Canadians Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton, along with Yann LeCun of New York University, are the recipients of the 2018 ACM A.M. Turing Award, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize for computing.” They were honoured for breakthroughs that have made deep neural networks a critical component of computing. Dr. Bengio is a professor of computer science at Université de Montreal and scientific director of MILA – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, a partnership between U de Montréal, McGill University, École Polytechnique de Montréal and HEC Montréal. Dr. Hinton is a vice-president and engineering fellow at Google, chief scientific advisor of the Vector Institute and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. Dr. LeCun is a professor at NYU and vice-president and chief AI scientist at Facebook. The Turing Award includes a prize of $1 million.
Bartha Knoppers has been awarded the 2019 Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research. Dr. Knoppers is a professor of medicine, with appointments in law and biomedical ethics, at McGill University. She founded the Public Population Project in Genomics and Society (P3G) and CARTaGENE, Quebec’s biobank, in 2007. Dr. Knoppers was chair of the ethics and policy committee of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, from 2009 to 2018. Since 2013, she has chaired the regulatory and ethics work stream of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health.
David Malloy was named the new principal of King’s University College, affiliated with Western University, effective July 1. Dr. Malloy comes to King’s from the University of Regina, where he had a 30-year career both as a faculty member and administrator, most recently as vice-president, research, since 2013. Dr. Malloy was also a full professor at U of R in the faculty of kinesiology and health studies, and an associate member in the department of philosophy. He has maintained an active research portfolio with a focus on applied philosophy in health care.
Neil Fassina was reappointed president of Athabasca University for a second term that will extend his presidency to October 2026. He first joined Athabasca in 2016. Dr. Fassina serves on the executive committee of the International Council for Open and Distance Education, and as chair of the Council of Post-Secondary Presidents of Alberta (COPPOA). He previously held senior academic administration roles at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and the University of Manitoba.
Patrice Smith has been named dean of graduate and postdoctoral affairs at Carleton University, beginning July 1. Dr. Smith is a professor of neuroscience and currently serves as associate dean, academic affairs, in the faculty of science and as a faculty senator on Carleton’s board of governors. She has previously served as president of the Carleton University Academic Staff Association.
Alisa Webb was appointed vice-president, students, at the University of the Fraser Valley. She held the role on an interim basis since June 2018. Dr. Webb was previously associate dean of students in the college of arts at UFV and is a faculty member in the history department.
Wilfrid Laurier University has appointed Jonathan Newman vice-president, research, effective Aug. 1. Since 2015, Dr. Newman has served as the dean of the college of biological science at the University of Guelph. His other roles at U of Guelph included chair of the department of environmental biology and founding director of the school of environmental science. Prior to that, Dr. Newman was a faculty member in the zoology department at the University of Oxford and at Southern Illinois University.
Doug Goltz was named dean of science at the University of Winnipeg, effective July 1. A faculty member in U of Winnipeg’s chemistry department since 1997, Dr. Goltz became acting dean of science in 2017. He also currently serves as acting dean of the Gupta Faculty of Kinesiology and Applied Health, and was previously a member of the university research committee and university senate.
OCAD University has appointed Caroline Langill its new vice-president, academic, and provost, as of April 1. She served in this capacity on an interim basis for six months. She previously held the position of dean, faculty of liberal arts and sciences and school of interdisciplinary studies, and before that was associate dean of the faculty of art. Dr. Langill is a respected curator and published researcher in the field of media art histories.
Marian MacGregor was named executive director of York University’s Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion. It’s a return to York for Ms. MacGregor, after serving as an equity advisor with the Law Society of Ontario. She previously served as director of Osgoode Hall Law School’s Community and Legal Aid Services Program. Before joining Osgoode in 2008, she worked for 11 years in community legal clinics. She also worked as a human rights lawyer for the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative in India.
The University of Guelph welcomed Elaine Fenner as its new director of experiential learning, effective May 6. Ms. Fenner joins U of Guelph from Seneca College, where she has held a number of roles, including manager of student success, manager of career services and, most recently, manager of work-integrated learning.
Carleton University named Mara Brown the first director of the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, as of April 15. Ms. Brown was most recently the senior operations manager for the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, based at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre in Toronto.
Vancouver Island University has named Lynda Phillips associate dean in the faculty of health and human services. Dr. Phillips divides her time between teaching, research and private practice as an educational psychologist, and child and adolescent psychotherapist. Prior to her appointment at VIU, she was a coordinator and instructor in the department of child and youth care counselling at Douglas College in New Westminster, B.C.
Lesley Rigg was reappointed dean of the faculty of science at the University of Calgary, for a second term that runs to June 30, 2025. Dr. Rigg, a forest ecologist, was previously vice-president, research and innovation partnerships, at Northern Illinois University.
Jennefer Nepinak will become the University of Winnipeg’s new associate vice-president, Indigenous engagement, on Aug. 1. Ms. Nepinak is a citizen of Minegozhiibe Anishinabe (Pine Creek First Nation). She has held leadership roles at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, and with various First Nation governments as well as governments of Canada and Manitoba. She has served as a board member for various groups, including the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Elders Council.
Sandy Vanderburgh will become the next provost and vice-president, academic, at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, as of July 1. Dr. Vanderburgh was a sessional instructor at KPU early in his career before moving into leadership roles at postsecondary institutions in B.C. and Alberta. He has served as interim vice-president, academic, at Medicine Hat College, dean of Lethbridge College’s centre for applied arts and sciences, and dean of the faculty of science and technology at Douglas College.
York University appointed Rui Wang interim vice-president of research and innovation, effective May 1. Dr. Wang will continue to serve as the deputy provost responsible for planning York’s expansion in Markham, Ontario. Dr. Wang joined York from Laurentian University, where he was a member of the department of biology and served as vice-president, research, from 2015 to 2018. Prior to that, he was vice-president of research, economic development and innovation at Lakehead University.
Sara Daniels was appointed associate vice-president, government relations, at the University of Saskatchewan. Prior to this, Ms. Daniels was acting assistant vice-president, government relations, at Dalhousie University, where she had also been chief of staff to the vice-president, research and innovation.
The new chancellor of Saint Mary’s University is alumnus Michael Durland, effective May 15. Dr. Durland is CEO of Melancthon Capital and was previously group head and CEO, global banking and markets, at Scotiabank. Dr. Durland, who earned a PhD in finance and operations research from Queen’s University, also chairs the board of directors for several organizations and is a professor of global practice at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.
Phillip Oxhorn is Vancouver Island University’s new dean of the faculty of international education. Before joining VIU, Dr. Oxhorn was associate provost, international, and a professor of political science at McGill University. He is currently a senior research fellow for the Council on Hemispheric Affairs and was editor-in-chief of the Latin American Research Review.