Proceedings of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering Annual Conference 2023, Volume 11

Dr. Serge Desjardins is Associate Professor and interim Chair of the Civil Engineering Department at the Université de Moncton. Holding a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Structures) from Carleton University, his research focuses on structural health monitoring using long-term vibration responses and automated operational modal analysis. As a member of the Ottawa-Carleton Bridge Research Institute, he has contributed to advancing vibration-based monitoring techniques, notably for the Confederation Bridge. Serge is Fellow of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering; he is a long-serving executive member of the local CSCE section (Eastern NB) and has served as the faculty advisor of the CSCE student chapter for the past decade and as the faculty advisor to the CSCE concrete canoe team since 2021. Serge has more than 20 years of combined academic and industry experience.  His industry experience includes working as structural design engineer on projects like the Ottawa International Airport expansion, the Croix-Bleue Medavie Stadium on the Université de Moncton campus, and several bridge rehabilitation and replacement projects in New-Brunswick.

Dr. Gérard J. Poitras is Professor in the Civil Engineering Department and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the Université the Moncton. He completed his Doctorate studies in Engineering Sciences at the Université de Poitiers, France in 2002. His research interest includes wind-structure interaction, optimization of structures and dynamics of structures. He has more than 40 years of combined academic and industry experience in structural engineering. Professor Poitras is Fellow of Engineers Canada, Fellow of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), and a past chair of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineers South-East NB section. In 2009, he received the Université de Moncton Award of Excellence in Teaching, and in 2014, the Outstanding Educator Award from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientist of New Brunswick.

Dr. Ashraf el Damatty is Professor and Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, Canada. Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE).  Research Director at WindEEE Research Institute and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal “Wind and Structures”. Recipient of numerous awards including the Alan Yorkdale Award by ASTM, 2015 CSCE Whitman Wright Award, 2016 CSCE Horst Leipholz Medal, Western University Faculty Scholar Award, 2018 Professional Engineers of Ontario Medal of Research and Development, 2021 Western Engineering Award for Excellence in Research, and 2021 Pratley Award for Best Paper on Bridges. His research in structural engineering has influenced the international codes and engineering practice worldwide.

Dr. Ahmed Elshaer is a distinguished faculty member dedicated to enhancing the resilience and sustainability of built environments against natural hazards, particularly focusing on wind and climate impacts. As the founder and leader of the Structural and Wind Engineering Research Laboratory (SWERL), Dr. Elshaer has spearheaded numerous significant research projects and supervised a diverse range of young researchers, from postdoctoral fellows to undergraduate students. With a wealth of academic and professional experience spanning multiple universities and engineering firms in Canada and overseas, Dr. Elshaer has contributed significantly to the field of structural engineering. His research portfolio includes innovative studies on wind impact on structures, indigenous housing, modular structures, aerodynamic and structural optimization, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in structural applications. Dr. Elshaer’s dedication to advancing the field of civil engineering is further demonstrated through his active involvement in professional organizations. He has served as Vice-chair of the Structures Division at the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), Chair of the CSCE Structures specialty conference for three years, and as an evaluating committee member for prestigious funding bodies, such as NSERC, FRQNT, and the Ministry of Economic Development. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Dr. Elshaer has received several prestigious awards, including the Lakehead Merit Award in Combined Research and Administrative Services (2024), the equity diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiative competition (2022), the Year of Climate Action Award (2021), and the Alan Davenport Award of Excellence in Wind Engineering (2016).