Damineh Akhavan considers serving her community a lifelong commitment.
The recipient of numerous awards including the R.A. McLachlan Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering, the University of Victoria Distinguished Alumni President’s Award, WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Award in Science and Technology, Canadian Immigrant Magazine’s top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award, she is most passionate about the advancement of women in STEM and inspiring a love of science and engineering in children.
She leads engineering support of the De Havilland Aircraft of Canada legacy and has represented De Havilland globally as an aircraft structures expert, travelling to Argentina, Austria, India, Japan, and Maldives. Recently appointed as director for the Women in Aerospace Canada program at De Havilland, she continues to be an exemplary champion and mentor for women in engineering.
She is an active advisor on the Engineers Canada 30 by 30 Champions Network and Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia’s 30 by 30 Champions Group. She volunteers and mentors as part of the Future City Experience as well as Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia’s Youth Outreach Program.
As a fierce advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion, she has helped expand Engineers Canada’s Guideline for Engineers and Engineering Firms on Workplace Equity for Women to challenge discrimination against them and facilitate anti-oppression practices.
Akhavan uses her own experience as an immigrant woman of colour and as Founder and CEO of Global Women in STEM, to promote equality and human rights for women and other equity-deserving groups, and is actively involved with the Canadian Beijing Network, a grassroots network of over 70 feminist and equality-seeking organizations.
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