[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/andynew.jpg” caption=”Andrew Hrymak”]Andrew Hrymak, P.Eng. has been appointed director of the newly established School for Engineering Practice at McMaster University.

The School for Engineering Practice was created by the Faculty of Engineering in response to the growing need for engineers to manage increasingly complex issues requiring an in-depth knowledge of design, innovation, entrepreneurship and the impact of technology on society.

“This is a new concept in engineering education,” said Hrymak. “The School focuses on providing engineering professionals with the necessary mix of technical and leadership skills at the graduate level to recognize and develop new technologies, and to take those new technologies to market in a safe, efficient and environmentally sound manner.”

Hrymak joined the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University in 1985 and has worked on research projects with many companies including Xerox, Dofasco, Suncor and Imperial Oil. He is a professor of chemical engineering and chair of the department. He was previously director of the McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI) and continues as associate director of the Centre for Advanced Polymer Processing and Design (CAPPA-D), both located at McMaster.

Hrymak received his B. Eng. at McMaster University and Ph.D. at Carnegie Mellon University. His research interests include polymer processing, computational fluid dynamics, process simulation and optimization, and finite element methods.

The School for Engineering Practice is comprised of three centres: the Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship & Innovation, the Centre for Engineering and Public Policy in partnership with Dofasco and the Centre for Engineering Design in partnership with General Motors of Canada. More information can be found at http://msep.mcmaster.ca.