Dr. Greg Naterer honoured with national award
The Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME) has awarded Dr. Greg Naterer the Robert W. Angus Medal for his outstanding contributions to the management and practice of mechanical engineering.
“I’m honoured to receive this prestigious national award and grateful to those who made this possible, including my colleagues, graduate students and supportive wife and family,” said Dr. Naterer.
Since becoming dean of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial in 2012, Dr. Naterer has successfully led the faculty in the development and implementation of its eight-year strategic plan, “Vision 2020” and the Engineering Expansion Strategic Initiative.
He has been instrumental in new engineering initiatives and partnerships across the university and externally, such as a new Centre for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology Commercialization (CIETC) with the Faculty of Business Administration; a new biomedical engineering partnership with the Faculty of Medicine; new research chairs; and an innovative new organizational structure with five departments.
In addition, a new petroleum engineering program at Memorial is being planned to soon become reality. “It would be North America’s only co-op program in petroleum engineering,” said Dr. Naterer. “The program would have a unique focus and specialization on offshore and harsh environments.”
One of Dr. Naterer’s goals since joining Memorial is to increase female student enrolment and student diversity in engineering. In 2014, Memorial engineering had the highest percentage of first-year female undergraduate students in Canada.
Dr. Naterer has also served in prominent national and international roles in engineering education and research, including currently as chair of the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science (NCDEAS), and past chair of the NSERC Discovery Grant Selection Committee (Mechanical Engineering).
The Robert W. Angus Medal was established in 1957 to honour the late Robert W. Angus who was for many years a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Toronto. It is awarded annually by CSME to a Canadian engineer for outstanding contributions to the management and practice of mechanical engineering.