1996 Winner: Outstanding Contribution To The Alberta Science And Technology Community
Remarkable Contributions To The Scientific Community
Well known in technology circles, Tom Keenan has been heard on the radio and appears on economic development communities. His contributions to the science and technology community seem limitless. Dr. Keenan can count among his many achievements the founding program director of the first Shad Valley established outside Ontario.
Established in 1981, Shad Valley focuses on computer science, mathematics, engineering and entrepreneurship for gifted teenagers. Dr. Keenan devotes each July to spearheading Calgary’s program, remains active with the Canadian Centre for Creative Technology, which operates Shad Valley and his ideas are often adopted nationally.
Now Dean of the Faculty of Continuing Education at the University of Calgary, Dr. Keenan is internationally recognized for his pioneering work with the use of computer technology in teaching. He is responsible for the university-wide Distance Learning Centre, which applies innovative technology to provide education across Alberta and far beyond. Attesting to his commitment to teaching excellence, Dr. Keenan has been honoured with such awards as the 1995 Educator of the Year Award, Phi Delta Kappa, Calgary Chapter and the 1991 University of Calgary Teaching Excellence Award. The desire to share insights extends beyond the classroom to Dr. Keenan’s parallel career of broadcaster. He has hosted programs, written television and radio documentaries and is CBC Television’s Midday’s technology correspondent. He won the Canadian Science Writer’s Award in 1984 for his radio series Crimes if the Future.
