ASTech’s 2010 Winners

Posted on by IT Admin
Lethbridge-based Iunctus Geomatics Corp won the Outstanding Achievement in Applied Technology and Innovation award for leading the field in remote sensing technology, which is pivotal for Alberta’s land management. Founded by University of Lethbridge alumnus Ryan Johnson, the company developed TerraEngine enabling the storage and transmission of vast digital imagery datasets. This technology empowered precise land use decisions in sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, and oil exploration.   Mr. Johnson is now President and CEO at Verge Agriculture.
Dr. Robert Edward Burrell won the Outstanding Leadership in Alberta Technology award for his visionary work in nanotechnology-driven healthcare with his groundbreaking therapeutic application, Acticoat™. Through pioneering research and collaboration with Westaim Biomedical and the University of Alberta, Acticoat’s nanostructured silver bandages transformed wound care, significantly aiding burn victims of incidents like the Bali terrorist attack. For his profound impact on medical advancements and patient outcomes, Dr. Burrell received the Governor General’s Innovation Award, a Manning Innovation Award, the Alberta Centennial Medal, was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence, and made a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Developed by the Alberta Research Council (now Innotech), the Oriented Structural Straw Board (OSSB) won the Societal Impact Award for revolutionizing construction by utilizing straw to create durable building panels. OSSB was initially conceived to address waste management in Canada. It found significant potential in earthquake-prone regions like rural China, providing safer housing and stimulating rural economies by creating new and high value products from under-utilized agricultural materials.
Dr. Peter Gill won the Leaders of Tomorrow award for his dedication to improving pediatric medical care and making higher education more accessible. As a Rhodes Scholar, he developed quality markers in UK pediatric care through his thesis and spearheaded a successful campaign to raise loan ceilings for medical students in Alberta. Additionally, his philanthropic efforts, including donating soccer equipment to children in Uganda and developing the interactive medical education website PedsCases.com, illustrate his holistic approach to fostering positive change – both locally and globally.  As of 2024, PedsCases.com has had 55,000 unique visitors from over 150 countries and over 1,000,000 podcast downloads.
 
Dr. John Vederas, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Alberta won the Outstanding Leadership in Alberta Science award for his creativity and excellence in bio-organic and medical chemistry. His innovative research led to significant breakthroughs, including the discovery of non-toxic proteins that combat harmful bacteria on food, offering food preservation benefits and potential medicinal applications against antibiotic-resistant infections. Dr. Vederas’s enduring commitment to mentorship has cultivated a legacy of scientific excellence, recognized by honors such as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal Society (London), election to Member of the American Academy of Microbiology, and Senior Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.
Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick won the Outstanding Contribution to the Alberta Science and Technology Community award for transforming the University of Lethbridge into a major research institution during his tenure as VP of Research. He increased the university’s research budget from $2 million to nearly $24 million and developed key areas of expertise such as neurosciences, water resources, biotechnology, and earth imaging. Under his leadership, the university made significant strides in becoming a center of excellence, enhancing the academic and technological landscape of southern Alberta through his strategic vision and commitment to high-quality education and research opportunities.
Suncor‘s Tailings Reduction Operations (TRO) team won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Environmental Technology and Innovation for developing a method to accelerate the reclamation of tailings ponds from over 30 years to less than 10 years. This innovative approach not only sped up the process of converting fine tailings into a soil-like deposit that can be re-vegetated but also aligned with the new regulatory standards set by the Energy Resource Conservation Board’s Directive 74. By implementing TRO technology, Suncor reduced the need for new tailings ponds and improved its environmental footprint, demonstrating a commitment to exceeding compliance standards and addressing public and industry concerns about the environmental impacts of tailings management.
John Acorn won the Excellence in Science and Technology Public Awareness award for his dynamic career as an educator, journalist, author, and host of the TV series “Acorn The Nature Nut.” The show, celebrated for its high-quality science content and accessibility, was broadcast not only across Canada but also internationally. Currently, he is a lecturer at the department of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences University of Alberta, a research associate at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, and at the E.H. Strickland Entomology Museum. He was also awarded the 1998 ASTech award for Journalism: General Public.
Dr. Lloyd Dosdall won the Innovation in Agricultural Science award for his significant contributions to agricultural science as an entomologist and professor at the University of Alberta. He developed weevil-resistant canola and promoted environmentally friendly farming practices, focusing on studying insects that affect Alberta’s crops and using natural predators to manage pests, thereby reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Before his passing in 2014, Dr. Dosdall was dedicated to educating the next generation of insect ecologists and actively communicated his research findings to help Alberta farmers enhance their crop production and economic viability.
Additional 2010 Winners Include: