The Gold Medal Student Award recognizes the exceptional achievements of undergraduate engineering students who have demonstrated leadership, resiliency, and positive impact in their engineering studies and their community.

Eligibility criteria

Recipients must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
  • At the award deadline, be currently enrolled full-time and in good standing with a CEAB-accredited undergraduate engineering program
  • Have not previously received this award.

Selection criteria

To be considered, nomination packages must be submitted in full, on time, and not exceeding character, word, or page limits. Late or incomplete nomination packages will not be considered. Content in excess of the character, word, or page limit will not be considered.

In preparing a nomination package, you are encouraged to use concrete examples and be specific in describing the role(s) performed by the nominee, the impact of the contribution, and relevance to this award.

The Engineers Canada Awards Committee will assess each nomination using the following criteria:

Engagement within the engineering profession and community (40 points)

Using specific examples, nominees should demonstrate some or all of the following:

  • Active and impactful participation in engineering associations, societies, clubs, or other professional or student bodies related to engineering.
  • Active and impactful participation in events and outreach activities that enrich the engineering student experience, promote the profession, and/or advance Canadians’ understanding of the role of engineering and professional engineers in society.
  • Leadership in engineering through extracurricular activities such as competitions, conferences, and other opportunities.
  • Behaviour as a role model within the engineering student community.

Engagement in their community (40 points)

Using specific examples, nominees should demonstrate some or all of the following:

  • Active and impactful participation in their community through volunteerism.
  • Extra-curricular activities that have a positive impact on society.
  • Social and community conscience that models an engaged engineering profession.
  • Leadership in their community.

Resiliency (20 points)

Using specific examples, nominees should demonstrate some or all of the following:

  • Resilience in response to life challenges or adversity.
  • Capacity to find and implement solutions to challenging situations.
  • Ability to balance successful academic performance with their additional community, engineering education, outreach, and/or engagement activities.

Award benefits

The Gold Medal Student Award recipient is presented with their award and certificate during the annual Engineers Canada Awards Gala, held each year in conjunction with Engineers Canada’s Spring Meetings and Annual Meeting of Members. The event typically takes place in late May.

Award recipients participate in promotional activities arranged by Engineers Canada.

How to apply

The nomination form must be completed online in a single session (you cannot save your work and come back to it later). It is strongly recommended to read the nomination form entirely before you begin to ensure you have all necessary information and documents ready. In addition to completing the form, required documents include:

  • A copy of the nominee’s resume (5 pages maximum)
  • Two letters of support - Each letter should provide evidence and validation of the contributions described in the nomination package. (2 pages maximum per letter)

Nominations are currently closed. The nomination period for the upcoming year will open in the fall of 2024.