know you'll get there. I wish I could offer to help, but I don't think I would be very helpful at this point. But I'm sending you all my energy to get you through it. And are you going to be at CanWeld in Toronto in June? Yes, oh, you have to be, because you're the chair, you have to be, so I'll see you there.
Speaker 1:Oh, you have to be because you're the chair, you have to be, so I'll see you there and I'm excited to see you there and well, I'm sure we'll have a great summer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 1:Awesome and for all the people that have been following along with the podcast. Thank you so much for downloading and following along, if you can. Always or sorry we are always looking for more suggestions, recommendations for people on the show. I love when I get my Instagram DMs and people say, hey, check out this person or that person. I follow them all up and we actually have gotten most of them on the show, so we're always looking for more suggestions. I hope you really enjoyed this episode, which is out during National Volunteers Month as a sign to get out and volunteer and work with your local communities. It is one of the best ways to really amplify your career. So stay tuned for the next episode and we'll see you there. We hope you enjoy the show.
Speaker 4:You've been listening to the Cwb association welding podcast with max. If you enjoyed what you heard today, rate our podcast and visit us at cwbassociationorg to learn more. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions on what you'd like to learn about in the future. Produced by the cwb group and presented by max, this podcast serves to educate and connect the welding community. Please subscribe and thank you for listening.