Suzanne Kresta (BScEng’86), a leader in engineering education, is working to create an environment where diversity, collaboration, and community impact are central to success.

From the University of Alberta to the University of Saskatchewan and now, the University of Prince Edward Island, Suzanne’s experiences in these three uniquely positioned university environments have shaped her understanding of what’s needed to make engineering education truly transformative.

Most recently appointed UPEI’s Dean of Sustainable Design Engineering in September 2024, Suzanne is committed to fostering a learning space that reduces barriers and focuses on building a culture that naturally attracts a wide range of students.

"I am interested in seeing everybody succeed," she says. "I am interested in what barriers are the biggest for our student body and what we need to do to improve success across the board for all types of engineering students. If we have a positive culture, then we’re going to have a diverse group of people attracted to it.”

At UPEI, Suzanne describes their transdisciplinary program as designed with a deep focus on working with community partners. With a province that is already heavily invested in innovation and sustainability, she says serving the community and making the biggest impact is an important part of the work.

By building community into the program’s first-year curriculum at UPEI, she says that students quickly understand the importance of collaboration. By the time students finish the program, they have worked on four different design projects, learning how to work with technical staff and external partners to bring them to fruition.

"Engineering is a team sport; nobody ever built a bridge with one person. Employers tell us that our students are not afraid to talk to anybody and they’re able to bring a diverse group of people together to solve problems. They bring a different kind of engineering perspective to the profession.”

During her time at the University of Saskatchewan, Suzanne became the first woman engineering dean in 2018. Her appointment signaled a shift toward greater inclusion within the faculty, with colleagues and students ready to embrace change.

"It was a lot of fun," she reflects on her transition into the role. “I love to see people with great ideas moving things forward. Having female colleagues and different perspectives at the table is critically important. It’s rewarding to still be at the table and to get to see it happen.”

During her tenure, Suzanne led the transformational redesign of first year programs called RE-Engineered, which was developed with a focus on rural and remote communities, including Indigenous populations, as well as student mental health. By targeting the areas that would most effectively support the entire student population, Suzanne says her team built a program designed to uplift everyone.

“The face of the student body has changed dramatically and that’s really exciting. I love seeing students interact in a much more diverse environment. It changes the way that we tackle and talk about problems.”

Reflecting on how far the industry has come and looking ahead to the next five years, Suzanne believes that continuing to build infrastructure in co-creative and collaborative ways will have a profound impact. “Engineering infrastructure is one of the cornerstones of civilization and without it, we really don’t have a lot of things that make our lives work – like transportation to hospitals, ability to move around the country, communication, clean water, and food supply chains.”

So, returning to her home city of Charlottetown and contributing to the province through her innovative work is especially meaningful. And she’s following in her mother’s footsteps, who worked for 17 years as a sessional instructor at UPEI.

Suzanne says the five years she spent at UNB were foundational to the success she’s had throughout her career. Looking ahead, she hopes to continue breaking down barriers and building a culture where all students have the opportunity to make an impact in their communities.

“We’ve come a long, long way from where we started.”