Kevin Deluzio, PhD, PEng, FCAE, Dean of Queen's Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, has been named Chair of Engineering Deans Canada.
As Chair, Dean Deluzio will be leading a pan‐Canadian organization of the 44 Deans of faculties of engineering and applied sciences at higher education institutions with accredited undergraduate engineering programs.
“Our mandate is to promote and encourage excellence in engineering education and research,” Dean Deluzio says. “We are the voice of engineering education across Canada, and advocate for a shared vision that includes quality teaching that prepares students with the knowledge and ethics they need to be successful engineers, the creation and dissemination of world-changing research, innovation at schools and in the industry, and the internationalization of both education and the profession.”
As Chair, Dean Deluzio hopes to continue the work of his predecessors, including past chair Jim A. Nicell of McGill. “I’m proud to be serving with Jim, as well as Vice-Chair Suzanne Kresta, of the University of Saskatchewan,” he says. “Engineering Deans Canada is already pursuing a number of vital mandates, with committees struck to investigate research and research reporting, education innovation, public policy, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, among other important issues.”
The organization supports a number of key projects, including the Future of Engineering Education statement of principles; the Canadian Engineering Grand Challenges, which supports 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the U.N., the 30 Years Later project commemorating the École Polytechnique massacre in 1989, and E-CORE: Engineering Collaborating for Online and Remote Education.
Dean Deluzio’s term as Chair will continue through 2023. “It’s going to be a busy two years!” he says. “The real strength of Engineering Deans Canada is the strong collaborations among the deans. For example, when the pandemic hit last spring, this group began meeting weekly to share information, best practices and to provide support in the face of unprecedented challenges. I’m excited about this opportunity to work with some of the most intelligent and hardest-working people in higher education, at an unprecedented time in our history as we come out of a pandemic and tackle some of the most significant challenges we’ve ever faced.
“Engineering is a sector that moves lightning fast, and keeping pace with change both in the industry and in the world is a big responsibility. I’m fortunate to be working with this group of people, and confident that we will continue to collectively keep Canada one of the world’s leading nations for engineering education. Engineering Deans Canada is committed to providing Canada with engineers who have the skills to solve the complex challenges facing the world.”