Janice MacKinnon, professor in the School of Public Health and adjunct professor in the Department of History, has been awarded the 2009 Huron Alumni Award of Distinction from Huron University College, which is affiliated with the University of Western Ontario. The award recognizes MacKinnon’s professional achievements and community service.

Ajay Dalai, associate dean of research in the College of Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Bioenergy and Environmentally Friendly Chemical Processing, has been appointed to a Royal Society of Canada expert panel entitled Environmental and Health Impacts of Canada’s Oil Sands Industry. The panel will explore the issues around oil sands development and is expected to release a report to the public in the spring of 2011.

Tracene Harvey was appointed director of the Museum of Antiquities effective Sept. 1. A graduate of the U of S, Harvey is currently working on a PhD in classical archaeology at the U of A. She served as acting director of the museum in 2000/01 and again in 2008/09.

Royal Hinther, former head of business development with the National Research Council's Plan Biotechnology Institute in Saskatoon, has joined the Canadian Light Source synchrotron as director of business development.

The City and Guilds of London Institute recently awarded a fellowship to Safa Kasap, professor of electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Electronic Materials and Devices. The fellowship acknowledges Kasap’s work in the field of materials science in electrical engineering, particularly medical imaging and optoelectronics.