Dr. Sheikh is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto and a Fellow of The Canadian Academy of Engineering. He was the Graduate Chair of the department from 1998 to 2004 and Academic Chair from 2009 to 2012. Before joining Toronto in 1989, he was a faculty member for over nine years at the University of Houston. He also holds adjunct High-Level Talent Research Professorship at Zhengzhou University, China.
He has served as Chair and member of several ACI-ASCE (American Concrete Institute-American Society of Civil Engineers) and CSCE (Canadian Society for Civil Engineering) technical Committees on Reinforced Concrete Structures. He is also active in several code committees and currently chairs the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) committee on Structures with FRP of the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code.
Dr. Sheikh’s major areas of research include behaviour of structures, seismic resistance of concrete structures and their upgrade, FRP-reinforced concrete structures for durable, resilient, and corrosion-free infrastructure to withstand extreme loads, environment, and climate change. He has authored over 250 papers published in international journals and conference proceedings and has a U.S. patent to his credit for an Expansive Cement.
His published research has formed the basis of many design provisions in North American, European, and Asian design codes among others. His work has been extensively cited by researchers and used by engineers. His research on upgrading structures with FRP has provided unique solutions for sustainability and resulted in several applications around the world. This innovative and economical solution for the deteriorating infrastructure has been featured in various TV programs such as CBC National, Discovery Channel, and print media. He has consulted on complex structural safety issues on a variety of structures around the world.

Dr. Sheikh has received several awards and accolades for his accomplishments including the coveted ACI Structural Research Award, CSCE Horst Leipholz Medal, CSCE A. B. Sanderson Award and The Senate of Canada Sesquicentennial Medal. He was also presented with the high Civil Award ‘Sitara-e-Imtiaz’ by the President of Pakistan for his achievements and services to engineering education. He has also received prestigious fellowships for lecture tours in Japan, China, Saudi Arabia among others.
Dr. Sheikh’s non-engineering activities are focused on understanding educational, social, economic, religious, and political complexities of struggling societies and providing help with educational activities in these regions.