ASTech’s 2006 Winners – ASTech Awards

The Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Machine Learning, now known as the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (amii), won the Outstanding Leadership in Alberta Technology award. With AICML located at the University of Alberta, Alberta became one of the top 3 institutions in the world to study Machine Learning – producing significant innovations in software ranging from brain tumour identification to Poker games. Today, amii is one of Canada’s three centres of AI excellence as part of the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, and an Alberta-based non-profit institute that supports world-leading research and AI/ML industry adoption.

Alvin Gerald Libin, CEO of Balmon Investments Ltd. and a prominent Calgary native, received the ASTech Special Award for his extensive contributions to medical research and health education in Alberta. Known for supporting health-related facilities at the University of Calgary, including the Libin Gene Therapy Unit and the Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Mr. Libin also chaired the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and the Alberta Ingenuity Fund, enhancing the province’s medical research capabilities. His community contributions earned him the Alberta Order of Excellence Award and the title of Officer of the Order of Canada.

Preeminent paleontologist Dr. Philip Currie won the Outstanding Leadership in Alberta Science award for significantly advancing the understanding of dinosaurs, particularly in demonstrating the evolutionary link between birds and dinosaurs. He was instrumental in developing and leading the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, a major global center for dinosaur study, and named new dinosaur species, including the massive Mapusaurus rosea. Currie was honoured for his dynamic outreach efforts that made dinosaur science engaging to the public across Canada, receiving the Alberta Order of Excellence Award, being made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, becoming the namesake of the new Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum near Grande Prairie. Dr. Currie has also been a long-time professor at the Faculty of Science, University of Alberta.

The Kananaskis Field Stations (KFS) and the G-8 Legacy Chair in Wildlife Ecology, now the Biogeoscience (BGS) Institute, won the Excellence in Science and Technology Public Awareness award for their significant contributions to ecological research and education. Operated by the University of Calgary, these field stations were renowned for their extensive studies on diverse wildlife and ecological dynamics and for fostering sustainable management and conservation efforts in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. By hosting policy discussions and thousands of students and teachers across Canada, they enhanced public understanding of science, profoundly impacting policy and promoting science literacy. Today, the University of Calgary’s Biogeoscience Institute is a leader in field-based research in Kananaskis Country. It serves as the only research station for the Canadian Rockies and Foothills, providing and supporting high-quality science through independent research and research clusters.

Dr. Cyril M. Kay won the Outstanding Contribution to the Alberta Science and Technology Community award for his significant contributions to biochemistry and his long career as a professor at the University of Alberta’s BioChemistry Department. As Co-Director of the Medical Research Council Group on Protein Structure and Function, he advanced the understanding of protein structures in muscle and non-muscle systems. Beyond his research, Dr. Kay played a crucial role in shaping health research strategies in Alberta. His many accolades include being named an Officer of the Order of Canada, receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and honouring as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Alberta Order of Excellence.

The In Situ Combustion Research (ISC) Team at the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, won the Innovation in Oil Sands Research award for their advancements in the in situ combustion process for oil recovery. At the BP Air Injection Research Laboratory (later the Amoco Air Injection/In-Situ Combustion Facility), they enhanced ISC, which used a wall of fire driven by air or oxygen injection to mobilize oil towards extraction wells. This method offered an environmentally friendly alternative by reducing water usage and increasing energy efficiency. The team was led by University of Calgary’s Dr. Gordon Moore and Dr. S.A. (Raj) Mehta, both internationally recognized leaders in the area of in situ combustion technology.

Replicon Inc., a Calgary-based company, won the Outstanding Commercial Achievement in Alberta Science and Technology award. Founded in 1996 by Raj Narayanaswamy and Lakshmi Raj, it achieved commercial success through its web-based software solutions, which enhanced business performance by analyzing workforce productivity, scheduling projects, and tracking employee time off. The company expanded globally, serving major corporations like Procter and Gamble and Intel, and opened offices in Austin, Texas, and Bangalore, India. Replicon was acquired in 2023 by Deltek.

Additional 2006 Winners Include:

During his graduate studies, Dr. Sean Hum won the Leaders of Tomorrow award for his diverse accomplishments, ranging from sports to advanced research. His pioneering work at the University of Calgary and TRLabs on radio-on-fibre and tunable reflectarrays earned him accolades at the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Symposium. Besides his technical achievements, Sean was a race strategist for the U of C’s Soleon Solar Car Team, captained a dragon boat and founded a new student society. Now a University of Toronto Professor, Dr. Hum leads the RADIANCE lab to develop advanced antenna systems using various advanced electromagnetics techniques and technologies.
Gregory Harris, while a Media Relations Advisor at the University of Calgary, earned the award for Journalism: General Public for his extensive coverage of the Soleon Solar Car team during the 2005 North American Solar Challenge. Over 10 days, Harris travelled with the team, filing reports that captured the race’s day-to-day challenges and effectively promoted solar energy and technological innovation to a broad audience. His engaging storytelling and consistent updates brought significant media attention to the event, helping to increase public appreciation for hands-on science and the environmental potential of solar technology.
Quadrise Canada Fuel Systems, won the award for Industrial Research for pioneering MSAR® technology, an alternative fuel from heavy hydrocarbons like bitumen. This technology offers significant cost savings and supply security advantages for oil sands and heavy oil operators, particularly in steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) production systems, by potentially replacing natural gas. Following the corporate restructuring, the successor company, Quadrise plc of London now licenses and supplies MSAR® technology, additives, and services to its clients.