2024 Pearl Sullivan Emerging Global Leaders Award Recipient
Zoey Zhang, BASc '24, biomedical engineering
Zoey Zhang, the 2024 recipient of the Pearl Sullivan Emerging Global Leaders Award, has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to fostering community and advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within the engineering field. During her five years at the University of Waterloo, Zhang has shown remarkable commitment to creating inclusive and supportive environments, starting from an initial role as an Engineering Society (EngSoc) representative to EngSoc director and commissioner.
As Vice President Communications for the EngSoc and later as Vice President Advocacy for the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students, she championed significant initiatives on a national scale. She co-chaired the Conference on Diversity in Engineering 2023, where she and her team developed a curriculum to integrate EDI principles into the engineering profession. Zhang’s efforts led to the establishment of the first mental wellness survey and significant improvements in EDI policies within the EngSoc.
Her data-driven approach in these roles facilitated effective lobbying for better student workloads and representation of over 85,000 undergraduate students in critical meetings with the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) and Engineering Deans Canada.
As the prestigious Pearl Sullivan Emerging Global Leaders Award winner, Zhang will use her $50,000 award to support STEM outreach programs for marginalized communities and fund her graduate studies in Biomedical Engineering. Her research work will focus on using AI to create personalized care tools for children with disabilities.
2023 Pearl Sullivan Emerging Global Leaders Award Finalists
Yasemin Beckers, BASc '24, environmental engineering
Yasemin Beckers has a strong passion for global engineering and social impact and has dedicated her undergraduate years to leadership and enhancing the student experience.
Beckers has taken on seven roles across four student clubs over ten terms, contributing significantly to the University of Waterloo’s performing arts community. As Chair of UWACC, North America’s largest university a cappella club, she promoted transparency, collaboration, and COVID-19 safety, earning the WUSA Best Club Award in Summer 2022.
Passionate about climate resilience, Beckers aims to specialize in wet weather disaster impact modeling. She plans to advise global organizations on disaster risk reduction and empower vulnerable communities. Beckers has been admitted to the Technical University of Delft’s prestigious Water Resources Engineering master’s program.
Helen Engelhardt, BASc '24, nanotechnology engineering
Helen Engelhardt is deeply committed to addressing climate change through nanotechnology and advocating for equitable access to education.
While studying Nanotechnology Engineering, Engelhardt has advanced solutions for emissions reduction, energy storage, and recycling, resulting in publications and proprietary advancements in mRNA vaccine manufacturing and battery recycling. As co-founder and VP Education for the Canadian Conference on Diversity in Engineering, she coordinated workshops for 200+ Canadian engineering students to champion equitable progress in solving global engineering challenges. Her tenure as VP Finance for engineering students saw her managing budgets for student initiatives and fostering stakeholder trust.
Aiming to lead research and industrial collaborations for sustainability, Engelhardt will pursue a PhD in Materials at Oxford University with a Clarendon Scholarship, focusing on creating electrochemical catalysts from earth-abundant materials for hydrogen fuel production.
Kasturi Ghosh, BASc '24, environmental engineering
Kasturi Ghosh is driven by a mission to combat climate inequality and advocate for marginalized communities, particularly through environmental activism.
Ghosh founded SoulConnect, an India based company that seeks to foster gender-inclusive cities through art and community engagement, recognizing the transformative power of grassroots initiatives and collaboration.
In Canada, Ghosh continued her commitment to community involvement, amplifying voices, advocating for sustainability, and promoting diversity in various spaces. She wants to use her education to uplift less privileged communities and aspires to pursue environmental law to advocate for environmental justice and policy reform.
Olivia Misasi, BSE ’24, software engineering
Olivia Misasi is a catalyst for change within the Software Engineering program, demonstrating unwavering commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives.
Misasi revitalized the dormant organization Women in Software Engineering by rebranding it as Gender Minorities in Software. This change signaled a commitment to inclusivity for all marginalized gender identities, leading to increased membership and a more welcoming environment.
Beyond the University of Waterloo, Misasi chaired the 2023 Conference on Diversity in Engineering (CDE), sparking national change by providing a platform for crucial EDI conversations and mentoring aspiring student leaders across Canada.
Misasi plans to pursue of a Visual Effects (VFX) degree, bridging engineering and the arts, enriching her understanding of both fields, and empowering her to advocate for diverse and inclusive narratives in film and television.