Waterloo mourns the loss of Dean Pearl Sullivan

Monday, November 30, 2020

Pearl Sullivan, 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.

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.

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.” [Full story]