June 2008 IssuE
Winners
Edmonton Professor Among National Winners Of Engineering Awards
 |
DR. UTTANDARAMAN SUNDARARAJ, P.ENG. |
Canada’s engineering profession celebrated its own during a May 24 gala at Quebec City’s historic Capitole Theatre. The 2008 Engineers Canada Award recipients include six outstanding professional engineers — among them a University of Alberta professor — who are “working tirelessly to make the world a better place,” says an Engineers Canada news release.
The list of winners includes a top engineering student devoted to student activities as well as humanitarian causes. There’s an “intelligent highway” project, and a Canadian organization that’s established itself as a leader in international development.
“These top Canadian engineers have used their skills and experience to make positive changes in the lives of their fellow citizens over the past 30 years,” said Chantal Guay, P.Eng., chief executive officer of Engineers Canada. “Looking at the award recipients’ exceptional accomplishments, it is readily apparent that Canadian engineering excellence is benefiting communities here and around the world.”
The Gold Medal Award, regarded as the profession’s greatest accolade, went to Jacques Lamarre, OC, ing. An officer of the Order of Canada who is the president and chief executive officer of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc., Mr. Lamarre has contributed significantly to the promotion of Canadian engineering expertise globally.
Uttandaraman Sundararaj, P.Eng., received the Medal for Distinction in Engineering Education. A professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta, Dr. Sundararaj is an exceptional and innovative instructor.
A leader who continually improving the educational experience of undergraduate students, Dr. Sundararaj was APEGGA’s 2007 Summit Awards winner of the Excellence in Education Award. He has also been recognized with U of A’s highest teaching honour, the Alexander C. Rutherford Award for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence.
William M. Butler, P.Eng., was honoured with the Meritorious Service Award for Community Service. Among his many efforts, Mr. Butler has helped develop a program that assists people in developing countries establish sustainable drinking water resources and sanitation facilities.
The Meritorious Service Award for Professional Service was presented to Digvir S. Jayas, P.Eng. Widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in grain storage research, Dr. Jayas is an exceptional educator and administrator and a world-renowned researcher and presenter.
Catherine Stewart, P.Eng., received this year’s Award for the Support of Women in the Engineering Profession. Having blazed trails for future engineers, Ms. Stewart is a woman of firsts. She has implemented technological advances for the mining industry, championed environmental stewardship, broke through the proverbial glass ceiling and furthered the cause of women in her field. She was an exemplary leader to the men and women she coached to follow in her footsteps.
The Yitzhak Rabin Cross Israel Highway was awarded this year’s National Award for an Engineering Project or Achievement. Known as the Intelligent Highway, the Yitzhak Rabin Cross Israel Highway is Israel’s biggest infrastructure project since 1964. As one of three key players leading this project, award recipient Gabriel Soudry, ing., was responsible for 282 subcontracts and agreements involved in the development of this ultra-modern electronic toll highway.
The Young Engineer Achievement Award was awarded to Stella Chiu, P.Eng. At the young age of 30 and in Canada for only eight years, Ms. Chiu is not only recognized for her abilities as a professional engineer but also for her dedication to her profession and to the community. In just a few years, she has completed several major municipal projects in British Columbia, and is now also the editor of the British Columbia Water and Waste Association’s publication Watermark.
Jane Polak Scowcroft received the Gold Medal Student Award. Having entered the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Manitoba, at age 16, Ms. Scowcroft is now 21 years old and the only woman in her class studying computer engineering to graduate this year.
She is a “young role model demonstrating that women belong in all branches of engineering, and she realizes that the future generation is vital in ensuring that positive change happens and continues,” says the Engineers Canada release.
This year, Engineers Without Borders Canada received a special recognition award. The organization has fast become a Canadian leader in international development, reaching over 250,000 people in 2007 alone. The organization has also been a vehicle for numerous engineering students to earn the Engineers Canada Gold Medal Student Award, including Jane Polak Scowcroft, mentioned earlier in this article.
Presented annually since 1972, the Engineers Canada Awards (previously known as the Canadian Engineers’ Awards) recognize outstanding engineers, teams of engineers, engineering projects and engineering students that have significantly contributed to the advancement of the engineering profession in Canada.
Engineers Canada is the business name of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. It is the national organization of the 12 provincial and territorial associations/ordre that regulate the practice of engineering in Canada and license the country’s more than 160,000 professional engineers.