Ferial El-Hawary

Biography

Ferial El-Hawary (M'82-S'86-F'99) was born on 20 March 1943 in Mansoura, Egypt. She received the B.Eng. degree from University of Alexandria, and the M. Sc. from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, in Electrical Engineering; and the Ph.D. in Oceans Engineering from MUN, Canada. Before receiving her Ph.D., she spent two years with her husband Mohamed El-Aref El-Hawary establishing a Higher Engineering Research Institute in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

Dr. El-Hawary was President of BH Engineering Systems Ltd. She served on the Faculty of Engineering at Dalhousie University, where she established and directed the Modeling & Signal Analysis Research Laboratory. Sustained research contribution devoted to OCEANS Application with significant impact on defense, navigation and Oil & Gas exploration. She has published widely in IEEE Journals. She was Editor-in-Chief of The Ocean Engineering Handbook and served as Associate Editor of IEEE Oceanic Engineering Journal. With more than twenty-five years experience in teaching Electrical and Signal Processing for Oceanic Engineering applications, she has made significant and sustainable contributions in promoting and developing continuing education programs. She was the founder of the Modeling and Signal Analysis Research Laboratory at the Faculty of Engineering at Dalhousie University, and founder of BH Engineering Systems Ltd., specializing in technology transfer and professional development courses, linking academic innovations to industrial needs.

Ferial has been invited by many of the IEEE International Conferences and University Institutions as a Plenary Keynote Speaker, including as Keynote Speaker at IEEE Control, Automation and Robotics (ICCAR’2019), Beijing, China April 2019, and invited by the World Ocean Council (WOC/SOS’19), Muscat, Oman, Feb. 2019. Also, invited by HKUST Univ. Hong Kong, January 2018, talk on: “Overview of Robotics Evolutions Emphasizing Underwater Applications”, Invited by the World Ocean Council (WOC/SOS’17), Halifax, NS, Canada, December 2017, Also accepted invitation by Guangdong Univ., EE Dept., Guangzhou, China, April 2017.

Ferial was a devoted IEEE volunteer for more than thirty years by serving IEEE and its Oceanic Engineering Society (OES) in many different capacities. She served the IEEE-Board of Directors, Board MGA (2008-2009), IEEE-Honorary Membership Committee and IEEE Fellows Committee member. Served EEE/OES Administrative Committee Member as OES Vice-President International Activities, and OES Membership Committee Chair. Ferial was recognized for her leadership in establishing many of the OES Chapters Globally. Served many of IEEE OCEANS Conferences as General Chair and Co-Chair, as well as IEEE Section Congress’08.

Ferial was the recipient for many awards recognizing her contributions with devoting services to IEEE and some of its Technical Societies: She was the recipient of 2017 -“Murugan Memorial Award” for her contributions to the Canadian Atlantic Section and IEEE, the IEEE-Systems Man & Cybernetics Society (SMC) Outstanding Contribution Award, 2008, IEEE- Educational Activities Board (EAB) Meritorious Achievement Award in Continuing Education, 2007, Marine Technology Society (MTS) Ocean Engineering Compass International Award, 2005, the J.J. Archambault IEEE/Eastern Canada Council Merit Award, 2002, IEEE Third Millennium Medal, 2000, IEEE/RAB Achievement Award, 1999 IEEE/OES Distinguished Service Award, 1997, Fellow of MTS, 1985, Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), 1997 and was a Fellow of IEEE.

El-Hawary died on 6 May 2021.