UNB Alumni
Telling our #ProudlyUNB stories

UNBeknownst #36: Tosin Ajibola on blending social good with technology in Canada

UNB Alumni

Posted: February 16, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Podcast , Inspiring Stories , Engineering , UNB Fredericton



Social and technology entrepreneur Tosin Ajibola (MEng’20) moved from Nigeria to Canada to earn a Master of Engineering degree in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship from UNB. Out of that hands-on program, he and other newcomer classmates co-developed Welkom-U, an innovative online platform that puts newcomers, immigrants, and international students in touch with the things they need to survive and thrive. As CEO of Welkom-U, Tosin is focused on solving problems through...

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Engineering the future of North Shore Mi'kmaq District Council communities

UNB Alumni

Posted: November 28, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , Engineering , UNB Fredericton



Tyler Patles (BScE’09) is a Mi’kmaq professional engineer and member of the Natoaganeg First Nation who feels strongly about giving back to his community. As director of Technical Services for the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council (NSMTC), oversees housing, infrastructure, and emergency management programs for the Tribal Council, which provides services to seven out of the fifteen First Nation communities in New Brunswick. He’s also actively served Natoaganeg First Nation...

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UNB Alumni Holiday Gift Guide 2023

UNB Alumni

Posted: November 24, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Insights , Law , UNB Saint John , Kinesiology , Computer Science , Inspiring Stories , Science , Education , Management , UNB Fredericton , FOREM , Engineering , Renaissance College , Arts , Nursing , Young Alumni



Share your UNB pride this holiday season! 'Tis the season for supporting ‘local.’ The 2023 Alumni Holiday Gift Guide highlights products and businesses by our very own #ProudlyUNB alumni around the world. UNB alumni are creating and contributing exciting things to their communities and beyond. Get your seasonal shopping done from the comfort of your home, while discovering the unique items created, written, owned or run by talented UNB graduates, like you. Scotiabank Giller...

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Engineering the challenges of the 21st century

UNB Alumni

Posted: November 15, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Inspiring Stories



Alex Miller (BScSE’79) is a pioneer in transforming geography and mapping into a 21st-century digital tool used by millions around the world. As president and founder of Esri Canada, the leading geographic information system (GIS) company in Canada, he believes that collecting and using information through a unifying lens helps us see systems within our whole living ecosystem and is crucial to solving our current challenges. “Humanity is at a crossroads as the breakthrough...

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Joshua Pickard is shaping the future of manufacturing automation

UNB Engineering

Posted: September 27, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering



In the dynamic world of engineering and innovation, individuals like Joshua Pickard (BScE12’, MScE’14, PhD’18) are making a significant impact. His journey from a small, quiet town in Woodstock, New Brunswick, to becoming one of the "Top 10 Under 40" in the Manufacturing Automation magazine is nothing short of inspirational. While growing up, Joshua demonstrated a passion for automation “My parents would say at an early age I started pairing parts, remote-controlled...

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UNB engineering student Houda El Hajjaoui receives UNB Alumni Legacy Award

UNB Alumni

Posted: August 30, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Engineering



A University of New Brunswick engineering student has been selected as the third recipient of the Alumni Legacy Award, established and presented by the UNB Associated Alumni. The 2023-2025 recipient, Houda El Hajjaoui, is a shining example of the values outlined by this scholarship. Throughout her time as an international student at UNB, she has shown immense pride for our institution, dedication to her faculty and fellow students, and a commitment to carrying on the UNB alumni...

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Engineering alum Adrian Tout keeps pushing at the edges of computing

UNB Alumni

Posted: August 18, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Inspiring Stories , Engineering , UNB Fredericton



As a kid, Adrian Tout (MScE’97) drove his parents crazy with his curiosity. Turns out, that’s a key driver for changing the world. Adrian, now a product partnership lead at Google with 25 years of entrepreneurial and computing innovation under his belt, says curiosity is fundamental to constantly challenging the status quo and pushing the edges of what we know. “I’ve always been driven by learning and challenging things. It’s led me down the path of...

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UNBers dominate Atlantic Business Top 50 CEO list

UNB Alumni

Posted: May 26, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: UNB Saint John , Law , Inspiring Stories , Kinesiology , Engineering , Computer Science , Management , UNB Fredericton



Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2023 Top 50 CEO Awards were recently announced, and 16 UNB alumni and alumni of the UNB Wallace McCain Institute’s (WMI) Entrepreneurial Leaders Program (ELP) made the prestigious list. In its 25th year, the Top 50 CEO Awards celebrate accomplished business leaders in the Atlantic region. Over the past 25 years, they have recognized 552 Top 50 award winners who have collectively created more than a million jobs and generated almost $1.9 trillion in...

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Carolyn Campbell returned to New Brunswick to operate on the world stage

UNB Alumni

Posted: March 7, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Engineering



When Carolyn Campbell (BScCHE’04) graduated from UNB she jumped from a classroom in her home province to nuclear power plant floors in Ontario. Her 16-month internship with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) was an “eye-opening” experience – she had never even been on a plane prior to traveling to Ottawa and had never experienced big city living or working for a large organization. “Moving out of province was scary for me but it gave me...

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Kimberley Clarke is creating solutions for sustainable agriculture

UNB Alumni

Posted: March 6, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Inspiring Stories , Engineering , UNB Fredericton



One of the most pressing challenges in our world today is building a sustainable agriculture industry that will feed a growing population with nutritious food while not harming the environment with toxic chemicals, soil quality depletion, and over-consumption of water and non-renewable energy. The UN estimates that the world population will grow to 9 billion by 2050. To meet this demand, farmers will need to produce more food in the next 40 years than they did in the last 10,000 combined. So...

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A second career uncovering and retelling history in Atlantic Canada

UNB Alumni

Posted: February 14, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Inspiring Stories



Graham Nickerson (MScEng’02, MA’22) is passionate about researching untold Black history in the Maritimes and hopes that one day, “Black history will simply be history.” Nickerson, a native of Shelburne, Nova Scotia, came to UNB for a master’s degree in survey engineering and geology after having graduated from Saint Mary’s University in the same field. After graduating, he worked for many years doing marine surveying and helping to design several...

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Q&A: Houda El Hajjaoui, UNB Alumni Student Leadership recipient

UNB Alumni

Posted: February 1, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Young Alumni , Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories



Recipient of a 2022-23 Alumni Student Leadership Award, Houda El Hajjaoui is an international student, studying chemical engineering, who has been actively involved on campus and in the community. She is the Communications Director for Shades of Change, an organization designed to advocate for a kinder and more respectful environment for people of colour. Houda has also taken on many leadership roles such as Events Director and Councilor for the Engineering Society. What inspired you to...

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UNBeknownst #24: Krista Jones on the future of work, the intersection of people with digital transformation, and how Canada can be competitive globally

UNB Alumni

Posted: December 8, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Engineering , Podcast , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton



Krista Jones (BScEE'88) has been a passionate innovator and builder of technology-based businesses for over 30 years. She leverages her deep entrepreneurial and leadership experience to advise founders, inspire teams and create programs to scale Canada’s most innovative companies. Currently senior vice president of ventures services at MaRS Discovery District, she recently founded MaRS Momentum, an exclusive program that supports the executives of high-growth companies and accelerates...

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Lynette DuJohn brings digital twin project to life at Vancouver International Airport

UNB Alumni

Posted: November 23, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories



The COVID-19 pandemic hit airports around the world hard. But instead of standing still, Lynette DuJohn (BScCE’87) took the opportunity to innovate. Lynette is the vice president of innovation and chief information officer at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) a role she’s held since 2016. During the peak of the pandemic slowdown, her team began a project to create a virtual digital twin of their facilities on Sea Island. That project, from YVR’s new Innovation Hub, has...

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UNB alumni make up a quarter of Atlantic Canada’s Top 30 Under 30 Innovators list

UNB Alumni

Posted: November 4, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Engineering , Management , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories



Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 Innovator awards program recognizes young people who are turning their creativity and passion into revenue-generating pursuits. This year’s list includes a diverse group of marketers, scientists, entrepreneurs, inventors, artists and advocates. Eight(!) UNBers were named to the 2022 list. They exemplify what it is to be innovators, carving their own path to success and making a difference in their communities along the...

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Pioneering computer science at UNB: the Wasson family bridges technology, business and learning

UNB Alumni

Posted: September 19, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Computer Science , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering



Photo (from 2013):  Brad Wasson, Marie-Claire Wasson (Brad & Colettes’s daughter), Colette Gagnon Wasson, Dana Wasson, Jane Wasson, Barbara Wasson, Didrik Wasson Lillehaug (Barbara's son), Svein-Ivar Lillehaug (Barbara's husband)   From her classroom at the University of Bergen, Norway, Professor Barbara Wasson (BScCS’82) tells her students that “data is the new gold.” Barbara, director of the national Centre for the Science of Learning and Technology hosted...

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Dawn MacIsaac’s roundabout path to software engineering

Dawn MacIsaac’s roundabout path to software engineering

Posted: September 15, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Computer Science , Engineering



Dawn MacIsaac (MScE’99, PhD’04) has a bit of a unique perspective at UNB. As a professor jointly appointed with the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Computer Science, she teaches in and leads one of the few software engineering programs in Canada that blends computer science learning with engineering. Dawn was the lead in bringing the unique program into fruition at UNB in 2001 – making it one of the first in Canada and the only one of its kind (still) in...

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Driving road safety in Costa Rica

UNB Alumni

Posted: February 11, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering



Javier Zamora-Rojas (MScE’11) came to the University of New Brunswick from Costa Rica in 2009 to complete a master’s degree in the globally recognized transportation engineering program. He came for the program, but loved the whole experience. “It was a thrill to come from the tropics to the snow. I loved it, and I loved the city and the university and the people. It was wonderful to study under Eric Hildebrand and others in the department focused on road safety.”...

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UNBeknownst Podcast Episode 11: Asif Hasan on the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and the role of businesses and individuals in building a diverse, flourishing community

UNB Alumni

Posted: January 20, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Podcast



UNBeknownst Episode 11 Asif Hasan on the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and the role of businesses and individuals in building a diverse, flourishing community  Asif Hasan is an alum from UNB’s Electrical and Computer Engineering and TME programs, and the CEO and co-founder of SimpTek Technologies, a Fredericton startup company that helps residential homeowners and electric utility companies to better understand, engage and predict energy usage. He’s a world citizen - born...

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UNBeknownst Podcast Episode 7: Eric Cook on Industry 4.0 and automation

UNB Alumni

Posted: November 17, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: UNB Fredericton , Podcast , Engineering



UNBeknownst Podcast Episode 7 Eric Cook: Industry 4.0 and automation  Eric Cook is executive director and CEO of RPC, New Brunswick’s provincial research organization that provides science and engineering services to over 1100 clients annually. Eric’s career spans leadership in the application of science and technology in sectors including advanced manufacturing, space science, aerospace, and wireless communications. He’s served as the project engineer for...

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Four young alumni named in Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 list

UNB Alumni

Posted: November 4, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Engineering , Management , Law , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories



In its second year, Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 awards program recognizes young people who are turning their creativity and passion into revenue-generating pursuits.  They may be entrepreneurs; they may have yet to achieve personal commercial success; and/or they may be employed by someone else. The 2021 list is a diverse group of marketers, scientists, entrepreneurs, inventors, artists, and advocates.   The four...

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The women of UNB: Recognizing UNB firsts for Women’s History Month 

UNB Alumni

Posted: October 25, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Law , Engineering , UNB Saint John



In honour of Women’s History Month, we dug into the UNB Archives, with help from Archives & Special Collections staff members and alumnae Patti Auld Johnson (BOM’91) and Leah Grandy (MA’04, PhD’10), to share the stories of some of the women from UNB’s history.  These women are trailblazers and important figures in our long and storied history. From the first female graduate of UNB, to the university’s first librarian,...

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UNBeknownst Podcast Episode 4: Michaela D’Intino on building a strong local supply chain and leading at a young age

UNB Alumni

Posted: October 6, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Engineering , Podcast



UNBeknownst Podcast Episode 4 Michaela D’Intino: Building a strong local supply chain and leading at a young age  Michaela D'Intino (BScE’16) is a young alum, having graduated from civil engineering at UNB in 2016. But Michaela didn’t go into a typical engineering firm or construction job. She went into supply chain and process improvement work in the food and beverage sector. After working for a number of years with food and beverage giant...

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An alumnus and former co-op student comes full circle

UNB Alumni

Posted: September 29, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Computer Science , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni



Fredericton native Mike Harrington (BScSwE’15) instantly loved software engineering when he began the program at UNB. During his time as a student, he took part in five co-op work terms to gain experience while studying. “My goal was to try out different jobs to see what I liked. I worked with one company on a pricing app, then went to IBM for two terms and worked on software applications, then found Populus. It was a very small team of only five or six people, so I got to work on...

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From hardware to software: proof that skills are transferable

UNB Alumni

Posted: March 10, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Inspiring Stories , Computer Science , Engineering , UNB Fredericton



When Lan Liu (MScEE’03) and her husband Richard Liu (MCS’02) came to Fredericton from Beijing, it was a bit of a culture shock. “We flew in on a tiny plane from Montreal and all I saw was trees,” Lan laughs. “I had no idea what I was getting myself into! It was a hot summer week when we arrived, and in China we often use an umbrella to shade ourselves from the sun on hot days. When I walked on the sidewalks of Fredericton with my umbrella, people looked at me...

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Volunteer spotlight: Travis Bergin

UNB Alumni

Posted: January 26, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories



One of the most challenging tasks Travis Bergin (BScCE’02, D-TME’02, MScCE’04) is faced with as a UNB Associated Alumni councillor, also happens to be the one he values and cherishes most of all. He says serving as chair of the scholarships and awards’ committee, and learning about the remarkable accomplishments of UNB students and alumni, has been one of greatest highlights of his time on council.  A three-time UNB alumnus and Fredericton native, Bergin has...

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From UNB to Dragon’s Den and beyond

UNB Alumni

Posted: January 20, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Engineering , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni



Curtis Kennedy (BScME, DTME) has been busy in the last few years. He recently pitched his product, Vertiball, on CBC’s Dragon’s Den and accepted a deal from dragon Arlene Dickinson. But there’s been a lot more going on behind the scenes. Curtis has been working since 2017 to develop and pitch his simple idea to ease chronic pain. “It’s been a lot of work and long hours but I hope that it’s helping people. It’s been a really exciting...

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Materials engineer goes digital

UNB Alumni

Posted: January 15, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Inspiring Stories



Fredericton native Donna Dykeman (BScME’99, MScME’01) always enjoyed the sciences, so when she started her undergraduate degree at UNB she chose Mechanical Engineering because she discovered she enjoyed learning about and working with structural materials for mechanical design. “I remember enjoying the project work we did in undergrad where we were designing for the real world. Our visits to plants and production operations and having alumni speak to us in class opened my...

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An unexpected career path for a mechanical engineering alumnus

UNB Alumni

Posted: January 11, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Young Alumni



Who knew that a mechanical engineer could end up in an innovation role at one of Canada’s big banks? Malcolm Nwokotubo (BScME’16, DTME’16) sure didn’t when he first came to study at UNB. Growing up in Nigeria, Malcolm was always interested in problem solving, math and engineering. He decided he wanted to study in Canada because of the country’s reputation for being welcoming and friendly. Although he’d never heard of New Brunswick, he won a scholarship that...

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The future of surgical robotics is here - and this alumnus is creating it

UNB Alumni

Posted: October 23, 2020 2:00:00 PM ADT

Category: Young Alumni , Engineering , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton



Jason Currie (MSE’15) may be working from his San Francisco Bay Area home these days because of the pandemic, but he’s still hugely excited to log in each day and tackle his current project – a general-purpose surgical robot. Jason is a senior robotics and controls engineer with Auris Health, Inc., now owned by Ethicon, part of Johnson & Johnson’s medical devices companies. Since 2018, he’s tackled this technical lead role within a huge team working on...

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How a UNB alumnus became the official rink engineering consultant of the NHL

UNB Alumni

Posted: October 23, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering



When Ian Storey (BScME’96) left UNB with a mechanical engineering degree in hand, he never imagined he’d become an entrepreneur. Ian had developed an interest in energy efficiency and energy systems early on in his bachelors’ program and geared his courses toward a career at an energy utility. But after graduation, with few prospects for that kind of work available, he took a job in the aerospace industry managing international engineering contracts. After a few years of...

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The fast-paced world of transportation cybersecurity

UNB Alumni

Posted: October 23, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Computer Science , UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Inspiring Stories



When we think about cybersecurity, we typically think of our phones, computers and personal data being hacked. But Mike Vanderveer (BScCMPE’02) says heavy vehicles carrying dangerous goods are also a big cybersecurity concern. Mike, who graduated from UNB with a degree in computer engineering, is a transportation cybersecurity consultant with his own firm, Deep Micro, in Ottawa. He says that it is not easy to hack into our cars and car company security systems are continually improving....

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Sustainability and Economic Opportunities Post COVID-19

UNB Alumni

Posted: June 30, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Engineering , Insights



Eric Cook on The Sixth Wave COVID-19 is punishing the economy at a level beyond any crisis in modern times. Shutting down our economy will result in business failures, high unemployment and permanent changes in the economy. It is natural to focus on the negative impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, however, there will be opportunities for those with the foresight, agility and resources to pursue them. Waves of innovation, called Kondrattieff waves, have long been observed to drive waves of...

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LuminUltra to supply COVID-19 test chemicals across Canada

UNB Alumni

Posted: June 30, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories



New Brunswick’s LuminUltra Technologies, headed by Patrick Whalen (BScChE’03, left), is increasing its production to supply chemicals for essential COVID-19 testing across the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on April 15 that LuminUltra is one of the companies that has signed a contract with the Canadian government to provide supplies needed in all provinces. Many regions have faced testing backlogs as they lacked certain chemicals needed to complete the tests. "We...

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Coming 'back home' was a step forward for this engineering alumna

UNB Alumni

Posted: May 1, 2019 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Engineering



Anna Robak (BScCE’01) is a proponent of always moving forward and conquering new things. So the decision to move ‘back home’ to Fredericton from New Zealand, where she had spent the last thirteen years working in global asset management, was not made lightly. A Fredericton native, Anna had gone through UNB’s civil engineering program concentrating in transportation and economics. “I wanted a career that was versatile and offered many opportunities,” she...

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Amazing stories of humanitarianism around the globe

UNB Alumni

Posted: March 6, 2019 12:00:00 AM AST

Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories



You would certainly be correct in calling Eugene Lewis (BScEE’64) an engineer, a professor and an entrepreneur. But beyond all of those things, the title that seems to truly fit him is humanitarian. Dr. Lewis, who taught at UNB for 37 years and Chaired the Electrical Engineering Department for 22 of them between 1980 and 2006, spent many years guiding students to think critically and problem-solve. All the while, he was applying those skills himself to solve pressing problems around the...

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Problem-solving in an exciting high-profile career

UNB Alumni

Posted: August 24, 2018 12:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering



Ian Naish (MEng’71) has a face that might seem familiar. That’s because as a transportation consultant and former director at the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, he’s a media go-to spokesperson for train derailment and other major transportation news stories. Ian’s been in the transportation field since 1969 when he came to UNB fresh off a civil engineering degree from the University of London. One of his professors in London told him that transportation...

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The stars are aligned for UNB alumnus vying to become Canada s next astronaut: Alex Delorey

Young Alumni

Posted: February 9, 2017 4:00:00 AM AST

Category: Inspiring Stories , Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni


Childhood dreams of space travel may very well become a reality for UNB young alumnus, Alex Delorey (BScE’07), who has earned his spot as one of 72 candidates still in the running to become the next Canadian astronaut. Last summer, 3,372 applications were submitted to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for two astronaut positions that will be filled this year. The latest shortlist was announced last week, leaving Delorey, a Riverview New Brunswick native, excited and eager for what’s...

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Fredericton to Rio: Alumna blogs her volunteer experience at the 2016 Olympics

Young Alumni

Posted: August 22, 2016 5:00:00 AM ADT

Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Young Alumni


While most of the country spent the past few weeks with eyes glued to the television, this was not the case for UNB young alumna, Olivia Babcock (BScEng '16), who experienced the thrill of the games up close and personal as a volunteer at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. From beach volleyball and men's soccer, to Sugarloaf Mountain and Dois Irmaos, Babcock documented her 20 day Brazilian experience in a blog, Without & About,  that will surely make you want to...

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