LifeSciences BC Congratulates the Winners of the 2008 BCIC Awards

LifeSciences BC congratulates those members of our community who were recently recognized by the British Columbia Innovation Council (BCIC) as Award Winners.

"These innovation leaders are an inspiration that speaks to the exceptional achievements emerging in British Columbia," said Ida Chong, Minister of Technology, Trade and Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Asia-Pacific Initiative. "It is with great pleasure that I congratulate the 2008 British Columbia Innovation Council Award Winners. Their successes bring forward real-world solutions benefiting communities throughout British Columbia."

Recipients of this award were honoured at the 2008 BCIC Awards on September 29th at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Held annually, the event is the culmination of BCIC's Innovation Exploration program, a 3-day opportunity for 80 of B.C.'s top high school science fair winners to explore careers and meet leading experts in B.C.'s science and technology fields. Together, Innovation Exploration and the 2008 BCIC Awards celebrate excellence in innovation and the leading-edge innovators building a strong future for B.C. LifeSciences BC was pleased to be a sponsor of this event.

The 2008 BCIC Award Winners were:

    * Dr. Larry Goldenberg, BC Science and Technology Champion of the Year Award
      As Professor and Head of the Department of Urologic Sciences at the University of British Columbia and Clinical Research Director of the Prostate Centre at Vancouver General Hospital, Dr. Larry Goldenberg has contributed significantly to championing research by raising funds to create the infrastructure for the state of the art facility—a leading national Centre for Excellence in prostate research, education and healthcare delivery programs.

    * Mr. Jack Kobelt, Cecil Green Award for Technology Entrepreneurship
      As President of Kobelt Manufacturing Ltd., Jack Kobelt has a long-standing reputation as a successful industrial innovator and entrepreneur. His innovative achievements have significantly enhanced the safety and efficiency of all vessels and crews in extremely hazardous waterways across the globe.

    * Dr. Christopher Garrett, Chairman's Award for Career Achievement
      As Lansdowne Professor of Ocean Physics at University of Victoria, Dr. Chris Garrett is a world-renown physical oceanographer with an exceptional scientific mind and ardent desire to protect and improve the health of the world's coastal areas. His body of work contributes to the accuracy of climate-change models and addresses the problems in marine productivity, pollution, tidal power, and oceanic waste disposal.

    * Mr. Gordon Gore, Eve Savory Award for Science Communication
      As Founder of the BIG Little Science Centre in Kamloops, B.C., Gordon Gore is a retired science teacher who has dedicated his life to spreading science education to audiences of all ages. With numerous achievements to communicating science education, his contributions have been significant in inspiring audiences of all ages to have fun with science.

    * Dr. Marco Marra, Frontiers in Research Award
      As Director of the Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, Dr. Marco Marra is an internationally renowned expert in physical mapping and genome sequencing. His work focuses on cancer research, but his contributions also address other areas with global impact, including his work with the Human Genome Project and the sequencing of the SARS coronavirus.

    * Drs. James Olson, Robert Gooding, Mark Martinez, and Carl Ollivier-Gooch,
      Lieutenant Governor's Technology Innovation Award
      Drs. James Olson, Robert Gooding, Mark Martinez, and Carl Ollivier-Gooch are a team whose innovations and leading-edge research led to the development of Advanced Fiber Technologies’ (AFT) advanced screen rotor technology, an invention revolutionizing Canada’s pulp and paper industry.

    * Dr. Karl Otto, Young Innovator Award
      As a Medical Physicist at the BC Cancer Agency, Dr. Karl Otto is a committed physicist whose accomplishments in cancer research and treatment are paving the way for a bright and flourishing career. He has contributed several novel advances enabling increased precision in the delivery of radiotherapy-improving cancer treatment and quality of care for patients around the world.

Media Material: To download the 2008 BCIC Awards Media Kit (high-resolution photos, complete award winner biographies, and student innovator biographies), click here. Video footage will be made available upon request.

For more information contact:

Stephanie Leung
Communications Coordinator
British Columbia Innovation Council
604.602.5249 | 1.800.665.7222
sleung@bcic.ca This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

About BCIC
The British Columbia Innovation Council (BCIC) is the lead organization charged with advancing innovation and commercialization in British Columbia. BCIC is focused on accelerating the growth of our science and technology communities and competitively positioning British Columbia in the global science and technology economy in order to provide significant employment opportunities and a high standard of living for British Columbians.
For more information about BCIC, visit www.bcic.ca.