2026 William Muir Edwards Citizenship Award - Jordan Eleniak

When Jordan Eleniak was in the first year of his degree at the University of Alberta,, he joined the Indigenous Engineering Student Association. Having been out of school for more than a decade, he had looked forward to having that support network — but there were simply not enough students to sustain the association, and it was soon disbanded. 

“I felt strongly that something like that should still exist, so started thinking about how to re-form the group in a way where it could survive,” says Eleniak, who is Métis, so during his second year he co-founded the Indigenous in STEM Student Association alongside several peers including Kyla Fald, one of last year’s recipients of the William Muir Edward Awards.

Now in a bachelor of science in computer engineering, Eleniak has held several roles in the student association he helped found, including co-president, and he’s now taking a step back to allow other students to take the lead. “I want it to be able to sustain itself and thrive long after I’m gone,” he says, imagining a day long in the future when perhaps the children of today’s students could enjoy the kind of support and community his cohort have created within the group. 

There were a few twists and turns in Eleniak’s road to the U of A. He had completed a degree at NAIT right out of high school, but the economy when he graduated was abysmal and jobs were few and far between. He ended up joining his father’s janitorial and floor-refinishing company, working mostly in public schools for 15 years. 

One day while he was at work cleaning a high school, he had a fascinating conversation with a teacher there he had befriended, about artificial intelligence and its potential for both good and bad. “I realized during that conversation just how passionate I still was about technology,” he remembers. “It had gotten to the point where I couldn’t ignore the call anymore, and I started thinking about a future in computer science and engineering.” As he perused the U of A’s course catalogue, he immediately recognized that computer engineering was a natural fit. “After all, I was a kid who took apart a phone before I was even in kindergarten, just to see what made it work,” he remembers with a laugh.

Eleniak is a strong believer in the capacity of technology to offer hope for humanity. Much of the most exciting work he’s done throughout his degree so far has reflected both that optimism and his passion for the environment — specifically, water and soil science. Throughout three summer internships with the National Research Council, two of which were through the U of A’s I-STEAM Pathways program, he developed a microbial fuel cell that can assist in early detection of blue-green algae in water bodies.

“I got so lucky in my first year to get the chance to work on such an amazing project,” says Eleniak, who grew up in the Lac La Biche Métis District of the Lower Athabasca River Territory and has seen the health of that lake, and many others around the province, deteriorate over the years. Being a part of the solution means a great deal to him. “If we can adapt technology we can help heal our planet, and I would like to be able to be a part of helping to get us there,” he says.

Eleniak sees himself getting into research and development once he graduates, pursuing graduate studies and collaborating with other scientists, bringing his energy and enthusiasm to many more interesting projects. “I see a future that allows me to keep dreaming like I did when I was a kid.”

While going back to school as a mature student posed significant challenges, Eleniak has no regrets. To others like him who feel themselves being pulled back to university, he says, “Is it going to be easy? Probably not. But is it going to be worth it? Absolutely! So don’t ignore that calling.”

Named in honour of the Faculty of Engineering’s founding professor, the William Muir Edwards Citizenship Award recognizes Engineering at Alberta undergraduate students who have made exceptional contributions to society. It’s a celebration of citizenship and of engineering students who go to extraordinary lengths to make our world a better place. Special thanks to the David Morris Family Foundation for supporting our students and making the William Muir Edwards Citizenship Awards possible.

Do you know an undergraduate student whose volunteerism, contributions, and efforts, both on-campus and off-campus, work to make the world a better place? Learn more about the nomination process.