Glinski Award for Excellence in Research
Shervin Shirmohammadi, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
The Faculty of Engineering is proud to announce Dr. Shervin Shirmohammadi as the recipient of the 2019 George S. Glinski Award for Excellence in Research for his work at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Dr. Shirmohammadi is recognized by Google Scholar as being one of the world's top ten researchers in the field of multimedia systems and networks, specializing in gaming and video systems and networks, and their applications in health care. Since 2010, his research has also included elements of Applied AI in these fields.
After completing his doctorate in electrical engineering at the University of Ottawa in 2000 and spending three years in the industry as a senior architect and project manager, Dr. Shirmohammadi was hired in the Faculty of Engineering as an assistant professor in 2004, and was eventually promoted to full professor in 2012. After taking on the role of Associate Editor for multiple IEEE journals, Dr. Shirmohammadi became the current Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement. Shortly before, he became a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world's largest association of technical professionals.
Dr. Shirmohammadi has also completed the supervision of 16 PhDs, 39 MA students and has worked with 10 post-doctoral fellows. He is currently at the helm of a team of seven PhD students.
Dr. Shirmohammadi is also widely recognized for his impressive body of work. Over his career, he has conducted research projects totalling over $14 million, resulting in 86 journal papers and 216 conference papers. He also has over 20 patents and technology transfers, and his work is often cited by other professionals in academia and the industry. This expanse of work has earned him three Best Paper Awards over his career thus far.
The Faculty of Engineering wishes to congratulate Dr. Shirmohammadi for the reception of this award of which we find him to be most deserving.
J.V. Marsh Award for Excellence in Teaching
Dr. Ghasan Doudak, Department of Civil Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering is proud to announce Dr. Ghasan Doudak as the recipient of the 2019 J.V. Marsh Award for Excellence in Teaching for his contributions to the Department of Civil Engineering.
Since joining the Faculty of Engineering’s team as an associate professor in 2010, Dr. Doudak has single-handedly introduced structural design in timber to both undergraduate and graduate curricula, which was greatly appreciated by students in the Faculty. During his last nine years of teaching both in English and in French at the University of Ottawa, Dr. Doudak has consistently received excellent teaching evaluations at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
As a testament to Dr. Doudak’s dedication to his students, he was awarded a Teaching and Learning grant and received funding from the Ontario Wood Promotion Program. These awards have allowed him to expand and improve the resources available in his classrooms, in order to create an environment promoting curiosity and growth for his students.
While Dr. Doudak has supervised a number of graduate students, he is also an active mentor and the supervisor of a number of undergraduate students in various programs. These include six CO-OP, five Science without Borders, two NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards, three students with the uOttawa Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program and one uOttawa Women Undergraduate Summer Student Research Award.
As well as recognizing Dr. Doudak’s dedication to teaching and mentoring, the Faculty would also like to acknowledge his contribution as a volunteer for many university activities. As an ambassador of the Faculty of Engineering, he has, among others, participated in many recruitment events, and supervised the Faculty’s Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race.
For his continuous dedication to his students, the Faculty of Engineering wishes to congratulate Dr. Doudak for the reception of this award of which we find him to be most deserving.
Frank Giacobbi Award for Outstanding Service
Mr. Samer Sader
The Faculty of Engineering is proud to announce Mr. Samer Sader as the recipient of the 2019 Frank Giacobbi Award for Outstanding Faculty Service in recognition of his outstanding contribution within the IT Services of the Faculty.
For the last 19 years, Mr. Sader’s services have played a pivotal role in supporting all members of the Faculty of Engineering, students and teachers alike.
In a letter of support for Mr. Sader’s nomination, Dr. Mustapha C.E. Yagoub states:
“(…) as soon as I found out that Samer was to be nominated for this prestigious award, I absolutely wanted to present my testimony to acknowledge the remarkable work he has accomplished as part of this institution; tasks where the positive effects can be observed on a daily basis, and this for the greater benefit of our university community as a whole. [...] Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge another aspect of his personality, and that is his total and unconditional dedication for his work. He is always giving people his full attention, and I have often seen him freely offer his time and energy when the well-being of the faculty was at stake.”
Alan Stewart, who is a Computer and Electronics Technician for the Faculty, and a previous recipient of the Frank Giacobbi award, also reflected these sentiments in a letter of support for Mr. Sader’s nomination:
“Samer’s passion and his readiness to share his expertise with the faculty has brought him great respect from professors and staff alike. (He) is a very dedicated and enthusiastic colleague with excellent character personality, always ready and willing to help.”
