Ahmed Elshaer, PhD, P.Eng.

Ahmed Elshaer is a distinguished faculty member dedicated to enhancing the resilience and sustainability of built environments against natural hazards, particularly focusing on wind and climate impacts. As the founder and leader of the Structural and Wind Engineering Research Laboratory (SWERL), Dr. Elshaer has spearheaded numerous significant research projects and supervised a diverse range of young researchers, from postdoctoral fellows to undergraduate students. With a wealth of academic and professional experience spanning multiple universities and engineering firms in Canada and overseas, Dr. Elshaer has contributed significantly to the field of structural engineering. His research portfolio includes innovative studies on wind impact on structures, Indigenous housing, modular structures, aerodynamic and structural optimization and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in structural applications. 

Dr. Elshaer's dedication to advancing the field of civil engineering is further demonstrated through his active involvement in professional organizations. He has served as vice chair of the Structures Division at the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering (CSCE), chair of the CSCE Structures specialty conference for three years, and as an evaluating committee member for prestigious funding bodies such as NSERC, FRQNT and the Ministry of Economic Development. 

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Dr. Elshaer has received several prestigious awards, including the Lakehead Merit Award in Combined Research and Administrative Services (2024), the Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiative competition (2022), the Year of Climate Action Award (2021) and the Alan Davenport Award of Excellence in Wind Engineering (2016). [email protected]