2023 William Muir Edwards Citizenship Award Nomination - Maria George

Maria George is one of the recipients of the 2023 William Muir Edwards awards.

As a first-generation immigrant with limited access to engineering role models, Maria George understood the need for support systems. This “lived experience,” says Maria, was the source of her citizenship journey as a mentor to younger students interested in STEM. It also served as the inspiration to craft seminars about the engineering program for immigrant families with children in high school, in their first language, Malayalam, eliminating language and cultural barriers to pursuing engineering. 

 It was just the beginning. 

The fourth-year electrical engineering co-op student is deeply committed to inclusion at all levels, evident in her advocacy efforts within academia and in the broader community. 

“Authentic diversity is more than a seat at the table,” she says. “It’s being empowered to speak your mind.”

Seeking to identify and advocate for the needs of underrepresented demographics in engineering, Maria created the Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Decolonization (EDID) department in 2021 within the Engineering Students'​ Society, where she serves as director. One of her priorities was to create an equitable recruitment process. Toward this goal, she dedicated hundreds of hours and sat on numerous volunteer interviews, providing an equity lens to ESS hiring. She also built a national network of EDID directors from 12 engineering programs to share initiatives and campaigns with each other, and was actively involved in faculty-wide advocacy to secure religious accommodations for students from underrepresented backgrounds. These efforts earned her the Volunteer of the Year award for 2022-23. This year, she was the recipient of the 2023 Engineers Canada - Leadership Scholarship.

“I advocate for marginalized groups to faculty and encourage safe spaces on campus through research, consultations and awareness campaigns,” says Maria. “I now represent the University of Alberta at national conferences such as the Conference for Diversity in Engineering, and speak for engineering students on university committees to prevent gender-based violence and develop EDI strategy.”

In 2022, Maria was appointed by the City Council to sit on the Women’s Advocacy Voice of Edmonton Committee for the City of Edmonton (WAVE). WAVE’s mission is to create an inclusive and gender equitable city through municipal advocacy, community building and engagement. 

Complementing the general advisory body, Maria serves on the Projects Subcommittee as Co-Chair. This subcommittee cultivates diversity in municipal government by hosting events and uplifting local gender equity organizations. 

“In general meetings, Maria passionately advocates for both engineering students and postsecondary students as a whole,” says Areezah Jiwa, a fellow WAVE committee member. “As one of the youngest members of our committee, Maria provides invaluable insight about the student perspective on public transit safety, cost of living and municipal engagement. She has shown an impressive level of commitment that is centered around building a diverse and equitable future for all.”

Drawing on her engineering experiences, notes Areezah, Maria spearheaded the Human Library to showcase the experiences of women of different backgrounds and careers at Edmonton area high schools, facilitating discussions with students about postsecondary, the richness of the engineering profession and finding the courage to pursue their passions regardless of the external pressures. 

“Maria’s commitment at a grassroots level demonstrates the depth of her citizenship, permeating all levels where she can make an impact.”

Connection, says Maria, is rooted in shared experience, be that through gender, upbringing, nationality or common interests.

“By observing the distinctness of every friend group, every extracurricular I was in, I started to understand how one person belongs to multiple communities,” she says. “More importantly, I understood what a community was, and it is not solely defined by typical demographics. For example, I am an Indian woman and a first-generation immigrant, but I am also an eldest sibling and an engineering student. Exploring this intersection of identities fosters empathy, which connects and strengthens our communities.”

As Areezah notes, Maria’s demonstrations of citizenship, though separate, clearly contribute to her larger vision of a community that celebrates and cultivates its diversity. “Her ability to balance the magnitude of this work with a full time engineering workload and personal commitments are beyond impressive.”

“It is easy to blame underrepresentation on an abstract idea like 'society',” says Maria. “Though strenuous, we must address the root of the issue by uplifting diversity at every opportunity, from engineering education to workplace culture. For me, citizenship is empathy. Together, we can ignite a chain-reaction of nurturing the people around us, forging compassion-centred communities.”

Named in honour of the Faculty of Engineering’s founding professor, the William Muir Edwards Citizenship Award recognizes Engineering at Alberta undergraduate students who have made exceptional contributions to society. It’s a celebration of citizenship and of engineering students who go to extraordinary lengths to make our world a better place. Special thanks to the David Morris Family Foundation for supporting our students and making the William Muir Edwards Citizenship Awards possible. 

Do you know an undergraduate student whose volunteerism, contributions, and efforts, both on-campus and off-campus, work to make the world a better place? Learn more about the nomination process here.