SCI’s Canada Group organised its 2009 annual awards ceremony and dinner on Thursday, 26 March 2009, at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. Awards were presented in recognition of major achievements in service, industry and leadership. ‘These awards acknowledge outstanding contributions to the development and implementation of strategies that have resulted in the strengthening of Canadian industry, academic, or research institutions in the field of chemistry,’ said the SCI Canada Group’s Awards Chair and GKCI President, Graham Knowles.
LeSueur Memorial Award: Geoffrey Ozin
This award is given for the development of technical excellence of benefit to Canada, either in a university, industrial setting, or a research institution in Canada, in the field of chemistry. Geoffrey Ozin, a university professor in the department of chemistry at the University of Toronto, has established an international reputation in the fields of materials chemistry and nanochemistry through the synthesis and characterisation of new materials with novel structures and properties. His synthetic strategies have resulted in breakthrough developments in diverse applications, including photonic crystals, nanomachines, host-guest nanomaterials, organicinorganic hybrid materials and advanced zeolites. These discoveries have direct applications in advanced industrial materials in areas such as photonics, electronics, bone implants, catalysis and chemical sensors.
Kalev Pugi Award: Stephen Dunn
The award is presented to an individual or a team for specific R&D projects, performed during the previous ten to fifteen years, which embody the qualities of creativity and determination, good experimental design and project management, having had a significant beneficial impact on the sponsoring company or on society.
Stephen Dunn, director of process design and development with Hatch Ltd, is a world authority on the development of innovative process technologies for both the metallurgical and petroleum industries. His development programmes have successfully enabled substantial energy savings, major reductions in environmental pollution and improvements in the clients’ product quality. Over a 25-year period, Dr Dunn has pioneered enormous contributions to the development of novel solventbased processes for the in-situ recovery of bitumen from Alberta oil sands.
International Award: Larry Seeley
This award is given to acknowledge outstanding service to an industry that is based on chemistry for its processes and/or services, in the international sphere.
Dr Larry Seeley began his professional career with Falconbridge Ltd, starting in process development and rising to officer of the company and vice-president. In 1995, he led a management buyout of Lakefield Research Ltd as president, ceo and principal shareholder. During his tenure, he built this internationally recognised metallurgical and environmental service company from about 100 to over 900 employees, with operations in Canada, Australia, Chile, Brazil, and South Africa. After organising the sale of Lakefield to SGS, he founded Recapture Metals, which now controls about 25% of the world market in gallium through recycling and extraction from Bayer process liquor. The company also has technologies and plants for recovering indium and rhenium, with two facilities in Ontario, two in the US and one in Germany. Larry has been very supportive of the profession, having served as president of the Canadian Metallurgical Society and currently, as vice-president of the Canadian Society of Chemical Engineering.
Canada Medal: Brian Wastle
This award is presented for outstanding service to a Canadian industry that is based on chemistry for its processes and/or services. Brian Wastle, through his passion and leadership, has been a major contributor to the success of Responsible Care in Canada as well as internationally. For over 16 years, he has held the vice president, Responsible Care, position at the Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association. In October 2008, Brian led the process of launching a new generation of Responsible Care, which integrates the principles of sustainability, on behalf of the CCPA Board. SCI’s Canada Medal is a fitting acknowledgement of the significance of his positive mark on the Canadian chemical industry through his efforts in Responsible Care, which will be felt for years to come.
Two Distinguished Service Award recipients from the Canada Group, Graham Knowles and James Smith, were also presented with their awards on the day.
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