Dean's Introduction: Building towards the future

Honouring our past as we build towards the future

Approaching the end of 2022, I would like to take a moment to reflect on some important recent events in the life of the Faculty, as we welcomed students back to campus and resumed the unifying traditions of Convocation and Homecoming. Our faculty and staff members were instrumental in making sure we didn’t miss a beat, even though we had spent two years working primarily off campus. It was rewarding for students to resume classes and for us to see each other at these events.

Sadly, in October, we lost two members of our alumni community: E. Bruce Allan (B.Arch. ’70) and Blanche Lemco van Ginkel (B.Arch. ’45). I would like to begin by honouring their contributions.

Bruce Allan joined our Faculty Advancement Board in 2014. Throughout a distinguished career as an architect and partner at ARCOP (now Architecture49), he was a guest critic and, for a period of 10 years, guest lecturer, at what is now the Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture. Professor David Covo says that Bruce’s lectures in the Professional Practice course were unforgettable - meticulously prepared and beautifully illustrated. His students will always remember the passion and delight with which he shared his experience with them, as well as the optimism about their futures.

Bruce was a class leader in annual fund campaigns and this year he set up the E. Bruce Allan Fellowship, an endowment of $400,000 for graduate students at the School of Architecture. Bruce said he was grateful for the connections he made at McGill over the years, but I think the people whose lives he touched would agree that Bruce had a knack for making connections wherever he went.

Blanche Lemco van Ginkel was a key figure in modern architecture and city planning, and a trailblazing woman in the field. Among her notable accomplishments is designing the master plan of the cultural and historical landmark, Expo 67. (She was also responsible for recruiting Moshe Safdie, who designed Habitat 67, and who this year gifted McGill with his architectural plans and his personal apartment at Habitat.) In addition, Blanche and her husband contributed greatly to the preservation of the city, helping protect Old Montreal from new development and conserving Mount Royal. In 2014, McGill presented her with an honorary doctorate for the impact she had on Montreal architecture and city planning. She taught at McGill from 1971-77.

This year’s Homecoming celebration was very special as it was our first occasion to gather in three years. For me personally, the Dean’s Reception at Homecoming is always a highlight of my year. It was, therefore, my great pleasure to see you all, either again or for the first time. Hearing your stories reminded me of the good times I’ve spent in my more than 30 years at McGill and why I feel so privileged to be part of this exceptional community, of which you are an integral member.

In this issue of the Dean’s Report, we meet a group of students who collaborated with the McGill Engine Centre to set up their company. Engine provides students and professors a space and resources to accelerate the commercialization of their ideas.

Engine is just one example of what close alumni partnership makes possible. Providing students with rich outside-the-classroom learning experiences is our key priority. The creating of strong and lasting communities of students, professors, mentors, and alumni who care about the Faculty is how new programs are born, how they grow, and how they contribute to our future. It’s how McGill moves into its third century. I invite you to join us for a cocktail in celebration of 8th Annual Celebration of Innovation & Entrepreneurship on November 30th.

This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Polytechnique massacre. To commemorate the 14 women who lost their lives that day, McGill and the Faculty of Engineering will be holding an in-person ceremony on December 6th at the University’s memorial plaque (weather permitting). We intend to never forget what happened on that day more than 3 decades ago, to make sure that we learn from the past and set the stage for a better profession, and a better future.

In this vein, in December 2020, in honour of those whose lives were lost, and in an effort to provide opportunities for women in Engineering, Ian McLachlin (B.Eng. ’60) established the 1989 Polytechnique Memorial Scholarships at McGill. These scholarships, awarded each year to 14 female undergraduates, support entrepreneurial activities through McGill Engine. Since its establishment, we have conferred scholarships upon 31 women, encouraging them to pursue their drive for creative and innovative design.

We are grateful for your continued involvement in shaping our cultural landscape to accommodate the future of engineering, architecture, and urban planning. Each of us is critical in building pathways that prepare our students and the university for its third century. I invite you to make your contribution.

Jim

Jim A. Nicell, PhD, PEng, FCAE | Dean & Professor | Faculty of Engineering | McGill University

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