Waterloo Engineering alum Dr. Madelaine Liddy (BASc ’14, PhD ’22) is building an exciting career in quantum tech in Germany, working on a mobile quantum computer for non-expert, everyday use.
As a Canadian-trained engineer, Liddy wears her iron ring proudly, a constant reminder to uphold engineering ethics and do work that serves society — wherever the world takes her.
Many of Liddy's German colleagues are curious about the distinctive ring she wears and keen to learn more about the Canadian tradition that started 100 years ago.
“It’s come up a few times — people asking, ‘Oh, what’s that ring?’” she says. “Explaining what the iron ring means to colleagues unfamiliar with the tradition makes me feel enormous pride. And I loved my one colleague’s response, ‘Wow, that’s really cool. How come other countries don’t do this?’”
For Liddy, conversations like those show how the ring symbolizes something uniquely Canadian yet universally resonant — an engineer’s responsibility to public wellbeing.
Go to Upholding Canadian engineering ethics wherever the world takes you for the full story.