蓝莓视频

University of 蓝莓视频 alumni and longtime supporters David J. Cornfield (BASc 鈥�85, LLD 鈥�24) and Linda Archer Cornfield (LLD 鈥�24) recently announced their transformational investment of $10.5 million to the Faculty of Engineering鈥檚 Department of Systems Design Engineering.

The gift听accelerates听the department鈥檚听ability to educate agile,听ethical听and impact-driven engineers by investing in people, learning spaces, research capacity and global experiences that connect design,听sustainability听and health.听

鈥淲e are deeply grateful to David and Linda Cornfield for their generous gift, which strengthens 蓝莓视频鈥檚 Systems Design Engineering program and advances our university鈥檚 vision to educate innovative problem solvers for a complex world,鈥� said Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor, highlighting the importance and impact of this philanthropic contribution. 鈥淭heir support is enabling new classrooms designed for active, collaborative learning, a named chair to renew core design courses and expanded opportunities for students to engage globally. Together, these investments empower our community to lead in creating equitable and sustainable solutions for humanity and our planet.鈥�

A visionary contribution with an immediate impact听

The听gift听is already making an impact with听the establishment of听the听George Soulis Chair in Systems Design Engineering to advance the department鈥檚 founding vision 鈥斕齮o听educate听engineers听who can听bridge systems thinking with design practice to create integrated,听participatory听and human-focused solutions听to pressing global challenges.听听

Dr. Katherine (Kate) Sellen, a leading design researcher working at the intersection of health innovation and human-centred systems,听was appointed the inaugural George Soulis Chair听in May 2025. Sellen听leads听the renewal of听core design courses听and student spaces to enrich students鈥� interdisciplinary learning experiences and听better听equip them for an increasingly complex world.听听听

Sellen has led the design of听a听new听design听classroom听which听opens听in 2026. This expansion and modernization of听existing spaces into larger, purpose-built classrooms听will听enable more active, collaborative and design-focused learning for students across the program.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a busy first few months working with colleagues on a new classroom design and supporting some new research and teaching initiatives,鈥� Sellen says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a warm and creative team and a privilege to be working together.鈥澨�听听

The听name of the new chair听pays tribute to the听legacy of the late听professor George Soulis,听one of the founders of听systems design engineering at 蓝莓视频.听As a former student,听David J. Cornfield credits Soulis鈥檚 drive for interdisciplinary innovation听with shaping his own career,听from听working at Microsoft to becoming an award-winning documentary producer alongside his wife Linda.听听

鈥淎s 1A systems design students, we were self-selected ad-hoc problem solvers, but Professor Soulis gave us a powerful vision that design and problem solving could be studied as a discipline, reinforced by his practical workshop courses,鈥� David says. 鈥淗e described a general听methodology听that applied to every kind of problem 鈥� from technical to artistic to socio-economic听鈥斕齛nd showed how, by attending to this听methodology, you could avoid many of the pitfalls that befall complex innovative projects. That foundation has been essential to every aspect of my career, and听I鈥檓听very happy听to honour Professor听Soulis and support Systems Design Engineering in听maintaining听and expanding his vision of a transdisciplinary, practical engineering education.鈥澨�

Giving students听advanced听learning spaces and experiences听

The听Cornfields鈥櫶齡ift听invests in the student experience in听tangible听ways that prioritize learning environments,听from upgraded facilities on campus to real-world problem-solving opportunities听in the field.听

Upgrades to biomedical engineering facilities are underway to enhance interdisciplinary research and graduate training. The new infrastructure will support teams advancing innovations in areas such as hearing loss diagnosis and treatment, and microrobotics for medical applications. The department is proud to name one of the spaces the David J. Cornfield Biomedical Engineering Lab.

David J. Cornfield and Linda Archer Cornfield outside the newly-named lab.听

The gift funds the department鈥檚 Clinician-in-Residence program which connects students directly with health-care professionals. Now in its second year, the current clinicians, a cardiologist and an occupational therapist, work on campus one half-day per week to consult with students, offer practical insights from the frontlines and facilitate shadowing experience in health-care settings. Through mentorship and in-clinic experiences, students gain a deeper understanding of how technology, people, and policy intersect within the health-care system.

Undergraduate students can now also broaden their co-op work term experiences through co-op research placements for students investigating AI, ethics and trust. A new Co-op for Good: Systems Design Engineering program has also been launched, which funds mission-driven placements with non-profits, charities or NGOs addressing social or environmental challenges. The program鈥檚 first two students are applying their engineering skills to real environmental and civic challenges while building strong technical and teamwork experience. One is advancing marine biodiversity and water quality through automated oyster-reef restoration research in the Netherlands, and the other is improving charitable effectiveness as a full-stack developer for a transparent donation platform.

The gift also supports the department鈥檚 efforts to educate engineers equipped to design responsible, impactful technologies through the Cornfield PhD Fellowship in Sustainable Energy Systems and two new courses: AI and Society and Technology and Film. Keeping with the department鈥檚 historical connection to Ashesi University in Ghana, the funds will also support ongoing partnerships with Ashesi with a four-week, place-based field course starting in summer 2026 where students will tackle local environment, water and health challenges in Ghana.

鈥淭his gift is directly elevating听our听students鈥� learning听by听embedding ethics and societal context into engineering education and expanding hands-on opportunities,鈥澨齭ays听Dr. Lisa听Aultman-Hall,听chair of the Department of Systems Design Engineering. 鈥淎t the same time,听our听faculty听members听and staff are inspired by David and Linda鈥檚 passionate work and advocacy on climate change and social justice. It is听such a pleasure听to听consider them part of our听community.鈥澨�

Feature image (left to right): Dean Mary Wells, President Vivek Goel, David J. Cornfield, Linda Archer Cornfield, Dr. Lisa Aultman-Hall, Dr. Kate Sellen and Dr. Ed Jernigan. Photo credit: Samuel Chen.听