I always knew that I wanted to go into engineering rather than a pure science like mathematics or chemistry. During CEGEP I was about to apply to chemical engineering when a friend of mine (thanks Dave!) invited me to a metallurgical engineering event at McGill. (Back then, it was metallurgy not material science.) I did some research and found that metallurgy was very strong on the chemistry side, more so than chemical engineering. At the last minute, both of us ended up applying to metallurgical engineering at McGill.
What I liked about the department was that it was very small. I think there were eight of us in our graduating class. All of the professors knew who we were and knew our names. Professor Bill Williams, who died recently, made sure that each of us had a summer job. If we couldn't get one on our own, he called on his network to help us. This was before the co-op programs that exist today. I went on to earn my PhD from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto.
I am still in touch with another one of my professors, Bill Davenport, who currently lives in Arizona. On my first day at McGill, he said: “Join metallurgy and you'll see the world.” I didn't appreciate it at the time, but that's what Mining & Metallurgy is about. There are not a lot of mines in downtown Montreal or Toronto or Vancouver. But in my career, I have visited over 70 countries. I’ve worked in Norway, Belgium, Sweden, and of course Canada. Currently, I work for Sherritt International which has operations inside and outside of Canada. I have visited some amazing places thanks to my work.
Advice to students
What I would recommend to students is to take advantage of extra-curricular activities and living in Montreal while going to McGill. Today, when we interview students for jobs, we take note of those who have taken part in organizing events, because it shows leadership and collaborative skills. And these activities are the things that you remember from your time at McGill. Yes, study hard, but grades are not the only thing that you want to get out of your university experience.
Giving back
Professor Davenport had quite an impact on me. During our first week, he gave us an application form and told us to become members of the CIM (The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum) by attaching a $10 bill to the form. I’ve been a member since 1977. I am a past president of the metallurgical society and I’m currently on the board of trustees for a charitable organization that gives scholarships to students.
I've always tried to give back to McGill and to society in general. I received a distinguished lecturer award from the CIM. They sent me across Canada to give talks on different subjects. The student groups are the most fun because you meet the next generation of students and get to talk to them and interact with them in a social setting.
Attended McGill on a scholarship
Growing up, we didn't have a lot of money – I attended McGill on a scholarship. I personally get a lot of satisfaction seeing students who otherwise couldn't go to university get a scholarship. I try to get involved. I always try to ask, how can I help? McGill was very good to me and now it’s time to help out whenever I can.