Professor of material sciences and engineering Hatem Zurob has been made a knight of the Order of Academic Palms (Ordre des Palmes académiques), in recognition of his outstanding contributions to advancing academic culture in France.
The award, established by Napolean I in 1808, was created as a civil honour bestowed to exceptional academics who demonstrated service to France’s education, both in the country and abroad. Zurob was bestowed the prestigious merit for his leadership in further developing research and exchange activities between McMaster University and Université Grenoble-Alpes (UGA) for engineering students.
“I am very humbled by this recognition,” says Zurob. “Spending time in France was a key part of my education and my career and playing a part in giving this opportunity to students in both countries has been amazing. To have this incredible recognition is more than I could imagine.”
Commenting on Zurob’s award, Bonny Ibhawoh, McMaster’s Vice-Provost (International) from McMaster’s Office of International Affairs, states, “McMaster University’s internationalization strategy is rooted in the belief that knowledge knows no boundaries. Our mission is to cultivate collaborations that transcend borders, uniting the brightest minds in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. Dr. Zurob’s remarkable work exemplifies this vision. We are immensely proud of his accomplishments and trust that his success will inspire many colleagues across the McMaster community.”
Establishing an enduring partnership
Zurob’s relationship with the Grenoble Institute of Technology (which eventually became part of the UGA system) began in 2001 when he visited France for the first time as a PhD student. His two-week trip was to work with physics-based modelling expert professor Yves Brechet, an avid collaborator with McMaster at the time who would later join McMaster Engineering as an adjunct professor in 2008.
Following his 2001 visit, Zurob returned to France from 2003-2005 as a post-doctoral fellow with Brechet. During that time, he was introduced to many researchers in Grenoble who spent time at McMaster, sparking an appreciation for the strong connections between the two institutions. McMaster’s experimental research combined with Grenoble’s modelling expertise opened Zurob’s eyes to the advantageous nature of bringing two institutions together.
“My time in France made me realize the power of collaboration and bringing together different approaches for tackling a given problem,” he says.
Expanding McMaster’s presence in France
Zurob went on to join McMaster Engineering in 2005 as an assistant professor. It wasn’t long until the opportunity to collaborate with Grenoble presented itself.
In 2006, professor emeritus David Embury approached Zurob about the possibility of establishing a new student exchange between McMaster and Grenoble. Zurob enthusiastically agreed, and in 2007 an official agreement was signed, formally kicking off the partnership. Students were offered a unique experience that included an academic term and a co-op term.
The program has changed and expanded significantly over the last 17 years. The initial agreement was limited to materials, nuclear and biomedical engineering students. In its first year, two McMaster students and four Grenoble students took part.
“Hatem really made a difference in our bilateral cooperation [and] his journey is a shining example of what academic excellence and dedication to the transmission of knowledge truly mean” states the Consul General of France in Toronto, Bertrand Pous.
The difference that Zurob has made is directly expressed in the multiple renewals and expanding eligibility of the exchange to all engineering departments. This year alone more than 12 students from McMaster and 20 students from Grenoble are taking part in the exchange. Over the lifetime of the exchange more than 300 students have participated.
“The exchange was very successful because of the strong connections that already existed between McMaster and Grenoble, and we can’t wait to continue to watch this partnership grow in the coming years,” says Zurob.
Learn more about exchange programs at McMaster: https://global.mcmaster.ca/partnerships/current-student-exchange-list/.