A Thunder Bay academic is being recognized with provincial honours for his work in the field of engineering.
Dr. Janusz Koziński, dean of Lakehead University’s Faculty of Engineering, received the Gold Medal from Ontario Society of Professional Engineers during the organization’s annual gala in Toronto on Nov. 18.
The Gold Medal is the highest award given to engineers in Ontario. It acknowledges professional engineers in the province who have made outstanding contributions to their profession and their community. It recognizes conscientious commitment to public service, technical excellence and outstanding professional leadership.
Koziński said he was “absolutely thrilled” to receive the medal.
“Like any accomplishment worth having, this recognition was the result of working together with exceptional people over many years to make change happen,” he said in a Lakehead news release.
“I want to pay tribute to all the students, professors, researchers, and people from all over the world, including many at Lakehead University, who have shared this journey with me, and continue to inspire me to innovate and to change engineering education for the better.”
Koziński is credited with developing the concept of a “humanist engineer,” a “creative maker and doer who empathizes, reflects, innovates and creates in an era of radical change.”
It is based on the principle that for engineering to deliver on its promise of human betterment, it requires a cultural, social, and moral compass, and deeper integration with humanities and the social sciences, according to the school.
Koziński previously was the founding dean of the Lassonde School of Engineering at York University in Toronto.
Lakehead’s provost and vice-president (academic), Dr. David Barnett, said it’s incredibly exciting to see Dr. Koziński honoured with this award.
“He is an inspiring academic with numerous scholarly and leadership achievements over his career. His ideas are really at the forefront of engineering education.”
The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers is the voice of the engineering profession in Ontario, representing the entire engineering community, including professional engineers, engineering graduates, and students who work or will work in several of the most strategic sectors of Ontario’s economy.
