After serving as acting dean for a year, Heather Sheardown officially became the new dean of the faculty of engineering at McMaster University on July 1. The first woman to serve in this role, Dr. Sheardown has over 25 years of academic research, administrative and teaching experience and has led several key initiatives in the faculty, including supporting the mental health of students and staff as they returned to campus following pandemic closures. She holds a bachelor of chemical engineering from McMaster and a PhD in the same discipline from the University of Toronto.