Donna Jean Kilpatrick was welcomed as Canadian Society of Chemical Engineering President, taking on the role following the CSChE Annual General Meeting in Edmonton, AB on October 24, 2017.
Donna Jean Kilpatrick holds a BSc in chemical engineering from Queen’s University (1980) and a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Ottawa. She began her career with nine years in the petroleum and chemicals industries working for Esso Chemicals Canada, Imperial Oil and Betz Chemicals Canada. During this time she gained experience in industrial projects and production plant process operations and equipment maintenance as well as health, safety and environment and Responsible Care programs. Subsequently, as a professor at Algonquin College, she spent nine years teaching technical courses and overseeing student design and research projects in chemical engineering, materials science, environmental engineering and mechanical engineering technologies.
Kilpatrick has worked for the federal government since 2000 including research at NRCAN on innovative processes for carbon dioxide capture at coal burning power plants. From 2000–2008 she worked for Environment Canada where, as head of the Chemical Production Industries group, she led the development of new standards and regulatory instruments to control air emissions of toxic substances and greenhouse gases from Canadian industrial facilities. Since 2008, Kilpatrick has held the position of director, engineering and technical services in the Small Craft Harbours program at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Her responsibilities include federal infrastructure asset management, environmental regulatory compliance and addressing issues related to climate change and contaminated sites.
From 2009—2014 Kilpatrick served on the board of directors of the Ottawa Valley Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (A&WMA) where she held the positions of secretary, vice-chair, chair and past-chair. She also served on the 2013 A&WMA Canadian Events Organizing Committee and the 2013 nominations committee for the international A&WMA Board elections. Kirkpatrick currently serves as treasurer on the board of directors of the Real Property Institute of Canada.
The full CSChE Board list can be viewed at www.cheminst.ca/about/cic/csche.