John Donald

John Donald is a Professor at the University of Guelph's School of Engineering since 2013. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Waterloo (1993) and a P.Eng. designation. Previously, he served in leadership roles including Dean and Vice President at Ontario colleges. His research focuses on Engineering Leadership Development, interdisciplinary design education, technological stewardship, and sustainable design. He leads the Guelph Engineering Leadership Program (2020–2024) and established the SOE Instructional Development Multimedia Studio (2017). Key awards include the UGFA Innovation in Teaching Award (2022) and Fellow of the Canadian Engineering Education Association (2019).

Education:

• Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo, 1993 (Thesis: Remote Sensing of Shallow Snow Cover)
• M.A.Sc., Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo, 1988
• B.A.Sc., Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo, 1986

Research Interests: John explores leadership integration in engineering curricula, interdisciplinary teamwork, and societal impact of engineering. He investigates how pedagogy can foster leadership and management skills alongside technical expertise. Recent work emphasizes sustainability frameworks aligned with UN goals and engineering grand challenges.

Achievements:

• Launched the Guelph Engineering Leadership Program
• Designed multimedia studio for flipped classrooms
• Authored influential papers on leadership pedagogy and curriculum design
• President of Canadian Engineering Education Association (2017–18)

Grants & Labs: Secured funding for initiatives like the DENSO Foundation-supported Undergraduate Design Maker Space (2020). Active in the PSEER Centre and multiple national engineering education committees.