Iron ring – Faculty of Engineering
Iron ring in the foreground, with the John Hodgins Engineering Building in the background.

Iron ring

Symbolizing the engineer’s duty to maintain the highest ethical standards and to serve society with integrity, honesty and expertise.

Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer

To foster ethical conduct as a lifelong obligation for engineers educated in Canada.

Dating back to 1922, the Ritual is administered by a body called The Corporation of the Seven Wardens Inc. The Corporation is responsible for administering and maintaining the Ritual and is organized into 28 regional branches, called camps, numbered by order of establishment.  

Drone view of the Fireball logo on campus

Corporation of the Seven Wardens Camp 13

The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer directs newly qualified Canadian engineers toward a consciousness of their profession.

The idea of a ceremony for the Obligation of Canadian Engineers dates back to 1922.

The ritual, which is administered by the Corporation of the Seven Wardens Inc., also indicates to more experienced engineers their responsibilities in welcoming and supporting newer engineers.

The Obligation Ceremony is not connected to any other engineering organization nor to any university, although many of them support the idea of the Obligation and may participate in the administration of the ceremonies.
Students showing their iron rings by the iron ring statue on McMaster's campus

Iron Ring Ceremony

For nearly 100 years, Canadian students in the graduating year of their engineering program gather for a hushed ceremony to mark their entry into the profession.

The next Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer Ceremony will occur on March 21, 2025.

 

Learn more about the iron ring (Opens in new window)
Student smiling in a blue suit by the iron ring statue

Iron ring replacements

Iron ring replacements will continue to be done by mail.

Please note the office is not open daily. If you would like to come in and replace your iron ring, email ironring13@mcmaster.ca to make an appointment.

If you are a Camp 13 obligated engineer, and you have misplaced your ring, you can replace your ring in-person or by mail for $35.00 CAD.  

To order online, fill out the replacement form and pay by credit card. Please allow 10-15 days for processing.  

If you would like to do the replacement in-person, please email ironring13@mcmaster.ca to make an appointment.  

Camp XIII will offer ring exchanges only to new obligated engineers or new replacement purchases within 30 days of the processing date – please email ironring13@mcmaster.ca to make arrangements.

Students working on laptops in the lobby of JHE building

External candidate eligibility and application process

Applications for external candidates to the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer are now open for 2025. Applications and payment must be submitted by Friday, January 24, 2025.

Frequently asked questions

Eligibility for the iron ring extends to all potential BEng graduates, however students in the BTech or Computer Science programs are not eligible. 

BTech students, including those with MEng, MASc, or PhD degrees, must fulfill eligibility criteria by completing PEO challenge exams before being eligible to receive the iron ring. 

For more information, please refer to the comprehensive guide for BTech students.

The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer – Camp 13 Iron Ring Ceremony will take place on Friday March 21, 2025 at McMaster University in the Burridge Gymnasium.

To receive your iron ring, attendance at the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer – Camp 13 Iron Ring Ceremony is necessary. If you are unable to attend, you may wait until the following year or explore participation in a ceremony at a different camp. 

For details on other ceremonies please refer to the iron ring website. 

Contact Alumni Relations

Mailing address

McMaster University
Faculty of Engineering
1280 Main St West
John Hodgins Engineering Building (JHE),
Room A214/J
Hamilton, Ontario Canada
L8S 4L7

Email our team

Meet our staff

Location:
JHE A214/J
Located on the second floor of the John Hodgins Engineering Building

Office hours: 
Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. 

Phone:

905-525-9140 ext. 24906

The Alumni Relations staff are available to assist you.

Our staff