Retooling the Iron Ring Ceremony: A Movement to Reimagine the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer

The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer has been an important rite of passage for Canadian engineering graduates for almost 100 years. Many engineering students eagerly anticipate receiving their ring, and rightfully feel pride in their accomplishments. However, the Ritual is not a proper representation of the profession and maintains engineering's culture of objectivity, lack of agency, lack of transparency, and colonialism. The Retool the Ring group formed immediately following the CEEA-ACÉG 2022 conference to collaborate in advocacy work for making changes to the Ritual. In this paper, we outline our motivations and approaches to engaging in the work, present the outcomes, and reflect on the ongoing process of change, and the work that remains to be done. As engineering community members, we aim to bring engineers, educators, and other stakeholders into this conversation and offer an invitation for others to take up this call to action.