President of Waterloo on Nova Scotia's innovative region
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Meet Nova Scotia alumnus and ConnectNS member Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo.
Dr. Hamdullahpur's ties to Nova Scotia run deep - which was highlights during his recent keynote at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce on February 24th, 2016. We had the pleasure of catching up with Dr. Hamdullahpur to learn more about his unique relationship with the province.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Nova Scotia”?
My wife and sons. I earned my Ph.D. at TUNS (Dalhousie), met my wife in Nova Scotia, and our boys were born there. To me, Nova Scotia is family.
What do you love most about your role at the University of Waterloo?
Seeing - and helping to enable - young people's potential to be realized.
What is the best lesson you ever learned?
Always be over-prepared rather than under-prepared.
What is the greatest asset Nova Scotia can offer to the higher education sector?
Human capital. The success and value of post-secondary education depends on flows of talented students and graduates, and Nova Scotia has a tremendously talented pool of young people. It's part of what drew me to Nova Scotia to earn an advanced degree and serve students while working at Dalhousie University. When I visited Nova Scotia recently to talk to the Halifax Chamber of Commerce about the future of post-secondary education, I was impressed and energized by Nova Scotia's power and potential as an innovative region.
What do you miss most about Nova Scotia?
The ocean. I'm from sea-side Istanbul, and promised myself I'd never move away from the water. So when I came to Nova Scotia, I was able to keep my promise. Then I went to Carleton University in Ottawa and thought to myself, "Hey, at least we've got the Rideau." Now, in land-locked Waterloo, I content myself with our bucolic but man-made Conestoga Lake. It's not an ocean, but it's ours, and it's beautiful.
Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur is a member of the ConnectNS network of proud Nova Scotians, alumni, and expats from over 40 countries. Learn how you too can get involved.