Dear members of the McGill community,
It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Professor Viviane Yargeau as the next Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, following an extensive, international search conducted by the Advisory Committee for the Selection of a Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. The McGill University Board of Governors accepted the Committee’s recommendation during its meeting held on May 18, 2023. Prof. Yargeau’s five-year, renewable term will begin on July 1, 2023, and end on June 30, 2028.
Prof. Yargeau joined McGill’s Faculty of Engineering in 2004 and is currently a Full Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, where she has served as Department Chair since 2018.
Through her years of leadership experience, Professor Yargeau has gained extensive knowledge of the operations of the Faculty of Engineering, as well as an acute understanding of the criteria needed to develop and sustain successful programs in engineering and the requirements for producing career-ready and future-ready graduates. Since 2012, Prof. Yargeau has served on the Comité d’admission à la profession of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec.
An award-winning instructor and internationally renowned scientist, Professor Yargeau leads a pioneering research program to study water contaminants of emerging concerns and the use of effect-based methods for the optimization of wastewater treatment methods, with the long-term goal of protecting water resources and fostering water sustainability, in Canada and abroad. Her research led to the development of technologies for the treatment of wastewater for various communities, including First Nations communities. In 2022, she was appointed a Fellow of the International Water Association.
Throughout her academic career, Prof. Yargeau has been actively involved in activities promoting opportunities for women in engineering. Over the past few years, her commitment to achieve equity, diversity and inclusion has grown beyond gender equity and has led her to become actively involved in various EDI initiatives at McGill and in other organizations.
In addition to her academic leadership roles, Prof. Yargeau has served as Chief Technology Officer, consultant and scientific advisor at Earth Alive Clean Technologies, a company that markets green technologies, where she managed the development of new products, secured patents, and contributed to the marketing and deployment of innovative technologies.
Prof. Yargeau holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Université de Sherbrooke, where she also completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in the same field.
Please join me in congratulating Prof. Yargeau on her new appointment. In addition, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Jim Nicell for serving as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering over the last decade. His dedication, vision and outstanding leadership were instrumental to the success and development of the Faculty. Thanks are also due to the members of the Advisory Committee and to everyone in the community who shared their comments and advice during the search process.
With best regards,
Professor Christopher Manfredi
Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)