Susan Tighe facts for kids

Susan Louise Tighe (born 1970) is a Canadian civil engineer. She is a leader in the field of engineering. She works as the Provost at McMaster University. She was also a deputy Provost at the University of Waterloo.

Susan Tighe is a member of important groups. These include the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers. In 2014, she joined the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada. This is a special honour for top thinkers. In October 2024, it was announced that she will become the 9th President and Vice-Chancellor of McMaster University.

Early Life and Education

Susan Tighe was born in 1970. She grew up and went to high school in the Catholic faith. She graduated from Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School.

After high school, she studied chemical engineering. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1993. This was from Queen's University at Kingston. She then worked for almost four years. She was at the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. Later, she went back to school. She earned her Master of Science and PhD degrees. She studied at the University of Waterloo.

Career Highlights

Working at Waterloo

After finishing her PhD, Susan Tighe joined the University of Waterloo. She became a professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department in 2000. Her research focused on engineering and transportation. She worked on committees for transportation groups.

In 2004, she won an award. It was the Engineering Medal for a Young Engineer. This award recognized her as a top researcher and teacher. It also called her a "beacon for women in engineering." The next year, she took on new roles. She became a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair. This helped fund her research. She studied how to reduce damage to roads and bridges. She also became an associate director. This was at Waterloo's Centre for Pavement & Transportation Technology.

In 2005, she received funding for new research. She investigated how to monitor roads and construction sites. In 2006 and 2009, she was named one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40. This award celebrates young leaders.

As her career grew, Susan Tighe received more honours. In 2011, she became the Endowed Norman W. McLeod Chair. This role focused on sustainable pavement engineering. She helped create a guide for road design in 2013. This guide was for the Transportation Association of Canada. Her work earned her national recognition.

In 2014, she received many awards. She was one of the first people to join the College of New Scholars. This is part of the Royal Society of Canada. She also won the Bleeds Black Award. This was for her dedication to teaching students. Later, she earned the Academic Merit Award. This award recognized her long-term work. It also praised her role in training future transportation leaders. In November 2014, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation named her. She was among Waterloo's top 10 influential alumni.

Susan Tighe also built research connections outside Canada. In 2016, she helped Waterloo's Centre for Pavement and Transportation Technology. It joined a research group in New Zealand. This group was at the University of Auckland. In the same year, she won another medal. It was for Research and Development. This came from the Ontario Professional Engineers. In 2017, she led the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. She also became Waterloo's Deputy Provost. Two years later, she was elected a Fellow. This was by the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers.

Moving to McMaster

In 2020, Susan Tighe left Waterloo. She became the Provost at McMaster University. This role makes her a top academic leader. In 2022, she received the Sandford Fleming Award. This award recognized her career achievements. It celebrated her work in civil engineering education and research.

Personal Life

Susan Tighe married Christopher Raymond in 1997.

See also

• List of University of Waterloo people