INNOVATION September-October 2012

President’s Awards Recipients

Anker Gram PEng • Meritorious Achievement Award

Creating new tools aimed at improving human health, Dr Mirza Faisal has applied his knowledge of biomedical engineering to help others. As an Associate Professor from the School of Engineering Science at Simon Fraser University, Dr Beg has spent the past 16 years focusing on diseases associated with advanced aging and the human brain. More recently, he has branched into finding cost-effective diagnostic tools in developing countries. Dr Beg is quickly becoming a promi- nent figure in the area of Alzheimer’s research and collaborates with researchers in Europe, Australia and North America to share the tools he has developed for analysis of brain images. In addition to his core research, Dr Beg has contributed to an array of community public health initiatives and acts as a reviewer on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Medical Physics and Imaging Committee. Demonstrating his tremendous commitment to the cause, Dr Beg climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2010 to support the Alzheimer Society of BC. His pioneer- ing research on brain pathologies paired with exceptional leadership within the Canadian and international biomedical community make Dr Beg a most deserving recipient of APEGBC’s Meritorious Achievement Award. For more than four decades, Anker Gram has been a pioneer in the field of liquefied natural gas (LNG), building liquefiers, fuelling stations and converting trucks to run on natural gas. As an engineer and early environmentalist, he set out to provide clean fuel for vehicles in the early 1970s and has been developing supporting technologies ever since. Most recently with Westport Innovations, Mr Gram has been instrumental in creating a cryogenic pump able to compress LNG to the high pressure required for heavy-duty commercial trucking applica- tions. As an example of his longstanding service to the profession and concern for public safety, Mr Gram was active for more than 40 years in contributing his expertise to a number of committees developing the codes of practice for safe operation of LNG vehicles and facilities. An intelligent, ambitious and compassionate engineer, Mr Gram is certain to leave a lasting imprint on his profession.

Dr Mirza Faisal Beg PEng • Meritorious Achievement Award

An internationally trained engineer who has achieved both professional and academic success, Dr Li is a positive role model to many. Following an impressive 26-year career with Telus/BC Tel where she worked in various capacities, Dr Li shifted her focus to professional service with APEGBC. Since 1999 she has tire- lessly served on numerous APEGBC committees, including the Division for the Advancement of Women in Engineering and Geoscience. As APEGBC President in 2008/2009 she led Council to complete a professional renewal project that has had a profound effect in positioning the association for the future. Serving her profession on a national level, Dr Li most recently completed a two-year term on the Board of Directors of Engineers Canada. Finding time to give back to her community as well, Dr Li serves on community service organization boards and is a longstanding member of her local Toastmasters Club. For her invaluable leadership and dedicated service to the profession, Dr Li is a fitting recipient of the D C Lambert Professional Service Award. Dr Margaret Li PEng FEC • D C Lambert Professional Service Award

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