2018 Women in Engineering and Geoscience Champion Award Recipient

A civil engineering professor at the Schulich School of Engineering, Dr. Lynne Cowe Falls, P.Eng., has established a successful career driven by a passion for supporting other women. Succeeding in multiple roles as a professional engineer before joining the University of Calgary, her success, tenacity, and intelligence make her a role model for women entering the profession.

Fondly called “Dr. Mum,” she commonly has a lineup of students at her office door looking for advice. She has mentored and motivated many budding professional engineers, encouraging them to be actively engaged in their learning. In the words of one former mentee, “Her impact on young women specifically is notable. Her practical and resilient approach to being a professional and contributing member of society in the context of the challenges we face as young women has been especially impactful.”

Research shows that women are drawn to professions in which they can improve lives, and Dr. Cowe Falls is demonstrating that engineering is one such career. On behalf of the Schulich School of Engineering and financed by Boardwalk Rental Communities, she developed a program called Homes of Hope, for which a group of engineering students travels to Mexico to build homes for disadvantaged families. Although the program is a huge undertaking requiring hours of recruiting, planning, and building, Dr. Cowe Falls knows its value in representing the positive effect the profession has on society.