Madiha El Mehelmy Kotb, President, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Canada/USA.

Madiha El Mehelmy Kotb is president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She is a licensed engineer in the Province of Québec and heads the Pressure Vessels Technical Services Division for Régie du bâtiment du Québec, a Board established by the Québec Government to ensure the quality and safety of buildings and systems, including safety programs within the field of pressure vessels. She is also a member of the National Board of Boiler Inspectors representing the Province of Québec. In addition to her term as chair of the ASME Québec Section (2000-2003), Kotb has served as a member of the Society's Engineering for Global Development committee and held a key leadership role in the development of  Engineering For Change (E4C), a dynamic and growing community of engineers, technologists, social scientists, NGOs, local governments and community advocates whose mission is to improve quality of life in communities around the world. Beginning her engineering education in materials engineering at the American University in Cairo, Kotb is a graduate of Concordia University in Montreal where she received her bachelor and master's degrees in mechanical engineering. A recognized leader among her peers, she is a recipient of the ASME Dedicated Service Award and the Canadian Standards Association Award of Merit for her contribution to the development of Canadian nuclear standards. 

Kotb spoke about the creation of platforms for promoting engineering that addresses key societal and humanitarian needs such as food security, water security, disaster relief, and technologies to  improve human livelihood. She discussed the value of building international bridges through professional societies like ASME and initiatives such as Engineering For Change.