{"id":76593,"date":"2022-02-16T15:02:55","date_gmt":"2022-02-16T20:02:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=76593"},"modified":"2024-08-29T16:42:14","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T20:42:14","slug":"niagara-familys-transformative-5m-gift-boosts-brock-engineering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2022\/02\/niagara-familys-transformative-5m-gift-boosts-brock-engineering\/","title":{"rendered":"Niagara family\u2019s transformative $5M gift boosts Brock Engineering"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>From his office of the Thorold biotechnology company he founded more than 20 years ago, Yousef Haj-Ahmad can see two important things for Niagara: Brock University and a world of potential.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Haj-Ahmad (BSc \u201980, MSc \u201982) launched Norgen Biotek Corp. in 1998 while he was a Professor of Biological Sciences at Brock, where he also earned his undergraduate and master\u2019s degrees, and he has grown Norgen into a world-renowned company advancing the field of biotechnology research and testing.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_76596\" style=\"width: 398px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/YousefHaj-Ahmad-RS.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76596\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-76596\" src=\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/YousefHaj-Ahmad-RS.jpg\" alt=\"Yousef Haj-Ahmad shown inside his Thorold business.\" width=\"388\" height=\"289\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-76596\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yousef Haj-Ahmad inside Norgen Biotek, the Thorold-based company he started in 1998 that now employs more than 80 people.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Haj-Ahmad retired from Brock to run Norgen full time, but throughout the years has supported the University and its students both financially and by launching the careers of countless graduates.<\/p>\n<p>Now, through a $5-million gift from the Haj-Ahmad Family Foundation, \u201cDr. Haj,\u201d as he\u2019s known to the 80 or so employees at Norgen, will have another game-changing impact in Niagara and beyond through the Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering at Brock University.<\/p>\n<p>The decision by Haj-Ahmad and his family to make a transformational gift to the University is the result of their lifelong collective connection to Brock, and their belief that their alma mater can play a major role in an emerging sector.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is the century of knowledge and science, and engineering is across all of the sciences,\u201d says Haj-Ahmad. \u201cBrock University can have a major impact in the community and worldwide. I\u2019m thankful that I\u2019m able to give back to a community and a university that put me on the right track.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Shr70TkKKKM\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Officially launched in 2021 with the offering of a minor in Engineering, the newly-named <a href=\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/engineering\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering<\/a> now includes six faculty members (with more to be hired) and plans to welcome its first cohort of undergraduate Integrated Engineering students for the 2024-25 academic year.<\/p>\n<p>Students will explore topics such as big data, artificial intelligence, medical devices, sustainability and climate change, robot automation, manufacturing and transportation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLaunching academic programming in the area of engineering is a significant milestone in the history of Brock University. As one of only three Canadian universities offering Integrated Engineering programs at the undergraduate level, this move fills an important need for a wide-ranging sector,\u201d says Brock University Interim President Lynn Wells. \u201cThe contribution from the Haj-Ahmad family will have a major impact on the lives of generations of Brock students, on the local economy and on broader society as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gord Arbeau, Brock\u2019s Associate Vice-President, Advancement and External Relations says the Haj-Ahmad family gift is a transformational act of generosity, saying it will go a long way in helping students.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis generous gift advances a new Engineering program, and with it the careers of the next generation of engineers who will use their studies to tackle the most complex problems faced by those in Niagara and around the world,\u201d says Arbeau. \u201cThe entire Brock community sincerely thanks the Haj-Ahmad family for this wonderful gift and for their ongoing support of Brock students.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Integrated Engineering takes key concepts from traditional engineering fields \u2014 such as mechanical, civil and electrical \u2014 and brings them together into a single coherent program where students learn about each field as well as the connections between them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBrock\u2019s innovative approach will have a significant impact because, unlike specialized engineering programs, our students will graduate with a diverse and broad set of skills,\u201d says Interim Department Chair Beatrice Ombuki-Berman. \u201cWe want to attract students who may not have considered engineering as a career, but who bring other skills and talents to their careers. Industry leaders throughout Niagara are eager for Brock to get started because there is already a significant need for this approach and type of engineering education.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Yx3QqJB00Kk\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Faculty of Mathematics and Science Dean Ejaz Ahmed says the Department of Engineering is \u201can important next step\u201d in the Faculty\u2019s future.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis will open the doors to new possibilities for our faculty members and students from teaching, learning and research perspectives,\u201d Ahmed says. \u201cIt will provide a broad skill set necessary to solve many of the world\u2019s most challenging problems.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As someone who has watched the biotechnology and engineering fields merge and evolve, Haj-Ahmad says Brock can become a world leader.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBrock University is in the process of competing with the leading universities around the world and it has its place,\u201d he says. \u201cUniversities must have a global impact. Brock is not just Niagara, it\u2019s global.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>An important part of the Haj-Ahmad Family Foundation\u2019s gift to the University is the establishment of the Haj-Ahmad Engineering Scholarship for Women, which will support female students pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education each year, paving the way for generations of skilled female engineers.<\/p>\n<p>For Haj-Ahmad\u2019s daughters Lila and Miriam, who are both Brock graduates, it was an important part of the contribution.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy mom was an engineer in Syria and my sister and I are both in the STEM sector, so it just felt like a good next step,\u201d says Lila Haj-Ahmad (BSc \u201916). \u201cIt really helps advance the academic community at Brock, especially with the integrated program.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Miriam Haj-Ahmad (BA \u201919) hopes the family\u2019s gift will inspire others.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to be able to say that at the place where I went to University, we\u2019re helping to establish a new department and program,\u201d she says. \u201cHopefully the people I went to school with at Brock and the other alumni will look at our family and be inspired to also do things like this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5x_5nD57Y2k\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Sibling Zak Haj-Ahmad (BSc \u201917) says many of his own achievements and those of his family are thanks to Brock.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone at Brock is really part of a big family and that\u2019s what Brock means to me,\u201d he says. \u201cBrock welcomed my own family and helped us achieve our goals in life. Knowing we can do the same for future generations is really an incredible feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With such a close family connection to the University, the Haj-Ahmad partnership will certainly open the doors for many future integrated engineers, Ombuki-Berman says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s so fitting that the Haj-Ahmad family is the first donor because we want this Department to be very community involved with work-integrated engineering,\u201d she says. \u201cBy having a local community member give in this way, it\u2019s a testament to the fact that they\u2019re going to support us and we\u2019re going to work with them to get our students the experience they need.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/EngineeringTimeline-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-76594\" src=\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/EngineeringTimeline-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2607\" height=\"1115\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/engineering\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brock University website to learn more about the Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Additional Quotes:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThrough this funding, the Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering at Brock and the Haj-Ahmad Engineering Scholarship for Women is poised to change the game as it will open doors to a high-quality education, and then careers in engineering for generations of women. I applaud the Haj-Ahmad family and Brock for advancing STEM education.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stephanie Thompson, Engineering Leader\/Founder, STEM by Steph<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the most important engineering feats in Niagara is turning its greatest renewable resource, the Falls, into electricity that powers our businesses and homes. Hatch is proud to have played a leading role in power generation both locally and globally, with a history in Niagara that goes back nearly 100 years to the formation of its predecessor, H. G. Acres. We look forward to seeing a new generation of engineers coming out of the Brock Engineering program who will be important to Niagara\u2019s economic growth and who will have the skills and knowledge to meet the demands of our rapidly changing world.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jonathan Atkinson, Director, Business Development and Regional Manager (Ontario) Hydropower and Dams at Hatch<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe rely on engineers who take an average of eight years after graduation to develop. Retention is critical and proves to be overwhelmingly successful only with engineers who have a prior nexus to the Niagara region. Whiting Equipment Canada fully supports the development of the Yousef\u202fHaj-Ahmad\u202fDepartment of Engineering and very much looks forward to closely collaborating with Brock University after its implementation.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Rudi\u00a0Kroeker,\u00a0President and CEO,\u00a0Whiting Equipment Canada<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe often hire engineers outside of Niagara and bring them to our region, but that is often difficult. An Engineering program at Brock would allow local students to study engineering and remain with their families in Niagara upon graduation. We look forward to collaborating with Brock in the development of the region\u2019s future engineers.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Edward Spencer Fox, MEng, MBA, PEng, President,\u202fE.S. Fox Limited<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a longtime partner, Niagara Region is pleased to share its support for Brock University\u2019s plan to develop an\u202fengineering program. Brock\u2019s reputation for educational excellence provides a solid foundation for the expansion into the engineering education field, and\u202fits\u202fcommitment to improving the vitality of the Niagara region cannot be understated. The creation of this program will serve to enhance the region\u2019s standing across the province and across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jim Bradley, Chair,\u202fNiagara Region<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From his office of the Thorold biotechnology company he founded more than 20 years ago, Yousef Haj-Ahmad can see two important things for Niagara: Brock University and a world of potential.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":76595,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[119,36,39,7484,7,3319,4052,55,41,1],"tags":[3333,4382,49,703,3465,3106,1958,348,8393,11218,11216,10324,11219,8809,11220,11215,3774,11217,11221],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76593"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76593"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76602,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76593\/revisions\/76602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}