Gina Cody School Highlights

Dear colleagues,

The past few weeks have reminded us of what our community can accomplish together. The successful launch of Starsailor by Space Concordia was a remarkable milestone that has made us all proud. It reflects the creativity, resilience and ambition of our students and stands as an inspiring moment for the Gina Cody School.

The past five years have also been a time of tremendous growth for our school:

• Enrolment has increased by more than 55 per cent, with eight new academic programs launched or proposed to meet the needs of tomorrow’s engineers and computer scientists. 
• The Gina Cody School secured full accreditation from the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board for the maximum period and rose in international rankings, placing first in Canada in civil engineering and software engineering.
• Our research capacity grew stronger as external funding rose by 85 per cent, thanks to our partnerships with industry and government.
• At the same time, the school welcomed 47 new faculty members, opened new spaces such as the Learning Hub, and saw the proportion of women in our student body rise to 27 per cent through our collective efforts in equity, diversity and inclusion.

These achievements are a shared success and a testament to your dedication.

Looking ahead, we know there are challenges to address. We need to support the university’s finances, ensure our enrolment continues to align with our strategic objectives, and keep enhancing the quality of our teaching. These priorities are also opportunities to renew our programs, strengthen our connections and create an even richer experience for our students.

Together, we will continue to build on our momentum and shape a school that leads with purpose, impact and inclusivity. Thank you for everything you do to make the Gina Cody School thrive.

Best regards,

Dr. Mourad Debbabi
Dean & Professor
Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science
Concordia University

Space Concordia launches Starsailor

On August 15, Space Concordia launched Starsailor, a 13-metre liquid-fuel rocket designed and built entirely by students at the Gina Cody School. The mission, conducted from a remote site in northern Quebec in collaboration with the Cree Nation of Mistissini, marked a major step for one of the world’s most advanced student rocketry programs. The launch showcased years of effort from more than 700 students since 2018, supported by Gina Cody, Lorne Trottier, the Trottier Family Foundation and many other partners. Congratulations to Space Concordia and thank you to everyone who helped make this achievement possible.

Gina Cody School Trekkers top Shuffle fundraising!

Last Friday, the Gina Cody School Trekkers raised an outstanding $29,690 at Shuffle 35, earning recognition as the top fundraising team of the year. With 72 members and 139 contributions, the team’s efforts will support the Gina Cody School Student EDI Award and student-led initiatives such as clubs, societies and competitions. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this success possible, including our corporate sponsors CAPREIT, Sienna Senior Living and CIMA+.

Applications open for new undergraduate degree in chemical engineering

We have launched the Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering, a program that will prepare future engineers to design greener technologies and sustainable solutions for key sectors in Quebec and beyond. Thank you to the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering and to everyone who contributed to helped make this new program a reality.

Karim Zaghib appointed Officer of the Order of Canada

Congratulations to Karim Zaghib who has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. The honour recognizes Zaghib’s leadership in advancing energy storage technologies that are helping build a more sustainable future for Canada.

Royal Society of Canada honours Hassan Rivaz for AI and medical imaging research

Congratulations to Hassan Rivaz on being elected to the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. He was recognized for his pioneering research which applies AI to improve ultrasound imaging, one of the world’s most widely used diagnostic tools.

Francesca Bria and Charlie Kawwas receive honorary doctorates

At this year’s spring convocation, the Gina Cody School proudly welcomed two distinguished leaders as honorary doctorate recipients. Francesca Bria, a renowned innovation economist and digital rights advocate, spoke at the June 10 morning ceremony. In the afternoon, Concordia alumnus Charlie Kawwas, president of the Semiconductor Solutions Group at Broadcom Inc., addressed graduates.

Strengthening international and industry collaborations

Over the past months, I have had the privilege of representing the Gina Cody School in a series of visits to leading institutions and organizations across Europe and North Africa. These engagements have allowed us to explore new avenues for collaboration in research, student mobility, and innovation while strengthening Concordia’s global presence.

In France, I met with colleagues at ESILV - École Supérieure d'Ingénieurs Léonard de Vinci, CY Tech School of Engineering, École nationale supérieure de l'Électronique et de ses Applications (ENSEA), and École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) to discuss joint initiatives in education and research. These visits reinforced our shared commitment to advancing engineering and computer science through interdisciplinary collaboration.

I also had the opportunity to engage with academic leaders and students in Algeria, visiting institutions such as the École Supérieure d'Informatique (ESI), the National School of Artificial Intelligence, the National Higher School of Mathematics, the National School of Autonomous Systems, the National Higher School of Cybersecurity, and the Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediène (USTHB). These discussions highlighted the importance of international partnerships in addressing pressing global challenges, particularly in cybersecurity, AI, and smart systems.

A key takeaway from these visits is the enthusiasm and expertise that exists within our extended academic and industry networks. From AI-driven solutions to digital security, the Gina Cody School is well-positioned to contribute to and benefit from these collaborations. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our hosts for their warm welcome, insightful discussions and commitment to strengthening ties with Concordia. I look forward to seeing these partnerships flourish in the years to come.

Congratulations to all involved in this year’s Capstone presentations

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of the 2025 Capstone Poster Presentation. From supervising faculty to support staff, your efforts created an inspiring space for students to showcase the depth of their learning and creativity. This lasting impact on our students and the Gina Cody School community would not have been possible without your dedication.

Congratulations to our industrial engineering graduate students on their Capstone success

Eighteen teams presented impressive final projects that showcased their creativity, technical skills and ability to solve real-world challenges. From AI-powered tools to smart logistics platforms, their work reflected the depth of knowledge and commitment they brought to the program.

Thank you to Professor Ali Akgunduz for his dedicated mentorship and to everyone who supported the students along the way.

Explore the full list of projects.

Watch and Celebrate: Showcasing the Gina Cody School’s Impact

As we celebrate Concordia’s 50th anniversary, we’re proud to share a video highlighting the excellence of the Gina Cody School. With 12,500 students and nearly 260 faculty members, our community is tackling global challenges, from AI advancements to energy storage solutions, while shaping the next generation of socially responsible thinkers and makers. This video is a testament to the work we do together. Take a moment to watch and celebrate our collective impact!

Concordia Hosts Montreal’s First Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race Since 2006

For the first time in nearly two decades, the Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNCTR) returned to Montreal, thanks to a team of dedicated Concordia alumni. This national engineering competition, the longest-running of its kind in Canada, brought together over 500 students from across the country to design and race concrete-based toboggans equipped with steering, braking and crash-protection systems. Concordia’s team, Cirque du Bogg, showcased their creativity and technical skills at the Technical Exhibition on January 24 and competed in the Drag Race, Slalom, and King of the Hill events on Race Day in Terrebonne.

Concordia Hosts the 9th Edition of ConUHacks

ConUHacks 2025 brought together nearly 800 students for 24 hours of creativity, collaboration, and hands-on innovation at Quebec’s largest hackathon. Hosted in the John Molson (MB) Building, the event featured a brand-new hardware lab, allowing participants to push the boundaries of technology with cutting-edge tools. Students from diverse backgrounds teamed up to tackle real-world challenges, guided by industry mentors and fuelled by workshops and keynote talks. From groundbreaking projects to an inspiring showcase of talent, this year’s ConUHacks once again proved to be a dynamic hub for problem-solving and discovery.

Concordia Hosts One of Canada’s Largest Student Cybersecurity Hackathons

On March 1 and 2, Concordia welcomed over 400 students for the second edition of @Hack, one of Canada’s largest student cybersecurity competitions. Hosted in the John Molson (MB) Building, the capture-the-flag (CTF) event, presented by Interac, featured new beginner-friendly tracks, a cyber trivia event, and tougher challenges for experienced participants. Teams of two to four tackled web security, cryptography, steganography and physical challenges, competing for a share of $16,000 in prizes. With a career fair, networking opportunities, and late-night hacking sessions, @Hack 2025 once again proved to be a premier platform for Canada’s next generation of cybersecurity talent.

Congratulations to the 2025 Troitsky Organizing Team!

Congratulations to the organizers of the 2025 Troitsky Bridge Building Competition on a well-executed event. From planning to the always-anticipated Crushing Ceremony, your efforts helped keep this long-standing tradition alive. Thank you for your hard work in making this year’s competition a great experience for participants and spectators alike!

Concordia’s SYAN Solutions Earns Second Place at ENGCOMM World 2025

SYAN Solutions (top picture), the team representing Concordia University, secured an impressive second-place finish at ENGCOMM World 2025. Held from February 18 to 22 in Montreal, ENGCOMM is the world’s only multidisciplinary engineering and commerce case competition, bringing together teams from around the globe to solve real-world industry challenges.

Over the course of the competition, participants tackled two six-hour cases and one demanding 12-hour case, putting their problem-solving skills, technical expertise, and business acumen to the test. SYAN Solutions demonstrated outstanding strategic thinking and collaboration, earning recognition from industry professionals and judges.

A big thank you to the event organizers, the whole ENGCOMM team (bottom picture), judges, and sponsors for making this year’s competition a success. Congratulations to SYAN Solutions for representing Concordia with excellence!

M. N. S. Swamy earns two major engineering awards

Congratulations to M.N.S. Swamy, Professor and Honorary Concordia Research Chair in Signal Processing, for being named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and receiving the 2025 IEEE Canada AGL McNaughton Award.

These prestigious honours recognize his impactful contributions to electrical engineering as a researcher, educator and leader. Swamy was inducted as an AAAS Fellow in Washington, D.C. on June 7 and received the IEEE award at the Annual IEEE Canada Flagship Conference in Vancouver on May 26.

His legacy at Concordia includes serving as founding chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering and dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, introducing key programs that shaped engineering education in Canada.

Concordia and National Bank Partner to Advance Trustworthy AI Systems

Concordia has teamed up with National Bank of Canada on a $1.5 million initiative to improve the reliability and security of AI-driven software development. Led by Professor Emad Shihab from the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science and co-funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the project aims to create advanced tools for integrating AI into software processes while ensuring trustworthiness and security—especially in the financial sector.

The collaboration will also provide hands-on training for graduate students, equipping them with real-world experience in AI-based software development. With industry insights from National Bank and cutting-edge research from Concordia, this initiative is set to make a lasting impact on the future of AI in software engineering.

Concordia and Hitachi Cyber Develop AI-Powered Cybersecurity Solution

A new research partnership between Concordia’s Security Research Centre and Hitachi Cyber is advancing AI-driven solutions to improve cybersecurity operations. Led by Professor Mourad Debbabi and supported by Hydro-Québec, NSERC, and PROMPT, this initiative focuses on reducing false positives and enhancing the efficiency of Security Operations Centres (SOCs).

By leveraging AI to automate threat investigations, the project aims to help security analysts quickly identify and respond to real threats while minimizing alert fatigue. The collaboration also provides hands-on training for graduate students, equipping them with cutting-edge expertise in cybersecurity. This partnership highlights the crucial role of academia and industry in strengthening digital resilience.

Law Meets Engineering wraps up the 2024–25 season on a high note

The Law Meets Engineering lecture on March 26 wrapped up the academic year with a thoughtful and engaging session. Thank you to Allen Mendelsohn for his insightful talk, Peeking Behind the Mask: Internet Anonymity and the Law. His clarity, humour and deep knowledge of internet and technology law gave our audience plenty to consider.

We’re also grateful to Judge Morton S. Minc, Concordia’s jurist-in-residence, for his leadership in shaping this unique series, and to Associate Dean Ali Akgunduz for hosting the event.