Jessica Vandenberghe, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon)

Jessica Vandenberghe, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) is born of the Dene Thá First Nation, is a sixties scoop survivor and raised in an inclusive German farming family in northern Alberta. Her exceptional career is based on two engineering degrees from the University of Alberta. She has worked in the oil sands, mining, regulatory, infrastructure, consulting industries and academia. She is the Assistant Dean, Community and Culture with the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Victoria. She is a mother of two and at the intersection of two equity deserving groups in the Engineering Profession, which drives her passion for equity, diversity and inclusion along with Truth and Reconciliation. She believes that we can walk together to heal, build strong relationships, teach ethical and respectful behaviour, and be changemakers to create progressive and inclusive legislation, communities, and organizations.

Honorary Fellowship with Geoscience Canada | Professional

A fellowship with Geoscience Canada recognizes volunteer service to the geoscience professions.

Fellowship with Engineers Canada | Professional

A fellowship with Engineers Canada recognizes volunteer service to the engineering professions. A FEC are a select group of individuals whose expertise and experience have helped to enhance the engineering profession in Canada.

Women in Leadership (WIL) EDI Champion | Professional

For 2022 2023, Jessica Vandenberghe received a Women in Leadership Foundation (WIL) EDI Champion award as part of the May 31, 2023 Women in Leadership Day 2023. This was for her advisory board member contributions to the Bridge to Gender Equality Project.

AWSN Outstanding Volunteer Award Recipient | Professional

We are pleased to present the Athena Outstanding Volunteer Award in honor of Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour to Jessica Vandenberghe! This award recognizes the significant contributions made by a volunteer to the AWSN/STEM community in Alberta, and Jessica is an exceptional example of this. Jessica uses her influence and platform to promote diversity, equity, inclusivity and advocate for Truth and Reconciliation in Alberta and is a role model and mentor for women in STEM everywhere. A little bit about Jessica:
Jessica Vandenberghe, P.Eng., MSc, is born of the Dene Thá First Nation and raised in a very inclusive German family in northern Alberta. She has had an exceptional career based on her two engineering degrees from the University of Alberta. She has worked in the oil sands, mining, regulatory, infrastructure, consulting industries and now academia. She is an Indigenous Professional Engineer, Industrial Professor, and the Assistant Dean, Engineering Community and Culture at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta. She also contributes to Truth and Reconciliation, acting as a bridge to Indigenous communities, talks to Calls to Action implementation, and works on TRC awareness through her consulting company Guiding Star Consulting. She is a mother of two and is passionate about equity, diversity and inclusion. She sits on many boards and Councils, walks in many governance worlds, and does her best to contribute to the development of well-rounded and ethically minded engineering students who will ultimately build strong and vibrant communities within Canada.
Please join me in congratulating Jessica! #WinSTEM2021 #WomeninSTEMWeek #WomeninSTEM #insipiring

Alberta Chamber of Resources: 2018 Indigenous Resource Leadership Award | Professional

The Indigenous Leader of the Year is presented to an individual, organization or project that has advanced the relationship between the Indigenous peoples of Alberta and the natural resource sector.

The Alberta Chamber of Resources (ACR), originally founded in 1936 as the Alberta and Northwest Chamber of Mines, is a member-driven organization involved in resource development in Alberta. ACR members include mining, energy, forestry, pipelines, power generation, utilities, minerals, transportation and construction sector companies – those that create resource-based products and that provide the diverse infrastructure, products and services essential to resource development. Among Canadian and international resource industry organizations, ACR is unique in its focus on Alberta; in bringing together companies across sectors and functions, as well as creating space for communication and collaboration among the members and between resource companies and development stakeholders.

Bitumen Froth Storage and Separation Using an Improved Froth Tank

The invention is directed to a process for separating bitumen froth into an upper bitumen-rich, reduced-solids layer, and a lower concentrated solids layer using a cone- bottomed, raked froth tank. The process involves introducing bitumen froth into the froth tank; rotating at least one movable picket through the bitumen froth; recovering the upper bitumen-rich, reduced-solids layer; and withdrawing the lower concentrated solids layer from the tank.

Bitumen Separation Process and Apparatus for Problem Ores

Filed - not issued.

A process for separating from an oil sand slurry solids and bitumen is
provided, comprising introducing the oil sand slurry into a separation zone comprising
an upper zone and a lower zone; intercepting a settling path of the solids in the
separation zone by bringing the solids into contact with at least one intercepting surface to
direct the solids to the lower zone; and producing a reduced solids upper zone to allow the bitumen
to rise through the upper zone with reduced hindrance from the solids.

Oil Sand Slurry Solids Reduction to Enhance Extraction Performance for Problem Ores

FILED, not issued.

A process for extracting bitumen from problem oil sand ores having low bitumen
content and/or high fines content is provided, comprising: mixing the problem oil sand
ore with heated water to produce an oil sand slurry; conditioning the oil sand slurry
for a period of time sufficient to substantially disperse oil sand lumps and promote the
release and coalescence of bitumen flecks from the sand grains; removing a sufficient
amount of solids from the conditioned oil sand slurry in a de-sander circuit; and
subjecting the solids-reduced oil sand slurry to gravity separation in a bitumen separation
vessel to allow the bitumen to float to the top of the vessel to form clean bitumen
froth.

Oil Sand Slurry Solids Reduction to Enhance Extraction Performance for Problem Ores

A process for extracting bitumen from problem oil sand ores having low bitumen content and/or high fines content is provided, comprising: mixing the problem oil sand ore with heated water to produce an oil sand slurry; conditioning the oil sand slurry for a period of time sufficient to substantially disperse oil sand lumps and promote the release and coalescence of bitumen flecks from the sand grains; removing a sufficient amount of solids from the conditioned oil sand slurry in a de-sander circuit; and subjecting the solids-reduced oil sand slurry to gravity separation in a bitumen separation vessel to allow the bitumen to float to the top of the vessel to form clean bitumen froth.

Relocatable Countercurrent Decantation System

A process line for separating oil sand slurry comprising coarse solids, fines, bitumen and water, into a first product comprising bitumen, fines and water and a second product comprising coarse solids, fines and water is provided comprising a plurality of countercurrently operating solid/liquid separators arranged in series along a pipeline, wherein the underflow of one separator is fed to the next separator in series and the overflow of each separator is fed to the preceding separator, the underflow of the last separator being the second product and the overflow from the first separator being the first product.