2023 winners and nominees of the Distinguished Academics Awards
Meet the winners and learn how their work is making an impact in the non-academic world, demonstrating the vitality of university-based research and scholarly activity.
The Distinguished Academics Awards promote the value of university research in advancing the public good. Nominees hail from various institutions and disciplines, often working in very different domains—yet they’re united by a passion for meaningful research that fuels our economy, democracy, and intellectual life.
WINNERS
Early in Career Award
Dr. Kayta Rhodes
University of Victoria
Dr. Katya Rhodes is the recipient of the Early in Career Award. Dr. Rhodes is Assistant Professor in the School of Public Administration and a researcher with the Institute for Integrated Energy Systems at the University of Victoria. Drawing on knowledge from economics, political science, social psychology, and engineering, she investigates how different policy tools can contribute to successful climate change mitigation. She seeks to improve climate policies to achieve climate targes in an economically efficient, politically acceptable, and equitable manner. Dr. Rhodes’s work is informed by evidence-based policies that will help make communities sustainable and healthy over the long-term.
Dr. Katya Rhodes shares some lessons for new academics seeking to become experts in their field
CUFA BC May 19, 2023 5:48 pm
Dr. Katya Rhodes on how her research advances the calls to action from the 2015 TRC Report
CUFA BC May 19, 2023 5:50 pm
Dr. Katya Rhodes on how her research has encouraged access to post-secondary education for BC
CUFA BC May 19, 2023 5:55 pm
Dr. Katya Rhodes on the importance of engaging in research that is in the public's interest
CUFA BC May 19, 2023 5:57 pm
Dr. Katya Rhodes on her involvement with the BC Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy
CUFA BC May 19, 2023 5:58 pm
Dr. Katya Rhodes on her work with the Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic)
CUFA BC May 19, 2023 5:59 pm
Ehor Boyanowsky Academic of the Year Award
Dr. Catherine Nolin
University of Northern British Columbia
Dr. Catherine Nolin is the recipient of the Ehor Boyanowsky Academic of the Year Award. Dr. Nolin is Professor and Chair of the Department of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia. As a social geographer, Dr. Nolin’s research explores the gendered, political, and social aspects of state-sponsored violence, forced migration, and life in exile. Her work has explored these interests in the Guatemala-Canada transnational context and more broadly in examinations of the connections/disconnections between the Global North and South. Dr. Nolin’s co-authored book “Testimonio: Canadian Mining in the Aftermath of Genocides in Guatemala” with her long-time research partner Grahame Russell of Rights Action draws on over thirty years of community-based research and Rights Action’s direct community support work in Guatemala to expose the ruthless state machinery that benefits the Canadian mining industry.
Paz Buttedahl Career Achievement Award
Dr. Jonathan Moore
Simon Fraser University
Dr. Jonathan Moore is the recipient of the Paz Buttedahl Career Achievement Award. Dr. Moore is Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and School of Resource of Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University. He is an international leader in the ecology and conservation of aquatic ecosystems, and a champion for salmon, rivers, and estuaries. His work advances the science underpinning key environmental laws and policies. His activities have contributed to significant legislative reform and public policy outcomes with tangible impacts for the conservation of wild salmon and their ecosystems, including on contentious energy development that affect aquatic environments. Dr. Moore fosters an exceptional approach to connecting management and policy-relevant science with collaboration, communication, and engagement.
NOMINEES
Early in Career Award Nominees
Dr. Hany Fahmy
Royal Roads University
Dr. Hany Fahmy
Dr. Hany Fahmy is Associate professor at the School of Business at Royal Roads University. Dr. Fahmy was nominated for his work on Energy Finance, Energy Economics and the Economics of climate change. Dr. Fahmy’s work demonstrates an outstanding research track and significant contributions to the global effort to mitigate climate change. He is an advocate for student mental health, particularly working to alleviate math anxiety for students. Dr. Fahmy is also recognized for contributing to the improvement of health care quality in Malawi and economic growth in Egypt, and for capacity building in rural and remote Indigenous communities in New Brunswick.
Dr. Mahmudur Fatmi
University of British Columbia Okanagan
Dr. Mahmudur Fatmi
Dr. Mahmudur Fatmi is Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the School of Engineering at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Dr. Fatmi was nominated for his work on advancing transportation and climate action research by developing innovative models and simulation tools for effective planning and policy-making for equitable, economic and sustainable travel options, mitigating transportation emissions. Dr. Fatmi has developed state-of-the-art travel demand models that recognize the complexity associated with travel decisions. He has created a national and international network of multidisciplinary researchers, government agencies, and industry partners to decarbonize the transportation sector of Canada and beyond by advancing climate science and translating knowledge to practice.
Professor Hannah McGregor
Simon Fraser University
Professor Hannah McGregor
Professor Hannah McGregor has contributed to transforming the landscape of public scholarship through the development of scholarly podcasts that engage thousands of listeners around the world. Co-creator of the Amplify Podcast Network, Canada’s first scholarly podcast network. Professor McGregor has emerged as a leader in areas of feminist theory, critical media, publishing, literary and gender studies. She is also the creator of Witch, Please, a feminist rereading of the Harry Potter series.
Ehor Boyanowsky Academic of the Year Award Nominees
Dr. Jianbing Li
University of Northern British Columbia
Dr. Jianbing Li
Dr. Jianbing Li is a professor and professional engineer at the School of Engineering at the University of Northern British Columbia. Dr. Li was nominated for his work on marine oil spill cleanup and waste water treatment processes. He is the co-lead of the Decanting and Oily Waste Management program which has made significant strides in methods used to separate oil from water. Dr. Li also works on researching the development of an effective, low-cost, portable water treatment for remote and rural communities where the consumption of untreated water poses health risks.
Dr. Jordan Stanger-Ross
University of Victoria
Dr. Jordan Stanger-Ross
Dr. Jordan Stanger-Ross is a Professor at the Department of History at the University of Victoria. Dr. Stanger-Ross was nominated for his work in advancing social justice and anti-racist education in Canada. His award-winning public history project, Landscapes of Injustice (LOI), a SSHRC partnership initiative, highlights the enduring harm caused by state violence on over 22,000 Japanese Canadians and illuminates the complicity of bystanders, witnesses and beneficiaries of the dispossession as well as the variety and complexity of responses by victims of injustice.
Dr. Madjid Mohseni
University of British Columbia
Dr. Madjid Mohseni
Dr. Madjid Mohseni is Professor at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Mohseni was nominated for his work on advanced water treatment processes, specifically on physical-chemical treatment processes and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection and oxidation technologies. He is the Co-founder f RESEAU-CMI, a non profit that has made significant efforts in the improvement of drinking water and community health in Indigenous and rural communities.
Dr. Mary Jung
University of British Columbia
Dr. Mary Jung
Dr. Mary Jung is Associate Professor at the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Jung was nominated for her program with Kelowna YMCA, Small Steps for Big Changes, through the delivering of evidence based research, behaviour-change counselling and health coaching has helped people diagnosed with pre-diabetes reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This program has scaled to more than 12 communities in BC and across Canada and has demonstrable impact on the health and lives of people living with pre-diabetes.
Paz Buttedahl Career Achievement Award Nominees
Dr. Faisal Khosa
University of British Columbia
Dr. Faisal Khosa
Dr. Faisal Khosa, MD, MBA is Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Khosa’s work on gender and racial disparities in academia helps ensure a sustainable legacy of inclusive excellence in academia and beyond in the larger community. Dr. Khosa’s relentless pursuit to elucidate inequalities in academia produced a multitude of evidence that has catalyzed initiatives to increase accessibility of higher education and achievement for underrepresented students.
Dr. Lee Gunderson
University of British Columbia
Dr. Lee Gunderson
Dr. Lee Gunderson is Professor in Department of Language and Literary Education at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Gunderson was nominated for his work in promoting success and opportunity through literacy for immigrant students in Canada. Dr. Gunderson’s work saw to the development of his research-based literary teaching strategies for both ESL and non-ESL students, knowing that children’s ability to read and write is foundational to their educational success, integration to society and the future mental and social wellbeing. Dr. Gunderson was instrumental in developing strategies for public schools to support student learning, as well as developing policies and assessment practices that contributed to the success of students across British Columbia and elsewhere.
Professor Grace Iarocci
Simon Fraser University
Professor Grace Iarocci
Professor Grace Iarocci is a Professor at the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University. Professor Iarocci was nominated for her research in typical and atypical development of selective attention and its relationship to social competence, mental health, and family and societal well-being. Co-editor of three books with Oxford University Press and 80 journal articles, Professor Iarocci is recognized as one of BC’s key researchers on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and has improved access to diagnostic and treatment services for BC immigrant and Indigenous communities.
Dr. Katya Rhodes Interview Trailer
CUFA BC May 8, 2023 5:34 pm