2024-2025 Local Scholarship Recipients Left To Right: Nicholai, Kaden & Felipe
June 20, 2025
The ISA Edmonton Section Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce that we have selected our 2024-2025 local scholarship recipients. A big thanks to Melody Dalley, Ana Stefanova & Bob Bahniuk from our Board for all their help administering these scholarships.
Successful Applicants / Scholarship Recipients:
NAIT - Kaden Van Domselaar
Funds provided by the ISA Edmonton Section in recognition of Bohdan (Bob) Bahniuk. Bohdan (Bob) Bahniuk graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering in 1974. Bob began his career in Automation with Barber Engineering in 1978. In 1988 Bob moved to Spartan Controls. Bob retired from Spartan Controls at the end of 2014.
Bob has volunteered for many different organizations in his lifetime. He joined ISA in 1980 and held many different positions on the ISA Edmonton Section Board of Directors, including Section President in 1989-1990. Bob’s most important contribution to ISA Edmonton Section is his many years of leadership with the ISA Automation Expo & Conference (AEC). Bob was awarded the ISA Distinguished Society Service Award in 2007.
Criteria For NAIT Students - One scholarship is awarded annually to a student enrolled in the Instrumentation Engineering Technology program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, based on satisfactory academic achievement in the term they took INST1260 (Introduction to Unit Operations). Preference is given to those who have volunteered with the ISA Edmonton Section or in the community.
Criteria For U of A Students - One scholarship is awarded annually to a student enrolled in the second year of the Computer Process Control program in the Chemical Engineering faculty at the University of Alberta. Preference is given to those who have volunteered with the ISA Edmonton Section or in the community.
Amount depends on accrued interest of endowment fund. Awarded annually. Scholarship decisions are made by a committee of ISA Edmonton Section board members.
Successful Applicants / Scholarship Recipients:
NAIT - Nicholai Shapka
U of A - Felipe Goncalves
Funds provided by the ISA Edmonton Section in memory of J.R. (Bob) Connell. Bob Connell was an ISA member for over sixty years. Bob was an ISA Fellow who had a distinguished career in Instrumentation and Process Control. Bob started his engineering career with Taylor Instruments working under Greg Ziegler. Bob worked on instrumentation systems for Imperial Oil Limited and Syncrude Canada Limited for thirty years. After Bob retired from Imperial Oil he worked as an Instructor at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).
Many NAIT students used Bob’s book, “Successful Instrumentation Applications.” The practical nature of his book helped many students understand how instruments work and how instruments are applied in the field.
Bob was a great supporter of students and a frequent contributor to ISA Edmonton Section Student Night. In 1994 Bob was honored by ISA with the Donald P. Eckman Education Award. Bob passed away on December 14, 2009 at the age of 84.
Criteria For NAIT Students - One scholarship is awarded annually to a student enrolled in the Instrumentation Engineering Technology program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, based on satisfactory academic achievement in the term they took INST2460 (Instrumentation Engineering). Preference is given to those who have volunteered with the ISA Edmonton Section or in the community.
Criteria For U of A Students - One scholarship is awarded annually to a graduate student (automation/control major) or undergraduate student (enrolled in the final year of an engineering undergraduate program) at the University of Alberta, based on satisfactory academic achievement. Preference is given to those who have volunteered with the ISA Edmonton Section or in the community.
Amount depends on accrued interest of endowment fund. Awarded annually. Scholarship decisions are made by a committee of ISA Edmonton Section board members.
"I’m truly honoured to be this year’s U of A recipient of the Bob Connell scholarship. From my first ISA Edmonton Section event, I wanted to make sure other U of A students could experience the same welcoming and inspiring community I did. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone at ISA Edmonton for the insights, conversations, mentorship, support, and this generous scholarship. I also want to thank all the U of A students who stepped up to volunteer and get involved with our student chapter this year. I’m so excited to see everything the chapter will accomplish moving forward." - Felipe
"Thank you to the ISA Edmonton Section for providing a platform for educational industry tours, insightful technical talks, and excellent networking opportunities. I am very appreciative of the experiences and support that ISA provides for students. It makes a difference." - Nicholai
"I am extremely grateful to the ISA Edmonton Section for awarding me the 2024-2025 Bob Bahniuk scholarship. Their support has been invaluable in both my academic and professional development over the past year. I truly appreciate everything they do for our industry and its future." - Kaden
