Top 10 McMaster Engineering stories of 2023 – Faculty of Engineering

Top 10 McMaster Engineering stories of 2023

A collage of images from the top stories of 2023.

2023 was quite the year for our Fireball Family. As we ring in 2024, let’s take a look back at some of our top stories from last year:

10. First-year students present innovative design solutions at annual showcase 

First-year students present innovative design solutions at annual showcase

On April 12, first-year students in the Integrated Cornerstone Design Projects in Engineering course (1P13) gathered at CIBC Hall to demonstrate their innovative solutions to real-world issues.  

9. “The Space Gal” Emily Calandrelli receives honorary doctorate from McMaster Engineering

The Space Gal

MIT engineer turned Emmy-nominated science TV host and author Emily Calandrelli was McMaster University’s Faculty of Engineering honorary doctorate recipient for fall 2023. Calandrelli delivered a convocation address to graduating engineering and science students on November 24 at FirstOntario Concert Hall in Hamilton. 

8. McMaster IBET fellowship ‘opened up my world’ says 2021 winner

James Lemoine poses by spring trees on campus

During the six years he spent earning his undergraduate and master’s engineering degrees at McMaster, James LeMoine did not know a single other Indigenous engineering or science student. That all changed when LeMoine was awarded one of McMaster’s two inaugural Indigenous and Black Engineering and Technology Project (IBET) Fellowships.

7. Rising star and Mac Eng alumna, Lianna Genovese, honoured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list 

Lianna Genovese honoured on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list

The first-ever Forbes 30 Under 30 Local Toronto list released on August 9 includes entrepreneur, inventor and McMaster University Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences (iBioMed) Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering 2022 graduate Lianna Genovese. 

6. Ethical Engineering – The symbolism behind the Iron Ring

Iron Ring

In honour of Camp XIII’s Iron Ring ceremony, we sat down with four professors from different areas of engineering to discuss the importance of ethics in their roles as leaders in the field.  

5. Connected journeys: Biomedical lab in Calgary brings Mac Eng grad and student together for research

Grad Maryam Badv and student Shannon Gomes-Hunt pose in a University of Calgary lab

Now an assistant professor at the University of Calgary, Mac Eng grad Maryam Badv was reminded of the spirit of that message when a current McMaster Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences (iBioMed) student, Shannon Gomes-Hunt, reached out to her about a research opportunity.

4. Well measured by moonlight: McMaster and NASA team up to create better climate change models

Two students and Andrew Gadsden pose beside each other outside JHE

McMaster researcher Andrew Gadsden and his team of experts have worked with NASA to build an autonomous, robotic telescope mount to help create more accurate climate change models.

3. 5 Capstone projects in 2023 that made us Mac Eng Proud 

5 Capstone projects in 2023 that made us Mac Eng Proud

On April 11, 240 groups of McMaster engineering students in their final undergraduate year gathered at David Braley Athletic Centre to show off their final Capstone Projects; a culmination of years of hard work to find engineering solutions to address real world issues.  

2. Nice to MeGPT you: Student’s AI communication tool sparks conversation 

MeGPT

Not everyone is born with the gift of gab. Struggling to find the right words or expressing oneself confidently can make interactions challenging. Second-year Computer Engineering student and McMaster Rocketry Team member, Jaavin Mohanakumar, turned a lifelong passion for coding and programming into a tool to address this concern – a shareable AI clone called MeGPT.

1. Sky’s the limit: A McMaster Engineering student’s ascent to a career in aerospace  

Sky Bjel’s passion for aerospace started at a young age. In fact, she can’t recall a time when she wasn’t consumed by the idea of aerospace. “I remember looking up at the sky at birds and thinking, how can I fly?” she says.