Omar Alghabra, former member of Parliament for Mississauga-Erindale and Ryerson alumnus, has been appointed a distinguished visiting fellow at the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science (FEAS) at Ryerson University. His appointment is effective until August 31, 2014.

Alghabra, a professional engineer who graduated from Ryerson’s mechanical engineering program, served as a member of Parliament from 2006 to 2008 and was the Shadow Cabinet critic for Citizenship and Immigration and Natural Resources. Prior to entering public life, he managed a North American business for General Electric’s Energy Services division, and worked as vice-president, corporate development, for Enbala Power Networks, a smart-grid engineering firm. Today, Alghabra is a senior strategy consultant with the Ontario Energy Board, working to promote innovation in the electricity marketplace.

“Ryerson University welcomes Omar Alghabra back to our academic community,” said Mohamed Lachemi, provost and vice president academic. “Distinguished visiting appointments such as Omar’s reflect how Ryerson programs connect to professional, real-world practice and enrich the experience of our students.”

As a distinguished visiting fellow, Alghabra will work with faculty to foster industry collaborations and partnerships, develop a mentorship program for engineering students, and facilitate a lecture/seminar series for students which will focus on professional skills development.

“We look forward to Omar Alghabra’s contributions to the faculty and students,” said Sri Krishnan, interim dean, FEAS. “His experience as a political leader, professional engineer, MBA graduate and community advocate will enhance the learning experience of our students and partnership building opportunities for our faculty.”

“As a student, Ryerson played a fundamental role in my life professionally and personally, and today I’m delighted to go back and help prepare students for their futures,” said Alghabra. “Ryerson continues to demonstrate innovative thinking when it comes to enhancing students’ experience and education, and I am excited to join such an institutional giant.”

Alghabra earned an MBA in finance, entrepreneurial studies and strategic management from York University and is a Continuous Improvement Six Sigma Black Belt. The third distinguished visitor to be appointed to FEAS, he joins the growing number of distinguished visiting fellows, professors and scholars appointed to Ryerson University since 2009. The distinguished visiting appointments provide Ryerson faculties with the unique opportunity to connect students, faculty and staff with highly regarded leaders in various fields. From a Canadian ambassador to an icon of business journalism, learn more about Ryerson’s distinguished visiting appointments at www.ryerson.ca/provost/appointments/index.html.