Edward M. Aziz, BESc'60

Partner and Former CEO, Hastings & Aziz Ltd.

Mr. Aziz received his Lauchland Engineering Alumni Medal in 2003.

Q & A

What would you consider your most treasured memory from your time as a Western Engineering student?

When I consider my time as an Engineering student at Western, (or at The University of Western Ontario, as I like to remember it), I have many fond memories. Chief among those are the many lifelong friends that I made, not only in Engineering, but also in the other faculties, such as PhysEd and Science, either by instructing in Water Safety & Life Saving or playing Inter-Faculty water-polo or swimming. Our graduating class had only 18 persons, so we all knew each other quite well and still to this day, enjoy our 5 year reunions, headed for number 12, in 2020.

Why do you value your Engineering degree?

My Engineering degree has been of great value to me in enabling me to move from graduate studies to computer engineering both at the University of London and with IBM and then to a rewarding and satisfying 50 years as a consulting engineer, here in London, where it all began.

As you reflect on the 150 year history of Canada, what do you consider the biggest Canadian engineering accomplishment?

There have been many significant Canadian engineering accomplishments over the last one and one half centuries, but I think that the one with the greatest long term effect has been the supply of clean drinking water and the treatment of waste water for almost all of the Canadian population. I’m sure that this has had a greater effect for overall good health than any medical advancement.