Faculty of Engineering

Celebrating Black Engineers

Tune In: Engineering Impact- Engineers Contributions to Healthcare

We invite you to visit this recording of an event that brought together three BIPOC professional engineers working in the healthcare space together to share their perspectives on their careers and the industry and increasing diversity in engineering.

https://youtu.be/ir439Z6D5AM

Interested in Engineering?

Start your engineering education at Dalhousie by visiting our admissions page.

Employment Opportunities

Dalhousie’s SITE co-op (Science, Information Technology, Engineering) gives students real world experiences and a chance to explore career options while completing their studies. Visit the SITE co-op page to learn more about the co-op program if you’re a student and how you can hire a co-op if you’re an employer.

Diversity in the Dalhousie engineering community is vital, and we need to highlight the role Black engineers have had and will continue to have on the industry. Here we hope to celebrate the successes of Black Engineers in Nova Scotia and beyond, as well as to provide resources and support for current and prospective students.

Everyone should see themselves as an engineer. Increasing the visibility of Black engineers, is just one piece of that. There’s also building connections between alumni, students and their communities. Through the profiles on the page Black engineers can share their stories, accolades, connect, network, share ideas and information.

ENGINEER PROFILES

	Bai Bintou Kaira, BEng'18 Chemical Engineering Engineer-in-Training, Transformational Coordinator The Mosaic Company Esterhazy, Saskatchewan, Canada Bintou practices as an Engineer-in-Training in the surface operations of a potash mining company. Bintou leads process design and optimization projects to increase quality and yield. Co-currently, Bintou is the co-founder of GAPhealth, where process optimization, people, and project management skills are used to create a successful business on the use of mobile-based applications for chronic disease management in Africa. Additional areas of interest include diversity and inclusion in post-secondary education, Bintou serves as a board of director at MacPhee Centre of Creative Learning in Dartmouth, NS. In 2017 Bintou was one of five recipients of Dalhousie’s prestigious Board of Governors’ Awards—given to the most influential student leaders. She also received a National recognition being named a Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) 2017 3M National Student Fellow. Bintou has several media features including DalNews, the Dalhousie Gazette, and the DAL Alumni Magazine. Learn more and contact information
	Bryan Darrell, Director, Healthcare Project Services Halifax, Nova Scotia Learn more and contact information
	Dr. Claver Diallo, BEng'95, MASc'01, PhD'06 Industrial Engineering Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia Claver Diallo received the BEng, MASc, and PhD degrees in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from Université Laval, Québec, Canada. From 1996 to 1999, he worked as a Field Engineer for Schlumberger Oilfield Services. He joined the Department of Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University in 2007. His research interests are in Performance Optimization for Production and Service Systems. Specific areas of his research are Maintenance Engineering and Management, Reliability and Availability Engineering, Design and Optimization of Closed-Loop Supply Chains, Design for Sustainability, and Remanufacturing. Learn more and contact information
	Ibimina Koko, BEng'15 Industrial Engineering Consultant, Strategic Change and Performance Improvement IWK Health Halifax, Nova Scotia I am originally from Nigeria—where I completed my elementary and secondary education. I immigrated to Halifax in 2010 to join my adoptive family and began my Diploma in Engineering at Saint Mary’s University and finished up at Dalhousie 5 years later. My professional career began with four years as an Area Industrial Engineer at Michelin North America, an experience I absolutely relished. I worked several strategic process improvement project and received a Greenbelt Certification in Lean Six Sigma. I transitioned to IWK Health to fill the role of a Consultant; I enjoy the abundance of learning opportunities in the healthcare environment—never a dull moment. Learn more and contact information
	Dr. Pemberton Cyrus, MASc'84, PhD'88 Industrial Engineering Department Head; Associate Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering Dalhousie University Bedford, Nova Scotia I love scheduling – over the last 30 years, I have scheduled milk trucks, school buses, air crews, trains, AGV’s, timetables, nurses, … I have had a varied career path: high school teacher (art and math), graphic artist, associate professor at Dalhousie, Department Head, Associate Dean of Engineering and (acting) Associate VP Academic of Dalhousie. Learn more and contact information

This will be a growing list of the Black engineering community. Email merilyn.layne@dal.ca for more information about being featured on this site.

RESOURCES AT DAL

The Black Student Advising Centre offers a range of support services, and fudning sources as well as connections to societies,groups and events from Black students. The Centre provides support for any student of African descent to help identify goals and pathways through their education at Dalhousie University. Assisting developing skills that will make students successful learners and outstanding individuals.

Scholarship information

A university education is a significant financial investment. Every student is unique, and so are their financial circumstances. Dalhousie has scholarships and bursaires available throughout at students educations you can learn more about the scholarship opportunities available on the Money Matters site

Scholarships for Black students or for engineering students:

Guru Nanak Scholarship

All African Nova Scotian students in engineering (must be born in Nova Scotia).

Dr. and Mrs. D. S. Chehil established this scholarship to encourage Black Nova Scotian students to qualify for admission to, and complete the engineering degree at Dalhousie. This award of $1,000 is tenable for up to three years or more, subject to maintenance of an acceptable academic average. Eligible candidates must be Black Canadians born in Nova Scotia. The Scholarship is awarded primarily on the basis of the applicant's academic record prior to admission into third year or on the basis of the academic record at an Associated University or at the University entrance level. Other factors such as personality, initiative, community involvement and other awards held by the applicant may be considered.

For more information on applying to in-course scholarships please see In‑Course Scholarships - Undergraduate Studies Office - Dalhousie University