Jason Bazylak receives Joan E. Foley Quality of Student Experience Award

For his efforts to make the field of engineering more inclusive for women and Indigenous people, Jason Bazylak has received the Joan E. Foley Quality of Student Experience Award. 

The honour is one of the Awards of Excellence presented by the University of Toronto Alumni Association in collaboration with the university. The prestigious program dates back to 1921 and recognizes outstanding faculty, staff and students.

Bazylak is an associate professor, teaching stream, in the department of mechanical and industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. A Métis engineer from Saskatchewan, he is also an adviser to the dean on Indigenous initiatives and the principal investigator at the Centre for Indigenous Research into Cultivating Engineers.

In awarding the honour to Bazylak, the alumni association noted that, as coordinator and instructor for the flagship first-year design course, Bazylak helps launch the careers of approximately 1,000 engineering students each year. In his research and teaching, he identifies barriers to entry (especially for women and Indigenous students), designs more welcoming student experiences, and uses technology to improve student engagement.