IEEE Canada 2026 Awards Ceremony
IEEE Canada proudly celebrated excellence, leadership, and service through its 2026 Major Awards Program, recognizing individuals whose achievements have made a lasting impact on technology, engineering, the profession, and society. The 2026 IEEE Canada Major Awards Ceremony and Banquet was held on May 18, 2026, in conjunction with the 39th Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (CCECE 2026) at the Le Westin Hotel in Montreal, Quebec.
The Awards Gala Ceremony and Banquet was officially opened with welcome remarks by Wahab Almuhtadi, President of IEEE Canada. He welcomed attendees and highlighted the importance of recognizing outstanding achievements and contributions across the engineering and technology communities, while also acknowledging the dedication of IEEE volunteers whose efforts continue to strengthen the organization and expand its impact across Canada.
His remarks were followed by an address from Mary Ellen Randall, President of IEEE, who shared her vision for the future of the global engineering profession. She emphasized the vital role of innovation, collaboration, and volunteer leadership in addressing society’s most pressing challenges and advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.
Followed by remarks from Rabab Ward, Chair of the IEEE Canada Awards and Recognition Committee (ARC), who congratulated the award recipients and recognized their exceptional achievements, leadership, and service. She noted that their contributions have advanced the engineering profession and society.
The evening's proceedings were expertly led by Fabrice Labeau, President of the IEEE Consumer Technology Society, who served as Master of Ceremonies. With professionalism, enthusiasm, and warmth, he guided attendees through the program, introduced distinguished speakers and award recipients, and helped create a memorable celebration of excellence and achievement.
The ceremony also featured a distinguished keynote presentation by Ibrahim Gedeon, CTO Emeritus of TELUS and Executive Director of Guardian Safety Net, titled “Sovereignty and Artificial Intelligence.” In his thought-provoking address, Dr. Gedeon examined the growing strategic importance of artificial intelligence, digital sovereignty, and technological self-reliance in an increasingly interconnected world. He highlighted both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, emphasizing the need for responsible innovation, secure digital infrastructure, and sustained investment in research, talent development, and national technological capabilities.
The event brought together IEEE members, industry leaders, researchers, educators, and volunteers to celebrate individuals whose contributions exemplify the highest standards of professional excellence, innovation, leadership, and service.
IEEE Canada was honoured by the attendance of several distinguished IEEE and industry leaders:
- Mary Ellen Randall – 2026 IEEE President & CEO
- Jill Gostin – 2026 IEEE President-Elect
- Sophie Muirhead – IEEE Executive Director & COO
- Drew Lowery – IEEE MGA Vice President
- Aylin Yener – IEEE Technical Activities Vice President-Elect
- Ignacio Castillo-Velazquez – IEEE Region 9 Director
- Joseph Wei – IEEE Region 6 Director
- Patrick Donohoe – IEEE Region 3 Director-Elect
- Scott Tamashiro – IEEE Region 6 Director-Elect, Rising Stars
- Dr. Ibrahim Gedeon – CTO Emeritus, TELUS and Executive Director, Guardian Safety Net
Figure 1. The leaders and Executive Officers of IEEE Canada and IEEE, and the 2026 IEEE Canada Award recipients on the stage. |
Figure 2. The leaders and Executive Officers of IEEE Canada and IEEE, and the 2026 IEEE Canada Award recipients entering the Awards Ceremony hall. |
The Awards Recipients
The IEEE Canada Awards Program recognizes outstanding achievements in technical innovation, engineering excellence, leadership, professional service, education, and volunteerism that have advanced technology, benefited society, and strengthened the engineering profession. During the ceremony, the 2026 award recipients were formally recognized and honored for their accomplishments. The awards were presented by Wahab Almuhtadi, President of IEEE Canada, Mary Ellen Randall, President of IEEE, and Rabab Ward, Chair of the IEEE Canada Awards and Recognition Committee (ARC). The 2026 award recipients were:
Achievement Awards
| # | Award | Winner | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
A.G.L. McNaughton Award
|
Xuemin (Sherman) Shen | For contributions to wireless and ultra-band communication networks with substantial impact on accessibility, security, and user privacy protection. Pour ses contributions aux réseaux de communication sans fil et ultra bande, ayant un impact substantiel sur l’accessibilité, la sécurité et la protection de la vie privée des utilisateurs. |
| 2 |
R.A. Fessenden Award
|
Halim Yanikomeroglu | For pioneering research in 4G/5G/6G telecommunications and radio engineering, including relaying technologies and non-terrestrial networks. Pour ses recherches pionnières en télécommunications 4G/5G/6G et en ingénierie radio, incluant les technologies de relais et les réseaux non terrestres. |
| 3 |
P.D. Ziogas Electric Power Award
|
Bala Venkatesh | For contributions to enabling the efficient integration of distributed energy resources into the power grid. Pour ses contributions à l’intégration efficace des ressources énergétiques distribuées dans le réseau électrique. |
| 4 |
C.C. Gotlieb Computer Award
|
Soumaya Cherkaoui | For contributions to secure and intelligent communication systems, quantum communication, vehicular networking, and trustworthy AI. Pour ses contributions remarquables aux systèmes de communication sécurisés et intelligents, à la communication quantique, aux réseaux véhiculaires et à l’intelligence artificielle de confiance. |
| 5 |
Outstanding Engineer Award
|
Alfred Yu | For transformative innovations in next-generation ultrasound imaging technology that have advanced clinical scanners and enhanced cardiovascular diagnostics. Pour ses innovations transformatrices remarquables dans la technologie d’imagerie échographique de nouvelle génération, ayant fait progresser les scanners cliniques et amélioré le diagnostic cardiovasculaire. |
| 6 |
J.M. Ham Outstanding Engineering Educator Award
|
Burak Kantarci | For preparing engineering students for responsive professional practice through sustained leadership in curriculum and integrated experiential training development. Pour ses contributions remarquables à la préparation des étudiants en génie à une pratique professionnelle réactive, par un leadership soutenu dans l’élaboration des programmes et le développement de la formation expérientielle intégrée. |
Service Awards
| # | Award | Winner | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 |
W.S. Read Outstanding Service Award
|
Murray MacDonald | For dedication and service to national governance, financial stewardship, educational outreach, conference leadership, and section-level capacity building of IEEE Canada. Pour son dévouement et ses services remarquables à la gouvernance nationale, à la gestion financière, à la sensibilisation éducative, au leadership de conférences et au renforcement des capacités au niveau des sections de l’IEEE Canada. |
| 8 |
J.J. Archambault Eastern Canada Merit Award
|
Weimin Huang | For proactive leadership, positively impacting volunteer engagement and enhancing member retention in the IEEE Newfoundland and Labrador Section. Pour son leadership proactif, ayant un impact positif sur l’engagement des bénévoles et favorisant la fidélisation des membres dans la Section IEEE de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador. |
| 9 |
M.B. Broughton Central Canada Merit Award
|
Mohammed Khalid | For sustained leadership and contributions in advancing IEEE Canada’s vision, mission, goals, and objectives within Canada’s IEEE Central Area. Pour son leadership soutenu et ses contributions à l’avancement de la vision, de la mission, des objectifs et des buts de l’IEEE Canada dans la région centrale du pays. |
| 10 |
E.F. Glass Western Canada Merit Award
|
Jim Ellis | For 30 years of IEEE Northern Canada Section leadership services, contributions to the Life Members Affinity Group, and long-standing STEM volunteer impact. Pour 30 années de services de leadership au sein de la Section Nord du Canada de l’IEEE, ses contributions au groupe d’affinité des membres à vie et son impact durable en bénévolat STIM. |
Through these awards, IEEE Canada continues to recognize and celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of its members while reaffirming its commitment to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.
View the complete Awards Booklet, recipient citations, photographs, and event highlights:
https://ieeecanada.org/ieee-canada-2026-awards/
IEEE Canadian Foundation Bandler Scholarship Award 2026
The IEEE Canadian Foundation Dr. John William Bandler Graduate Scholarship in Engineering Design for 2026 is awarded to University of Calgary student Zahra Lasemiimeni, as nominated by Professor Elise Fear, Electrical and Software Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary.
This annual scholarship is for PhD students or post-doc in microwave and millimeter-wave engineering, imaging, inverse-scattering; engineering design optimization; or space mapping at a Canadian university. Ms. Lasemiimeni is cited for providing innovative solutions to improve women's health. Her academic excellence, research track record and involvement in community have been recognized with numerous awards.
This is a donor supported program of the IEEE Canadian Foundation.
IEEE Canadian Foundation
Workplace Giving Supports the IEEE Canadian Foundation
Your employer may facilitate workplace giving to socially beneficial causes including the IEEE Canadian Foundation. Matching of your gift may also be offered year round in support of corporate social responsibility or sometimes seasonally as a year end gesture of goodwill. Gifts may be processed though HR services such as Benevity or CAF America (yes, it also covers Canada). Details will be different at each employer so ask around – your gift to the IEEE Canadian Foundation may be magnified with your employer's support.
