Gokula indira biography of alberta

Sir Lankan engineer

Indira Vasanti SamarasekeraOC^[1] (née Arulpragasam; April 11, 1952)^[2] is the former numero uno and former vice-chancellor of probity University of Alberta.^[3][4] She has been a member of excellence Independent Advisory Board for Ruling body Appointments, which advises on equipment to the Senate of Canada, since 2016.^{[citation needed]}

Biography

Samarasekera was basic in Colombo, Sri Lanka, be advantageous to Sri Lankan Tamil descent, tolerate was married to a Sinhalese,^[5] Sam Samarasekera and was divorced when her children were 7 and 3 years.^[6]

Education and career

Samarasekera received her B.Sc.

in Machinedriven Engineering from the University sum Sri Lanka in 1974 captivated an M.S. in Mechanical Strategy from the University of Calif., Davis as a Fulbright Egghead in 1976.^[7] In 1977, she immigrated to Canada, where she received her PhD in Science Engineering at the University collide British Columbia in 1980.

Defer year, she began working neat the Department of Metals trip Materials Engineering at UBC accomplice a focus on the connected casting and hot rolling work for steel.^[8] She was only honourableness second woman appointed to decency University of British Columbia's Warrant of Engineering.^[9]

In 2000, she was appointed UBC's vice-president of investigation.

During her time in go off role, the university's research abet from government, private donors accept industry more than doubled, proud $149 million to $377 million.^[9]

She succeeded Roderick Fraser as chairwoman and vice-chancellor of the Creation of Alberta on July 1, 2005, and served two qualifications, ending June 30, 2015.

She was the first female numero uno of any university in Alberta.

As of July 1, 2015, she was succeeded by Painter Turpin as president of distinction University of Alberta.

Awards brook honorary degrees

In 1991, Samarasekera was awarded NSERC's the E.W.R. Steacie Fellowship, an award that recognizes promising young Canadianresearchers.^[10] In 2002, she was made an Policeman of the Order of Canada.

In 2012, she received Canada's Public Policy ForumPeter Lougheed confer for leadership in public policy,^[11] and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.^[12] In 2014, she was named a Alien Associate of the National Establishment of Engineering.^[13]

Samarasekera has received token degrees from the University all but British Columbia,^[14]University of Toronto,^[15] honesty University of Waterloo,^[16]Queen's University Belfast,^[17]Université de Montréal^[18] and the Institution of Western Ontario.^[19]

In 2018 Samarasekera was awarded the Bessemer Jewels Medal by the Institute snare Materials, Minerals and Mining, exclude annual honour named after Sir Henry Bessemer awarded for omitted services to the steel industry.^[20]

Board and committee service

Samarasekera was cut out for to the board of management for Scotiabank in 2008,^[21] esoteric for Magna International in 2014.^[22] She was appointed chair follow the Worldwide Universities Network cranium 2012,^[23] serves on the Overseer of the Year Advisory Committee^[24] and has served as both board member and chair duplicate the National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT).

Samarasekera is on high-mindedness board of directors of TC Energy, owner of the Cornerstone Pipeline, appointed in 2016.^[25]

She has served as a member shop Canada's Science, Technology and Alteration Council (STIC),^[26] the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee on the Leak out Service,^[27] the Conference Board do admin Canada^[28] and the Public Custom Forum.

From 2010 to 2012, she attended the World Fiscal Forum in Davos and has participated as either a orator or a moderator.

Public profile

In July 2009, the University distinctive Alberta purchased Samarasekera's private place for $930,000, representing approximately $180,000 profit for Samarasekera, and rendering home was renovated by rendering university.^[29] University administration was criticized by some for the ingenuity, given budget shortfalls at glory time.

Brian Heidecker, chair comprehend the University of Alberta's Plank of Governors, said the get gave the university a important advantage, noting that the house would serve as a mighty inducement when recruiting future presidents. Samarasekera continues to live outside layer the home and pays thoughtless based on fair market value.^[29]

In an interview with the Edmonton Journal on October 21, 2009,^[30] Samarasekera raised her concerns in respect of the fact that 58% disregard university undergraduates in Canada were female.

She commented, "I'm thick-headed to be an advocate parade young white men, because Crazed can be. No one legal action going to question me while in the manner tha I say we have swell problem", and "We'll wake bottom in 20 years and incredulity will not have the help of enough male talent knock the heads of companies current elsewhere." A group of category responded by putting up posters satirizing her comments.^[31] Campus Asylum took down the posters preferential 24 hours and warned excellence students responsible of possible retributive action."^[32] Samaraskera responded by notation that she appreciated satire whilst a form of freedom have a hold over speech, but hoped that specified debate be held in dialect trig cordial and respectable manner.

In the wake of deep deliver a verdict cuts to the cuts brave the Alberta post-secondary sector advance 2013, debate ensued on contemporary off campus as to endeavor the university should respond.^[33] Samarasekara undertook to limit her worldwide travel. However, when invited do without Alberta Premier Alison Redford, she travelled to China in Sept 2013 at a cost translate $13,800.

Responding to criticism, Samarasekara stated "people will find explication to criticize me whichever go up I do it."^[34]

References

Sources