The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada has named Victoria Kaspi, a professor of astrophysics and director of the Space Institute at McGill University, winner of the 2016 Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering. Dr. Kaspi’s study of neutron stars – the ancient remnants of the most massive stars in the Milky Way – has led to important discoveries in the field. She is the youngest researcher and the first woman to win the Herzberg Medal, an award that recognizes research excellence and influence in Canada over the course of a career in the natural sciences or engineering and represents NSERC’s highest honour. The prize comes with a grant of up to $1 million to go towards university-based research. Dr. Kaspi holds the Canada Research Chair in Observational Astrophysics and the Lorne Trottier Chair in Astrophysics and Cosmology at McGill. She has previously won a 2015 Canada Council Killam Prize, the Rutherford Medal from the Royal Society of Canada and the Prix Marie-Victorin, Quebec’s highest honour for scientists. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Queen’s University has appointed Benoit-Antoine Bacon provost and vice-principal, academic. Dr. Bacon will begin his five-year term on Aug. 1. Dr. Bacon has held the position of provost and vice-president, academic affairs, at Concordia University since 2013. Prior to his time at Concordia, he was dean of the faculty of arts and science, and associate vice- principal of research at Bishop’s University. As an administrator, Dr. Bacon has continued his research and teaching in cognitive neuroscience.
Cynthia Zutter has been named vice-provost at MacEwan University. Dr. Zutter, whose research focuses on archeology in northern Canada and Iceland, previously served as director of MacEwan’s Faculty Commons and chair of the department of anthropology, economics and political science.
Pierre-Gerlier Forest was appointed director of the school of public policy at the University of Calgary, where he also holds the James S. and Barbara A. Palmer Chair. The appointment took effect March 1. He joins U of C after serving as director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Health and Social Policy since 2013. He was previously president and chief executive officer of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and held prominent positions with Health Canada, including chief scientist, and also served as research director for the Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada.
At Lakehead University, Chander Shahi has been named dean of the faculty of graduate studies. Dr. Shahi joined Lakehead in 2007 as an assistant professor in the faculty of natural resources management. He was promoted to associate professor and was appointed chair of the forest management program in 2011.
Renison University College at the University of Waterloo has tapped Manfred Conrad to become the college’s next chancellor. The CEO and founder of The Cora Group Inc., the largest commercial real estate development firm in the Waterloo region, will be installed on May 7. Mr. Conrad has supported many academic and community initiatives, including the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre at Waterloo, the Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy and Research at Wilfrid Laurier University, and the Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts. He is also a member of Renison’s board of governors.
Laurentian University has appointed Noël A. J. Badiou assistant vice-president, equity, diversity and human rights, effective April 1. He comes to Laurentian from York University, where he was executive director of the centre for human rights for more than seven years. Prior to that, he was executive director and secretary for the Court Challenges Program of Canada, manager of investigations and mediations for the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, and an investigator with the Law Society of Manitoba.
On Feb. 15, former professional football player Neil Lumsden became director of athletics and recreation at Brock University. After retiring as a CFL player in 1985, Mr. Lumsden continued to work with the league’s Ottawa Rough Riders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He later became chief operating officer and general manager of the 2003 Road World Cycling Championships in Hamilton, and for the past 10 years has consulted with and led sports marketing firms.
The University of the Fraser Valley has appointed Darin Lee the institution’s first-ever chief information officer. Since 2011, Mr. Lee has worked at OCAD University as director of enterprise resource planning implementation. In this role he led a cross-functional team in a multi-year, pan-university systems project involving changes in processes, culture and technology. He began his new role at UFV on March 7.
At McGill University, Antonia Maioni has been named dean of the faculty of arts for a five-year term, effective July 1. Dr. Maioni, who is cross-appointed as a professor in the department of political science and the Institute for Health and Social Policy, currently serves as associate vice-principal, research and international relations. She joined McGill in 1994 and served as the director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada from 2001 to 2011. She previously served as president of the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Olivier Marcil has been reappointed vice-principal, communications and external relations, at McGill University. Mr. Marcil’s second five-year term begins July 15. Prior to joining McGill in 2011, Mr. Marcil served in several high-ranking positions in the Quebec government, including chief of staff to the minister of economic development; advisor to Premier Jean Charest; and chief of staff to the minister of Canadian intergovernmental affairs, Aboriginal affairs and democratic institutional reform. He is also director of the Fondation Serge-Marcil.
The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education has announced the 2016 3M National Teaching Fellows: David Blades (pictured), department of curriculum and instruction, University of Victoria; Andrea Buchholz, family relations and applied nutrition, University of Guelph; Andrew Dicks, chemistry, University of Toronto; Allyson Jule, education, Trinity Western University; Maja Krzic, soil science, applied biology, University of British Columbia; Ken MacMillan, history, University of Calgary; Veronika Mogyorody, school of visual arts, University of Windsor; Martin Schreiber, medicine, University of Toronto; Bruce Wainman, pathology and molecular medicine, McMaster University; and Eileen Wood, psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University. Fellows receive a life-time membership in STLHE and a four-day study retreat at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in November.