Andrew Pollard (Mechanical and Materials Engineering) and Christopher Pickles (Mining Engineering) have been named Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in recognition of their career achievements

Dr. Pollard, the Queen’s University Research Chair in Fluid Dynamics and Multiscale Phenomena, is an internationally-recognized expert in computational and experimental methods in thermo-fluid sciences, high-performance computing and renewable energy.

Dr. Pickles is regarded as Canada’s leading authority on microwave heating for metallurgical applications. He has been a pioneer in the development of microwaves for processing ores, precious metal residues, and waste materials and is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.

“Fellowship in the Canadian Academy of Engineering, one of Canada’s three national academies, is a recognition of significant research leadership and impact,” says John Fisher, Interim Vice-Principal (Research).  “My sincere congratulations to Drs. Pollard and Pickles on this important national achievement.”

Arriving at Queen’s in 1981, Dr. Pollard has built an international reputation as a leader in a number of engineering disciplines. He has helped create and contributed to learned societies, professional bodies, and national and international associations of engineers and scientists and his work on renewable energy has help to advance changes in provincial environmental policy.

“This is the pinnacle of achievement for my career,” says Dr. Pollard. ““As an undergraduate and then as a grad student in England, I always felt I could do more, that I should be doing more, I wanted to take a leadership role and do something significant, something important. That is what this award represents, my body of work. I can look back at my career with pride.”

Dr. Pickles echoes that sentiment. “I often feel very lucky to be a professor and derive my greatest satisfaction from working with young people and seeing them do well. Somewhere early in my career I realized my job was simply to give young people a chance,” says Dr. Pickles. “To be recognized by one’s colleagues as a Fellow of CAE is a great honour.  It certainly confirms that a useful contribution has been made. As I look back on my career I know I didn't get here by myself, so this award also recognizes those who have supported me along the way.”

Election to the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) is one of the highest professional honours accorded an engineer. Fellows have distinguished themselves in different sectors including business, academia and government and in different roles such as business management, executive management, technical, and university faculty. Fellow of the CAE are nominated and elected by their peers (current CAE Fellows) to honorary fellowship in the Academy in view of their distinguished achievements and career-long service to the engineering profession.

“Given my many research activities and the various recognitions I have been honoured to receive, I think my most important contribution to society and my enduring legacy are my students: those I have taught in the classroom and those I have nurtured in research,” says Dr. Pollard. “Their successes in academe, industry and society give me great satisfaction and immense pride in their accomplishments.”

Visit the CAE website for more information.