Mohamed Lachemi

As an internationally recognized researcher and accomplished academic administrator, Mohamed Lachemi has been a key contributor to the growth and development of Toronto Metropolitan University over a transformational time in the university’s history.

A TMU professor of civil engineering since 1998, he has served in progressively senior roles, including dean of the faculty of engineering and architectural science, and provost and vice-president academic. He has welcomed extraordinary new scholars and students to TMU, overseen the creation of a new Faculty of Science, and represented TMU in Poland, Germany, South Africa, the UK, and India, meeting TMU alumni worldwide. In consultation with the TMU community, he brought in the university’s academic plan, Our Time to Lead 2014-19, and as president he is championing its shared values and strategic goals.

Working with academic leaders, he has promoted the outstanding success of innovation clusters such as the Centre for Urban Energy and TMU’s signature entrepreneurial zone learning model; as well as ground-breaking partnerships such as the Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Science Technology (iBest) with St. Michael’s Hospital, and a national consortium on Big Data. Based on the success of the Law Practice Program offered in collaboration with the Law Society of Upper Canada, he has launched a feasibility study for a law school at TMU, and is extending the university’s dedication to city-building with a survey on the design of spaces that constitute the public realm.

Dr. Lachemi is well known for his pioneering research in high-performance materials and advanced technologies to mitigate the effects of built structures on the environment. He held a Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Construction from 2002-10, and funding sources for his work include the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Innovation Trust, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Ontario Centres of Excellence, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Hydro-Québec and Manufacturing and Materials Ontario.

An award-winning teacher and mentor, he has acted as supervisor, co-supervisor, or advisor for over 60 Masters and PhD students, post-doctoral fellows and research associates. Publishing in English and French, Dr. Lachemi has more than 200 peer-reviewed technical publications, book chapters and conference proceedings, and extensive contributions as an editor and technical reviewer. He has delivered more than 50 keynote addresses and invited presentations around the world. He is active in advancing international research collaboration, including membership in numerous professional societies and organizations.

A graduate of l’Université des Sciences et de la Technologie d’Oran in Algeria (civil engineering, with distinction) and L’Université de Sherbrooke (MASc and PhD, Structural Engineering), Dr. Lachemi worked with Concrete Canada as a postdoctoral fellow and research associate, followed by a visiting professorship in Applied Science at Artois University in France. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and a Board member of OneEleven and Trillium Health Partners.