Every year Western Engineering and Women in Engineering UWO commemorate the December 6th Memorial, Lynda Shaw, and participate in the White Ribbon Campaign. WiE encourages Western Engineering members to reflect upon these events and continue to grow as an inclusive community.

The Lynda Shaw Memorial Lectures at Western University were established in memory of Lynda Shaw. Lynda Shaw was a third year student at Western University studying mechanical engineering and was an active member of the community. Lynda was murdered near Highway 401 in 1990.

December 6th, 1989 is the date when 14 women (some of which were studying engineering) were killed at Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, which to this day remains as one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canada.

The White Ribbon Campaign is the world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equity, healthy relationships, and a new vision of masculinity. Since its inception in Toronto in 1991 in response to the École Polytechnique massacre, The White Ribbon Campaign has spread to over 60 countries around the world. White Ribbon asks men to wear white ribbons as a sign of their pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and girls. At Western Engineering, however, everyone is encouraged to participate in the campaign.

White Ribbon Campaign Website:  https://www.whiteribbon.ca/about.html

Ecole Polytechnique Massacre Information: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/polytechnique-tragedy