Conference for International Engineers

This one-day conference, hosted by bridging program partners across Ontario, brought together international engineers and employers. The focus was Canada’s engineering future and the potential to leverage global talent.

Afternoon Keynote: Dr. Mamdouh Shoukri

Dr. Mamdouh Shoukri will present a keynote address on The Entrepreneurial Engineer in a Global Economy and host  the Ontario International Engineers Success Awards.

Dr. Shoukri, President and Vice-Chancellor, York University, was previously at McMaster University where he had been Vice-President Research & International Affairs since 2001, and prior to that, he was Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.

Dr. Shoukri is a member of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Centres of Excellence, and Cancer Care Ontario. He is also Chair of the Government and Community Relations Committee for the Council of Ontario Universities, and a member of the Standing Advisory Committee on the Act and By-Laws for the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

Dr. Shoukri is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering. His professional memberships include the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, the Canadian Nuclear Society and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

His scholarly interests are in thermo-fluid sciences; particularly areas related to multi-phase heat transfer and nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics. He is the author and co-author of more than 120 papers that have appeared in refereed journals and symposia. 

Morning Keynote: Hon. Jean Augustine

Hon. Jean Augustine was appointed as the first Fairness Commissioner for Ontario in March 2007. The Office of the Fairness Commissioner oversees licensing in 40 regulatory bodies for Ontario professions, including engineers. The commissioner's mandate is to ensure that registration practices are transparent, objective, impartial and fair. 

The Office of the Fairness Commissioner is an independent agency of the government of Ontario, with the goal of ensuring that people are treated fairly when they apply to become licensed professionals in one of Ontario's regulated professions -- no matter where they were trained. This goal is widely supported in Ontario, and reflects the principles and core values of the people of this province.

Ms Augustine cares passionately about education and the challenges faced by newcomers to the province. Recently recognized by canadianimmigrant.ca as one of the "Top 25 Canadian Immigrants," Ms. Augustine brings an enlightened message to international engineers.