Dr. Mary Wells, dean of Waterloo Engineering, recently marked the 100th anniversary of Canada’s iron ring tradition with alumni in Hong Kong. The ceremony took place at the Canadian Engineering Asia-Pacific Conference, a gathering of academics, business leaders and engineers from across the region and the world.
The iron ring ceremony remains a defining symbol of Canada’s approach to professional education. It asks new engineers to pledge to do work that is ethical, accountable and socially responsible.
“It’s an embedding of the values we have as Canadians,” said Wells. “No other place in the world does this form of voluntary commitment for the engineers that graduate, and we’ve been doing so for 100 years now, and I think it has led to Canada’s technology being trusted around the world.”
Wells added that the profession’s public commitment matters more than ever, as technical decisions carry increasing social, environmental and economic consequences. She called attention to the iron ring’s emphasis on integrity, an essential compass point for graduates confronting challenges tied to climate change, infrastructure renewal and emerging technologies.
Dean Wells (front row, fifth from left) and her fellow Canadian dean counterparts pose with delegates at the Canada-in-Asia conference last week.
Wells attended the Canadian Engineering Asia-Pacific Conference as part of a delegation of deans from eight Canadian universities to engage with local alumni, institutions and partners, and help shape the future of the engineering profession.
In an interview with a local publication, Wells emphasized the importance of strengthening relationships through people-to-people links. “It’s all about rebuilding trust, and I think the more human connections we can make … the better we understand each other, and the more we can see how we can work together,” she said.
Reflecting on recent travel in the region, Wells said seeing large-scale infrastructure and rapid technological development first-hand challenges Canadian institutions to think more ambitiously, while remaining grounded in the values symbolized by the iron ring.
As the iron ring tradition enters its second century, Wells said its message remains clear. The future of the profession, she said, depends on leaders who pair innovation with humility and who understand that trust is built by making decisions that consider and serve the public good.