UVic to Present Academic Medals at Spring Convocation
The University of Victoria will recognize its highest achieving students among the Class of 2006—in subjects from genetics to intellectual property law—during Spring Convocation ceremonies June 6-9.
Here is the list of 15 medalists, and contact information where available:
Governor General’s Gold Medal (top PhD, all faculties)
Biochemist Wade Abbott performed doctoral research that has led to a deeper understanding of how genes are regulated. He also devotes time to science outreach, demonstrating science experiments at his children’s Victoria-area school.
Contact: (250) 721-1788 or wabbott@uvic.ca
Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal (top master’s thesis, all faculties)
Shawn Litster is an avid mountain biker who went from fixing bike sprockets to studying mechanical engineering. He’s now at Stanford University, furthering his work on the latest fuel cell technology.
Contact: (650) 796-6530 or shawnl@stanford.edu
Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal (top master’s, non-thesis, all faculties)
Rachel Hellner teaches in UVic’s art education department, has a blowtorch in her art toolbox and believes that you can’t be an effective teacher in her field without clay and paint under your fingernails.
Contact: (250) 386-9345 or rhellner@uvic.ca
Governor General’s Silver Medal (top undergraduate, all faculties)
Richard Gibson figures the last time he got a mark below an “A” was in Grade 5. He graduates as the university’s top 2006 undergraduate with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and a perfect grade point average of 9.0.
Contact: Valerie Shore (UVic Communications) at (250) 721-7641 or vshore@uvic.ca
Jubilee Medal for Humanities
Caitlin Smith started out studying linguistics and transferred those skills to the study of Greek and Latin. She plans to put her skills with language to work as an editor.
Contact: work: (250) 744-3247 or smithce@uvic.ca
Jubilee Medal for Science
Anna Burianova, who finished her BSc with the highest GPA ever achieved in the department of biochemistry and microbiology, is spending the summer working at the National Research Council laboratories in Ottawa.
Contact: (613) 789-6180 or anicka@uvic.ca
Jubilee Medal for Social Sciences
Suzanne Caskenette, geography/biology
Unavailable for interviews.
Maxwell Cameron Medal in Education (Elementary)
Jillian Scarrow was educated at Rockheights Elementary and Esquimalt High School and has always wanted to teach, she will start her career in Calgary.
Contact: (403) 366-9298 or jillians@uvic.ca
Maxwell Cameron Medal in Education (Secondary)
Jennifer Gruno hopes to stay in the Sooke district to teach English and phys-ed. In her spare time she coaches soccer. Through education, she’s keen to inspire others with her passion for lifelong learning and physical activity.
Hometown: Sooke
Contact: (250) 882-3603 or jennifer_gruno@hotmail.com
Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering Medal
Peter Hawes is putting his UVic training to use as a design engineer for Kodak in Vancouver.
Hometown: Vancouver
Contact: (604) 421-5045 or hawes.p@gmail.com
Department of Computer Science Graduation Medal
Daniel Horspool
Unavailable for interviews.
IEEE Victoria Section Gold Medal in Computer Engineering
Abe Friesen enjoys design and is currently working in Kelowna at Itiva Development Corp. He plans to attend an engineering graduate school in fall 2007.
Contact: (250) 762-9646 or xenocide_11_@hotmail.com
IEEE Victoria Section Gold Medal in Electrical Engineering
Carl Spani is building on his co-op experience by accepting a full-time position as a research assistant with the University of Victoria Assistive Technology Team, developing custom devices for people with disabilities. Hometown: Squamish
Contact: (250) 661-3248 or cspani@gmail.com
Law Society Gold Medal
Jennifer Marles will be clerking at the BC Supreme Court following graduation and she hopes to practice intellectual property law in the area of pharmaceutical and biotechnology patenting.
Hometown: Comox
Contact: (250) 370-9159 or jennifer.marles@utoronto.ca
Victoria Medal in Fine Arts
Marjorie Celona is a writer and filmmaker. Her ultimate goal is to write and teach after earning her master of fine arts in fiction.
Contact: (250) 595-3175 or marjorie.celona@gmail.com
* The students’ hometown is Victoria unless otherwise indicated.
Here is the list of 15 medalists, and contact information where available:
Governor General’s Gold Medal (top PhD, all faculties)
Biochemist Wade Abbott performed doctoral research that has led to a deeper understanding of how genes are regulated. He also devotes time to science outreach, demonstrating science experiments at his children’s Victoria-area school.
Contact: (250) 721-1788 or wabbott@uvic.ca
Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal (top master’s thesis, all faculties)
Shawn Litster is an avid mountain biker who went from fixing bike sprockets to studying mechanical engineering. He’s now at Stanford University, furthering his work on the latest fuel cell technology.
Contact: (650) 796-6530 or shawnl@stanford.edu
Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal (top master’s, non-thesis, all faculties)
Rachel Hellner teaches in UVic’s art education department, has a blowtorch in her art toolbox and believes that you can’t be an effective teacher in her field without clay and paint under your fingernails.
Contact: (250) 386-9345 or rhellner@uvic.ca
Governor General’s Silver Medal (top undergraduate, all faculties)
Richard Gibson figures the last time he got a mark below an “A” was in Grade 5. He graduates as the university’s top 2006 undergraduate with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and a perfect grade point average of 9.0.
Contact: Valerie Shore (UVic Communications) at (250) 721-7641 or vshore@uvic.ca
Jubilee Medal for Humanities
Caitlin Smith started out studying linguistics and transferred those skills to the study of Greek and Latin. She plans to put her skills with language to work as an editor.
Contact: work: (250) 744-3247 or smithce@uvic.ca
Jubilee Medal for Science
Anna Burianova, who finished her BSc with the highest GPA ever achieved in the department of biochemistry and microbiology, is spending the summer working at the National Research Council laboratories in Ottawa.
Contact: (613) 789-6180 or anicka@uvic.ca
Jubilee Medal for Social Sciences
Suzanne Caskenette, geography/biology
Unavailable for interviews.
Maxwell Cameron Medal in Education (Elementary)
Jillian Scarrow was educated at Rockheights Elementary and Esquimalt High School and has always wanted to teach, she will start her career in Calgary.
Contact: (403) 366-9298 or jillians@uvic.ca
Maxwell Cameron Medal in Education (Secondary)
Jennifer Gruno hopes to stay in the Sooke district to teach English and phys-ed. In her spare time she coaches soccer. Through education, she’s keen to inspire others with her passion for lifelong learning and physical activity.
Hometown: Sooke
Contact: (250) 882-3603 or jennifer_gruno@hotmail.com
Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering Medal
Peter Hawes is putting his UVic training to use as a design engineer for Kodak in Vancouver.
Hometown: Vancouver
Contact: (604) 421-5045 or hawes.p@gmail.com
Department of Computer Science Graduation Medal
Daniel Horspool
Unavailable for interviews.
IEEE Victoria Section Gold Medal in Computer Engineering
Abe Friesen enjoys design and is currently working in Kelowna at Itiva Development Corp. He plans to attend an engineering graduate school in fall 2007.
Contact: (250) 762-9646 or xenocide_11_@hotmail.com
IEEE Victoria Section Gold Medal in Electrical Engineering
Carl Spani is building on his co-op experience by accepting a full-time position as a research assistant with the University of Victoria Assistive Technology Team, developing custom devices for people with disabilities. Hometown: Squamish
Contact: (250) 661-3248 or cspani@gmail.com
Law Society Gold Medal
Jennifer Marles will be clerking at the BC Supreme Court following graduation and she hopes to practice intellectual property law in the area of pharmaceutical and biotechnology patenting.
Hometown: Comox
Contact: (250) 370-9159 or jennifer.marles@utoronto.ca
Victoria Medal in Fine Arts
Marjorie Celona is a writer and filmmaker. Her ultimate goal is to write and teach after earning her master of fine arts in fiction.
Contact: (250) 595-3175 or marjorie.celona@gmail.com
* The students’ hometown is Victoria unless otherwise indicated.
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Media contacts
Mike McNeney (UVic Alumni Services) at (250) 721-7642 or mmcneney@uvic.ca