Advisory Board
Saloumeh Rasouli is a seasoned professional with over 27 years of experience in the power industry. She specializes in project management and strategic leadership, while serving as a mentorship advocate. Rasouli is deeply committed to growing the engineering profession and supporting young talent; she views mentorship as a strategic approach to sustaining the growth and vitality of industry.
Khalid Malik is a Mechanical Engineer with 35 years of experience in plant engineering, nuclear systems, tribology, program management and equipment reliability. Currently he is the lead auditor general in the nuclear oversight engineering department at Ontario Power Generation (OPG). Malik is also on the Board of Directors for the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) and serves as a chairperson for the Certified Lubrication Specialist (CLS) Exam Committee.
Mo Bina is a full-time Scrum Master at General Motors and holds his master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a project specialization in Mechatronics from Ontario Tech University.
Oliver Zhang is an experienced Regional Sales Manager with a successful history working across diverse sectors including higher education, aerospace, automation, testing and measurement, sales management, solution and international sales, marketing, supply chain management, as well as sales process optimization and customer relationship management systems. Zhang holds a master’s certificate of Sales Leadership from the Schulich School of Business at York University.
Flavio Arssani is a Mathematician with an MBA in Strategic Business Management, specializing in accelerating digital transformation within industrial organizations. With expertise in digital thread, digital enterprise, smart manufacturing and digital twin, Flavio leverages his comprehensive knowledge to drive innovation and efficiency through manufacturing operations. He is committed to developing a growth mindset and empowering teams to embrace change and seize new opportunities. Arssani’s insights and experiences make him a sought-after speaker at various industry events, where he inspires audiences to navigate and thrive in the digital age.
Katherine Schoepp holds her MSc and PhD in Engineering. She currently works as a research and development team lead, focusing on consumable design and process development at Siemens Healthineers.
Amin Shams Khorrami is a dedicated Mechanical Designer with a Master of Applied Sciences in Mechanical Engineering from York University. He began his professional journey as a mechanical designer at RN MARK, a leading industrial printer manufacturing company. Demonstrating an aptitude for innovative design and engineering solutions, Khorrami advanced his career by joining Armstrong Fluid Technology as a mechanical designer. At Armstrong, he focuses on the design and development of HVAC and fire pump systems, contributing to the company’s mission of providing high-performance, energy-efficient solutions.
Gilbert Lai is a Research and Development Manager at Quanser, and a sessional faculty member at W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology at McMaster University.
Omer Khan holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Toronto. He is currently employed at Amphenol Communications Solutions and applies his passion for problem solving to his work spanning a range of industries including plastic injection molding, automotives and electronics. Khan is committed to working closely with universities to bridge the gap between academic studies and global challenges and needs.
Naizhen Cao holds a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University in China and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Chemical Engineering at Laval University. He is an industry veteran with extensive experience as a senior technical leader specializing in lithium and battery materials. Currently, Cao is the Vice President of Technology at Frontier Lithium, a preproduction mining company. He has published over 50 scientific papers and filed more than 60 patents, demonstrating proficiency in battery materials with a particular focus on lithium chemicals, metals and battery recycling.
I joined Honda of Canada manufacturing in 2019, where we proudly build Honda CRVs right here in Ontario.
After completing my PhD studies in department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Toronto, following with post-doctoral training, focusing on optimizing automotive paint application, I had the opportunity to bridge the gap between science and manufacturing. I started my career by applying my fundamental knowledge to optimize painting process. I grew professionally and personally to become a unit leader, through accepting and welcoming challenges, and working with diverse groups of talented professionals at HCM.
After completing my PhD studies in department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Toronto, following with post-doctoral training, focusing on optimizing automotive paint application, I had the opportunity to bridge the gap between science and manufacturing. I started my career by applying my fundamental knowledge to optimize painting process. I grew professionally and personally to become a unit leader, through accepting and welcoming challenges, and working with diverse groups of talented professionals at HCM.
Rehan Rashid is a recent graduate of the mechanical engineering program at York University and is now pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has gained valuable experience at several NASA facilities, including the Energy Systems Test Branch at Johnson Space Center, the Advanced Materials and Processing Branch at Langley Research Center, the Exploration Research and Technology Programs at Kennedy Space Center, and the Chemical and Thermal Propulsion Systems Branch at Glenn Research Center. Currently, Rashid is working as a mechanical design engineer for Tesla’s Semi-Truck program.
Farouk is a Mechanical Engineer/Project Manager at Kinectrics. His main work involves qualifying commercial equipment and materials for nuclear stations in Canada and abroad. He previously worked at OPG from 2019 to 2023. Farouk graduated from Lassonde in 2019 with research and co-op experience.