A Look Ahead

A new academic year brings new ideas, opportunities and momentum across the Faculty of Engineering. As students return to campus, our departments are launching new programs and courses, expanding hands-on learning, strengthening connections with industry and advancing research in areas that will shape the future of engineering.

From new teaching labs and research centres to innovative graduate programs, outreach initiatives and emerging areas of study, each department has something new on the horizon. Here’s a look at what they’re most excited about in the year ahead.

BME Builds Industry Connections and Inspires Future Engineers

The Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) is looking ahead to another exciting year of strengthening industry partnerships and expanding opportunities for students.

BME continues to grow its Industry Council, which brings together faculty members and industry partners to strengthen collaboration and create new opportunities for students. Following its inaugural meeting at the end of 2025, the council hosted its first industry networking event in April 2026, helping build relationships that will connect students with professionals and provide valuable career-focused learning experiences.

BME is also partnering with the DiscoverE team to introduce more young people to biomedical engineering. Together, they have developed 10 outreach kits, each serving approximately 40 students. The kits include a student guide, teacher resources, a hands-on biomechanics activity, and a video featuring a BME professor explaining how biomedical engineering improves health and technology. Distributed to rural and First Nations communities, the kits are helping inspire the next generation of engineers while expanding access to STEM education.

CEE Launches New Online Master's Program

This fall, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) launches the Master of Engineering in Construction Engineering and Management, the first fully online program of its kind in Western Canada and the first in Canada with a civil and environmental engineering construction specialization. Designed for working professionals, the flexible course-based program combines technical engineering expertise with leadership, project management, sustainability, construction safety, and contract administration to prepare graduates for leadership roles in the construction industry.

Developed in collaboration with industry, the program gives students the flexibility to advance their careers while continuing to work. By expanding access to graduate education and addressing the growing demand for highly skilled construction professionals, CEE is helping build the next generation of leaders who will shape Canada's infrastructure and construction sectors.

CME Expands Experiential Learning with New Smart Plant Automation Lab

The Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering (CME) continues to invest in hands-on learning by developing a new Smart Plant Automation Lab, made possible through a $700,000 donation from Supcon. Scheduled to support a new Smart Plant Automation course beginning in Fall 2027, the lab will give undergraduate and graduate students practical experience with the digital technologies transforming today's industrial facilities.

The Smart Plant Automation Lab is part of a broader expansion of CME's experiential learning facilities, including new fermentation, smart controls, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) teaching labs, as well as enhancements to the department's popular Coffee in Chemical Engineering and Chocolate in Materials Engineering courses. Together, these investments will give students more opportunities to apply classroom concepts in realistic, industry-focused environments while building the practical skills employers want.

ECE Welcomes New Talent and Advances Emerging Technologies

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is preparing for a year of growth, with a significant group of new faculty members expected to join the department in the coming months. Following eight faculty searches over the past year, the new hires will bring additional expertise to ECE's teaching and research community and help strengthen the department in emerging areas.

ECE is also building momentum in several major research initiatives. The newly launched Alberta Power Industry Innovation Centre (APIC), led by founding director Petr Musilek, brings researchers and industry partners together to advance a reliable and sustainable electricity system through research in grid modernization, renewable energy integration, electrification, cybersecurity and AI. Meanwhile, ECE's Advanced Nuclear Engineering Initiative (ANEI) continues to grow through major research projects and new graduate courses, alongside the department's leadership of the Western training hub.

MecE Advances Student Learning and Industry Innovation

The Department of Mechanical Engineering (MecE) continues to expand opportunities for students through new programs, innovative courses and hands-on learning experiences. This winter and spring/summer, students in the Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering Co-op (MCTR) program, jointly delivered by MecE and ECE, will begin taking 11 newly developed courses, six of which MecE delivers. Faculty are also working with MCTR co-op students to design custom printed circuit boards (PCBs) for several courses, including the program’s second-year design course.

MecE is also expanding graduate learning and strengthening industry connections. MEC E 664: Advanced Design and Simulation of Micro and Nano Electromechanical Sensors (MEMS/NEMS) returns for the first time since 2020, while MEC E 665 will welcome members of the Canadian Armed Forces in Winter 2027. Beyond the classroom, the department's Engineering Technical Services team has introduced a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and enhanced its project management and billing processes, improving support for teaching, research, and industry partners.