New chair for the Fedoruk Centre at USask

Hussein—former dean of engineering at the University of Regina, and professor emeritus--was elected chair by the Fedoruk Centre board at its May meeting.

“The University of Saskatchewan aspires to be the university the world needs and is leading research that will contribute to a cleaner energy future around the world,” said USask President Peter Stoicheff. “Dr. Hussein’s extensive leadership experience is well matched with the purpose of the Fedoruk Centre, helping to place Saskatchewan as a global leader in nuclear research, development and training with applications in energy, health, materials and society.”

Located at USask, the Fedoruk Centre invests in cutting-edge research programs and projects, partners with academia and industry to advance research and development, and manages the Saskatchewan Cyclotron Facility as a resource for innovators in nuclear imaging and therapy for humans, animals and plants. Since 2019, the Facility has also produced nuclear imaging agents enabling more than 14,000 PET-CT scans of cancer patients at the Royal University Hospital.

Hussein is a professional engineer, a fellow of the Canadian Society of Senior Engineers, a professor emeritus of engineering and applied science, and an adjunct professor in physics at the University of Regina. He is also a professor emeritus of mechanical engineering at the University of New Brunswick (UNB).

After completing his undergraduate studies and a master's degree in nuclear engineering at Alexandria University, Egypt, he also earned a PhD in nuclear engineering from McMaster University.  He was employed as a nuclear design engineer at Ontario Hydro (now Ontario Power Generation) prior to joining UNB, where he taught in chemical engineering then in mechanical engineering, and served as department chair and associate dean.

Hussein led a research program that focused on the industrial and medical uses of nuclear and atomic radiation for nondestructive testing and imaging to detect threat materials. His current research focus is on small modular reactors. 

He has supervised many graduate students, published numerous scientific papers and industrial reports, is a holder of six patents, and the author of three books on radiation science and applications.   His research has led to the establishment of a start-up company, Inversa Systems Ltd.

Hussein received the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019, the Canadian Nuclear Innovation Achievement Award in June 2003, and the Sylvia Fedoruk Prize in 2000.

“Dr. Hussein’s past experience in the nuclear industry and educating young nuclear engineers is beautifully matched to the Fedoruk Centre’s intention to devote more attention towards attracting new academic leaders to build the Saskatchewan workforce for innovation and safe, reliable operation of nuclear technologies in decades to come,” said Fedoruk Centre Executive Director John Root.

The Fedoruk Centre is a not-for-profit corporation with USask as its sole member and an independent board of directors appointed by the USask board of governors. The Fedoruk Centre board is responsible for providing high-level strategic direction and oversight of Fedoruk Centre operations.

For more information about the Fedoruk Centre, visit: https://fedorukcentre.ca/