Engineering Honours and Awards

Guelph Engineering Medal for Vision & Legacy

Dr. Aref Ali Nayed, B.Sc.(Eng.) '85, MA ‘86, PhD ‘94

Dr. Aref Ali Nayed is a Libyan scholar, diplomat (Ambassador/Envoy), and interfaith leader. He is Chairman of the Libya Institute for Advanced Studies (LIAS) and of Kalam Research & Media (KRM), an international think tank dedicated to fostering dialogue between cultures and faiths. An alumnus of the University of Guelph (B.Sc. Biological Engineering 1985, M.A. in Philosophy of Science 1986, and Ph.D. in Philosophy (Hermeneutics) 1994), Dr. Nayed has dedicated his life to scholarship, peacebuilding, and interreligious engagement across the globe.

Award of Excellence

Dairy Farmers of Ontario

Since 1965, Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) has steadfastly served Ontario as the regulator and sole delegated authority for the marketing of milk, accountable to the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. Guided by their mission to provide leadership and excellence in milk production and their vision for a dynamic, profitable and growing dairy industry, DFO serves producers, processors and consumers - preserving a proud legacy built on passion, purpose and generations of care.

As the largest sector of Ontario agriculture, dairy farming is a cornerstone of the province’s economy and rural communities, with 10,000 farmers and their families on over 3,100 farms producing 3 billion litres of high-quality milk annually. DFO’s dedication to rigorous raw milk quality and food safety standards has relied on a strong collaboration with the University of Guelph, focused on research, dairy innovation, and advancing excellence in education and Canadian agriculture.

Mid-Career Award

Jeanette Biemann, FEC, P.Eng., LEED AP BD+C, B.Sc.(Eng.) '04

From U of G graduate to President of a leading Northern Ontario architecture and engineering firm, Jeanette Biemann’s career is defined by innovation, leadership, and service. After earning her Engineering degree with honours in 2004, she joined IDEA Inc. and quickly distinguished herself. In 2013, she became the firm’s first female principal, guiding expansion and driving a 300% increase in revenue. She now leads a team of 40 professionals delivering projects across Ontario and Canada.

Early in her career, Jeanette focused on learning and developing sustainable solutions for complex projects. She now mentors her team to adapt to new technologies and shifting market demands. Her leadership has delivered milestone achievements, including Sault Ste. Marie’s first LEED Gold certified building and one of Ontario’s first large-scale water-based heat pump heat recovery systems.

A dedicated volunteer, Jeanette served with PEO for over a decade, earning an Engineers Canada Fellowship. She also supports her community through ARCH Hospice, where she recently chaired the Board of Directors. Jeanette balances professional excellence with her roles as wife, mother, mentor, and friend, embodying the spirit of leadership and service.

Young Alumnus/a of Honour

Dr. Omid Norouzisafsari, PhD’22

Dr. Omid Norouzisafsari, CEM, is an award-winning environmental engineer, R&D leader, and innovator recognized internationally for his pioneering work in clean energy, anaerobic digestion, and sustainable waste-to-resource technologies. Holding dual PhDs in Chemical Engineering (University of Guelph, Canada) and Industrial Engineering (University of Perugia, Italy), he currently serves as Senior R&D and IP Manager at Anaergia Inc., Special Graduate Faculty in the School of Environmental Sciences, and Visiting Researcher in the School of Engineering at the University of Guelph.

Dr. Norouzisafsari’s research has advanced bioenergy systems and carbon reduction strategies, contributing to global decarbonization and renewable natural gas (RNG) initiatives. He has authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications, co-developed more than 600 patents, and helped secure over $12 million in international research funding. His technical leadership has shaped major clean energy projects, including the Rialto Bioenergy Facility and Victor Valley Biomethane Plant in California, collectively reducing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.

Recognized through multiple innovation awards and featured in national media for his contributions to clean technology, Dr. Norouzisafsari continues to bridge industry, academia, and environmental policy, driving advancements in the global transition toward a circular and climate-resilient economy.

Dean’s Award of Distinction

Kevin Dong, MSc. ‘05

Kevin graduated from the College of Engineering in 2005 with a master’s degree in the Engineering Systems & Computing program. Following several years of professional experience in the industrial automation field, he returned to the College of Engineering in 2016 as the Senior Mechatronics Laboratory Coordinator. In this role, Kevin supports multiple senior courses across the mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering programs, and takes great pride in helping students develop the skills they need for their professional careers.

Dean’s Award of Distinction

Haleh Vahedi, PhD ‘09

Haleh Vahedi received her B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Isfehan University of Technology, her M.A.Sc in Electrical Engineering from Ryerson University, and Ph.D. in Engineering Systems and Computing from the University of Guelph. Her experience in the semiconductor industry includes many years of engineering design with companies such as Synopsys, Gennum-Snowbush, and Rambus. In academia, she has worked as a post-doctoral fellow at University of Toronto and has taught several courses as a sessional lecturer at University of Guelph. Since 2021, she has worked at the University of Guelph as a Senior Lab Coordinator.

Award of Excellence

GHD

GHD recognizes and understands the world is constantly changing. They are committed to solving the world's biggest challenges in water, energy, and communities through innovative advisory, engineering, construction and architectural expertise. As a global company, they connect and sustain communities while delivering extraordinary social and economic outcomes. Established in 1928, GHD remains wholly owned by their people, with hundreds of offices across five continents.

GHD's commitment to the University of Guelph's College of Engineering reflects their dedication to shaping the next generation of engineering leaders. By supporting scholarships, research initiatives, and collaborative projects, GHD provides students with opportunities to address today's challenges and create a sustainable future. Together, we are advancing innovation, fostering talent, and strengthening a shared vision for a better world.

Director's Award of Distinction

Joanne Ryks, B.Sc. '88

Joanne graduated from the Biomedical Toxicology program at the University of Guelph in 1988. She began her career working in both the private and public sectors as an analytical chemist. She completed a Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University in 1995. Joanne joined the University of Guelph and began working as an Environmental Lab Technician in the School of Engineering in 1997. Over the past 28 years, she has enjoyed the opportunity to interact with so many Environmental and Water Resources Undergraduate students in the labs, as well as supporting Graduate students in analytical lab work related to their research. Outside of her work, Joanne had been a long-standing member of the Guelph Rowing Club where she has helped instruct new rowers and foster a community that "pulls together". Joanne, as an employee and an alum, is grateful for the opportunities the University of Guelph has given her.

Director's Award of Distinction

Barry Verspagen, C.E.T.

Barry Verspagen, Mechanical Engineering Technologist, graduated from Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology in 1996. Barry joined the School of Engineering in 2009 for the new Mechanical Engineering program. Prior to joining the University of Guelph, Barry spent 15 years at Linamar Manufacturing in Quality Control and Program Management roles. As an automotive enthusiast, this allowed for excellent exposure to assembly plants such as General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Barry was nominated in 2018 for the President's Award for Exemplary Staff Service in the category of Hidden Hero, as well as the School of Engineering Staff Member of the Year in 2024. Barry continues to share his passion for cars with his children, collecting, maintaining, and anything else that comes to mind.

Mid-Career Award

Katherine Rentsch, B.Sc.(Eng.) '01

Katherine Rentsch, P.Eng., earned her Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Guelph. With over 20 years of experience in consulting engineering, Katherine is adept at leading professionals with multi-disciplinary teams through development, approval and construction projects. She specializes in the design of onsite sewage servicing and disposal for residential, commercial, and industrial developments, with an emphasis on nutrient removal requirements and specialized wastewater streams. Since 2005, Katherine has provided workshops and courses specializing in onsite sewage systems to the members of the Ontario onsite wastewater industry through the Ontario Rural Wastewater Centre at the University of Guelph, where she was the Project Coordinator from 2005 to 2015. She is currently the Vice President of the Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association, where she volunteers her time to champion private and decentralized servicing options. She is a member on the Ontario Building Code Commission as well as the Building Materials Evaluation Commission where she shares her expertise to hear building permit appeals and evaluate innovative technologies. Katherine is a Manager of Private Services at C.F. Crozier & Associates Inc. where she is responsible for technical review and quality control of all onsite sewage and private servicing projects. Katherine is a valued leader within the industry and continues to mentor and advocate for women in STEM.

Young Alumnus of Honour

Kristina Kupferschmidt, B.Eng. '14, PhD '25

Kristina Kupferschmidt completed her B.Eng in Biomedical Engineering in 2014 and recently earned her PhD in Computer Engineering from the University of Guelph, specializing in human-centered artificial intelligence (AI). She is now an Assistant Professor in the School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences at the University of Prince Edward Island.

Kristina's work bridges research, industry, and policy to advance responsible AI deployment and improve real-world machine learning applications. She has worked as a biomedical engineer and AI developer in both startups and industry, co-founded tqwo companies, and served as Lead Scientist-in-Residence for the NEXT-AI accelerator. In addition to this, she has contributed to Canada's AI governance, advising on the AI and Data Act at Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada (ISED), and has worked to make AI education more accessible through initiatives such as the Caregivers & Machine Learning program through the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

Award of Excellence

Graham Gagnon, B.Sc.(Eng.) '93

Graham Gagnon, PhD, P.Eng., is a proud alumnus of the School of Engineering and is a graduate of the first environmental engineering class ('93) from the School. Dr. Gagnon is presently the Dean of Architecture and Planning at Dalhousie University, where he also serves as a Professor and Director of the Centre for Water Resources Studies. Dr. Gagnon's research program addresses emerging priorities for the water and wastewater industry. Through this program he has contributed to the training of more than 250 research trainees, over half of whom are women. In addition to his research program, Dr. Gagnon is deeply proud of his work with Elders, Chiefs, and operators in Mi'kma'ki, which has led to the Atlantic First Nation Water Authority. The AFNWA is the only First Nation owned and operated organization that is focused on ensuring safe water in its supporting communities.

Mid-Career Award

Kirsten Hogan, B.Sc.(Eng.) '00, MASc. '02

Kirsten Hogan earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in environmental engineering at the University of Guelph. Early in her career, Kirsten founded Aperture Consulting Inc., an environmental consulting firm that operates across northern and western Canada. After more than 15 years running an independent consulting engineering practice, she has a wide variety of technical experience. Most recently, Kirsten is excited to be leading multi-discplinary teams contributing to a better future in the Yukon. These teams are working on projects that include renewable energy heating sources for northern buildings, renewable electricity production for the Yukon's grid, and design of a water treatment and distribution system for a growing Yukon community. Kirsten is an active volunteer and a thoughtful and compassionate leader. In the engineering community she has served on the Engineers Yukon council since 2017 and was President from 2020-2022. Under Kirsten's leadership, Engineers Yukon was the first regulator in Canada to recognize caregiving as part of a continuing professional development. Kirsten recently served as the co-chair of the Yukon Climate Leadership Council, an advisory body to the Government of Yukon tasked with developing a plan to reduce the Yukon's GHG emissions by 45% by 2030. Outside of her professional career, Kirsten enjoys the beautiful Yukon wilderness as often as possible with her family and friends.

Young Alumnus of Honour

Stephen Bacchus, B.Eng. '15

Stephen Bacchus completed his Environmental Engineering degree in 2015. Studying at the University of Guelph has provided Stephen with the knowledge and experience to assume significant responsibilities across various organizational levels early on in his career. Since the age of 19, he was a people leader, and was accountable for major engineering and financial programs at a number of large-scale private and public sector organizations.

Today, Stephen stands as a visionary leader who makes influential decisions that directly benefit the residents of his community. He has diverse expertise in infrastructure asset management, engineering design, and finance. Stephen's continued comitment to prioritizing climate action and spearheading fleet decarbonization initiatives has paved the way for cleaner and more sustainable future in public transportation.

Within the industry, Stephen has had a profound impact, and serves as an inspiration for aspiring future young leaders as they embark on their own journey.

Award of Excellence

Dr. Pascale Champagne, B.Sc.(Eng.) '93

Dr. Pascale Champagne joined the NRC as the Director General of the Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre in 2021. Prior to her appointment, she was the Scientific Director at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique in Quebec. During her career, she has held various roles in the private sector and as a faculty member in academia. As a researcher, her studies focus on the development of alternate water and waste management strategies and environmentally sustainable approaches, and on integrated bioresource management. She has collaborated and evolved synergistic relationships with several researchers to develop new integrated bioresource management practices to introduce alternate aqueous and solid waste management approaches, as well as to create unique opportunities for the bioenergy and bio products sectors. Dr. Champagne earned a Bachelor's degree in Biology from McGill University and a Bachelor’s degree in Water Resources Engineering from the University of Guelph. She also holds a Master’s and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Carleton University. She is the author and co‑author of over 265 peer-reviewed publications.

Mid-Career Award

Aimée Smith, B.Sc.(Eng.) '98

Aimée graduated from Guelph’s Environmental Engineering program in 1998. She then went on to complete a Master’s degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering in Ottawa. Immediately following the defense of her Master’s thesis, she was hired by RWDI, a world-renowned engineering consulting firm located in Guelph. Over the past 22 years at RWDI, she has worked on laboratory and healthcare projects across the globe to deliver on highly specialized building performance requirements. Outside of her work on projects, Aimée is the Director of Technical Excellence at RWDI providing oversight for all of the technical practice areas within the company and currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Being located in Guelph has allowed Aimée to stay connected to the College of Engineering. She actively provides support through participating in activities such as alumni/industry focus groups, judging 4th year capstone projects, speaking at student conferences and events and she is a Warden of Iron Ring Camp 17. She is passionate about supporting the College, mentoring the next generation of engineers, and influencing gender diversity within the profession.

Young Alumnus of Honour

Naif Siddiqui, B.Eng. '10

Naif Siddiqui graduated from Biological Engineering at the University of Guelph. He started his career managing and establishing rehabilitation clinics before venturing into the nuclear industry in 2016. Presently a Section Manager in the Project Management Office at Kinectrics of a team that provides proposal and project management/controls services to company projects and programs. Naif continues to lead world changing innovation projects in the nuclear industry such as medical isotopes, small modular reactors and proper nuclear waste disposal. Naif also volunteers for North American Young Generation in Nuclear where he was elected to serve on the board of directors as the Public Information Officer. Naif has been involved with developing young leaders to energize the future of nuclear with many youth initiatives. He continues his efforts to be involved in helping Canada and the US in achieving Net-Zero emissions. Naif has published a children’s book for Nuclear Science Week and will be speaking in Japan for International Youth Nuclear Congress in December 2022.

Award of Excellence

Engineering Classes of '76, '77 and '78

As part of a class project, the '76, '77 and '78 graduating Engineering classes set an ambitious goal of fundraising among their peers to establish a student leadership award, in honour of former U of G engineering professor Peter Chisholm. In 2021, they achieved their fundraising goal—an incredible milestone for this type of fundraising project. Congratulations to the class leads John Patterson, Myron Pestaluky, Geoff Parker, Dale Downey, Rui De Carvalho and John Lackey, and the classmates who generously donated to the project. One award will be handed out each year to an engineering student who best demonstrates outstanding leadership skills in the College of Engineering and/or community. In addition to a scholarship of $5,000, the award recipients are provided a unique opportunity to build connections within the professional engineering community; they will receive mentorship and career advice from the Engineering alumni who established this award.

Mid-Career Award

Mark Bassingthwaite, B.Sc.(Eng.) ‘02

Mark Bassingthwaite, P.Eng. graduated from Water Resources Engineering at the University of Guelph in 2002 after completing co-op terms at provincial and municipal governments as well as a consulting engineering firm. After graduation, Mark held progressive positions in the consulting and non-profit environmental industries before starting a consulting engineering business (Resilient Consulting Corporation) in 2018. Over the years, Mark has been a firm supporter of the Guelph Engineering co-operative education program and has been involved in the hiring of over 20 students from the University of Guelph. In 2016, while Mark was a Vice-President at Cole Engineering Group Ltd., the firm received the Co-op Employer of the Year award from the University of Guelph. Building on his passion for the outdoors, Mark has completed numerous wetland and watercourse restoration projects across Southern Ontario, resulting in lasting enhancements to the natural environment. Mark has also completed numerous flood assessment and mapping projects as well as leading design and implementation of numerous flood reduction and infrastructure improvement projects, which have resulted in lowering risk to several flood prone urban areas within the Greater Toronto Area.

Young Alumna of Honour

Amanda Pinto, B.Eng. ‘18

Amanda Pinto is a Land Development Engineering Intern at C.F. Crozier and Associates. Since joining the team in 2018, she has assisted with the design of stormwater management ponds using modelling software to help control the increase in runoff within developed lands. She has worked on a variety of projects involving the design of residential developments within the floodplain and institutional properties that require detailed civil grading and servicing. She is also part of the research collaboration between Crozier and Wilfrid Laurier University which focuses on how vegetation in stormwater management ponds can enhance water quality. In addition to her professional work, Amanda serves as the Chair of the PEO Grand River Chapter 30x30 Committee to help promote the number of licensed women in the field of engineering.

Award of Excellence

Bill McLean, B.Sc.(Eng.) ‘83

Having spent over 30 years in manufacturing and operations, Bill was no stranger to business challenges and operational issues. Then, the pandemic hit. As the Chief Supply Chain Officer for LIXIL Americas region, Bill led the COVID-19 response to keep 5000+ employees safe. A dashboard of COVID-19 data at the country, state, county and plant level was developed. Safety protocols were documented, implemented and audited. When the data became compelling, sites were shut down to protect employees. Employees went home with pay, PPE for their family, a comprehensive information package about the virus, access to medical support, health benefits and access to an information website. Dedicated bus transportation was provided for workers at LIXIL's Mexican plant so public transit could be avoided. Bill's group provided free tooling to assist an outside firm to produce face shields and gave away 50,000 face shields. Bill shares that this was the most challenging time in his career, however the approach to managing the response to COVID-19 was similar to what he learned during his time at UofG: with clear values in mind, assess the problem and apply the appropriate data to solve the problem.

Award of Excellence

Attilio Di Fiore, B.Sc.(Eng.) ‘92

Attilio is the Co-Founder, President and CSO of ATTWILL Vascular Technologies as well as the Managing Partner and COO of its manufacturing and development subdivision, ATTWILL Medical solutions. The 35,000 sq. ft. Wisconsin facility houses seven - ISO 7 clean suites and six industrial lyophilizers. Attilio is engaged in medical device design, medical and drug freeze drying process development, and solution chemistry manufacturing. Attilio and his team have just received their first 510(k) from the FDA and are involved in a number of CDC and BARDA (US government funded programs). They have also submitted proposals to the US government under project WARP Speed and the initiative to onboard critical drug manufacturing back to US shores. As of 2020, they were working on six COVID-19 diagnostic (PCR) programs, one COVID-19 clinical drug treatment program (ATTWILL patent – Canadian Technology), and one COVID-19 vaccine development (phase 1 Clinical) program in play at the facility. The vaccine is the first and only tablet-based vaccine that will be available on the market with the potential to fulfill worldwide vaccine needs.

Mid-Career Award

Dave Bullock, B.Sc.(Eng.) ‘99, MASc. ‘02

Dave has built a career on building businesses. A strategic leader with the unique ability to translate technological innovation into sustained business success, Dave is currently leading RWDI Ventures, a startup incubator within the world-renowned, Guelph-based engineering firm, RWDI. Most recently, Dave's group at Ventures launched Songbird Life Science, a company utilizing science and technology to keep shared spaces, and the people inside them, safe from pathogens, including COVID-19. Within three months of operation, Songbird was extending the capacity of provincial testing programs across the country to service remote communities and essential workers with the only commercially available Point-of-Care testing device approved by Health Canada. Dave is especially proud of Songbird's team of building-performance engineers and genomic scientists committed to developing new tools, including R&D in air and water testing, to battle today—and tomorrow's—pathogens.

Young Alumna of Honour

Heather Murphy, PhD ‘10

After Dr. Murphy obtained her PhD in Environmental Engineering, she left academia and worked overseas with UNICEF as a Water Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist in Mali and Madagascar. She returned to Canada in 2012 and did postdoctoral research with the Public Health Agency of Canada and the University of Guelph. In 2015, Heather joined Temple University's College of Public Health in Philadelphia as an Assistant Professor. In September 2020, she returned to UofG as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiology in OVC. Heather's research interests involve understanding and addressing water and health challenges in both developed and developing countries with a focus on One Health. She leads the Water, Health and Applied Microbiology (WHAM) Lab. Once the pandemic hit in March 2020, Heather worked with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and Water Department to start monitoring sewage at three wastewater treatment plants for the City of Philadelphia for SARS-CoV-2 as an epidemiological surveillance tool and this work is on-going. She is also collaborating on a similar project at Guelph with Drs. Ed McBean and Larry Goodridge.