I am pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Evan Bentz as Vice Dean Undergraduate (VDU) for a five-year term beginning on July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2029.
Professor Evan Bentz joined the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering in 2000 as an Assistant Professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 2005 and became a full professor in 2017. Professor Bentz has served as the Associate Chair, Undergraduate in the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering since 2016. Additionally, he served on, and chaired, the Faculty Academic Appeals Board, and Faculty Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
Among his many achievements, Evan was awarded several ACI Design Awards, the Faculty Teaching Award, and the Civil Engineering Professor of the Year Award. His research expertise is on the behaviour and numerical modelling of cracked reinforced and prestressed concrete structures. He developed the shear design equations used by all Canadian and Australian bridge and building designers and by US concrete bridge designers. His computer program Response has been downloaded by over 100,000 engineers and researchers in 157 countries.
Please join me in congratulating Evan on his appointment and wishing him a rewarding journey for his term.
I extend my deep appreciation to the following members of the Advisory Committee for this search for their time and thoughtful input:
- Helen Bright, Faculty Registrar
- Professor Deepa Kundur, Chair, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE)
- Professor Teaching Stream, Micah Stickel, (ECE)
- Professor Markus Bussmann, Chair Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (MIE)
- Associate Professor Teaching Stream, Dawn Kilkenny, Vice Dean First Year
- Parker Johnston, Former President – Engineering Society
- Inho Kim, President – Engineering Society
- Lisa Camilleri, Chief Administrative Officer, FASE
I also would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to Professor Tom Coyle who served as Vice Dean Undergraduate since 2015. During his tenure as Vice Dean Undergraduate, he led us through the preparation and successful execution of the 2018 CEAB visit, and chaired the Faculty task forces on mental health, academic workload, and the Black Inclusion Steering Committee. He tirelessly advocated for and supported design teams, grew the UnERD conference, and led the strategic renewal of the PEY Co-Op program. The Faculty thanks him for all his hard work.
Earlier this year I announced the Advisory Committee to recommend a Vice Dean, Undergraduate (VDU), effective July 1, 2024. As part of this work, the Advisory Committee reviewed the VDU position description and portfolio, consulted directly with administrative leaders of units reporting to the VDU, and solicited feedback from the wider FASE community. Informed by their review, consultations, and community input, the Advisory Committee recommended a revised position description for the VDU, which included a realignment of the reporting structure for 4 units, the Engineering Career Centre, the Educational Technology Office, the Engineering Computing Facility, and the Outreach Office.
Effective July 1, 2024, the Engineering Career Centre will report to the Dean. The Educational Technology Office and the Engineering Computing Facility will report to the Chief Administrative Officer.
The Outreach Office will report into an expanded Engineering Student Recruitment and Outreach Office. As part of this expansion, I am thrilled to announce the appointment of Ingrid Schvarczkopf as Associate Registrar and Director, Engineering Student Recruitment & Outreach, to lead this blended portfolio. Ingrid has made outstanding contributions on behalf of our recruitment efforts since she joined the office in 2015, and particularly since her move into the leadership role in 2018. I look forward to seeing the exciting new opportunities that will emerge from this portfolio under Ingrid’s exemplary leadership.
I extend my thanks to the leaders and staff in each of the above-named units for their collegial support of this realignment.
An announcement of the incoming Vice Dean, Undergraduate will be made separately.
Professor Markus Bussmann is currently on leave. I am pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Aimy Bazylak as Acting Chair, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (MIE) until June 30, 2024. Professor Greg Jamieson will serve as the Acting Chair, MIE from July 1, 2024 to July 26, 2024.
Professor Aimy Bazylak is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering and joined the department in 2008 as an Assistant Professor. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2013 and Professor in 2018. Aimy has served in several leadership roles within the Faculty and won numerous awards. She directs the Bazylak Group, which focuses on the study and utilization of microfluidic and nanofluidic transport phenomena to achieve unique designs, operation strategies, and water management techniques for clean energy technologies.
Greg A. Jamieson is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto and joined the department in 2002. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2007 and Professor in 2017. Greg has served in several leadership roles within the Faculty and won numerous awards. He directs the Cognitive Engineering Laboratory, which conducts applied human factors engineering research in the natural resource and energy industries.
Please join me in thanking Aimy and Greg for taking on this important leadership role within the Faculty.