Dr. Rabab K. Ward is an esteemed Professor Emeritus in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC), renowned for her pioneering contributions to engineering, education, and research. She was the first woman to be appointed as a professor in engineering in British Columbia, marking a significant milestone in advancing women in STEM fields.
Her academic journey began in Lebanon, where despite graduating high school as the top student, she was denied admission to the American University of Beirut's engineering program because of her gender. She pursued her passion for engineering at Cairo University, earning her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1966. Dr. Ward later completed her master's (1969) and Ph.D. (1972) in electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley.
Dr. Ward’s illustrious career spans over four decades, during which she has made significant advancements in signal and image processing, including contributions to image encoding, restoration, and enhancement. Her groundbreaking work has found applications in cable TV, HDTV, medical imaging, infant cry analysis, and brain-computer interfaces. She holds nine patents, with her innovations licensed to major industries in the U.S. and Canada. Notable among her contributions are non-intrusive video impairment measurement methods, licensed to Hewlett-Packard, and a system for measuring fish size and biomass, licensed to J.B. Thompson and Associates.
Beyond her research, Dr. Ward has demonstrated exceptional leadership in academia and professional societies. At UBC, she directed the multidisciplinary Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems (1996-2007) and led initiatives to enhance research funding and scholarship as part of the Vice-President Research and International Office (2008-2015). She has supervised nearly 100 graduate students and has published extensively, with over 240 journal papers and 350 conference articles.
Dr. Ward has also been an influential figure in the IEEE, serving as President of the IEEE Signal Processing Society (2016-2017) and as IEEE Director Division IX (2020-2021). Her contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including fellowship in the IEEE, Royal Society of Canada, Canadian Academy of Engineers, and the Engineering Institute of Canada. She has also received prestigious awards such as the IEEE Signal Processing Society’s Society Award, the RA McLachlan Memorial Award, and UBC’s Killam Research and Mentoring Awards.
Dr. Ward's story is one of resilience and groundbreaking achievement, inspiring generations of engineers and breaking barriers for women in science and technology.
NCCAR is Celebrating November - Lebanese Heritage Month under the patronage of the Embassy of Lebanon, Ottawa.
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