An opinion column by Mary Wells, dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, appears in the February 2020 issue of the Canadian Business Journal. The column originally appeared in the Toronto Star on Dec. 31.

In the column, Wells advocates for engineering education that emphasizes the impact of engineering solutions on humanity and its challenges.

“As engineering education leaders, we need to find a way to integrate social issues throughout our engineering curriculum so that they are not seen as a side note, but a pervasive challenge,” Wells wrote.

Engineers play a critical role in finding solutions to many pressing problems, including water safety, clean and affordable energy, good health, innovation and infrastructure, she said.

Wells recently helped spearhead a national initiative to honour the victims of the 1989 Montreal massacre, called 30yearslater.ca, which profiles 30 women who studied engineering three decades ago and who have since thrived in the profession.

The project aimed to promote the engineering profession to young students and the public.