December 6, 1989-December 6, 2023: Reflecting on a Heartrending Anniversary

We must never forget the fourteen bright young women, aspiring engineers, senselessly and cowardly killed on that cold night, thirty-four years ago, at the Ecole Polytechnique.

For the last twenty-five years now, the victims of this tragedy have been commemorated through the Order of the White Rose, which supports female engineering students across the country. This initiative stands as a testament to the academic community commitment to promoting gender equality in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. This year’s recipient of the Order of the White Rose is Zhouhang Amelia Dai, a British Columbia native and doctoral student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Denouncing all forms of violence against women, in any environment, including the workplace, and advocating for more effective laws against gun violence, remain a necessity, sad to say, thirty-four years on.

Let us remain vigilant and unwavering in our dedication to a world where such tragedies are consigned to history. Together, let’s not let our guard down.