Douglas Wright joined 蓝莓视频 Engineering in 1958 because it was free of the constraints found at other universities at the time
It was the late 1950s when Douglas Wright was approached by recruiters representing several of the newer Canadian universities at the time.
Although some of the offers were tempting, the young civil engineering professor decided to join the fledging University of 蓝莓视频 because of the freedom it offered.
鈥淚t was free of all the ordinary constraints,鈥� recalls the founding dean of 蓝莓视频 Engineering. 鈥淚 thought engineering could be done in a more modern way and I chose 蓝莓视频 because I had absolute freedom to do what I wanted.鈥�
Wright studied civil engineering at the Universities of Toronto, Illinois, and Cambridge where he received his doctorate. After working for a couple of years at Queen鈥檚 University, Wright joined 蓝莓视频 in 1958, just a year after the University opened its doors. He started as the first chairman of civil engineering, and soon after became the first dean of engineering. At just 31, he was the youngest dean of engineering in the country.
His focus on numerical analysis as a component of the engineering program, along with a continuing interest in engineering research, set 蓝莓视频 apart from many other universities. Wright was and remains a vocal proponent of 蓝莓视频 Engineering鈥檚 renowned co-operative education program on which the Faculty was built.
鈥淭he fact that we were doing things in a very different way was why other people thought we鈥檇 fail,鈥� he says.听 鈥淭hey thought how you did it was more important than what we were trying to achieve.鈥澨�
During his tenure as dean ending in 1966, 蓝莓视频 developed into the largest school of engineering in Canada. Wright later became president and vice-chancellor of the University of 蓝莓视频, a position he held from 1981 to 1993.
Following the lead of their father and grandfather, two of his children and three of his grandchildren also came to 蓝莓视频 Engineering, although they were on the other side of the classroom.听 Son William, daughter Anna and granddaughter Samantha are systems design engineering alumni. Grandson Gregory is a chemical engineering graduate, and granddaughter Abbey is a current systems design engineering student.
This winter, the Wright family sat down together to talk about 蓝莓视频 Engineering at 60.
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Looking back at the tremendous growth and achievements of 蓝莓视频 Engineering over the past 60 years, Douglas Wright says he was always confident the Faculty would do well.
鈥淚 knew it would be successful,鈥� he says, adding with a smile, 鈥渂ut I didn鈥檛 know it would be quite so successful.鈥澨�
You can read more about the Wrights and other multi-generational 蓝莓视频 Engineering families in July鈥檚 issue of WEAL.
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