Enginuity Winter 2005 - The Schulich School of Engineering ...

Dean’s Message
The Schulich School of Engineering has had astounding
success in the last two decades which culminated
when we reached the top three rank in Canada in
2004.
Table of
Contents:
Dean’s Message .......................................... 1
Around the SSE ............................................. 2
COVER: What’s in a Name? ..........................4
Renaming cont’d ...........................................5
Engineered Care .............................................6
Standing On Guard for Thee .........................7
Alumni Chapter ...............................................8
Students in the News ......................................9
@ CCIT: The Heart of the Matter ..................10
Engineering Excellence Awards .................11
New Director of Advancement ..................11
Soak up the Sun .............................................12
Solar Car cont’d. ...........................................13
Back Up Plan: Scoliosis Research ................14
W.I.S.E.: Meet the Dean ...............................15
Leader of Tomorrow ......................................15
enginuity Winter 2005
EDITOR
Kirk Thurbide, Manager of Communications
Schulich School of Engineering
PUBLISHER
Dr. S.C. Wirasinghe, Dean
Schulich School of Engineering
Dean's Office
Schulich School of Engineering
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 1N4
CONTRIBUTORS
Kirk Thurbide, Georgia Hasapes, University
of Calgary External Relations
Views expressed in Enginuity by guest
writers do not necessarily reflect the policy
of the Schulich School of Engineering or
the University of Calgary.
Enginuity © 2005, Schulich School of
Engineering and the Engineering Associates
Program, University of Calgary. All rights
reserved.
The editor reserves the right to select, edit
and position copy. Permission to reproduce
any part of this publication for commercial
purposes should be obtained by writing to
the editor at the above address.
Reproduction for other purposes should
acknowledge the source.
That achievement was recognized by Mr. Seymour
Schulich when he chose our school to be the first
engineering school in Canada to be named and
receive the highest ever benefaction of $50M.
I believe that the time is now optimal to seek new
leadership for the Schulich School of Engineering. Thus,
having served as Dean since January 1, 1994, it is now
time for me to step aside for the benefit of the School. I
will do so effective July 1, 2006.
I must thank President Murray Fraser posthumously for giving me the opportunity to
serve, and President Terry White as well as President Harvey Weingarten for extending
my term as Dean for the Second (5-year) and Third (3-year) terms respectively. Much
has been accomplished in
each term. I must also thank Provost and VP (Academic) Ron Bond for his continuous
support going back to when we were Dean’s together.
The Schulich School of Engineering has had, and continues to have, incredible
leadership among its Heads, Associate Deans as well as senior, junior academics and
staff. Our alumni and members of the Engineering Associates Program have given me
outstanding support. They have all, past and present, joined me in various selected
adventures on which I embarked the School, such as the new B.Sc. programs in Oil &
Gas Engineering and Software Engineering, the CCIT, the 10 Year Plan and the
“naming” to name but a few, and we are a great family. I hope that we will continue
to be completely united under new leadership.
I urge you to nurture and support this School in its totality. It is the flagship of the
University of Calgary and well on its way to be FIRST CHOICE for engineering
education and research in Canada. I wish our colleagues, the University of Calgary
and the Schulich School of Engineering outstanding success.
Sincerely,
S.C. Wirasinghe, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Around
the SSE
‣ Dr. Janet Ronsky was honoured with
the 2005 Alberta Women’s Science
Network’s (AWSN) Minerva
Mentoring Award. This award
recognizes her significant contribution
to mentoring females in the areas of
science, mathematics engineering
and technology.
Mr. Gerald Maier recieved an Honourary Degree and Mr.
‣ SSE Professors Drs. Shelley Lissel (Civil)
and Les Sudak (Mechanical &
Manufacturing) were winners of
Students’ Union ’04-’05 Teaching
Excellence Awards. Honourable
Arthur Dumont recieved the Order of the University of
Calgary at the June 10th Convocation Ceremony.
(L to R): Chancellor William Warren, Gerald Maier, Arthur
Dumont, SSE Dean S.C. Wirasinghe, President Harvey
Weingarten
mentions went to Drs. Norman Bartley
(Electrical & Computer), Lynne Cowe Falls
(Civil), and Ron Hugo (Mechanical & Manufacturing).
‣ In April, the SSE hosted Dr. A. Richard Newton, Dean, College of Engineering, UC Berkeley as part of the
Dean’s Annual Lecture Series. Dr. Newton’s lecture, “Great Works for the 21st Century: A Critical Role
for The Modern Research University” was very well received by a capacity audience of U of C Engineeirng
Alumni, engineering students, local engineering professionals, and Engineering Faculty members.
Photo Credit Stuart Gradon
2 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY