UAlberta engineering professors Qingxia Liu, Joao Soares, Chinthananda Tellambura and David Zhu have been named Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.
(Edmonton) Four Faculty of Engineering professors have been elected as Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.
Fellows of the academy "are all engineers of outstanding abilities," said CAE president Douglas Ruth. "While they have widely varying backgrounds, what they all have in common is the demonstrated ability to go beyond the normal practice of engineering and contribute in exemplary ways towards their fields and to their communities."
The designation is one of the highest honours bestowed on Canadian engineers. Nominees are elected by their peers in the CAE based on their achievements and career-long service to the engineering profession. Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering are committed to ensuring that engineering expertise is applied to the benefit of all Canadians.
Fifty new Fellows were inducted during a ceremony in Ottawa June 6. Representing the U of A Faculty of Engineering are:
Qingxia Liu
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
Liu is The Glencore Chair in Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering at the University of Alberta. He is a leading authority on interfacial science and water chemistry in minerals processing and oil sands extraction. His research continues to stimulate scientific discoveries and develop vital technologies that address the economic and environmental challenges faced by Canadian industry. Liu brings valuable industry experience into university teaching and research. As clean energy plays an increasingly important role in global development, Liu's teaching, research, and development of new technology is of vital importance to sustainable development in Alberta and across Canada.
Joao Soares
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
Soares holds a Canada Research Chair in Advanced Polymer Reaction Engineering and a Campus Alberta Innovates Chair in Interfacial Polymer Engineering for Oil Sands Processing. He has authored over 200 papers in refereed journals, and given more than 250 conference presentations. His impact in the polyolefin industry is reflected in his wide consulting experience with all major international polyolefin manufacturing companies and in his very successful industrial short course, Polyolefin Reaction Engineering, currently in its 10th year. Soares also promotes the dissemination of chemical engineering knowledge as the Editor-in-Chief for the Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada and has been honoured for his research by such organizations as Dow Chemicals, Alberta Innovates and the Province of Ontario.
Chinthananda Tellambura
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Chinthananda Tellambura is a world-class researcher in the field of wireless communication systems. He has made sustained and fundamental contributions on design, modeling and analysis of 3G, 4G and emerging wireless standards. At the national level, he has served on many science and engineering panels and, internationally, held editorships on prestigious journals on wireless technology. He has trained over 50 highly qualified wireless engineers who now serve the global wireless industry and academia. He has authored over 500 journal and conference publications with more than 11,500 citations and a Google Scholar H-index of 56. His outstanding research contributions have been recognized by his elevation to IEEE Fellow
David Zhu
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
David Zhu is a world-leading expert in urban drainage and sustainable hydropower. He has made fundamental contributions to our understanding of air/water and sand/water multiphase flows. His research accomplishments have been globally recognized and applied in real-world engineering designs. He is a leading international figure in the modernization of urban sewer design and operations to face the challenge of climate change and stringent environmental regulations. His research has also significantly enhanced Canada's reputation in sustainable hydropower and fishway designs. Zhu is also actively promoting collaborations between Canada and China in sustainable hydropower development. He is the recipient of many awards including an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellowship and the Donald R. Stanley Award from the CSCE.
The CAE itself works in close co-operation with other senior academies in Canada and internationally. It is a founding member of the Council of Canadian Academies, along with the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. The CAE is also a member of the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences, which includes some 26 similar national bodies.