Canadian Academy of Engineering recognizes two Schulich researchers

A pair of Schulich School of Engineering faculty members have been recognized for their contributions to their profession.

Drs. Steven Bryant and Elena Di Martino, both PhDs, were among the 57 people inducted as Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) at a May 27 gala in Montreal.

The peer-elected and nominated fellowships honour those who provide leadership in education, infrastructure, innovation, energy and transportation, among other important facets of the engineering profession.

“I am delighted to welcome the new Fellows to the Academy whose impressive accomplishments and leadership in their respective fields have significantly advanced engineering in both Canada and around the world,” says CAE President Catherine Karakatsanis. “Their outstanding contributions and dedication to excellence serve as an inspiration to us all.”

Schulich Dean Anders Nygren says Bryant and Di Martino are leaders in their respective fields who have made tremendous contributions to the school and the world.

"Not only are they great educators and researchers, but they practice what they teach through their entrepreneurial endeavours," says Nygren. "Drs. Bryant and Di Martino are shining examples of creating impact through action, and we congratulate them on their latest recognitions through the Canadian Academy of Engineering."

A force in the energy sector

Finding solutions to environmental challenges in the energy industry has become the calling card of Dr. Steven Bryant.

The Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering professor has a wide-ranging research focus, including bionanohybrids (materials composed of both biological and nanomaterial components, offering unique properties and potential applications), negative emissions technologies and decarbonizing energy systems, all with the goal to integrate social innovation into the entire process of technology development.

UCalgary’s first Canada Excellence Research Chair, Bryant says he hopes changing the process will help industry avoid traditional pitfalls by taking a transdisciplinary approach.

His innovations in carbon capture and storage have led to start-ups such as Cnergreen and CalAgua Innovations, as well as a passion for working with the next generation of innovators through his role as a chief scientist with the Creative Destruction Lab.

"Peer recognition from the Academy feels like the ultimate honour,” says Bryant, who is also a member of the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute at the Cumming School of Medicine. “I am grateful for the opportunity to join such accomplished professionals and scholars, as the CAE seeks to serve society and I hope to help bring the Schulich spirit to this mission.”

Coming from the heart

Described as a “prolific author of high-impact publications and 10 patents,” Dr. Elena Di Martino has become a driving force of Schulich’s Department of Biomedical Engineering.

A long-time professor and world-renowned researcher, engineer and entrepreneur, she has dedicated her work to understanding the biological process that leads healthy heart tissue to become diseased.

Di Martino, who is also a member of Cumming's Libin Cardiovascular Institute, hopes to create a new generation of technological and bioengineering tools for improved diagnosis and personalized therapies for cardiovascular disease.

She recently received the 2025 Women in Engineering and Geoscience Champion Award from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta for her work in removing systemic barriers faced by women in STEM.

“It is a great honour to be named a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering,” says Di Martino, who also co-founded Vitaa Medical Solutions. “I hope my journey provides inspiration for young researchers and engineers to follow their dreams and make a positive difference in our world.”

The CAE is a non-profit organization established in 1987 to honour the past and shape the future of engineering.