The Year 2020 surprised the world with the COVID pandemic. All in-person events were cancelled, thus no ASTech Awards were held. This created a lot of challenges for strategic networking events around the world.
Experiencing subsequent financial issues – and the effects of the pandemic continuing through to 2021 – on September 28, it was announced that the Grande Finale of the ASTech Awards was to be held via Zoom on October 28, 2021.
Hearing this call for action,Technology Alberta approached the ASTech Foundation. At the October 28 Zoom Session of the 32nd ASTech Awards it was announced that Technology Alberta would take on the proud tradition of the ASTech Awards, with a new Advisory Board comprisedof a collaborative and committed group of industry, government, academia, and entrepreneurs:
One of the founding members of this new team, was again Peter Kinash – continuing his over 30 years of his ASTech leadership journey.
In parallel, Technology Alberta continued to deliver the remote FIRST Jobs Talent Program that was launched during COVID – to address employment demand by tech companies, and the needs of Alberta’s students – with the support of PrairiesCan, multiple ministries of the Government of Alberta, and Alberta Innovates. The Technology Alberta team under the guidance of Debra Greig and with the support of Alberta’s Tech SMB companies, Alberta’s post-secondaries and RIN’s – has generated over 750 work placements to date.
Dr. Jianhua Zhu, Founder, President and CEO of BioNeutra, received the Innovator of the Year award for his pioneering work in developing VitaFiber, a natural low-calorie alternative sweetener that addresses global health challenges related to weight management and gut health. As the founder of BioNeutra and a visiting fellow at the University of Alberta, Dr. Zhu’s patented technology converts pea or tapioca starch into a prebiotic fiber and sweetener, used in various health products worldwide
Dr. George Shimizu received the Outstanding Achievement in Energy and Environmental Innovation award for his groundbreaking work in developing the CO2 sorbent known as Calgary Framework (CALF)20. As a researcher at the University of Calgary, Dr. Shimizu and his team discovered CALF20, a highly stable and scalable material for carbon capture. This technology shows exceptional promise for industrial applications, particularly in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from sectors like cement and steel production.
Dr. Ali Telmadarreie received the Emerging Change Maker award for his leadership in founding CNERGREEN and advancing innovative foam technology to support the oil industry’s transition to a low-carbon future. As CEO of CNERGREEN, Dr. Telmadarreie leads efforts to enhance oil recovery while storing more CO2, utilizing nanoparticles for stable CO2 foam in reservoirs.
Dr. Deborah Kurrasch received the Outstanding Woman in Innovation award for her pioneering work in developing a novel drug screening platform targeting pediatric epileptic encephalopathies (EEs). As a Professor at the University of Calgary, Dr. Kurrasch’s research led to the discovery of a protein target for seizure reduction, resulting in the launch of Path Therapeutics Inc. The platform is now advancing novel anti-seizure drugs toward clinical trials, with long-term potential for application across other brain disorders.
Dr. Walter Herzog received the Researcher of the Year award for his groundbreaking contributions to understanding muscle contraction and biomechanics. His discovery that the structural protein titin regulates muscle contraction and force production has fundamentally shifted how scientists study and understand muscle mechanics. As a Professor at the University of Calgary, Dr. Herzog’s work on titin’s role in cardiac and skeletal muscle function has gained international recognition, offering significant potential in the treatment of heart and muscle diseases, including muscular dystrophies and spastic cerebral palsy.
