By Jeremy Davis
In a ceremony held on September 19 at Assiniboine Park Conservancy, Dr. Lotfollah Shafai, Ph.D., P.Eng., FIEEE, FRSC, FCAE, FEIC, was honoured with induction into the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board’s Citizens Hall of Fame. This recognition celebrates his groundbreaking achievements and innovations in satellite and wireless communications, antennas, and electromagnetics.
“As a preeminent scholar, distinguished electrical engineer, pioneering researcher, esteemed professor, Canada Research Chair, and globally acclaimed authority in antenna and satellite technologies, Dr. Lotfollah Shafai is an eminently worthy honouree for the historic milestone of the 50th inductee into the Citizens Hall of Fame,” said Cliff King, Chair of the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board’s Citizens Hall of Fame Selection Committee. “The Citizens Hall of Fame celebrates individuals who have profoundly enriched Winnipeg’s quality of life through extraordinary contributions. Dr. Shafai’s remarkable achievements and accolades have not only garnered international recognition for Winnipeg but have also solidified Canada’s leadership in satellite technology on the world stage.”
Dr. Shafai is credited with successes that include the miniaturization of satellite terminals which have become the industry standard around the world. He helped the Canadian Department of National Defence with the creation of radars to detect moving ships in oceans and moving targets on land. He also designed beam robotic antennas for Canadian peacekeeping forces to remotely detect and disable landmines, as well as advanced antennas for mobile satellites and remote sensing satellites such as the Canadian Space Agency’s RADARSAT.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Shafai has acquired an impressive list of over 45 prestigious local, national, and international technical awards that include Officer of the Order of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts Killam Prize in Engineering, the Booker Gold Medal from the International Union of Radio Science, Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, NSERC Synergy Award and is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair. Some of his numerous awards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) include Life Fellow, Reginald A. Fessenden Medal, Distinguished Educator Award, John Kraus Antenna Award and Third Millennium Medal, along with the IEEE establishing the Lot Shafai Mid-Career Distinguished Achievement Award in his honour. He was also named Outstanding Immigrant of Millennium by Canadian Human Rights and Race Relations.
“It is with profound admiration and privilege that I nominated Dr. Shafai for induction into the Citizens Hall of Fame, acknowledging his groundbreaking work in wireless communication antenna technology at the University of Manitoba,” said nominator, Kourosh Doustshenas. “This recognition is a testament to the remarkable impact he has made, and his contributions have not only advanced the field of science but have also put Winnipeg on the international map as a hub of innovation and excellence. What strikes me most about Dr. Shafai’s accomplishments is not just the brilliance of his scientific work, but his commitment to recognizing and fostering talent in others which is as commendable as his scientific achievements.”
The Citizens Hall of Fame was founded by the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board in 1986. The criteria for induction to the Citizens Hall of Fame requires that the individual must have brought recognition to Winnipeg or have made outstanding contributions to the quality of life and development of the city. The inductee’s achievements may be local, national, or international in scope. Located within Assiniboine Park, this unique award program proudly displays the likenesses of Winnipeg luminaries such as Carol Shields, C.C., O.M., F.R.S.C., Terry Fox, C.C., and The Honourable Murray Sinclair, C.C., and recognizes the individual contributions citizens have made to help establish and evolve Winnipeg as a city of diversity, humanity and accomplishment.
At a special induction ceremony, a bronze bust of Dr. Lotfollah Shafai, sculpted by local artist Madeleine Vrignon, was unveiled with family and friends in attendance. The bust will be installed in the Assiniboine Park Conservancy Citizens Hall of Fame site featuring a plaque containing a QR code, allowing visitors to scan and read his accomplishments.
For more information about Dr. Lotfollah Shafai, please visit https://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~shafai/
For a list of all inductees and visuals of each bronze bust, please visit www.winnipegregionalrealestateboard.ca/community/citizens-hall-of-fame
For more information about the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board’s Citizens Hall of Fame, its history, and the nomination process (see the ad on page 32), please visit www.winnipegregionalrealestateboard.ca/community/citizens-hall-of-fame/about-us
Jeremy Davis is the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board’s Director External Relations & Market Intelligence.