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The past year at »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s University has been filled with new beginnings, renewal, key accomplishments, and important events. As 2023 draws to a close the Gazette takes a look at the items that made the biggest headlines.

Engineering’s new era
The unveiling of Smith Engineering honours a historic donation of $100 million from financial-services entrepreneur and »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s University alumnus Stephen J.R. Smith (Sc’72, LLD'17) to reimagine STEM education through engineering at »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s.

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane received an honorary degree from McMaster University during a fall convocation ceremony in Hamilton on Nov. 23.  

Chris Carlton and Ian Matheson are pre-service teacher educators in the Faculty of Education who have taken on a timely challenge as part of their work at »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s – finding a new way to get elementary school children excited about sustainability. Their goal was to create a fun, hands-on, school-wide project that would also show the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) in action. And this is where the worms came in.

A transformational change in »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s engineering education is on the horizon, thanks to an unparalleled gift from financial-services entrepreneur and »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s University alumnus, Stephen J.R. Smith (Sc’72, LLD'17).

In what is now the largest donation of its kind to an engineering faculty in Canada, Mr. Smith’s gift is founded on his commitment to nurturing STEM education, supporting the engineers of tomorrow, and preparing and empowering »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s engineering graduates to confront society’s most pressing challenges head-on.

Dear Members of the »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s Community,

Community-engaged learning opportunities often bring together students, faculty, staff, and community partners to address and respond to community-identified challenges. Wendy Craig’s first focus in her work as Special Advisor to the Principal on Community Engagement has been on these mutually beneficial learning experiences that effect positive change through collaboration among students and community organizations.

Each year, teaching awards at »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s University are conferred to educators and staff who excel in teaching and promote innovative and inclusive learning environments.

On Oct. 17, Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane and Vice-Provost Teaching and Learning Gavan Watson hosted a reception at Grant Hall to celebrate these annual awards and recognize the 2022-23 recipients.

For the ninth consecutive year, »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý’s is preparing for Thrive – a week-long series aimed at building positive mental health and wellness through discussion, learning, skill development, and resource sharing. This year’s events focus on compassion and how we can demonstrate compassion through simple, everyday acts and gestures.

In late September, global leaders gathered in New York City for the United Nations’ General Assembly’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit. The question on everyone’s mind: at the midway point in an ambitious 15-year pledge to meet a series of SDG targets by 2030, how much progress has been made? The answer, some, but not enough. The summit called for a renewed commitment and energy from participating countries.