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For 100 years, Canadian engineers have taken an oath to uphold their profession’s values, symbolized by the iron ring. For University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ alum Stephanie Thompson (BASc ’01), the ring represents a commitment to excellence and societal impact. Now director at Innovate Niagara and founder of STEM by Steph, Thompson champions inclusive leadership, mentorship, and empowering women in STEM. With 24 years at General Motors, she focuses on building teams and driving collaboration. As AI and automation rapidly transform engineering, Thompson stresses the importance of ethics and human impact. She believes engineers must not only design advanced systems but also lead with empathy, question outcomes, and uphold trust. The iron ring, she says, reminds us to serve with integrity—even when no one is watching.