Polytechnique Montréal
EN-3: Student Life

"Polysphere" is Polytechnique's sustainability focused student committee. They offer services and raise student awareness through publications in the students' newspaper, rental of washable dishes for events, fair trade coffee tasting activities, organization of events such as the annual "Douzaine durable" (twelve days focusing on Sustainable Development), etc.
https://www.facebook.com/PolySphere

The Sustainability Office and both Polytechnique student societies (undergraduate and graduates) contribute to and manage a sustainable fund (Fonds pour des initiatives durables). A portion of the tax on disposable cups is used to finance this fund.

Every fall, a call for projects is launched. The fund grants about $15,000 annually to subsidize various kinds of projects.
https://www.polymtl.ca/durable/comment-simpliquer/fonds-pour-des-initiatives-durables

'- The Sustainability Office organizes many events (conferences, panels, Repair Cafés etc...)

-Every year since 2014, the Trottier Institute for Energy (https://iet.polymtl.ca/) organises a free symposium. This symposium is co-organised with the Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design from McGill University (https://www.mcgill.ca/tised/).

-There is also the "Douzaine durable" (twelve days focused on Sustainable Development) every year in March, since 2016, where conferences are organized. The "Douzaine durable" is co-organized between Polytechnique Montréal, HEC Montréal and Université de Montréal.

-The Chemical Engineering Department holds an open seminar every Friday afternoon which regularly features sustainability-related topics. https://www.polymtl.ca/gch/fr/communaute/activites

Several cultural arts events related to the sustainability theme take place.

Every year, in April, the groups of Sustainable Development Capstone Projects, which include students from engineering and architecture, present their work and models to Polytechnique's community and the event is open to the local community as well. https://www.polymtl.ca/calendrier/evenements/genie-architecture-presentation-du-projet-integrateur-en-developpement-durable-1

Multiple exhibitions take place in the tunnel connecting the main building to the Lassonde Buildings every year. For example, in March 2022, it hosted an exhibition on LGBTQIA2S+ history presented by Archives gaies du Québec (Quebec Gay Achives). In November and December 2021, it hosted a photo exhibition commemorating the December 6, 1989 shooting at Polytechnique. The Association étudiante de Polytechnique - AEP (Undergraduate Student Society) in collaboration with PolyCopie and PolyPhoto, presented an exhibition in tribute to the 14 women who lost their lives on December 6, 1989. Photographs of 14 female members of the Polytechnique community were presented, employees and students, who had agreed to pose to honor the memory of the deceased. This exhibition was motivated by the desire to make these 14 exceptional persons better known.

The Library also hosts art exhibitions or book exhibitions on sustainability or sustainability-related themes. For example, the exhibition in February 2020 featured sustainability books : https://share.polymtl.ca/alfresco/service/api/path/content;cm:content/workspace/SpacesStore/Company%20Home/Sites/bibliopoly/documentLibrary/Actualites/2020/developpement_durable.pdf?a=true&guest=true
In January 2020, the CIPO - Comité International de Projets Outre-mer (International Committee for Overseas Projects) presented the preceding years' international cooperation projects.

The exhibition "FEMMES SCIENTIFIQUES CANADIENNES : 30 MODÈLES INSPIRANTS!" (CANADIAN WOMEN SCIENTISTS: 30 INSPIRING ROLE MODELS!) was presented during the Diversity Week during Fall 2019. https://www.polymtl.ca/calendrier/evenements/femmes-scientifiques-canadiennes-30-modeles-inspirants-semaine-de-la-diversite

"TABLE RONDE ET EXPOSITION MULTIDISCIPLINAIRE – POUR DES QUARTIERS DURABLES" (ROUND TABLE AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXHIBITION – FOR SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOODS) Fall 2019. After the round table and presentations, case studies and student works exhibited demonstrated how solidarity actions can create dynamic cities that are models of sustainability and resilience.
https://iet.polymtl.ca/evenements/quartiers-durables/

Club Parcs Canada PolyMTL. The Parks Canada Club of Polytechnique Montréal (Polyparcs) has a mandate to organize outdoor outings and volunteer activities. PolyParcs organizes outdoor activities and outings, encourages its university community to appreciate and preserve Canada's natural and cultural heritage and participates in projects to preserve natural environments in national parks and on the University campus from Montreal. This is a committee for the graduate student association.

Every year, PolyCarbone, a non-profit organisation run by students from Polytechnique whose mission is to change individual behavior at Polytechnique and reduce GHG emissions, holds a thematic campaign. In 2018, it was about food waste. They organized courses on how to cook food scraps, as well as seminars. In 2019, the campaign was about sustainable clothing and fashion.

At Polytechnique, students can be employed as official Sustainability ambassadors (for Poly-TRI activites for instance). Poly-TRI is the official waste management program at Polytechnique. The ambassadors help raise awareness among the community through campaigns and activities.

At the end of their undergraduate engineering studies, students are invited to pledge at the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer. This ritual, aslo known as the Iron Ring Ceremony, "was instituted with the simple end of directing newly qualified Canadian engineers toward a consciousness of their profession and its social significance, and indicating to more experienced engineers their responsibilities in welcoming and supporting the newer engineers when they are ready to enter the profession".