McMaster partners with five Ontario universities to launch new fellowships for Black and Indigenous students

HAMILTON – The Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University in Hamilton has partnered with five other Ontario universities to  launch new fellowships for Indigenous and Black students pursuing doctoral degrees in engineering.

Ishwar K. Puri, Dean of Engineering at McMaster University, said ” the fellowships will help McMaster and other Ontario universities work towards greater diversity in engineering and technology programs.”

“A more inclusive environment leads to better perspectives, innovation and problem-solving approaches,” he noted.

The partnership includes the engineering and math Faculties at the University of Waterloo, and the engineering Faculties at McMaster University, the University of Ottawa, the University of Toronto, Queen’s University and Western University

Recipients of the  new fellowships will each receive $25,000 a year for four years as they pursue doctorate degrees and specialized engineering research. It will also help to prepare students for academic careers as professors and industry researchers.

“We hope to see graduate enrollment increase among Black and Indigenous scholars at Ontario universities with the release of the fellowships in the years to come,” said Michael Thompson, Assosciate Dean of Graduate Studies at the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University.

 “The initiative represents a big step towards enriching the academic landscape,” Thompson added.