Professor Milica Popovic, PhD, P.Eng.
Director and Chwang Seto Engine Faculty Scholar

Prof. Milica Popovic received her PhD at Norwestern University (EE, 2001). Since 2001, she has been with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at McGill University, where she currently holds associate professorship. Her teaching experience includes courses on electromagnetic fields, electrical measurements and antennas and propagation. Her research interests lie, in large part, in biomedical applications of electromagnetic theory. In particular, she and hear research team are striving to develop a novel breast tissue monitor based on low-power microwave emissions. The goal of this exciting work is to provide an affordable, safe and comfortable tool, which can complement current technologies used for breast cancer detection. Other research areas include: high-field MRI, body-area networks and microwave tissue properties. Prof. Popovic is a Fellow of World Innovation Foundation, a Senior Member of IEEE and a member of Professional Engineers of Ontario.

This faculty scholar position is made possible thanks to the Chwang Seto families, in honour of the late Ronald Chwang (B.Eng.'72, D. Sc.'12), a pioneering entrepreneur and venture capitalist who served on the Faculty of Engineering Advancement Board.

Katya Marc, M.Sc., MBA
Associate Director

Katya oversees the strategic direction, management, and operations of the McGill Engine Centre. She manages the Engine team and leads the strategic planning of all Engine programs, ensuring quality, designing new programs, and increasing awareness of the programs to stakeholders. She works closely with students and faculty members in advancing their technologically-based ideas and research and in their skills development, through advising, coaching, mentorship, teaching, and connections to other resources. She co-designed and developed the Engine programs with the overarching goal of helping build the entrepreneurial mindset and skills of McGill students and professors in order to drive innovation.  She has been working at McGill for over 26 years, across multiple faculties servicing their research/service contract and intellectual property commercialization needs via connections and contract negotiations with industry and funding agencies, and intellectual property protection and licensing to existing companies and to McGill spin-offs. Prior to joining McGill, Katya was an industrial technology advisor with the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC’s IRAP), and before that worked for Eastman Chemical Company in Canada, USA, and Malaysia for over six years in multiple areas: technical sales, process and development control, production, and technical service. A three-time McGill graduate, Katya earned her B.Eng. and M.Eng. (thesis) degrees in Chemical Engineering, and her MBA from McGill University.

Vivian Diniz, PhD, Eng.
Business Development Officer

Vivian helps foster R&D collaborations and transfer of knowledge between faculty and industry partners. Her academic background includes a PhD in Chemical Engineering from McGill University. Prior to joining the Engine, she worked as a process engineer for several years at multinational engineering firms in Canada, Brazil and Australia, and has acted as a technical patent advisor for a Montreal legal firm. Her mix of academic and industry expertise is ideally suited to achieve the goals of all involved with the McGill Engine Centre, the Innovation and Partnerships Office, and industry.

Xiangmin Kong, M.Ed.
Programs and Communications Associate

Xiangmin manages the Engine programs in addition to communications, community outreach and engagement activities. She is the first contact in the Engine Centre. Prior to joining the Engine, she worked as a Program Advisor at the Montreal College of Information Technology, where she interacted with students extensively.

Theodora Alexakis, PhD, Eng.

Ronald Chwang Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Theodora is an accomplished professional engineer with over thirty years of experience in Research & Development, Management, Teaching, and Business Development, all focused on environmental sustainability and waste management. Theodora has held a variety of managerial and executive roles at Terragon Environmental Technologies and PyroGenesis. Most recently, she served as Vice President, Business Development at Terragon, where she was responsible for the commercialization of the Company’s innovative environmental technologies within the marine and defense sectors, fostering strong relationships with early adopters. Theodora is also responsible for influencing regulatory changes within the industry, leading the creation and adoption of a new regulations and standards for clean Thermal Waste Treatment Devices. 

Additionally, Theodora served as a Faculty Lecturer (CHEE 230) at McGill for five years and commits her time to various volunteer initiatives aimed at supporting education and empowering underprivileged women. She holds B.Eng., M.Eng.(thesis) and PhD degrees (with honours) in Chemical Engineering from McGill University and is a member of the Ordre des Ingenieurs du Quebec.

Michael M. Avedesian, Ph.D., Eng., FCAE, FCIC

Ronald Chwang Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Former President, Noranda Magnesium and Magnola Metallurgy, Dr. Avedesian has over 35 years of operations, technology and business management experience in the corporate sector. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in Chemical Engineering from McGill University, and a Ph.D. in engineering from Cambridge University. In 2001, he culminated a 21 year career with Noranda Inc. having held responsibilities in several roles including technical, operations, business management and executive management. He also worked 6 years with Domtar Corp. as Director Corporate Development responsible for R&D and technology commercialization. Dr. Avedesian then embarked on an entrepreneurial career and built 3 companies for which he was the founding CEO. Two companies were successful and one went IPO on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Upon retirement from his corporate career, he was invited to join McGill University in 2003 as a Senior Associate and Advisor where he taught courses in entrepreneurship and launching new ventures at the MBA and graduate level until 2024. At McGill, while teaching, he also served as Director of the Office of Technology Transfer for 5 years, responsible for technology commercialization of University inventions. Also, while at McGill, Michael continued his entrepreneurial career. Recently, he was a Director and CEO of Tawsho Mining Inc. which was a publicly traded company on the TSX Venture exchange before being sold. He also served on the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Board Operating Committee of TM4, a company which designs and manufactures electric drive train systems for hybrid and electric vehicles with a manufacturing JV in Beijing. TM4 was recently sold to Dana Corporation. Michael is a member of Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec, Professional Engineers of Ontario, and the C.S.Ch.E. (for which he was President in 1992-1993). He was elected Fellow of the CIC in 1993. In 1998 he was inducted as a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Andrew Csinger, PhD, P.Eng.

Ronald Chwang Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Andrew served as Executive Vice President of Product Strategy and Development at Dategrity Corporation. He served as Senior Vice President of Systems Services of GT Group Telecom Inc. He served as Senior Vice President and CIO of Group Telecom from 1998 to 2002. Andrew served as President of Xcert Software Inc., which he founded in 1996 to develop the emerging public key infrastructure product. Andrew served as Advisor at Spark Integration Technologies Inc. Andrew was founding President of InterSpect Systems Consulting, successfully implementing many Internet security projects for clients including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Government of Canada. He served as Advisor at Distrix Networks Ltd. Andrew was a mentor of the SFU Technology Business Mentorship Program and has been both mentor and reviewer for the New Ventures BC business plan competition since 2007. He was NSERC PostDoctoral Fellow at Simon Fraser University and a visiting scholar at the German Center for Artificial Intelligence in Saarbrucken. Andrew served as Director of a2b Fiber Inc. since July 30, 2008 until November 2013. Csinger holds a PhD and M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from McGill University.

Derrick Wong, M.Sc., MBA, P.Eng.

Ronald Chwang Entrepreneur-in-Residence

In addition to his role as course lecturer, Derrick provides guidance to students and researchers who are exploring technology entrepreneurship. Prior to joining McGill University, Derrick worked in Sales, Business Development and Program Management with technology companies in the networking/telecom, optical and semiconductor industries. He has an undergraduate degree in applied mathematics and engineering, a Master of Science in Financial Engineering and a Master of Business Administration, and is a licensed professional Engineer in Ontario.