Marisa Sterling launched her term as the 101st president of Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) during the regulating body’s first ever virtual annual general meeting last week. That’s perhaps fitting for the assistant dean of University of Toronto’s faculty of applied science and engineering, responsible for diversity, inclusion and professionalism, who also spearheads the Engineering Change Lab.

Sterling holds a degree in chemical engineering from University of Toronto, is a fellow of Engineers Canada and a recipient of the Canada 150 Heritage Pin. She has previously been the manager of enforcement with PEO and served as president of the Ontario Professional Engineers Foundation for Education for eight years.

She’ll lead the 24-member PEO council for the 2020-21 term. As the eighth female president in PEO’s history, she immediately succeeds the seventh, Nancy Hill, who has just completed the 2019-20 term.