Ishwar Puri, dean of engineering at McMaster has been elected as chair of the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science.

The National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science (NCDEAS) met on April 29, 2017 for its biennial meeting in Ottawa.  This national council, comprised of all forty-four engineering deans in Canada, is committed to the continuous improvement of engineering education and research that enhances the innovation and leadership skills of Canadian engineering graduates.

Jim Nicell, dean of engineering at McGill University, was elected vice chair, and previous vice chair and then chair, Greg Naterer, dean of engineering at Memorial University, assumed the position of past chair as per the council’s practice.  Chairs, vice chairs and past chairs serve NCDEAS in those roles for terms lasting two years.

The three deans issued a joint statement, “Canadian engineering deans serve a key role in facilitating excellence and promoting a shared vision of engineering education and research at the national level. To be globally competitive, Canada needs more engineers who are particularly equipped to address the complex challenges and opportunities of a changing world. If these needs remain unaddressed, our nation will be confronted by a shortage of this critically important talent. We contend that the future prosperity of Canada will be based on its solutions to the grand challenges that our society faces and engineers are key collaborators in determining those solutions.  We are privileged to serve in our roles and will work with the Deans of the NCDEAS│ CCDISA to ensure that all our professors and students are prepared to meet the challenges that the future presents for our nation and the world.”