Our History

Selected Milestones from the Faculty of Engineering and Design

2023

Carleton celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Faculty of Engineering and Design.

2023

2022

Carleton opens all-new Engineering Design Centre, a 25,000-square-foot facility of dedicated space for a maker space, design studios, workshop bays, central atrium and meeting and lounge spaces.

2022

2016

New Information Resource Management (IRM) undergraduate program is launched, along with the Master of Information Technology (MIT) in Network Technology and the MIT and PhD in Digital Media.

2016

2013

Carleton celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Engineering and Design.

2013

2012

Carleton opens the BlackBerry Teaching and Collaborative Research Centre, and the Delta Controls Laboratory.

2012

2011

The Canal Building opens, housing state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities in biomedical engineering, and sustainable and renewable energy engineering, including the Hydro Ottawa Laboratory for Smart Grid Technologies.

2011

2010

New Master’s programs in infrastructure protection and international security, and sustainable and renewable energy engineering are launched.

2010

2009

Construction begins on the $30 million canal building, which will provide space for expansion of research and teaching activity in biomedical engineering and sustainable and renewable energy.

2009

2008

The School of Architecture is renamed the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism in honour of a $4.4 million endowment to the school by alumnus Dr. David J. Azrieli.

New undergraduate programs in biomedical and mechanical engineering and in sustainable and renewable energy engineering are launched, as is a new Master’s degree program in industrial design.

2008

2007

A new $22-million building to house the Centre for Advanced Visualization and Simulation and the Human-Computer Interface Institute opens.

Three new undergraduate programs are inaugurated: aerospace engineering stream in space systems design, biomedical and mechanical engineering, and sustainable and renewable energy engineering.

2007

2006

The Joint Institute for Biomedical Engineering is established, involving several departments from Carleton and the University of Ottawa. The institute offers a new MASc program in biomedical engineering. An undergraduate program in biomedical and electrical engineering is inaugurated.

2006

2003

$18-million Azrieli Pavilion approved to house the Carleton School of Information Technology, the National Capital Institute of Telecommunications and the graduate program in architecture.

2003

2002

Carleton University and Algonquin College introduce a joint Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) degree to begin in 2003.

2002

2001

The Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Environmental Engineering is created to house the new Masters and PhD programs in environmental engineering.

Thesis-based Master of Applied Science degrees in engineering are approved to distinguish them from the course-based Master of Engineering degrees in all the joint graduate programs with the University of Ottawa.

2001

2000

A three-storey addition to the Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering (CASE) is completed.

2000

1999

A $6.4-million expansion to the Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering is approved. The addition of three floors will provide additional teaching and research space to accommodate the significant growth in informational technology programs.

Senate approves new MEng and PhD programs in Environmental Engineering.

Other new programs include a BA (Honours) in Theory of Architecture.

The Nortel Networks-Carleton University Laboratory for Advanced Materials Research at Carleton University opens, allowing researchers to create the next wave of information technology products.

The Texas Instruments and Nortel Networks DSP Lab for Advanced Communications Research and Education opens in September, making Carleton the first university in Canada to become a Texas Instruments (TI) digital signal processing (DSP) “elite” laboratory.

The wind tunnel in the MacKenzie Building is renamed to illustrate the long-established relationship between Carleton University and Pratt and Whitney Canada (PWC). The lab gives graduate students, researchers and PWC engineers the opportunity to collaborate on leading-edge turbine aerodynamics research.

1999

1998

New programs established in Computational Chemistry, Engineering Physics and Software Engineering. Master of Science in Information and Systems Science (MScISS) program expanded.

1998

1997

School of Architecture modifies its program to create a four-year degree program, with the professional designation provided by the two-year Master’s program.

New undergraduate program in Communications Engineering established. Cooperative education programs offered in all engineering programs.

1997

1994

New Industrial Research Chair in Performance Engineering of Real-time Software established.

1994

1992

Department of Civil Engineering renamed Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The Carleton University Art Gallery and the Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering are opened.

1992

1990

The university’s $30-million Challenge Fund campaign surpasses its goal and a $1.5 million enhancement campaign is launched. The extension to the MacOdrum Library is complete and construction of the Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering begins.

1990

1989

Department of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering renamed Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

“Challenge Fund” surpasses 80% of its goal and capital projects are initiated for additions to the Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering.

1989

1988

Canada’s first Bachelor of Engineering program in aerospace engineering is established.

Bell-Northern Research Limited and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council provide funding for an Industrial Research Chair in computer-aided engineering within the Department of Electronics.

The departments of Electronics and Systems and Computer Engineering are major partners in the Telecommunications Research Institute of Ontario (TRIO), one of seven “centres of excellence” chosen by the provincial government for scientific research.

1988

1986

An annex on the top floor of the Architecture Building is constructed to provide additional space for the Faculty of Engineering.

1986

1984

Establishment of joint graduate programs with the University of Ottawa – Ottawa Carleton Institute for Research and Graduate Studies in Civil, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering.

1984

1983

Establishment of the joint graduate program with the University of Ottawa – Ottawa Carleton Institute for Research and Graduate Studies in Electrical Engineering.

1983

1981

Establishment of the Bachelor on Engineering – Computer Systems Engineering Program.

1981

1973

First degrees in architecture awarded.

Establishment of the School of Industrial Design.

1973

1968

Establishment of the School of Architecture.

1968

1963

Faculty of Engineering established.

1963

1961

First degrees awarded in engineering.

1961

1957

Establishment of the School of Engineering.

1957

1945

Beginning of day classes and full time teaching. Establishment of the faculty of Arts and Science, which included classes in engineering.

1945