Professor Emeritus M.U. (Mel) Hosain died on May 23 following a sudden illness.

Dr. Hosain was born in Calcutta, India in 1938. He graduated from the University of Dacca (Dhaka, now Bangladesh) in 1960 with a BSc. in Civil Engineering, received his MSc. in 1963 from the University of Manitoba, and was awarded a PhD in Structural Engineering from Dalhousie University in 1969.

Dr. Hosain started his academic career as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) in 1969, and ultimately was promoted to full professor in 1979. Dr. Hosain’s teaching and research interests were in the general area of structural engineering. Specifically, Dr. Hosain specialized in the behavior and design of structural steel and composite floor systems with his work being adopted to CSA S6, the code for structural steel design in Canada.

Dr. Hosain was a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. He was also a respected teacher and was honored with a Master Teaching Award from the University of Saskatchewan in 1999-2000, and the CCPE Medal for Distinction in Engineering Education by the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers in 1995.

Dr. Hosain believed strongly in public service and giving back to the community. He was instrumental in establishing the Saskatoon chapter of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) and served as the organization’s national president in 1998.

Very importantly for the College of Engineering, Dr. Hosain, along with Dr. Chudobiak, founded the C.J. Mackenzie Gala in 1976. It has become known within the engineering community as the premier event where engineers gather, connect with students, network, and celebrate a distinguished USask Engineering alumni.

Dr. Hosain also actively volunteered with United Way Saskatoon, the Friendship Inn, and the Boy Scouts.

Outside of engineering, Mel was an avid photographer and generally looked at the world through a telescopic lens, had a great love of travelling and gardening, and was an avid Montreal Canadiens fan. He is survived by his children, Jason, Greg, and Lana as well as his grandchildren Logan, Jillian, and Emily. He is also survived by his ex-wife Joan and her family and numerous family members in India.

A celebration of life is planned for Thursday, June 27 from 7 to 9 pm at Marquis Hall on the University of Saskatchewan campus .

Donations in support of engineering scholarships at USask Engineering are requested in lieu of flowers. 

Event Details

When:
Time:
07:00 PM - 09:00 PM CST
Location:
Marquis Hall, University of Saskatchewan

Related Links