A message from James W.E. Rush, Vice-President, Academic and Provost, and Chair, Dean of Engineering Nominating Committee.
Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that the Board of Governors has approved the reappointment of Professor Mary Wells as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering for a three-year term commencing 1 July 2025 and ending 30 June 2028. The appointment was strongly recommended by the Dean of Engineering Nominating Committee, which was formed in August 2024 under the terms of Policy 45, and supported by myself and the President. Dean Wells’ reappointment was approved on January 27, 2025 by Senate and the appointment was also approved yesterday by the Board of Governors.
Dr. Wells has served in the role of Dean since July 2020, and has demonstrated a commitment to responsible leadership, and has advanced important priorities for both the Faculty of Engineering and the University of Waterloo as a whole in this capacity. In considering Dr. Wells’ reappointment, the nominating committee consulted widely with students, faculty, and staff in the Faculty of Engineering and leaders in the University’s administration outside the Faculty, with whom the Dean works in representing the Faculty and University. Secret electronic ballots were issued to all regular faculty and regular staff in the Faculty of Engineering, with both ballot results strongly in support of Dr. Wells’ reappointment.
Please join me in congratulating Mary on her reappointment as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. I look forward to working closely with her as she continues in this important leadership role.
I would also like to thank the members of the Dean of Engineering Nominating Committee for their time and dedication to this process: Lili Liu (senior faculty member from outside the Faculty of Engineering); faculty: Carolyn Ren, Eihab Abdel-Rahman; Eric Haldenby, Fatma Gzara, Hassan Baaj, Stephen Smith, Tizazu Mekonnen, Victor Cui; staff: Ellen Zhiyu Gong, Emilie Mechler; and students: Ebad Rehman (graduate), and Hilus Keay (undergraduate).