Meet the 2021 recipients of the Engineers Canada - Leadership Scholarship
The Engineers Canada - Leadership Scholarship consists of eight scholarships of $4,000 each annually to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students in CEAB-accredited engineering programs. These scholarships are awarded to undergraduate engineering students who have completed one year of engineering studies and who demonstrate potential to be leaders in advancing engineering in Canada. Learn more about the outstanding work and achievements of future engineers.
- Masooma Tahir
- Coralie Tcheune
- Dalena Vo
- Sydney Wheatley
- Daniel Wood
- Yudi Yang
- Kimberly Watada
- Yazan Zamel
Masooma Tahir
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
University of Calgary
“Life is not a sprint but a marathon; Through perseverance and resilience, you can overcome any hurdle.”
For Masooma Tahir, an effective leader is one who uses their journey to motivate others. Her inspiration for sharing her path in engineering was taken by her experiences as a newcomer to Canada seeking to familiarize herself with the field. She volunteers with organizations such as the Cybermentor program, and Let’s Talk Science where she promotes STEM through workshops and mentorship to empower youth and incoming engineering students across Calgary. Masooma is also an advocate for inclusion and diversity in STEM, volunteering at conferences like the Women in Engineering Summit, and working with the Technovation Girls, Schulich Ignite, and STEMPals programs. She hopes to continue to light the path and serve as a role model for young girls who want to become an engineer.
Coralie Tcheune
Bachelor of Applied Science in Biomedical Engineering
University of British Columbia
“Being a leader means venturing out of your comfort zone, challenging the status quo, and breathing life into brilliant ideas.”
Coralie Tcheune’s leadership work is rooted in her foundational values: empowerment, inclusivity, and representation. On campus, she is Co-Chair of the Engineering Undergraduate Society’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Indigeneity (EDII) Committee and co-captain of the Biomedical Engineering Student Team (BEST), composed of nearly 100 members working on various complex projects. As part of these programs, she leads a team that advocates for marginalized groups in engineering and creates initiatives to combat systemic discrimination and underrepresentation. More recently, she helped implement an anonymous form for students to report cases of injustice, passed a policy mandating EDII practices during events, and has been actively involved in outreach for students across elementary to grad school. Her goal in becoming an engineer is to work in the medical and/or robotics industry to design technologies that help bridge gaps, promote inclusivity, and reduce barriers.
Dalena Vo
Bachelor of Applied Science in Mining Engineering
Queen’s University
“With every challenge comes a deeper understanding of your abilities and opportunities to grow.”
Throughout her university experience, Dalena Vo has always felt the most fulfilled when getting involved in Queen’s engineering community. Currently, she serves as Director of Services with the university’s Engineering Society (EngSoc), overseeing the operations of five student-run services and businesses. Specializing in Mining Engineering, she is also passionate about automation and sustainability in mining and hopes to focus on designing more portable and inexpensive mining systems in the future. Notably, Dalena recently initiated a study in her program’s department to define discrepancies in the experiences of women, men, and other gender-identifying individuals after various time increments in the workforce. The outcome of this work provides feedback for department and industry practices and encourages healthier and more inclusive working environments for all individuals.
Sydney Wheatley
Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design Engineering
University of Prince Edward Island
“It is impossible to get it right every time, and sometimes, the only way to know you’re doing it right is to get it wrong.”
Coming to the end of her undergraduate studies, Sydney Wheatley has held a track-record for embracing and initiating change. She has spearheaded several initiatives to improve the engineering student-body experience, one of which permitted engineering students to enroll in language courses. Reflecting on her university career, she is most proud of her engagement in outreach programs to encourage and promote female growth and participation within engineering. In her role as Vice President External of the Engineering Society and ambassador of her university’s engineering program, Sydney has helped incoming engineering students from across the country and the world transition from high school to their engineering undergraduate program. Following her undergraduate studies, she hopes to pursue a master’s degree in engineering, and apply her knowledge of engineering to the medical field where she aspires to research solutions to prevent medical issues.
Daniel Wood
Bachelor of Applied Science
Queen’s University
“Thinking both locally and globally can significantly increase impact.”
As an aspiring civil engineer, Daniel Wood believes an effective leader has a vision for progression and a mindset that unifies people. Through his studies, he strives to address some of the pollution and poverty problems facing the modern world. On the road to this vision, he played an instrumental role in the design of a system to limit the chemical runoff from farms and help soil return to its original structure. Outside of class, Daniel has volunteered with Make a Change World, an organization which works to clean up polluted rivers and protect wildlife. He’s also spent many summers volunteering to help youth cultivate their leadership skills at a local summer camp. In the long-term, he wants to utilize the skills and experiences acquired in his undergrad to help those in need of clean water, food, electricity, and other key necessities.
Yudi Yang
Bachelor of Engineering Science in Software Engineering and Business
Western University
“Failure does not define who you are. Overcoming challenges are where you learn the most about your capabilities.”
Yudi Yang is pursuing a dual degree in software engineering and business. In her role as Vice President International of the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students, she oversees discussions of important issues such as equity, diversity, and inclusion at the global stage. Her participation in these initiatives abroad, such as with the Board of European Students of Technology (BEST), has allowed her to gain international perspectives. Yudi has also co-founded Mindset Matters – a machine learning based program that allows students to follow a personalized learning pathway that can help develop their growth mindset. When she graduates, she wants to use her platform to seek out national and international opportunities to represent women in engineering. She also aims to help students internationally with the expansion of the tool into Southeast Asia.
Kimberly Watada
Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering
University of Toronto
“Don’t be afraid to seize new opportunities, that is the best way to reach your full potential.”
Kimberly Watada is an ambassador for female STEM students at her university. She teaches high school students about the merits of an engineering degree and helps current engineering students build their confidence as they navigate through the program. She also volunteers with the Chemical Engineering Mentorship Program and her university’s Engineering Recruitment Office, providing guidance to incoming engineering students to help them overcome academic challenges. Kimberly is inspired by the engineer’s ability to innovate and solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. Her main goal is to help tackle climate change. Her research work on sustainability has been published and presented at notable engineering conferences. Post-graduation, she hopes to pursue a master’s degree in sustainability management and become a sustainability consultant specializing in clean technology.
Yazan Zamel
Bachelor of Engineering Science in Energy Systems Engineering
University of Toronto
“Encountering challenges acts as an inspiration for us to work with passion and diligence to create impactful initiatives.”
Yazan Zamel is the president of his university’s Sustainable Engineers Association. He has spearheaded conferences with global speakers that have improved students’ networks and provided insights about environmental enhancements. As a future environmental and energy engineer, he hopes to implement global networks to build infrastructure that functions on affordable renewable energy in marginalized areas. In addition to environmentalism, he is passionate about emphasizing empathy and compassion in the community. He is founder of an international organization, Ambassadors of Tolerance, that focuses on raising awareness against bullying in more than 42 global school districts. After completing his undergraduate studies, Yazan plans to obtain a master’s degree in Environmental and Energy Policy. His studies will help him pursue his goal of starting his own company to produce affordable yet effective renewable energy technologies, attracting more Canadians to use them.