Dr. Veena Rawat

Dr. Rawat is currently the President of Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC). She has 28 years of experience with Industry Canada in managing programs related to spectrum engineering that involve standards development and access to spectrum for new radio services. Dr. Rawat has chaired many technical committees of Canadian and international organizations that deal with radio, spectrum and telecommunications issues and standards. In 2003, she became the first woman to chair the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) of the United Nations’ telecommunication organization which addressed issues impacting billions of investment dollars in the communications industry. She was awarded a gold medal by the Secretary General of the ITU for her chairmanship. She was the first woman to graduate from Queen's with a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Her work has garnered her much recognition, including the Canadian Women in Communications (CWC) Woman of the Year Award, the CWC Trailblazer Award, Industry Canada's Excellence in Leadership Award, and ITU's gold and silver medals for her contributions in the international arena. Dr. Rawat's efforts and contributions have led to a significant increase in the representation and recognition of women in leadership roles in national and international organizations.