Will lead Canada’s third-largest university through 50th anniversary in 2009
TORONTO, February 6, 2007 -- The Chair of the Board of Governors of York University, Marshall M. Cohen, today announced the appointment of Dr. Mamdouh Shoukri as York’s 7th President and Vice-Chancellor. The appointment was enthusiastically welcomed this evening at a meeting of the Board of Governors of the University.
“We are absolutely delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Shoukri, who is a proven leader, academic and researcher,” said Cohen. “Dr. Shoukri joins York from McMaster University where he has shown himself to be a skilled administrator, diplomat and visionary. We are delighted that he has accepted our offer to lead this dynamic institution”.
Dr. Shoukri is currently the Vice-President Research and International Affairs at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and is a member of the Ontario Research and Innovation Council (ORIC). Previously, Dr. Shoukri worked in various capacities with the Research Division of Ontario Hydro, before becoming a faculty member at McMaster and, later, Dean of Engineering. (Biography attached).
“I am very excited by this new challenge which is without doubt the greatest of my career,” said Dr. Shoukri. “I watched York grow to become Canada’s third-largest university and it is racing ahead. I consider myself to be very privileged to be given this opportunity at this important juncture in York’s history.”
“York is a vibrant and thriving academic institution which will benefit greatly from Dr. Shoukri’s experience and vision,” said York’s outgoing President Dr. Lorna Marsden. “The past decade has been tremendously satisfying for me, and I wish Dr. Shoukri the same satisfaction in his new role. He is clearly a first-class academic and is the perfect person to champion York’s mission with its heavy emphasis on interdisciplinary research and teaching. Dr. Shoukri will also have the opportunity to lead York through its 50th anniversary in 2009.”
Dr. Peter George, President of McMaster University commented: "Mamdouh is a proven leader in fostering dynamic academic environments where research and innovation flourish. He is a splendid and supportive colleague and all of us at McMaster wish him every success at York.”
Dr. Shoukri assumes his new role officially on July 1, 2007. He will be installed formally in the Fall term of 2007. Working arrangements during the transition period will be discussed between York and McMaster in the coming weeks.
The Presidential Search Committee was chaired by Marshall Cohen and was composed of 14 members, with seven members being nominated by the Board of Governors and seven by the Senate. The committee included senators, governors, faculty, students and staff. After wide consultation with the York University community regarding the process and the profile for the position, the candidate search process itself was conducted confidentially by the committee. (See http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/Presidential_Search/pres_home.htm for more information on the process).
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 190,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 23 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
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Dr. Shoukri and Marshall M. Cohen will be available for interviews at York University tomorrow, Wednesday, February 7th 2007, between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Contact:
Alex Bilyk
York University
Media Relations
(416) 736-5603
President-Designate of York University
Dr. Mamdouh Shoukri
Dr. Shoukri is currently the Vice-President (Research & International Affairs) at McMaster University where he also is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering. He joined McMaster’s faculty in 1984 and was appointed Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department in 1990 and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering in 1994. He assumed his current position in 2001.
Prior to joining McMaster University, Dr. Shoukri worked in various capacities the Research Division of Ontario Hydro (1977-1984) where he had a successful industrial research career.
As Vice-President (Research & International Affairs), Dr. Shoukri is responsible for all research activities within the University and for the aggressive pursuit of new partnerships – including technology transfer and economic development opportunities – locally, nationally and internationally, designed to capitalize on McMaster’s significant research strengths. The McMaster Innovation Park exemplifies the success he and the University have had in developing their research enterprise.
As Dean of Engineering, Dr. Shoukri developed a strategic plan that led to a major expansion of the Faculty. He actively encouraged and facilitated the creation of research thrust areas in partnership with industry and government. Under his leadership, the Faculty nearly doubled its enrolment and faculty complement and substantially increased its research funding. He also led a very successful fundraising campaign.
Dr. Shoukri is a member of the Ontario Research and Innovation Council (ORIC) – a council appointed by the Premier in July 2006, to advise the government on its innovation strategy in order to keep Ontario’s economy strong. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Centers of Excellence (OCE) Inc. He has served on the Ontario Government Advisory Committee for the Centers of Excellence and on the on Board of Directors for two Ontario Centres -- Materials and Manufacturing Ontario and Communications and Information Technology Ontario.
Dr. Shoukri is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering. His professional memberships include the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, the Canadian Nuclear Society, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Dr. Shoukri’s scholarly interests are in thermo-fluid sciences; particularly areas related to multi-phase heat transfer and nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics. He is the author and co-author of over a hundred papers that appeared in refereed journals and symposia. His education credentials include a B.Sc.(Hons.), Mechanical Engineering, Cairo University, 1970; M.Eng., McMaster University, 1974; and PhD, Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, 1977.
Dr. Shoukri assumes his new position as President at York University on July 1, 2007.
