Peter Roe
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Introduction
Dr. Peter Roe is the President and CEO of Watlan and a former Professor of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo. Upon his retirement in 2002, he was one of the longest-serving academics in the history of the university. Peter is an Adjunct Professor Emeritus in Systems Design Engineering and an Honorary Member of the University. His achievements include co-founding the Department of Systems Design Engineering, pioneering engineering design theory and education, leading the development of ground-breaking network technology, basic contributions to graph-theoretic system methods and an extensive body of scholarly publications. Peter also sits on the City Council of Wilmot Township, representing Ward 2.
History
Peter joined UW on Sept. 15, 1959 after completing an undergraduate engineering physics degree at the University of Toronto. He came to Waterloo to enter a master's program in engineering and to teach. He taught and studied in the first building on campus, the chemical engineering and chemistry building, now known as the Douglas Wright Engineering Building.
In the spring of 1960, Peter received his master's degree, becoming UW's fifth alumnus. He completed his PhD two years later to become the first PhD in the university's history. He took an assistant professorial appointment in UW's electrical engineering department immediately after finishing his PhD, becoming one of 45 engineering faculty members in four departments (chemical, civil, electrical and engineering).
Roe became a member of the committee, led by the late Prof. Wes Graham, that purchased the first computer, an IBM 610. This started what soon became the largest computer centre on any Canadian campus.
Dr. Roe helped create the department of Systems Design Engineering along with three other UW Engineering faculty members, professors George Soulis and H.K. Kesavan. The first Engineering Design course was offered to first year students in 1964. This led directly to to a contract from the organizational committee for Expo ’67.
He is the Past Chair and continues to serve on the Executive Committee of the Board of Renison College and as Chair of its Investment Committee. He is the Chairman of the Board of the Sandford Fleming Foundation and a member of both the Board and Senate of the University of Waterloo.
Peter's experience as an administrator and executive is long and varied. As Associate Dean, he was responsible for the undergraduate Engineering Program during ten years of explosive growth. As Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, he instituted combined degree programs and introduced new criteria for transdisciplinary studies. While serving as Associate Dean of Engineering for Undergraduate Studies at Waterloo, Dr Roe directed the development of a local area network for the Faculty of Engineering. This LAN, known as Watstar, quickly spread to include many other areas on campus and led directly to the creation of Watlan Inc. Currently he is Director of International Exchange Programs in Engineering for the University of Waterloo.
Peter has taught a multitude of courses at the University of Waterloo in Mathematics and Engineering and in continuing education. He has taught at universities in Nova Scotia and in the United States, France, Great Britain and Venezuela. The range of his subjects and their levels is remarkable - from remedial instruction to advanced post graduate courses; from teaching entrepreneurship to gifted teenagers in the Shad Valley program to instruction in specialized system analysis for oil-field engineers in Maracaibo.
Philanthropy
His professional activities are paralleled by equally full community service. He has coached soccer, helped in the development of a parent-owned bilingual school, and provided leadership for the Community Information Centre. He raises funds for the K-W Symphony Orchestra, leads an active life in church affairs and participates in the democratic process through active support of a national political party.
Awards and Accolades
- 1998 Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London.
- 1996 Chairman of the steering committee for the Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems
- Served as Program Director for Shad Valley Waterloo.
- Chairman of the International Symposium on Large Engineering Systems* Knight of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem. Founded in the twelfth century, it was originally set up to treat virulent diseases. Today it is a major charitable organization.
External Links
Dr. Roe's website Retrieved from "http://www.thewaterlooway.com/wiki/index.php?title=Peter_Roe"
