13 Facts About Indira Samarasekera

Indira Vasanti Samarasekera is the former president and former vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta.

Indira Samarasekera has been a member of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, which advises on appointments to the Senate of Canada, since 2016.

Samarasekera was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, of Sri Lankan Tamil descent, and was married to a Sinhalese, Sam Samarasekera and was divorced when her children were 7 and 3 years.

Indira Samarasekera was only the second woman appointed to the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Engineering.

Indira Samarasekera succeeded Roderick Fraser as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta on July 1,2005, and served two terms, ending June 30,2015.

Indira Samarasekera was the first female president of any university in Alberta.

Indira Samarasekera has received honorary degrees from the University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, Queen's University Belfast, Universite de Montreal and the University of Western Ontario.

In 2018 Indira Samarasekera was awarded the Bessemer Gold Medal by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, an annual honour named after Sir Henry Bessemer awarded for outstanding services to the steel industry.

Indira Samarasekera was appointed to the board of directors for Scotiabank in 2008, and for Magna International in 2014.

Indira Samarasekera was appointed chair of the Worldwide Universities Network in 2012, serves on the CEO of the Year Advisory Committee and has served as both board member and chair of the National Institute for Nanotechnology.

Indira Samarasekera is on the board of directors of TC Energy, owner of the Keystone Pipeline, appointed in 2016.

Indira Samarasekera has served as a member of Canada's Science, Technology and Innovation Council, the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee on the Public Service, the Conference Board of Canada and the Public Policy Forum.

Indira Samarasekera continues to live at the home and pays rent based on fair market value.