The Faculty of Applied Science has announced Dr. Agnes d’Entremont as their new Associate Dean of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) and Student Success. Over the past year, Dr. d’Entremont held the role of Associate Dean pro tem, EDI, and this new appointment will bring her on to the APSC leadership team for a full three-year term in an expanded role that links the need to advance priorities in EDI and Indigeneity with serving students in the connected areas of outreach, recruitment, reputation, student engagement and success.As a member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s Educational Leadership team, Dr. d’Entremont’s research in engineering pedagogy has sought to expand access to engineering education and reduce barriers in the areas of gender inequality, financial background, and disability. She has championed the creation of freely accessible open educational resources and the engagement of women and girls in STEM topics. As a former coordinator of our integrated and award-winning Mech 2 program, she has a first-hand understanding of student needs and the challenges they face as they pursue an engineering education – not just in their studies and access to resources, but the impacts on their mental health and wellbeing. As co-developer of the Mech 2 EDI curriculum and throughout her teaching practice Dr. d’Entremont invites students to consider the practical applications of EDI.I concepts and examine who they are designing for, illustrating how assumptions or unintended bias in data or design choices can restrict how different users will experience the final product – such as how automotive crash testing originally used only dummies based off male cadavers, leading to decades of higher injury rates for women. Beyond her teaching and scholarship, she has mentored students and served on the department’s EDI.I committee since its founding, contributing to EDI.I training, policy, and support for students, faculty, and staff at UBC Mechanical Engineering.
This new APSC leadership role will allow Dr. d’Entremont to build on the initiatives she started as Associate Dean pro tem, where she worked to improve outreach, create events and workshops, and strengthen connections with Indigenous communities. These included new programming around anti-oppression, disability, and Black Excellence, helping to advance the Indigenous STEM Bridging Program, expanding connections with other STEM Faculties at UBC to collaborate on EDI.I goals.
As part of changes to their leadership portfolios, the Faculty of Applied Science also welcomes Dr. Vicky Bungay as the new Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Students. We would like to thank UBC Mechanical Engineering Professor Walter Mérida for his dedicated service over the past eight years as the Associate Dean, Research and Industrial Partnerships, where he has worked tirelessly to advance APSC innovation from both Vancouver and Okanagan campuses and expand our industry, government, and community collaborations.