Alumni Arch Award

Janelle Hinds is the founder of Helping Hands, a platform to help youth volunteer and get civically engaged while building skills for their future careers. As the Program Coordinator of this youth-led initiative, she delivers workshops to newcomer and racialized youth to build leadership skills and more to ensure all youth are active citizens. She has worked on integrating efforts to increase diversity in many of her endeavours and always looking for more opportunities to help others in their efforts.  She is now a leading Diversity Equity and Inclusion advocate and consultant helping organizations create inclusive workforces, products and services. She was recently awarded United Way of Greater Toronto’s Youth Leadership Award, Samara’s Everyday Political Citizen Award and Dutch Organization Inspiring Fifty’s top women in Technology and Innovation. 

Dr. Seth Dworkin developed his passion for mechanical systems while studying Engineering at McMaster University. Driven by that passion, he completed his Bachelor’s degree summa cum laude, and went on to pursue a Masters and PhD at Yale University. There, he developed a keen sense of environmental responsibility, and began embarking on a career to impact positive change. While working as a lecturer and NSERC Postdoctoral fellow in Mechanical Engineering at U of T, he discovered a love for teaching, and began shaping his career path through academia. Seth joined the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Ryerson University, where he is currently an Associate Professor. He manages a large research program which has trained over 40 research assistants at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels, produced 38 journal papers, delivered 80 conference presentations, and received over $3 million in research support. His work is impacting the fields of clean air and renewable energy through new techniques in high-performance computer simulation. He has developed software for the inexpensive design of geothermal heating and cooling systems, which has already penetrated the geothermal industry and is in use today. Through awards from CFI, and working with Compute Canada, Dr. Dworkin uses computational infrastructure of over three-thousand CPUs for alternative energy and emissions research, making his one of the largest high-performance computing labs in the country.

After graduating with a Masters in Materials Engineering from McMaster University, Shane gained experience working at Dofasco, Bodycote and Liburdi Turbine Services. In 2008, he started Steel Image which specializes in a unique process of metallurgical failure analysis and in‐situ metallography. He is currently the Chair of ASM Ontario (Materials Society) and regularly speaks at events on failure analysis and in‐situ metallography. Shane is also an artist, bringing art and technology together in a gallery exhibit of metals and materials taken through an electron microscope.

Graduating from McMaster with both a Bachelor of Engineering and Management and an MBA, Lisa has progressed through increasingly challenging roles in an industry traditionally underrepresented by women. Lisa is an avid supporter of women in leadership and STEM, and is currently focused on the management of prime power generation projects for Toromont CAT, one of the world’s largest Caterpillar dealerships by both revenue and geographic territory. Lisa donates her time as a board director, fundraising participant, and member of various non-profits including the Joseph Brant Hospital Auxiliary, the Canadian Association of Women in Construction, McMaster Engineering and Halton Industry Education Council, and is a member of, and a guest blogger for, the Women’s Executive Network.

Ian Hill is a nuclear physicist for an international organization, the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). His work involves the preservation of data from reactor physics experiments. He is responsible for performing technical reviews of benchmark experiments, designing databases for benchmark information, and organizing international meetings to facilitate the sharing of experimental information. During his career he has acquired expertise in reactor design, reactor physics modeling, nuclear data processing, and code validation methods.

As a young executive, Boris Martin is serving as Director of African Programs for Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Canada, and is leading the redesign of EWB’s strategic focus toward becoming an incubator of systemic innovations. From 2007-2010, he created and led EWB’s Agriculture team in Burkina Faso. Within two years, the team had developed national level influence in small holder farmer aggregation, and farming extension services – two key systemic challenges to Burkina Faso’s agriculture systems. As a community leader, Boris was a founder of the Global Citizenship Conference at McMaster. The conference gathered 600 students for three days in 2005: its first year. Since then and yearly, the conference has been a rallying point for McMaster and Hamilton’s social matters groups, and constitutes a strong marker of McMaster students’ experience. Boris holds a PhD in engineering from McMaster University.

Braden is an Engineering graduate from 2003.  Since his graduation, Braden has worked at Enermidal Engineering – Canada’s largest green building consulting firm.  Considered one of Canada’s premier and most-recognized green building experts, Braden has held several positions in the company, and currently holds the title of Division Head, Green Buildings – the most prominent and largest divisions at Enermodal.  Braden was named in 2011 to the “Top 40 Under 40” for the BD&C Industry.  Several of his successful building projects have been right here on the McMaster campus.  

Beyond his business success, Braden has also found great success in his personal interest in gymnastics.  While in school, he earned top ranking in Ontario and continues his support of the McMaster team as an alumnus.   He is also a founding member of the acrobatic troupe, Slam Dunk Entertainment, and has performed during Toronto Raptors games, McMaster basketball games, and has travelled around the world giving professional performances.

Sameer Hajee provides low-power electricity and lighting solutions to countries in East Africa and India where the extent of rural electrification is as low as one per cent of the country.

Sameer is the co-founder and CEO of Nuru Energy, a social enterprise whose mission is to create an affordable off-grid electricity infrastructure that serves the energy needs of base-of-pyramid consumers. Many rural populations use expensive, dangerous and unhealthy kerosene lights. Seed-funded by the World Bank in 2008, Nuru Energy provides a cheap, safe and clean lighting solution: a portable, on-demand (POD) light that lasts 37 hours after being charged for just 20 minutes on a pedal generator. Local female entrepreneurs sell the lights and recharge them so that the project is sustained by the local economy. Nuru Energy has been the recipient of numerous global awards, including the prestigious 2010 UNEP Sasakawa Prize and the 2010 UNDP World Business and Development Award.

Sameer graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from McMaster University in 1998. He majored in international finance and strategy in his MBA studies at INSEAD, graduating in 2004. Prior to Nuru Energy, Sameer was the Global Business Development manager at Freeplay Energy PLC, the developers of the world's first hand-crank radio and flashlight.

Dr. Milica Radisic is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. She obtained B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering from McMaster University in 1999, and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2004. Before joining University of Toronto in 2005, she was a Postdoctoral Associate at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Science and Technology. Dr. Radisic has received numerous awards and fellowships, including MIT Technology Review Top 35 Innovators under 35. In 2006, she was featured on the cover of the book Changing our world: True stories of women engineers. Toronto Star named her one of the people to watch in 2010. Dr. Radisic's research is in the field of cardiac tissue engineering and biomaterials. She utilizes heart cells in combination with biomaterial scaffolds and bioreactors to cultivate functional heart tissue in vitro. Her research on electrical field stimulation was featured on the cover of Toronto Life in the piece titled 25 Ideas That Are Changing the World and CanadaAM in December 2009. Her research interests also include development of injectable biomaterials for cardiac regeneration, microfluidic cell separation and development of in vitro models for cell injection and drug testing. Currently, Dr. Radisic holds research funding from NSERC, CFI, ORF, NIH, CIHR and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. She is a Section Editor-Bioengineering for the International Journal of Artificial Organs. Her research findings were presented in 60 research papers, reviews and book chapters. She is a mother of three children, Anastasia 8, Theodora 5 and Mihailo 1.5.

Cristian Nunez graduated from McMaster University’s Faculty of Engineering with an M.Eng.in 2008.Inaddition tohis work with Liquid Fiber Displays, Cristian dedicates his efforts to two other projects as a partner entrepreneur including working on green innovation within the furniture industry and the expansion of the McMaster Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation to Mexico to generate partnership agreements to the benefit of both countries. Cristian would like to be remembered for putting all his energy into commercializing innovative technology to make a positive impact on society

Nimesh Bahl graduated with a Masters in Engineering from McMaster University in 2008. In addition to his work on his company, Liquid Fiber Displays, Nimesh is also an engineer with SKF Canada Ltd. Over the past year, Nimesh has shared many honours with Cristian Nunez inrecognition of the technology they are helping develop and commercialize, including being named two of Hamilton’s Top 40 Under 40 by the Hamilton Spectator. Nimesh would like to be remembered for putting his heart and soul into commercializing a promising McMastertechnology through Liquid Fiber Displays Inc. and hopes to be able to create meaningful employment in our region as they move ahead with their plans.

Corey Centen graduated from McMaster in electrical and biomedical engineering with distinction in 2007 and is currently CEO of Atreo Medical Inc. Corey is responsible for theoverall direction and strategy of the company. When not working, Corey enjoys speaking at various events about entrepreneurialism and the introduction of science and engineering at a young age. Corey also founded Mobilab Technologies inc. in 2004. The company is dedicated to the design and development of a novel bacterial-protein based solar cell.

Nilesh Patel is graduated from McMaster in electrical and biomedical engineering in 2008. Asa student, Nilesh co-invented the CPRGlove as a part of his final-year design project. In 2007, he co-founded Atreo Medical Inc., a start-up company based around the CPRGlove technology and is currently their Chief Technology Officer.

Sarah Smith graduated from McMaster in electrical and biomedical engineering with distinction in 2007. During her years at McMaster she was an active member with the Electrical and Computer Engineering Society (ECES). In 2006 she was the society’s VP Finance responsible for the handling of all group financial records and transactions.  Upon her graduation, Sarah Smith and fellow classmates Corey Centen and Nilesh Patel incorporated Atreo Medical Inc. with the goal of commercializing the CPRGlove technology. In June 2007, they were featured in Popular Science magazine with the CPRGlove being recognized as one of the top ten inventions of the year. Sarah is currently Chief Operations Officer, COO, of Atreo Medical Inc.

Michael W. Brown co-founded MBA Without Borders, a not-for-profit organization that aids the business and social development of upcoming nations by sending early career MBA professionals to provide the necessary guidance for business development.

One of the primary reasons behind the creation of MBAs Without Borders was to challenge the negative image often associated with MBA professionals; to challenge the thinking that MBA professionals do little to help others. Michael has recognized a move toward social responsibility and since beginning MBAs Without Boarders he has had many MBA students across the country interested to help start local business opportunities in developing countries.

The MBA students and professionals working with the organization are enablers, whether teaching local entrepreneurs or helping to develop business models. The organization shapes the development of early career MBAs and also calls on private donors, foundations and corporations to support their efforts financially and promote social responsibility.

Since it's inception in 2004, MBAs Without Borders has sent MBAs to work in Tanzania, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Vietnam. Over the next three years, they hope to send over 50 MBAs expanding across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Michael W. Brown is currently in the Early Professional Development Program with Imperial Oil Limited, aside from his duties managing MBAs Without Borders. Michael has worked on assignments throughout Canada with Imperial and is currently based in Calgary as a planner of large capital projects. Michael specializes in the Management of Innovation and New Technology and has worked with large international corporations in technology strategy and operational development.

An active volunteer, Michael has volunteered more than 200 hours a year working with high school science students competing in robotic design competitions and is an active member of a variety of community charities including the United Way and Junior Achievement.

In 2005, Michael was nominated for the YMCA Peace Award and Canada's Top 40 Under 40.

An accomplished entrepreneur and engineer, Al-Riaz built his professional career in California’s Silicon Valley working for companies such as Octel/Lucent, ST Microelectronics and Microsoft. In 1998, Al-Riaz was one of the three founders of IMDI, developers of the MP3 Player Sonique. During its peak, Sonique was the second most popular MP3 player on the internet. The product generated three patent applications, of which Al-Riaz is co-inventor of two. In 1999, Al-Riaz led IMDI through its acquisition by Lycos, worth more than $70M (USD).

While in California, Al-Riaz also became well recognized for his teaching at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz. In addition to teaching at the university level, Al-Riaz founded Ustad, a teaching consulting practice, which developed and presented private courses for companies including S3, Microsoft, Apple and HAL. His courses were considered the most sought after in the Valley.

Combining his passion for engineering, travel and community service, Al-Riaz is currently volunteering to deploy technology and communication systems in Afghanistan, Syria and India for Micro Credit Loan Programs, organizations that loan people money to start small businesses.