INNOVATION September-October 2016

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Submit letters up to 300words to the editor, at innovation@apeg.bc.ca, byOctober 20 for theNovember/December edition. Letters are published as space is available. Opinions expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of APEGBC.

In Memory of Dr. B.H. Levelton, P.Eng. It is with sadness that we reflect on the passing of Bruce Levelton on June 16, 2016, at the age of 90 years. Bruce was born in 1925 in Bella Coola, BC. After completing his schooling in a one-room school, Bruce enrolled at UBC and settled into chemical engineering. He completed his Master’s degree at UBC, then went on to complete his Doctorate at Texas A&MCollege in 1951. On returning to Vancouver, Bruce joined the BC Research Council. Bruce’s first project involved researching uses for Western Red Cedar sawdust. Not long after, he developed into a local expert in corrosion engineering. Bruce registered with APEBC in 1958, and served two terms on Council as a government appointee. In January 1966, Bruce established his consulting company, B.H. Levelton and Associates, and worked at a card table with a folding chair, a telephone and a slide rule. Soon after, he hired three associates with expertise in cathodic protection, metallurgy and materials science, and the firm flourished into a thriving Early Engineer Recognised I wish to advise the association that a monument to pioneer engineer Walter Moberly was unveiled in Revelstoke at a ceremony in May. Members of the BC Historical Federation and other interested persons, including my wife and I, attended the event. APEGBC donated $500 towards the monument’s construction. In addition to the Moberly monument, APEGBC has participated in other memorials to early engineers. In 1958 and 1959, what were then the Central BC Branch and the Engineering Institute of Canada erected monuments to early

consultancy in those fields. During that period, Bruce undertook projects relating to environmental chemistry in the forest industry, corrosion prevention for marine structures in Chile, development of energy from biomass, waterproofing of the Science World dome at Expo ’86, and development of pozzolans and lightweight aggregate from the shales of Saturna and Saltspring islands. By 1985, Bruce developed an interest in a project to restart the Dow Chemical phenol plant on Delta's Tilbury Island and joined Chatterton Petrochemicals Ltd., where he served as Director of Research, and ultimately Vice President of Operations. He retired from B.H. Levelton and Associates in 1987 and from Chatterton in 1993. He will be remembered as an outstanding gentleman, a superb engineer, and the founder of one of BC’s most successful engineering companies. —Neil A. Cumming, P.Eng. Richmond, BC engineers throughout the region—in Revelstoke (to Major A.B. Rogers, of Rogers Pass), Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, and Oliver. In 2009, the Okanagan Branch commemorated engineering achievements at a ceremony at the Kelowna monument. I appreciate APEGBC’s participation in recognising early engineers and contributing to the Moberly monument, and hope it will continue to be involved. —Peter Tassie, P.Eng. Coldstream, BC

Mission: Innovation As APEGBC’s official publication, Innovation aims to publish information that is of interest and relevance to the professions, is balanced, objective and impartial, affects the conduct of members, and showcases innovative engineering and geoscience work of members. A secondary aim is to provide a forum for the exchange of views among APEGBC members through the publication of letters to the editor.

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