Congratulations to the nine members of the U of T Engineering community who were recently inducted as Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE). Professors Grant Allen (ChemE), Michael Carter (MIE), Ömer Gülder (UTIAS),David Johns (ECE), Jeffrey Packer (CivE), Shamim Sheikh (CivE) and Molly Shoichet (ChemE/IBBME) were inducted along with alumni Jan Carr (ElecE 6T8) and Ravi Seethapathy (ElecE MEng 8T6). The CAE comprises the country’s most accomplished engineers, who have demonstrated their dedication to the application of science and engineering principles in the interests of Canada and its enterprises.
Grant Allen is Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, a recent Vice-Dean, Undergraduate and the former Director of the University of Toronto’s Pulp and Paper Centre. Considered a leading expert on biofiltration, Allen is conducting groundbreaking research on the use of advanced biotechnology to reduce the environmental impact of the pulp and paper industry. He has served as President of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering and has a distinguished record of professional and academic leadership.
Michael Carter is the founder and Director of the University of Toronto’s Centre for Research in Healthcare Engineering. Recognized internationally as a leader in systems engineering approaches to health care, he has influenced health policy and practice in Ontario and beyond through his leadership positions, educational initiatives and work with healthcare organizations. A pioneer in his field, Carter was one of the first researchers in Canada focused on healthcare engineering and is still considered a leading scholar in this area.
A world-class researcher and engineer in the areas of propulsion and combustion, Ömer Gülder established the Combustion Research Laboratory at the National Research Council and was Head of the Laboratory from 1990 to 2001. Gülder’s research is focused on improving the efficiency of combustion in both traditional and alternative fuels. He has published more than 250 papers in this area and his collaborations with the Canadian aerospace industry are contributing to improved competitiveness and reduced environmental impact in this sector.
David Johns is co-founder of Snowbush Microelectronics, which went from a small start-up company to a multi-million dollar international supplier of analog design services. By 2007, Snowbush employed 50 people and its clients included Intel, AMD and Samsung. Its SATA interfaces were in nearly 50% of all hard-drives sold worldwide. Johns is also co-author of Analog Integrated Circuit Design. One of the world’s best-selling textbooks in analog circuit design, it has been adopted by over forty universities and is currently in its second edition.
Jeffrey Packer’s research career on tubular steel structures has resulted in recognition as one of the top engineers in the world in this field and preeminent on this continent. Packer has published more than 200 refereed articles in journals and technical conferences, but is especially renowned for his books on tubular steel structures, which now total 15. He has also had an enormous impact on Canadian and international design standards, both through his influential publications and his service on technical and standardization committees around the world.
Shamim Sheikh’s achievements include development of new materials, procedures for the design of concrete structures under extreme loads or environmental conditions, innovative techniques for extending the life of existing structures, and the application of structural engineering research into practice with the goal of creating sustainable infrastructure. He has also made extensive contributions to the development of design codes around the world. A dedicated educator, Sheikh has trained engineers and researchers working throughout academe and industry.
A Canada Research Chair in Tissue Engineering, Molly Shoichet is internationally recognized for her pioneering research in polymer synthesis, biomaterials design and drug delivery in the nervous system. She has developed groundbreaking biomaterials which promote tissue repair after traumatic injury, in particular to the brain and spinal cord. Her research has resulted in 31 patents. Shoichet is also a leader in shaping national research policy through her service on councils and boards providing strategic leadership to the Canadian research community.
Jan Carr has significantly shaped the development of electricity systems in Canada and abroad. As an engineer, senior executive, public servant and corporate director, he has contributed to the design, commercial operations and public policy framework of electricity services and infrastructure in several Canadian provinces. Most recently, he was the founding CEO of the Ontario Power Authority, responsible for energy conservation programming, long-range supply planning and guiding new private sector investments in generating facilities.
Ravi Seethapathy is Manager, Systems Innovation & Advanced Grid Development at Hydro One. He led the Hydro One Corporate Smart Grid Strategy Taskforce and currently chairs the Sustainable Generation Options Interest Group of the Centre for Energy Advancement through Technological Innovation. He also sits on the steering committee of the Large Scale Solar Integration project of the Ontario Centres of Excellence and as the Canadian representative on the International Microgrid Forum. He has authored several technical papers on advanced grid systems.
“The election of nine U of T engineers to the Canadian Academy of Engineering is a testament to our standing as the premier engineering school in Canada and among the finest in the world,” said Cristina Amon, Dean, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. “On behalf of the Faculty, I congratulate the inductees for this prestigious recognition and for their remarkable achievements.”
The new CAE Fellows were inducted on June 21 at a reception at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa.
