June 20, 2025
Schulich faculty members honoured at APEGA Summit Awards
A quartet of Schulich School of Engineering faculty members have been recognized for their contributions to Alberta鈥檚 engineering landscape.
Drs. Laura Curiel, Elena Di Martino, Josephine Hill and Abdulmajeed Mohamad were honoured during for the , recognizing the best across the province.
鈥淲e are extremely proud to have four of our faculty members recognized with APEGA Summit Awards in 2025,鈥 says Schulich Dean Anders Nygren. 鈥淭hese awards are a credit to their hard work and tremendous impact on our students and the broader community.鈥
Striving for educational excellence
An associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, , PhD, researches high intensity focused ultrasound therapy for mental health.
She played a pivotal role in developing and launching Schulich鈥檚 Biomedical Engineering program with an emphasis on independent learning, critical thinking and teamwork.
Curiel鈥檚 work garnered her the , which she calls a meaningful recognition of her work at Schulich, showing the importance of education within her profession.
鈥淢ore than anything for me, this was a team award for all of the people who helped create our Biomedical Engineering program, and I felt privileged to be a part of this and to be recognized for my participation,鈥 she says.
鈥淚t also gives me the motivation to continue evolving in my teaching practices and innovating to make our students better prepared for the profession.鈥
Inspiring the next generation
, PhD, was described as a 鈥渂eacon of advocacy and innovation鈥 as she received the .
Dedicated to removing systemic barriers faced by women in STEM, the professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering is also making groundbreaking contributions to cardiovascular research.
She aims to make a difference beyond the campus community as well, organizing Women in Engineering Day events, speaking with high school students, and being a champion for diversity-focused programs like Biomedical Engineering Industry Day.
鈥淭he most rewarding aspect of my career so far has been this opportunity to mentor young researchers, guiding them as they strive to achieve their goals,鈥 says Di Martino.
Being a mindful mentor
Creating and strengthening connections has been 鈥檚 goal since she began her career.
A globally recognized expert in catalysis and a professor in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, she鈥檚 described by her peers as a pioneer, role model and inspiration.
In recognition of this, Hill, PhD, was honoured with the .
鈥淢entoring is so important but often done quietly in the background,鈥 says Hill, who became board chair of the Chemical Institute of Canada in June 2024.
鈥淚t is lovely to be recognized for all the work that I have done to help students and colleagues navigate challenges and be successful.鈥
Standing on two fundamental pillars
Few have the resume and array of interests as varied as , PhD.
The Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering professor is devoted to innovating energy solutions and inspiring global change through his work in solar energy, nanofluids and sustainable energy storage.
Mohamad says his most meaningful career accomplishment has been simplifying and synthesizing complex problems in teaching to educate a broad spectrum of students worldwide, and this work led to him receiving the .
鈥淭he award represents a recognition of dedication to advancing engineering, enriching knowledge databases, and shaping future generations and society,鈥 says Mohamad, who is also interim director of the .
鈥淓ngineering stands on two fundamental pillars: knowledge and ethics.鈥