2018: Nima Dorjee, CM, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.)

Nima Dorjee, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.), was born in a Tibetan refugee settlement in India and has called Calgary home since 1981. He became APEGA’s 99th president at the 2018 annual general meeting.

He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Calgary (U of C) in 1992, where he was also elected president of the 18,000-member students’ union in 1989.

Upon graduation, Mr. Dorjee founded EngIT Engineering Services, which specialized in providing engineers-in-training to employers for short-term contracts. In 1995, he joined the Schulich School of Engineering at the U of C as assistant director of the award-winning engineering internship program. Under his leadership, the program became the largest of its kind in Canada. In 2008, he was recognized with the Schulich School of Engineering’s Champion Award.

The YMCA recognized Mr. Dorjee’s involvement with human rights by awarding him the Canada Peace Medal in 1997, and in 2007, he received the Calgary Freedom of Expression Award.

Since 2008, Dorjee has devoted his time to projects related to the Dalai Lama’s work on human rights. This included working at the private office of the Dalai Lama in India. Since 2011, he has served as the president of Project Tibet Society, which is responsible for the resettlement of more than 1,000 Tibetan refugees from northern India to Canada.

He was named a fellow of Engineers Canada and an honorary fellow of Geoscientists Canada in 2017. In 2024, he was appointed a member of the Order of Canada.