ASTech’s 1997 Winners

Dr. Murray R. Gray, Winner of Innovation In Oil Sands Research, was recognized for his groundbreaking work at the University of Alberta as a professor in the Chemical Engineering Department. His pioneering contributions significantly advanced the understanding of bitumen processing, paving the way for predictive models. He served as the Director of the Institute for Oil Sands Innovation, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research,  and  Vice-Provost (Academic) and Associate Vice-President (Research). Today, he serves as Senior Technical Advisor to the Bitumen Partial Upgrading Program at Alberta Innovates.

Dr. Maurice Moloney was recognized with the Outstanding Leadership In Alberta Technology award for revolutionizing agriculture with his pioneering concept of molecular farming. This innovative approach not only drastically reduced production costs but also facilitated the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and industrial products. During his tenure as a Professor and NSERC Industrial Chair of Plant Biotechnology at the University of Calgary, he founded SemBioSys, published over 70 research papers, and filed 15 patent families, and more. He is now a co-founder and advisor at Core Biogenesis.

Dr. Antoine Noujaim, biotechnology pioneer, was the winner for Outstanding Leadership In Alberta Technology.A distinguished scientist and entrepreneur, Dr. Noujaim significantly advanced cancer therapeutics by founding leading companies like Biomira and AltaRex Inc and bringing them to become publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Dr. Noujaim started as an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta and then retired in 1996 to focus on cancer research and development as an entrepreneur. His research led to impactful innovations, including the development of Ovarex™, a therapy for ovarian cancer that was used in clinical trials. He was elected to BioAlberta’s Alberta BioIndustry Hall Of Fame in 2006.

AltaRex Corp won the award for Industrial Research – Northern Region, a biopharmaceutical company that focused on the discovery and development of products for cancer treatment. These products were based on the company’s platform technology, Anti-idiotype Induction Therapy (AIT™),, which enhances the human immune system’s ability to produce a highly specific and effective anti-tumour response. AltaRex was founded by entrepreneur and Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Alberta, Dr. Antoine Noujaim – who was also awarded the 1997 for Outstanding Leadership In Alberta Technology. AltaRex was purchased by ViRexx Medical Corp., also founded by Dr. Noujaim. ViRexx was later acquired by Paladin Labs Inc.

SMART Technologies Inc. was recognized for Outstanding Commercial Achievement in Alberta Science and Technology for achieving significant global growth. SMART Technologies was founded in 1987 in Calgary, and is a 4-time ASTech Award Winner for their innovation and commercial achievements. The SMART Board, was introduced in 1991 and is an interactive white board trusted by teachers, students, and business leaders world-wide. SMART Technologies Inc. was acquired by Foxconn in 2016.

The DiscoverE Program was recognized for Excellence In Science And Technology Public Awareness. Established in 1993, the Fred Otto DiscoverE program (named after founder and former University of Alberta Dean of Engineering) works to get youth excited about science, technology, engineering and math. The program, which includes engaging classroom demonstrations and interactive summer camps, has significantly expanded its reach (including Edmonton, Yellowknife and Grande Prairie) with over 450,000 youth reached over a 30 year period. The program was also recognized in 2009 with an ASTech Award.

Winner of the Outstanding Leadership In Alberta Science award, Immunology pioneer Dr. Timothy R. Mosmann, was celebrated for his groundbreaking discovery of two T-cell subsets that revolutionized our understanding of the immune system’s response to various diseases, from infections to cancer. His work paved the way for experimental therapies targeting autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease and Rheumatoid arthritis.  He served as Chair of the Department of Immunology at  University of Alberta. He currently works at the University of Rochester as Director of the Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology.

Additional 1997 Winners Include: Science and technology community builder William Croft was recognized with the Outstanding Contribution To The Alberta Science And Technology Community award. He was a key figure in advancing Alberta’s innovation ecosystem by linking industry, academia, and government. As the President of the Calgary Research and Development Authority, he created Alberta’s first technology incubator and spearheaded expansions and initiatives that significantly boosted the region’s tech employment and revenue in the 1980s and 1990s. He also led Raylo Chemicals in Edmonton, which international life sciences company Gilead later acquired. Gilead’s Alberta facility is involved in the development of small molecule programs and provides active ingredients for Gilead’s worldwide research programs. Industrial Research—Southern Region winner Intelligent Databases International Ltd.(IDI) for its expertise in Global Positioning Systems and Intelligent Transportation. IDI has developed Internet database technology based on the Java programming language and object-oriented design principles. With this technology, IDI built a “classified advertising” system for the publishing industry. Energy industry innovator PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd. was honoured with Outstanding Leadership In Alberta Science. After adopting an aggressive strategic plan emphasizing innovation and technological implementation, it grew into Canada’s largest producer of conventional crude oil and a major natural gas producer. Through corporate mergers, PanCanadian later became EnCana (then Ovintiv); as well as Cenovus. Headquartered in Calgary, Cenovus Energy Inc. is Canada’s largest oil and gas company, and has operations in the Asia Pacific region, and upgrading, refining and marketing operations in Canada and the United States.