This morning we held the convocation for the 2015 University of Calgary graduates in Education. During this ceremony, we also conferred an honorary degree on Nellie Cournoyea, the first female aboriginal government leader (premier of the Northwest Territories) and the longest serving public figure in the North. I noted that it was Senator Georgette Habib […]
Robert Thirsk
Sheldon Kennedy has faced his fears in a way that few dare to do
This afternoon we held the convocation ceremony for the 2015 University of Calgary graduates in Environmental Design, Kinesiology and Social Work. In addition to celebrating our new graduates, we also awarded Grant MacEachern (a longtime friend of our university) with the Order of the University of Calgary and Sheldon Kennedy with the honorary degree Doctor […]
BC’s Lt.-Gov. reminds us it’s our collective responsibility to leave the world in better condition
The current Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia is the Honorable Judith Guichon. Judith has a love and respect for the land. For many generations her family has ranched in the southern interior of BC. Along with her late husband, Judith introduced the practice of ‘holistic management’ to local ranchers. Holistic management is a farming method which […]
Connecting with Calgary’s leaders
In my role as Chancellor I plan and host three Chancellor’s Club events per year. Chancellor’s Club is a forum where community, business and academic leaders come together to engage in spirited conversations on compelling topics, network, and meet the high-achieving students who benefit from the Club’s support. Each Chancellor’s Club event has a […]
Science literacy in our country matters
I was in Hamilton, Ontario today to help my colleague Dr. Bonnie Schmidt with an important funding announcement for her organization Let’s Talk Science. Bonnie and I are kindred spirits in that we both advocate for enhanced STEM skills in Canada. Let’s Talk Science is a national organization that engages youth in science, technology, engineering and […]
What is the secret to aging well?
I don’t usually pick up my home phone when I see a 1-800 number displayed on Caller ID. I’m suspicious that a telemarketer may pressure me into buying a timeshare property. But I’m glad that I picked up the phone a couple of months ago. When I answered the phone, I was told that my […]
Time is right for Senate to develop a new strategic plan
As Chancellor, I observe that the Senate of the University of Calgary is doing many things right. Several of our current projects (e.g. Lecture of a Lifetime, Senate Service Award) are successful and well aligned with our mission. However, the time is right for Senate to develop a new strategic plan; to re-align and improve […]
Bonnie is the glue that holds us together
The University of Calgary has many boards, committees and councils. The highest level board is the Board of Governors. This Board is responsible for the stewardship of the university on behalf of the people of the Province of Alberta. It has ultimate oversight of major issues of the university.This year the Board has had to […]
Meeting my Olympic Hero – Dr. Roger Jackson
I am an Olympic Games junkie. Whenever the Olympics – summer or winter – are taking place, I am ensconced on the couch in front of my TV from opening to closing ceremonies. I get very little else done for two weeks. The ability of the athletes to push their bodies and minds to the […]
Good bye, Mr. Nimoy. Thanks for sharing Mr. Spock with us.
I read that Leonard Nimoy died yesterday. How sad. He was a great actor and person. The media today is full of stories of Nimoy’s death and of his life achievements. Nimoy’s passing caused me to reflect on the Star Trek TV and movie series. I am a great fan and have always been enamored […]