AU Accolades! Celebrating awards and achievements of our community
A roundup of awards and achievements by Athabasca University faculty, staff, students, and alumni
At Athabasca University (AU), we find inspiration in our students’ journeys toward reaching their highest potential so they can help transform the communities in which they live and serve.
We are equally proud of the work of our researchers, who are tackling important challenges in our communities and beyond, and of the efforts of all team members who support AU’s mission.
Do you know a member of the AU community who deserves a high five? Submit an accolade!
March accolades!
- New Canada Research Chair addresses health policy, reducing inequity
- Mitigating resource development impact on wetland function
- 2024 Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision
- Scholarly excellence in space science
- Small organisms with big impact
- MBA student receives prestigious award at Waste Management
- MBA grad featured on the Canadian Indigenous SME
- AU architecture prof and honorary doctor to serve on award jury
- MBA grad represents Canada’s delegation at United Nations’ Commission
- Faculty of Business associate dean awarded CPA Education Teaching Award
- Centre for Architecture project included in international book
- MBA grad appointed president of software development group
- Grad brings sports and community together
New Canada Research Chair addresses health policy, reducing inequity
Dr. Terra Manca has been appointed Canada Research Chair in Regulation, Social Governance, and Inequities in Health. Manca, an assistant professor and sociologist in the Faculty of Health Disciplines, studies health risks and inequities related to vaccine regulation, social governance, and social inequities.
As AU’s newest Canada Research Chair, Manca will study vaccination in pregnancy to improve vaccine uptake and explore ways to reduce health inequity for all Canadians.
Read more about AU’s newest Canada Research Chair
Mitigating resource development impact on wetland function
Dr. Scott Ketcheson, assistant professor and Canada Research Chair in Hydrological Sustainability, was recently awarded nearly $450,000 from Alberta Innovates for the project, Managing to mitigate the influence of resource development on wetland function.
This funding is in addition to $1.24 million in previous grant money and funding for this project from NSERC, Imperial Oil, and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
The Aspen Research Project, so named because it’s taking place on Imperial Oil’s Aspen Lease northeast of Fort McMurray, Alta., is focused on looking at resource exploration infrastructure and its interaction with wetland function—specifically, how resource road in the area will impact the movement of water in adjacent wetlands.
2024 Academic Excellence Awards
Each year, Athabasca University recognizes excellence in teaching, leadership, research, and other scholarly activities that support student learning and help advance the university’s mission.
The recipients of the 2024 Academic Excellence Awards have each demonstrated a commitment to learners, to knowledge and discovery, to mentorship, and to service to community that is inspiring and remarkable.
Congratulations to the 2024 Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision recipients from the Faculty of Health Disciplines: Dr. Karen Cook and Dr. Lynn Corcoran.
Cook and Corcoran are being honoured in recognition of their consistent high level of service to students, colleagues, team members and their dedication to Athabasca University.
Congratulations to Dr. Deborah Foster from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, who received the 2024 President’s Award for Tutoring/Mentoring Excellence.
Foster is being honoured for her commitment and her positive encouraging support of her students.
Congratulations to Richard Dixon from the Faculty of Business who recieved the Craig Cunningham Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence.
Dixon is being honoured for his consistently high level of service to students, to his colleagues, team members and his dedication to Athabasca University.
Congratulations to Dr. Kharah Ross from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences who received the President’s Award for Research and Scholarly Excellence. Dr. Ross is being honoured for her exceptional research and scholarly achievements enhancing Athabasca University’s stature as a Comprehensive Academic Research University.
Scholarly excellence in space science
Dr. Martin Connors, professor of astronomy, mathematics, and physics, for earning the President’s Award for Research and Scholarly Excellence. This award honours a faculty member’s exceptional research and scholarly achievements, enhancing AU’s stature as one of Alberta’s four comprehensive academic research universities.
Connors’s research focuses on auroral effects in space weather, and the impact these phenomena can have on ground infrastructure like power networks. He also works in observational astronomy at the Athabasca University Geophysical Observatory.
Small organisms with a big impact
Dr. Srijak Bhatnagar, assistant professor of computational biology, recently joined the Arctic Minded podcast for an episode, Microbes: What are they and what can they do?
Although these tiny organisms play many roles in the ecosystem, we’re only just beginning to understand their potential—from producing oxygen to degrading oil, they play an essential role in sustaining our environment.
Bhatnagar’s research focuses on studying ecosystems from a microbial perspective and leveraging microbes for a sustainable environment, with a focus on monitoring a remediation.
MBA student receives prestigious award at Waste Management
Congratulations to current Master of Business Administration student Krista Doherty for being awarded the Circle of Excellence Award at Waste Management (WM).
“The environment [at WM] fosters innovation, encourages taking bold steps, and supports personal and professional development. I am grateful to be surrounded by such talented and driven individuals who push boundaries and strive for excellence every day,” said Doherty.
MBA grad featured on the Canadian Indigenous SME
Carey Calder (Master of Business Administration ’21) is being featured in the special March-April issue of the Canadian Indigenous SME. The issues explores the journeys of six Indigenous women in business.
AU architecture prof and honorary doctor to serve on award jury
Dr. Henry Tsang, associate professor of architecture, and Wanda Dalla Costa, architect and 2023 AU honorary degree recipient, have been invited to serve on the jury of Canada’s most prestigious architecture awards.
The Governor General’s Medals in Architecture recognize and celebrate outstanding design in recently completed built projects of any size, type, and location by Canadian architects.
MBA grad represents Canada’s delegation at the United Nations’ Commission
Laurie Wang (Master of Business Administration ’22), represented Canada at the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York. “Amazing to be part of worldwide discussions on poverty and gender equality,” said Wang, in a LinkedIn post.
Faculty of Business associate dean awarded CPA Education Teaching Award
Dr. Mark Morpurgo, associate dean of undergraduate programs and undergraduate program director in the Faculty of Business, has received the CPA Education Foundation Teaching Award.
The award recognizes educators from Alberta post-secondaries and the University of Saskatchewan who have contributed significantly to the teaching and learning development of accounting students through initiatives such as innovative instruction, curriculum development and overall service to students.
“Given the nature of our individualized learning model, finding innovative ways to help our students succeed with complex concepts like accounting, keep them engaged, and have them feel that we are is vital and should be at the core of what we do,” said Morpurgo. “As a result, I am both thankful and humbled to receive the award.”
Centre for Architecture project included in international book
In 2023, faculty and students from Athabasca University’s Centre for Architecture worked on a design for a fictitious Athabasca Community Cultural Centre, applying approaches for regenerative design.
This project was selected by the International Union of Architects to be published in their UIA Guidebook for the 2030 Agenda, a competition of global best practice architectural projects that exemplify the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. This was the only Canadian project selected!
The guidebook was launched March 22, 2024, in Paris, France.
MBA grad appointed president of software development group
Congratulations to Chelsey Goossens (Master of Business Administration ’22) on their new role as president of Explorer Software. Goossens’s vision for the company is to “continue to innovate and support [their] customers as they build thriving construction businesses.”
Grad brings sports and community together
Reed Clarke (Master of Business Administration ’18) has launched the not-for profit Sports Edmonton. The organizations mission is “to be the trusted partner, advocate, educator, and leader of all things sport and recreation in Edmonton through an inclusive and accessible manner.”
February accolades!
- MBA alum starting new role as new economic development officer
- MBA grad selected as president and CEO of Manitoba Public Insurance
- AU grad receives Chief Information Officer (CISO) Lifetime Achievement Award
- AU alum and mentor featured on women’s podcast
- Krystal Zahara, Athabasca Cares Community Housing Society founder, earns provincial honour
MBA alum starting new role as new economic development officer
Congratulations to Martin Chitohwa (Master of Business Administration ’21) who has been appointed the new economic development officer for the town of Fort Frances. Chitohwa takes great pride in the area and is eager to work with community members in development of its offerings.
MBA grad selected as president and CEO of Manitoba Public Insurance
Satvir Jatana (Master of Business Administration ’17) has been selected as the new president and CEO of Manitoba Public Insurance. Guided by advice received from various stakeholders, Jatana will focus on setting a new corporate direction for MPI.
AU grad receives Chief Information Officer (CISO) Lifetime Achievement Award
Congratulations to Greg Murray (Master of Business Administration ’04) 
who was selected to receive the 2024 Chief Information Security Officer Lifetime Achievement Award by siberX . “This award represents something much larger than my individual contributions to cyber security. It signifies all the people, organizations, governing bodies and partners that have come to collectively help protect Canadians and our communities,” said Murray.
AU alum and mentor featured on women’s podcast
Harriet Thornhill, Master of Business Administration ’04 grad and one of the most influential Black Canadians, was recently featured in The Honest Talk. The podcast connects, inspires, and motivates women to seek more in their careers and personal lives.
Listen to Thornhill share her insights, experiences, and wisdom
Krystal Zahara, Athabasca Cares Community Housing Society founder, earns provincial honour
Krystal Zahara, who works at AU in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, recently received an Alberta Blue Cross Community Wellbeing Award for her volunteer work founding the Athabasca Cares Community Housing Society. She is one of 75 Albertans who earned the honour, which celebrates Alberta’s exceptional volunteers making a difference in the health and wellness of Albertans.
Read more about Zahara’s work with the Athabasca Cares Community Housing Society
January accolades!
- MBA grad publishes fourth book
- New book explores impact of user-generated content on journalism
- AU prof recognized for AI ethics work
- MBA grad appointed to new role at Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
- AU profs publish chapter in new anthropology book
- MBA grad selected for Canadian Business for Social Responsibility Sustainable Procurement Fellowship
- AU alum named Commanding Officer of Prince Edward Island RCMP
MBA grad publishes fourth book
Mike Mack (Master of Business Administration ’02) has leveraged almost 20 years of networking with successful business leaders into a new book.
Lunch with Leaders: Real Stories of Pivotal Moments for Today’s Executive features stories and perspectives of 12 respected Canadian executives.
“The book isn’t about me. It’s about leadership and the journey,” said Mack, founder and CEO of X5 Management in Edmonton. “Everybody’s got a story. That was really the learning for me, and I was privileged enough to have an opportunity to share that through their words.”
Read more about Mack and Lunch with Leaders
New book explores impact of user-generated content on journalism
Dr. Michael Lithgow, an associate professor of communication and media studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, has published a new book that explores how user-generated content has changed journalism and how we consume news.
Lithgow and Dr. Michèle Martin of Carleton University co-edited Eyewitness Textures: User-Generated Content and Journalism in the Twenty-First Century.
“Audiences are drawn to the sense of immediacy that grainy, shaky cellphone footage gives—that sense of somebody being there, not even as a journalist but as an eyewitness. User-generated content has a heightened sense of authenticity.”
Read the full Q&A article with Lithgow
AU prof recognized for AI ethics work
Congratulations to Dr. Stella George, an associate professor at the School of Computing and Information Systems in the Faculty of Science and Technology, for being recognized in the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics list for 2024.
This list has been published annually since 2018 to recognize the rising stars and pioneers in AI ethics, and to increase recognition, representation, and empowerment of women in this space.
George’s research focuses on ethical issues related to AI, including the social impacts of AI and the use of AI and adaptive technologies in education.
MBA grad appointed to new role at Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
Denise Pothier (Master of Business Administration ’18) is the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business’ new chief operation officer. Pothier is of French Acadian and Mi’kmaq heritage, and is committed to the organization’s mission of removing systemic barriers for Indigenous businesses across Canada. In prior roles, Pothier was selected as Stantec’s first-ever vice-president of Indigenous relations.
In 2018, the Dutch organization, Inspiring Fifty, named her one of Canada’s 50 Most Inspiring Women in Technology. That same year, she was named one of Canada’s most powerful women by the Women’s Executive Network.
Related: Denise Pothier—Connecting the dots between diversity and productivity
AU profs publish chapter in new anthropology book
AU’s Dr. Janelle Baker, associate professor of anthropology, Dr. Loreli Hanson, associate professor of environmental studies, and Carleton University’s Dr. Zoe Todd have published a chapter, “Restor(y)ing Land Use Governance and Bull Trout Wellbeing in Alberta, Canada” in the new book Lost Kingdom: Animal Death in the Anthropocene.
The chapter examines how stories about the Alberta bull trout, especially those told by white settlers through colonial or scientific viewpoints, can contribute to harming the bull trout and the Indigenous communities connected to them.
MBA grad selected for Canadian Business for Social Responsibility Sustainable Procurement Fellowship
Kevin Viflanzoff, (Master of Business Administration ’15) is among the 40 individuals selected for the Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) Sustainable Procurement Fellowship.
CBSR focuses on sharing practical tools and best practices to seamlessly integrate sustainability into a company’s sourcing processes.
MBA grad inspires readers to find strength in their adversities
Mariat Jibril (Master of Business Administration ’17) publishes an inspiring memoir about overcoming pain and trauma and embracing love, family, and self-discovery in Imade: Whispers of Hope.
Half of the sales proceeds will be going towards two non-profits.
AU alum named Commanding Officer of Prince Edward Island RCMP
Kevin Lewis (Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice’16) has been named the new commanding officer of P.E.I. RCMP. Lewis has been with the RCMP since 2002 and has been in P.E.I. since 2020.
