The Ontario Government Diversity Awards recognizes outstanding community leaders who support immigrant success, economic growth, cultural diversity and inclusion in the province. A part-time professor at uOttawa, Abdul-Majid was recognized for her commitment to helping immigrant and refugee women in STEM through her Advancing New Canadian Women in Technology (ANCWT) program.
Abdul-Majid has over 25 years of experience in teaching and research, as well as eight years of industry experience in engineering. Her journey began in Bulgaria, where she earned a PhD in optical communication systems from Varna University. She then joined the Faculty of Engineering at Al Zawiya University in Libya as a professor, before holding further positions at Baghdad University of Technology, Iraq, and Koya University of Kurdistan, Iraq.
Abdul-Majid has published over 45 research papers on silicon photonics, PIC, optical amplifiers and optical systems. A community leader, she received a Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) Certificate of Recognition for five years of volunteer service in engineering in Ottawa. She is licensed as a professional engineer by PEO and has been a member of the Faculty of Engineering at uOttawa since 2008.
Beyond her technical contributions, Abdul-Majid is a steadfast champion of equity and diversity. Her goal is to help women newcomers who have studied engineering, IT and computer science abroad find their dream jobs in Canada and settle into the Ottawa community.
That’s why Abdul-Majid founded ANCWT in 2016. “I created ANCWT after conducting extensive research and considering the needs of Canada and Ontario in empowering women in technology, as part of the 30 by 30 initiative led by Engineers Canada,” she says. “On behalf of ANCWT, I will continue this great mission in helping immigrants and promoting cultural diversity and inclusion in Canada.”
“On behalf of ANCWT, I will continue this great mission in helping immigrants and promoting cultural diversity and inclusion in Canada.”
Dr. Sawsan Abdul-Majid
Hosted in the Faculty of Engineering, ANCWT is a bridging program enabling internationally trained women in STEM to access the Ottawa job market through training, workshops and networking sessions, following an initial assessment of their eligibility. Since its inception, ANCWT has had six cohorts and helped over 80 immigrant and refugee women find employment in their field.
For the last seven years, Abdul-Majid has focused her research on professional skills development, including women’s empowerment in STEM. Her impact resonates widely, serving as an inspiration to women and girls in STEM worldwide.
Congratulations, Dr. Abdul-Majid, on this well-deserved award.