Pauline Wong is the Assistant Director of IP Osgoode.

On November 1, 2011, at an event titled, “Engineering The Future”, York University President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri announced a $25-million dollar transformative donation from Pierre Lassonde, Chair of Franco-Nevada Corporation, for an expanded School of Engineering at York’s Keele Campus.  The Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University reported on the announcement in a press release.

“York has wanted a full-scale engineering school since 1963, yet still has only about 300 students in specialized programs such as geomatics engineering. Now it is spending $100-million, including Mr. Lassonde’s money and $50-million from the province, on a new faculty and building expected to hold 2,000 students by 2020”, the Globe and Mail reported in a series showcasing philanthropists, including Pierre Lassonde.

Mr. Lassonde’s transformational donation will lead to the creation of the Lassonde School of Engineering at York University by anchoring the construction of a new engineering building.  In addition, the Computer Science and Engineering Building has been renamed the Lassonde Building, as reported in an article in the YFile, York University's daily bulletin.  The Faculty of Science and Engineering had previously announced the Government of Ontario’s commitment of $50 million for the new engineering building at York University.

For a report on the announcement and celebration on November 1, 2011, read the reflections of John Dupuis, Head of the Steacie Science and Engineering Library at York University in his blog, Confessions of a Science Librarian.