The annual Holiday Party for the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering (CivMin) was held using the Zoom video conference platform, as the pandemic wouldn’t allow for a large in-person gathering, but the event still managed to thoroughly entertain attendees. Students, staff and faculty all contributed to the showcase of talent and even featured a few pets during the Thursday, December 10, 2020 event.
Over 80 attendees enjoyed the nearly two-hour online gathering. Music, jokes, demonstrations, a birthday, singing, Professor of the Year Award and a retirement announcement all figured in the mix of events. Some content was pre-recorded, while other contributors daringly took the chance to perform live.
With CivMin Chair Brent Sleep hosting the gathering, the welcome drop-in of Dean Chris Yip provided the event with an air of inclusiveness and levity. Prof. Evan Bentz, acting as MC, was made an early spectacle as a knock on his office door revealed a cake delivery, via Prof. Brenda McCabe, prompting the singing of Happy Birthday led by Alex Milovanoff, PhD and piano accompaniment by Allan Kuan (Phd Candidate).
The office visit was reversed soon after with Bentz visiting McCabe’s office to present her the Professor of the Year Award on behalf of CivMin undergraduate students. In addition, the formal announcement of McCabe’s retirement was made. Both professors, thinking they were key to surprising a colleague were, in turn, surprised themselves by the other. CivMin’s Director of Student Services, Nelly Pietropaolo, had earlier made independent arrangements with each professor to deliver the cake, award and presents.
Opening acts featured Prof. Karl Peterson singing “COVID Times” (a play on “Closing Time”), Kevin Yang‘s SoundCloud music “Okay”, and PhD candidate Allan Kuan playing Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” suite on piano.
Not to be outdone, Prof. Sebastian Goodfellow strummed his guitar while singing “Auld Lang Syne” with a digital backdrop of a pub.
Additional talents included Rebecca Logan demonstrating the making of an espresso martini, Pedram Mortazavi providing slide electric guitar, as well as an extended version of “Happy Birthday”. Marie-Eve Caron dared to have her “tiger” jump through a non-flaming hoop for treats, and Prof. Jennifer Drake provided a demonstration of her sewing skills on the her grandmother’s 1949 sewing machine.
Offering an incredible multi-instrument recording together, a chamber piece from the Skule™ Orchestra foursome of Nicole Schmidt, Dijun Zhang, Arthur Sloan and Chouinard Chimniak. The isolated, but synchronized, performance of “Skater’s Waltz” was incredibly well-timed and provided a glimpse into the upcoming Skule™ Orchestra’s Engineering Winter Concert December 15.
LIST OF PERFORMERS/CONTRIBUTORS
- Prof. Karl Peterson – song, COVID Times (a play on “Closing Time”)
- Kevin Yang, student – created music: Okay by Kaeyang | Free Listening on SoundCloud
- Allan Kuan, PhD candidate – piano, Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” suite
- Prof. Sebastian Goodfellow – Auld Lang Syne , singing and playing guitar
- Rebecca Logan, Communications Assistant – mixology of espresso martini
- Pedram Mortazavi, PhD candidate on electric guitar
- Extended “Happy Birthday” from Pedram Mortazavi on guitar
- Marie-Eve Caron and her cat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mSJ7ZsWNkQ&feature=youtu.be
- Prof. Jennifer Drake’s sewing crafts exhibition and 1949 sewing machine viewin
- SKULE™ Orchestra chamber piece (pre-recorded via Nicole Schmidt)
- Engineering’s “The 12 Days of Skule”- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9z4fTpBWGg&feature=youtu.be