Schell receives CCIL Leadership Award
May 2, 2022
By
Adam Freill
Hannah Schell (Photo courtesy of CCIL)
The Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL) has named Hannah Schell this year’s recipient of its prestigious Leadership Award.
Retiring after a long and distinguished career with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), Schell is being honoured for her many contributions to the development of engineering standards for concrete in highway infrastructure construction and rehabilitation, including concrete testing standards, and for her leadership in encouraging the full partnership of industry stakeholders, such as CCIL.
As head of the MTO’s concrete section in the Materials and Engineering Research Office, Schell directed a group of expert engineers and technicians responsible for developing ministry-specific technical standards and specifications for public infrastructure in Ontario, troubleshooting concrete performance and testing issues, and incorporating new products and technologies in MTO construction and quality assurance operations.
When CCIL acquired the Concrete Laboratory Certification program from the Canadian Standards Association in 2009, Schell was chair of the CSA 283 Technical Committee and was instrumental in helping in a smooth transition. Since then, she has been integral to the development of CCIL’s internal policies relating to the governance of the program and an active participant on its Concrete Certification Program Administration Committee, which oversees the national concrete testing laboratory and technician certification program.
More recently as manager of MTO’s Engineering Materials Office, she worked with industry sectors and associations, including CCIL, to develop progressive and effective policies and standards to ensure the long-term performance and durability of Ontario’s highway infrastructure.
“For more than 40 years, Ms. Schell has been a driving force in fostering consultation and collaboration between government and the private sector,” said Trevor Gluck, president of CCIL. “This partnership approach has allowed us to work together in ensuring that we have the highest standards for concrete construction, materials, and testing methods, and that our highways are among the safest, most durable and best performing in the world.”
Schell graduated as a civil engineer, with bachelor and master’s degrees from Queen’s University, and has been licensed as a professional engineer in Ontario since 1981. In addition, she also taught a post-graduate course on infrastructure renewal at the University of Toronto’s Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering and served as a member of the Ryerson Civil Engineering Advisory Council.
“In my role at MTO and also from the perspective of developing national standards through the Canadian Standards Association, I have been a strong supporter of CCIL’s laboratory and technical certification programs,” commented Schell. “It was always a pleasure and an education to work with individuals from CCIL whose knowledge and expertise is so strong.”
