Around the Bowl: June 2026

Dr. Vince Bruni-Bossio (PhD) was officially honoured as USask’s new president at the university’s formal installation ceremony during Spring Convocation on June 1. Also scheduled to be honoured during convocation week are this year’s honorary degree recipients: Murad Al-Katib, a USask business graduate and founder, president and CEO of AGT Foods; and Dr. Gagandeep Kang (PhD), a leading vaccine and public health researcher based in India … Two weeks ago, President Bossio and City of Prince Albert Mayor Bill Powalinsky signed a new Memorandum of Understanding at the university’s Prince Albert Campus on May 19, to strengthen the partnership between the university and the city.

Seven members of the USask community were honoured at the 44th annual YWCA Women of Distinction Awards on May 14 at TCU Place, including Global Institute for Water Security Executive Director Dr. Corinne Schuster-Wallace (PhD) earning the STEM Award. Six USask alumnae were also honoured: Heather Adams (BComm’05), Business and Entrepreneurship Award; Leah Adelman (BScKin’14, BEd’15), Women in the Trades Award; Jasmyn Albert (BEd’19), Education Award; Jo Custead (BComm’75), Lifetime Achievement Award; Kelly Johnson (BSN’96, MN’05), Health and Wellness Award; and former Huskie women’s basketball player Kara Lackie (BScKin’09), Leadership in Athletics Award.

Dr. Rainer Dick (PhD) of the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics has been named recipient of the College of Arts and Science Faculty Service Excellence Award. The award recognizes extraordinary contributions by a faculty member to department, college and university committees, leadership and governance … USask Engineering faculty member and researcher Dr. Fangxiang Wu (PhD) has been named a fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada for his contributions to artificial intelligence, computational biology, medical image analysis and complex bionetwork analytics … In the College of Nursing, Dr. Jill Bally (PhD) received the Research Excellence Award in innovations in health systems and education research, from the Nursing Unit for Research and Scholarship Excellence (NURSE).

The University of Saskatchewan Students Union (USSU) has selected its Teaching Excellence Awards recipients: Dr. Alec Aitken (PhD), Dr. Caroline Arbuckle (PhD), Dr. Gabriel Dalio Bernardes (PhD), Dr. Jason Bowey (PhD), Dr. Diana Heney (PhD), Dr. Martin Kohlberger (PhD), Dr. John Moffatt (PhD), Dr. Scott Napper (PhD), Dr. Bunyamin Tar’an (PhD) and Registered Nurse Michelle Patterson … Two College of Medicine faculty were also recently honoured: Dr. Krista Baerg (MD) was awarded the Certificate of Merit from the Canadian Paediatric Society for outstanding contributions at the regional level, while Dr. Tyler Wenzel (PhD) was named a Stem Cell Network 25 for 25 Silver Anniversary Award winner.

Dr. Camille Burnett (PhD) has been appointed vice-dean, research, in the College of Medicine, beginning July 1, 2026, for a term up to five years, while Dr. Leah Ferguson (PhD) has been appointed associate dean, research, in the College of Kinesiology, for a term of up to five years, starting July 1, 2026 … Dr. Yin Liu (PhD) has also been reappointed as head of the Department of English in the College of Arts and Science for another one-year term, effective July 1, 2026 … USask graduate students Mehdi Khalaj – pursuing a PhD in Computer Science – and Katie Tolley – pursuing a PhD in Public Health – recently received $20,000 Lieutenant Governor Scholarship Awards.

USask’s College of Law brought together faculty, staff, and members of the legal community on May 20 for its annual Appreciation Dinner, and a heartfelt farewell to Dean Martin Phillipson. Phillipson will officially wrap up his 10-year term as dean at the end of June … Meanwhile, USask staff honoured Lori Shockey, executive director of operations and services in University Relations, in a retirement celebration on May 27, commemorating Shockey’s 10 years at USask and more than three decades in university development.

USask held its annual Pride Month Flag Raising Ceremony on May 28. Meanwhile, USask’s College of Dentistry will host the 2026 Canadian Oral Health Summit – Advancing Interprofessional Oral Health Education, Research and Care – on campus from June 18-20. Also at USask, the College of Medicine’s annual Highlights in Medicine alumni weekend will be held June 19-20.