Dean’s Introduction – Spring 2025
I would like to personally thank everyone who contributed to McGill24. On March 12, our annual day of giving, the Faculty of Engineering received a total of 751 donations! I am so touched by the generosity of our community. I know how motivating it is for our students, faculty and staff to receive your support.
McGill Architect attributes success of his career with the broad set of skills acquired at the Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture
Jerry Lieu (BScArch’71, BArch’73) always admired the work of world-renowned architect, I.M. Pei. “I think there were a lot of us Chinese architecture students who did. What I appreciated was his very practical approach. Throughout my career, I’ve found myself drawn to a practical approach.”
John Dealy taught students to go out and make the world a better place
Pamela Dealy knew that her father was born knowing he wanted to be a chemical engineer. She knew that he worked at McGill for 40 years. She knew that he retired a Professor Emeritus in 2004. Most of all, she knew that even though he was Dean from 1994 to 1999, his true passion was teaching and helping students with their research.
John Bishop led the way to a more sustainable world
John Bishop (BEng’47) was ahead of his time. An environmentalist before most people knew the word, he was an active outdoorsman who took deliberate steps to protect and preserve the land. He got involved in upholding the things he believed in, living an engaged, productive and healthy 98 years.
Vadasz scholar leads the way
This year, PhD student, Asia Vighi will be the graduate instructor for the undergraduate team competing at iGem. Vighi is a Vadasz scholar in the Faculty and also presented recently for SED Talks at the Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering Design (TISED).
McGill Engine cultivates an Entrepreneurial Mindset
The John D. Thompson Entrepreneurial Development Seminar was established thanks to a generous donation by John D. Thompson (BEng’57) ten years ago. This year, the seminar was opened by Peter Thompson, President and CEO of National Bank Insurance, on his father’s behalf.
Winning iGEM 2023
Dan Voicu (BEng’26), co-lead of the 2023 McGill iGEM team, described last year’s experience as busy! Students formed the team at the end of 2022 and spent the first two months of 2023 ideating their proposal. Then – around their regular course loads – they worked in the lab until the end of the semester. During the summer months, they implemented plans to raise money, contacting stakeholders that a small finance sub team had brainstormed.
Bioengineering brings home the gold!
Voted by the EUS as Department of the Year, a lot of the excitement about Bioengineering's sudden rise to stardom is last year’s 1st place at the 2023 iGEM Grand Jamboree.
Dean’s Introduction – Spring 2024
I am pleased to begin this issue celebrating a great achievement. McGill’s iGEM team, which is made up of a large number of students from the Department of Bioengineering, won the 2023 iGEM Global Challenge. It’s the first time ever that this global prize has been won by a Canadian university, and the first time in 10 years that it has been won by a university in North America. A big congratulations to our students, and to our professors and grad students who mentored and supported the team!
Introduction to Dean’s Report
It is my pleasure to welcome you to this issue of Dean’s Report and to introduce myself. I am Viviane Yargeau, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at McGill since 2004. I served as Chair of the Department for five years, and it is truly an honour to now serve as Dean of the Faculty.
Class of ’53 is still connected after 70 years…
Jacques Dubuc, Class Leader, said he and his classmates have celebrated every fifth-year reunion since 1953. “We have faithfully participated and contributed to every reunion since graduation,” says Dubuc. “We’ve also formed lifelong friendships, holding a few out-of-town gatherings between reunions that were also well-attended. We keep in touch regularly.”
Acquiring Entrepreneurial Skills: The Nicell Summer Start-up Internship
Equipping students with the skills that prepare them for life is a faculty priority. Dean Jim Nicell believed this and during his 10-year term as Dean, worked hard to offer students classroom and beyond-the-classroom experiences that would help them excel when they graduate. As a parting tribute to Jim, members of the Faculty Advancement Board and friends of the faculty have created a Summer Startup Internship in Jim’s name.
Moshe Safdie donates his professional archive to McGill
Students at the Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture now have access to the most extensive collection of architecture archives in Canada. The archive of Moshe Safdie, and his four-module Habitat ’67 condo, was gifted to McGill. C. Colleen Cook, McGill’s Trenholme Dean of Libraries, says that student engagement with primary materials inspires fresh examination, perspectives, and discussion.
TISED celebrates 10 years of building a foundation for sustainability
This past June, TISED brought together students, researchers, and donors in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The Institute, which was established through the vision and support of Ram Panda (BEng’71) and Lorne Trottier (BEng’70), has been driving interdisciplinary research, teaching, and collaborations in sustainability for the past decade.
Philanthropic gifts help E-IDEA build momentum
Not everyone who has been accepted by the Faculty of Engineering arrives for the first time and feels welcome. Or like they belong.