Monday, November 30, 2020

Waterloo mourns Pearl Sullivan

By Carol Truemner. This article was originally published on Waterloo Stories.

Pearl Sullivan, the University of Waterloo’s former dean of engineering and the first woman to hold the position, died on November 28 after a 12-year battle with cancer.

Just the fourth woman across Canada to head a school of engineering, she was a dynamic force for Waterloo Engineering and the entire University.

Under her leadership from July 2012 to December 2019, the Faculty reimagined engineering education and research with revolutionary spaces and transformative programs that will ensure Waterloo remains a leader in engineering well into the future.

A champion of the Faculty’s work in disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, nanotechnology, robotics and wireless communications, she expanded the potential for industry collaboration and government support in key areas of research.

Passionate about supporting students, she was dedicated to ensuring they had a full understanding of engineering principles as well as the tools and facilities they needed to succeed.   

In 2015, she launched the Faculty’s Educating the Engineer of the Future Campaign and worked tirelessly to achieve its ambitious goals of building Engineering 7 (E7) and providing students with enhanced experiences to help them achieve their aspirations.

In addition to lecture halls, study areas and special spaces for project work by students in growing undergraduate programs, Engineering 7, opened in October 2018, includes the two-floor Engineering Ideas Clinic™ for hands-on design challenges and activities to help teach theoretical concepts.

Pearl Sullivan opens the doors to E7 in 2018. 

Compassionate and caring leader

Mary Wells, Waterloo Engineering’s current dean of engineering, said Sullivan was a beloved dean, department chair and faculty member.

 “She was a force of nature, always fearlessly working to advance Waterloo Engineering and the opportunities of our students and faculty members,” said Wells. “As a compassionate and caring leader, Pearl could rally her team to the causes that would matter most.”

Wells said Sullivan prided herself in being a strong voice for women and in ensuring full diversity and inclusion in engineering.  

“She was also a strong advocate for entrepreneurship who worked to both elevate and champion our entrepreneurial students and alumni,” Wells said. “She is irreplaceable and the memory of her personal strength will always be a beacon of courage for us all.”

An original who pushed boundaries in her field

Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo, said he was devastated to hear of Sullivan’s passing.

“There is no doubt that Pearl left an indelible mark on the Faculty of Engineering and the University of Waterloo, but most importantly, on her students, friends and colleagues,” said Hamdullahpur. She exemplified how one can combine vision, determination, resilience and hard work and deliver it in the most caring and passionate way. That’s how Pearl did everything she put her brilliant mind and kind heart into it. 

“Pearl was an original and made a positive impression on me from the first time I had the pleasure of meeting her to the last. She was an exceptional scholar in her own right, pushing the boundaries of her field, but it was clear to anyone who worked with her that she was dedicated to helping others thrive and accomplish great things. You saw it in how she talked about what engineers of the future could achieve for our global society and it make that vision a reality.

"My thoughts are with Pearl’s family and friends and share in their grief. Our community has lost a giant, Canada has lost a great Canadian and I have lost a friend. I will miss her so much.”

Pearl Sullivan, second from left, takes part in the ground-breaking ceremony for Engineering 7 with then engineering student and president of EngSoc Hannah Gautreau, far left,  University of Waterloo President Feridun Hamdullahpur, second from right, and then PhD candidate in mechanical and mechatronics engineering Elahe Jabari, far right. 

Distinguished academic career

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sullivan studied both in Singapore and Canada. She received her BASc with distinction and MASc degrees in metallurgical engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia.  After earning her doctoral degree in materials engineering from the University of British Columbia, she started her academic career at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore in 1991. 

She returned to Canada in 1994 to join the mechanical engineering department at the University of New Brunswick, where she was twice honoured with the UNB Faculty Merit Award for Excellence.

In 2004, Sullivan came to the University of Waterloo as a mechanical engineering professor and served as chair of the mechanical and mechatronics engineering department from 2006 until January 2012.

She was the founding director of the collaborative graduate program in nanotechnology within the Faculties of Engineering and Science. In 2009, she was recognized for her accomplishments with the University’s Outstanding Performance Award.  Sullivan was inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering as a Fellow last year.

Devoted to family and her students

In a 2019 interview, Sullivan said as dean she was interested in learning about the issues and achievements of multiple portfolios, including teaching and research, undergraduate and graduate studies, international and outreach engagements, and the workings of the entire University.

“I particularly enjoy developing strategy and advancement/fundraising projects and executing major strategic initiatives,” she said. “But I must say, spontaneous meet-ups with our students, especially in their design and classroom activities, along the hallways and in the elevators are the most fun.”

When asked what advice she’d give herself as a first-year engineering student Sullivan said “you worked very hard to get into Waterloo Engineering and you will work even harder to get out of Waterloo Engineering.  But every bit of your sweat will be absolutely worthwhile.”

Sullivan devoted her life to the education of young minds and the care of her beloved family — husband Tom, a Waterloo civil and environmental engineering project manager, her son Michael (Emma) and daughters Veronica and Christina.

She will be remembered for her love of family, students and colleagues along with her boundless energy, enjoyment of running, dancing and fun music (especially K-pop), belief in the importance of healthy food, and her well known disdain for doughnuts, but keen ability to have a second helping of dessert.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a celebration of her life will be held at a later date at the University of Waterloo.

Waterloo Innovation Summit will look at green innovation

The latest edition of the Waterloo Innovation Summit is taking place today.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the environmental impact of 21^st century capitalism. National economies have declined, but in response, air quality in some major cities has improved — illuminating the imperative to balance sustainable financial growth with sustainable environmental impact. Accelerating green innovation and supporting sustainable enterprises can fuel financial growth while ensuring our planet’s future.

Join the conversation as keynote speakers, panelists, and Waterloo researchers and experts lead a conversation on how organizations and industry leaders can rethink our nation’s economic recovery by leveraging lessons and breakthroughs from green innovation in the post-pandemic world.

This afternoon, join panelists Tom Rand, Waterloo alumnus and author of The Case for Climate Capitalism and Kathy Bardswick, President and CEO of Canadian Institute for Climate Choices as they explore the business case for climate capitalism and how to leverage breakthroughs from green innovation in the post-pandemic economy.

See the full list of speakers and register. The event takes place from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. today

New screening requirement for accessing campus

Changes to the COVID-19 screening assessments necessary to access campus go into effect as of today.

"We are updating our COVID-19 screening processes to align with regulations the Ontario government recently announced," said a memo from Director of Safety Kate Windsor that went out to the University community on Friday. "With this new level of accountability placed on institutions by the Province, we are making a COVID-19 screening assessment mandatory for every individual who comes to campus, including essential visitors and contractors, and we will now be tracking compliance."

What does this mean for you?

Effective Monday, November 30, you must complete the new screening questions before accessing campus. You will get an email with a link to the screening tool when your device connects to the campus wireless network (eduroam) or at the arrival time entered if using the manual Campus Check-In form.

• If you pass the screening questions, you may access campus, following established safety practices.
• If you fail the screening questions, you must return home to self-isolate immediately. You will receive a follow up email from the University outlining support resources and next steps.
• If you do not complete the screening questions upon arriving to campus, you will receive reminders to do so until complete. We will monitor compliance with the screening questionnaire and your access to campus may be removed if you fail to complete the assessment.
• For those employees without access to Campus Check-In via mobile device or computer, please speak to your supervisor about how to verify your daily screening status. This can be done by printing a paper copy of the form, available here.

What does this mean for essential visitors?

• Essential visitors (e.g., contractors, vendors, visiting researchers) must complete the screening when arriving on campus. If you are the University contact for an essential visitor who has been approved to access campus, you are responsible for ensuring they are screened prior to entering any University building.
• Essential visitors can use the Campus Check-In system as a guest. Paper copies of the screening questions and instructions for implementing will be made available at common arrival points, and can be found here online to print.
• If an essential visitor does not pass the screening questions, they will be advised that they are unable to enter the workplace and should self-isolate and call their health care provider or Telehealth Ontario.
• If they become symptomatic while on campus, they must leave immediately and inform their University contact of the situation (as well as their health care provider or Telehealth Ontario).

"The privacy of our community is of utmost importance," Windsor's memo continues. "Policy 46 - Information Management and the Guidelines on Use of Waterloo computing and network resources protect any personally identifying information that eduroam collects. Information collected via the new screening tool will be retained on a University database for 30 days before being deleted. The University will not store individual responses to the questions but will track overall “pass/fail” screening results. These results will be shared directly to the University’s Safety Office. Paper copies of the Essential Visitor screening will be retained for 30 days before being shredded."