Jean Hutchinson, head of the Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, has been named a fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada.

Jean Hutchinson was surprised and honoured when she received a letter to tell her that she had been named a fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC).

“It was really exciting because I had no idea I’d been nominated,” says Dr. Hutchinson, Head of the Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering. “The EIC is an incredible group to be a part of. The institute’s members are some of the top engineers in Canada, who’ve made huge contributions to education, to innovation and to the general advancement of engineering for society.”

Fellows are elected to the EIC in recognition of their excellence in engineering and their services to the profession and to society. About 20 fellows are elected each year, from eleven distinct engineering member societies. Since 1963, when the fellowships were created, approximately a dozen women – including Dr. Hutchinson – have received the honour.

Other women fellows include the late Elsie MacGill, the world’s first female aircraft designer, and Dr. Suzanne Lacasse, the Managing Director of the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute and one of Dr. Hutchinson’s mentors.

Dr. Hutchinson’s role as a fellow will include nominating deserving colleagues for the fellowship, promoting and advocating the values and benefits of engineering, and working towards the future of the engineering profession.

For more information on the Engineering Institute of Canada, visit the website.