[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Lockington.jpg” caption=”Norm Lockington presents Peter Topalovic with this year’s Norm Lockington Scholarship while Gail Krantzberg, director of the Dofasco Centre for Engineering and Public Policy, and Peter Smith, acting dean of Engineering, look on. Photo courtesy of Faculty of Engineering.”]A scholarship named after former Dofasco vice-president Norm Lockington has been awarded to Peter Topalovic, a master's engineering and public policy student at McMaster University.

The $1,000-scholarship is awarded to a student enrolled in the Dofasco Centre for Engineering and Public Policy at McMaster exhibiting a commitment to sustainability and academic excellence. Scholarship recipients are selected by faculty members associated with the Centre.

Topalovic was awarded his scholarship by Norm Lockington at a special lecture on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

“Peter has shown a keen interest in engineering related policy issues, especially concerning sustainability in the Hamilton region,” said Gail Krantzberg, director, Dofasco Centre for Engineering and Public Policy. “Norm Lockington's support through this scholarship reinforces the importance of engineers engaging in issues such as sustainability and public health and safety.”

Topalovic is currently working as a systems designer for JNE Consulting Ltd. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Engineering and Society from McMaster University in 2004. He continues to be actively involved with the Faculty of Engineering as chair of the Engineering Alumni Advisory Committee.

He was previously executive councilor of student relations for the McMaster Alumni Association, president of the Society of Off-Campus Students, a member of the student representative assembly in 2004 and a volunteer with the student community support network.

Lockington sits on the Dean's Advisory Board for the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster. He has a long association with the Faculty through research collaborations at Dofasco, where he was vice-president of technology before retiring in 2007. He was also chairman of the environment committee for the International Iron and Steel Institute from 1994 to 1997.

He helped introduce concepts of environmental management, life-cycle assessment, sustainable development, corporate sustainability reporting, climate change and breakthrough CO2 reduction technologies to the international steel industry.