Journey Alumni Magazine - Fall 2020

JOURNEY LAKEHEAD ALUMNI MAGAZINE | FALL 2020

FIGHTING CYBERCRIMINALS David Bruno stands up against fraud, hacking, and espionage

FEATHERED FRIENDS It’s time for some birdwatching adventures

SISTER ACT

How song is strengthening a community

PLUS Dr. Stewart Kennedy is working to contain COVID-19 Sarah Simpson helps students and vulnerable kids Meet Canada’s youngest Conservative MP

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CONTENTS

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ON THE MAP

TOP DOC

LAKEHEAD LOOK BACK

Essential news from Lakehead Orillia and Lakehead Thunder Bay

Dr. Stewart Kennedy is leading Thunder Bay’s COVID-19 response

Dr. Nancy Luckai fell in love with forestry when she came to Lakehead

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SISTER ACT Sisters Abbie Kent and Milli Schop use music to support local charities

08 HELPING CHILDREN Education student Sarah Simpson is a busy volunteer and crisis responder

CYBERATTACKS

ALUMNI SNAPSHOTS

David Bruno says that Canadians need to take back control of their data

Can I see your ID please? Alumni share their Lakehead student cards

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POLITICAL MOVER

TURNING POINTS

Being Canada's youngest Conservative MP doesn't faze Eric Melillo

Alumni milestones and achievements

18 BIRDWATCHING The annual fall migration is a great time for some birding adventures

28 HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS An early computer pioneer was Lakehead’s second president

Cert no. XXX-XXX-000

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FALL 2020 VOLUME 36, NUMBER 2 Lakehead Journey Alumni Magazine is published twice a year by the Communications and Marketing team which is responsible for establishing policy, editorial direction, and content for the magazine. The views expressed or implied do not necessarily reflect those of Lakehead University or the Communications and Marketing team.

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40062450

CONTACT US

Communications, Marketing and Clayton Browne Web Development Director Editor Tracey Skehan Graphic Design Melissa Kastern Telephone: 807-343-8134, Fax: 807-346-7770 Email: editor@lakeheadu.ca CONTRIBUTORS Editor Tracey Skehan, Brandon Walker, Wendy Helfenbaum

SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO

Office of Annual Fund and Alumni Engagement Lakehead University 955 Oliver Rd., Thunder Bay, ON Canada P7B 5E1 Telephone: 1-800-832-8076 Fax: 807-343-8999 Email: alumni@lakeheadu.ca or online alumni.lakeheadu.ca

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS President and Chair Vice-President Vice-President Treasurer Past President Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Annual Fund and Alumni Engagement Director

EXTERNAL RELATIONS TEAM

Debra Woods Yolanda Wanakamik Karen Boz Paul Popo-Ola Michel Beaulieu Nancy Angus Michael Michaud Chris DaSilva Linda Henderson Nancy Luckai Chris Vaillant Laara Losier Peter Lau Mike Walton Mark Tilbury

Interim External Relations Vice-President Ann Brandt (Toronto Office) Annual Fund and Mark Tilbury Alumni Engagement Director Government Relations Director Richard Longtin Communications, Marketing and Clayton Browne Web Development Director Philanthropy Director Kathryn Davidson External Relations Coordinator Patricia McCluskey Annual Fund and Meghan Hanbury Alumni Engagement Manager Annual Fund and Amanda Gerow Alumni Engagement Associate Annual Fund and Anna Sampson Alumni Engagement Associate Alumni and Philanthropy Assistant Anna Gagliardi Campaign Operations Associate Jennifer Steers Campaign Research Analyst (Toronto Office) Jill Cooper Donor Events Associate Diane Robnik Donor Events Manager Patti Merriman External Relations Associate Jacquie Kent (Lakehead Orillia) External Relations Associate Samantha Carothers (Toronto Office) Gift & Database Administrator Katie Friday Communications and Marketing Associate Tracey Skehan Communications and Marketing Associate Melissa Kastern Media, Communications and Brandon Walker Marketing Associate Media, Communications and Jaclyn Bucik Marketing Associate (Lakehead Orillia) Philanthropy Associate Lee-Anne Camlin Stewardship and Student Aid Associate Tara Monteith Annual Fund and Alumni Engagement Intern Jenna Beaulieu Web Development Manager Spencer Ranta Web Developer Justin Michel Web Information Designer Stefan Hoard Web Information Designer Ian McLeod

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 Alumni are invited to the Alumni Association’s virtual AGM on September 23, 2020, for a year-in-review presentation, a guest speaker, and the ratification of new board members and executive team members.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Lakehead alumni – 65,154 of you – living and working all over the world are some of the most generous, compassionate, and selfless human beings on the planet. Although our worlds have been turned upside down by the Coronavirus pandemic, you have risen to the challenge.

Through the efforts of our faculty, staff, and alumni nearly $99,000 was raised for our COVID-19 Student Relief Fund. Alumni in multiple communities created face shields with 3D printers and many of you continue to serve on the frontlines in the fight against the virus.

The External Relations team and the Alumni Association have been hard at work from our home offices, developing opportunities for our alumni to Engage, Celebrate, and Share in this new socially distant reality. One of our first initiatives was a “Welcome to the Family” email and video message to our 2,289 fall and spring graduates. And throughout the early part of June, many of our Alumni Association executive members participated in virtual celebrations for graduates from different faculties.

Our usual Alumni events and activities have also been looking a whole lot different.

Debra Woods, President Alumni Association

The Bill Keeler Memorial Golf Classic has been changed to a virtual tournament that runs from August 15 to October 15. Participants can purchase a special golf package from the Whitewater Golf Club, with a portion of each sale going directly to student financial aid and student athletes.

Our Alumni Association Annual General Meeting (AGM) this fall will be held virtually for the first time in our history and all alumni are welcome to attend. Watch the AALU website for more details.

This year will also feature our first virtual Homecoming. The highlight of the weekend will be a special Lakehead Celebrates gala evening honouring our alumni award winners, student athletes, and others. Mark your calendars for October 1, 2, and 3 and watch for more details in your inbox.

And finally, at this year’s Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education Prix d’Excellence Awards, Lakehead University took home the bronze for Best Student/Young Alumni initiative. This year’s win marks the second alumni award in three years.

Mark Tilbury, Director Annual Fund and Alumni Engagement

ON THE MAP Tech Revolution “Today’s wireless communication is very demanding and highly competitive,” said Dr. Farhan Ghaffar in a major funding announcement about his research.

“There is a never-ending need for innovation in the design of components and systems.” Dr. Ghaffar is an electrical engineering professor at Lakehead UniversityGeorgian College who is using his $152,500 grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council to develop smart radio frequency components. These components can be used in applications including autonomous vehicles, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cell phones. “The fundamental idea of this work is to contribute to the infrastructure development of 5G and IoT communications.”

Dr. Ghaffar’s research is using a novel technology called Frequency Programmable Microwave Substrate (FPMS) to find viable solutions in various wireless applications.

Protecting Firefighters Firefighters are often the first to arrive in emergency situations ranging from car crashes to medical distress calls to house fires. As a result, their chance of being exposed to COVID-19 and other transferable diseases is higher than the general public. The nature of their job also has a negative impact on their mental health. According to kinesiology professor Dr. Kathryn Sinden, “COVID-19 has created a unique and challenging context where their risk for experiencing mental health conditions has increased.” This prompted her to apply for a $49,968 Knowledge

Synthesis COVID-19 rapid response grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Since receiving the grant, Dr. Sinden has been conducting research with a team of firefighters who are appraising information specific to firefighter mental health in peerreviewed academic journals, online information platforms, and existing guidelines provided by firefighter associations. Their results will be used to develop strategies to help the firefighter community better manage their mental health and prevent illness.

Become a Mentor

 Dr. Farhan Ghaffar

Would you like to share your knowledge with a student?

Lakehead Connect is a networking and mentoring platform that matches students with alumni, faculty, and staff to spark inspiring career conversations. The platform, powered by Ten Thousand Coffees and sponsored by RBC Future Launch, is a fantastic way to support young people trying to navigate a challenging time in their lives.

Each month, students and mentors are introduced to one another based on their goals and interests. Once an alum has been matched, their student will be able to ask them questions, practice soft skills, and begin preparing for their career.

It’s easy to get involved, just visit lakeheadu.ca/alumni for more information or sign up directly by going to: tenthousandcoffees.com/ schools/lakeheadu

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ON THE MAP

Lakehead for Life

 Jacob Kearey-Moreland grew up on a farm in Simcoe County and now co-owns Bass Lake Farms in the township of Oro-Medonte near Orillia.

Outstanding Citizens Jacob Kearey-Moreland has been a driving force behind local community gardening initiatives for over a decade – in Toronto as an undergraduate student, in Orillia as a community advocate, and now as a Master of Education student at Lakehead. His efforts have earned him Lakehead’s 2020 Lloyd Dennis Award for outstanding citizenship.

“Community gardening is as much about growing a community as it is about producing food,” Jacob said. “It’s like a communal outlet people can plug into, where social and ecological action can happen together.” On the Orillia campus, he has helped bring to life the butterfly garden, the traditional Three Sisters garden, the Four Directions teaching garden, and the community and allotment vegetable gardens. He also dedicates countless hours to fundraising, event planning, public speaking, advocacy, and outreach.

On the Thunder Bay campus, Laura Deschamps, a 2020 Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology grad, is the recipient of this year’s Robert Poulin Award for outstanding citizenship.

She proposed the creation of a kinesiology peer-mentoring program after volunteering as a teacher’s assistant during her fourth year at Lakehead University. “I realized there was a need to help lower-year students navigate the program after I received several questions about

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course selection, the thesis process, graduate school applications, among others,” she said. Laura has also been very involved in the community as a volunteer with the Special Olympics and the organizing committee of the Walk to End ALS. In addition to her kinesiology degree, Laura is now studying to be a doctor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

A dedicated group of students, under the guidance and leadership of External Relations Associate Jacquie Kent, has become an integral part of the Lakehead Orillia campus community. The Lakehead University Student Alumni Association (LUSAA) is often called upon to support and participate in university-wide events, in addition to their many student outreach activities. LUSAA’s hard work was recognized this year by the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) with a bronze Prix d’Excellence award in the Best Student/Young Alumni category. The CCAE judging panel noted that “LUSAA is a student-led chapter of the Lakehead University Alumni Association, whose primary purpose is to increase awareness of the Alumni Association and engage with the current student body at Lakehead University’s Orillia Campus, setting the stage for a lifelong relationship between graduates and the University.”

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ON THE MAP

Mineral Exploration Geology Professor Dr. Pete Hollings is receiving $300,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and $150,000 from Clean Air Metals Inc. to investigate the Thunder Bay North igneous complex, part of the 1.1 billion-year-old Midcontinent Rift.

“My team and I will characterize how and when the rocks formed and investigate how the key metals made their way into the various intrusive units found within the property,” Dr. Hollings said. This research will help Clean Air Metals’ exploration efforts at the Escape Lake and Thunder Bay North deposits and, hopefully, assist with mineral production.

mats themselves have degraded into thin streaks of carbon.

 Ben Kuzmich now works for Barrick Gold at their Hemlo mine in Marathon, Ontario.

Getting Rocky Two Lakehead alumni have recently had their honours thesis research published in international peerreviewed journals. Sadie Fischer, who earned her Honours Bachelor of Environmental Science in 2016, co-wrote a paper with her supervisor Dr. Phil Fralick that appeared in the August 2020 edition of the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences.

It is the first description of mats of bacteria that lived on the shallow, sandy seafloor in the Thunder Bay area 1,878 million years ago. The rocks preserve evidence of this ancient life. This “pond scum” bound sand grains together and created odd structures in the rock layers, even though the bacterial

Ben Kuzmich’s research, in a paper co-written with Shiwei Wang, Pete Hollings, Taofa Zhou, and Fangyue Wang, has been published in the Precambrian Research journal.

Ben’s study of the Dog Lake chain granites north of Thunder Bay, which was done in conjunction with Dr. Hollings, used petrography and geochemistry to develop a new model of the granites’ formation.

Ben graduated in 2012 with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Geology before completing a Master of Science at Lakehead in 2015.

 Sadie Fischer’s paper was selected by the editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences to be featured in the Editor’s Choice section.

Understanding Atrocities Photos and visual imagery saturate contemporary society. But what are our responsibilities when photos document the dark side of human life?

“Photographs are how I came to learn history,” said Dr. Valerie Hébert, a history and interdisciplinary studies professor at Lakehead Orillia. “My grandfather had a book of Time Life photographs

chronicling major events of the 20th century. They gave me a visual vocabulary for events I would later study, write, and teach about."

Dr. Hébert has received a threeyear $51,473 Insight Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to write a book about the complex ethical dilemmas that arise from viewing, exhibiting, and engaging with images

of atrocity, specifically photographs taken during the Holocaust. “In a sense, this project brings me full circle to where my interest in history began.” Dr. Hébert’s book will discuss the role that photographs can play in understanding atrocity and provide guidance for engaging with these kinds of images in a respectful and sensitive way.

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Sister Act Channeling the power of music

by Tracey Skehan

 Milli (left) and Abbie (right) enjoy some time together.

Abbie Kent (HBSc’18/ MSc’20) and her sister Milli Schop – a member of Barrie rock band The Straits – are harnessing their shared love of music to lift spirits and help vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sisters grew up in Simcoe County where Abbie completed one year of her Honours Bachelor of Science at Lakehead’s Orillia campus before moving to the Thunder Bay campus to complete her degree and enroll in the Master of Health Science program.

Sheltering together has turned the household into a place where music is front and centre.

That’s not surprising since Abbie and Milli have been singing their whole lives – around campfires, in Orillia’s St. Paul’s Children’s Choir, and in musicals like Anne of Green Gables. As adults, they’ve continued to sing choral music and, for several years, Milli has sung with The Straits. She was invited to join the popular group by her brother-in-law and bandmate Jason McNeil.

“One night,” Millie says, “Jason called me and said, ‘We’re on stage, you better get up here and sing with us.’ I went and I’ve never left

since.” As well as performing with The Straits, Milli is the director of customer experience at Napoleon Fireplaces in Barrie and has been working remotely since March.

The Straits are a mainstay of Barrie’s music scene. They consider themselves to be a Saturday night sing-a-long band and, before the pandemic, they played in clubs and at private events like backyard parties and weddings.

More recently, though, they’ve been focused on giving back to their community by raising thousands of dollars for charity through the band’s Facebook page, Barrie’s Live Music Show.

When the pandemic became a serious medical health crisis in March, Abbie was finishing her master’s degree and had to make a quick decision about where she wanted to spend lockdown.

“My roommate and I jumped in the car and drove two days to get back home,” she says. “Now I’m living in Barrie with my mom, Milli, my brother-in-law Dan, and my nephew Jack at Milli’s home.”  Milli Schop gives it her all during a performance with The Straits.

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SISTER ACT

stage. “When I’m not in Thunder Bay, I’m down here supporting The Straits behind the scenes in any way I can,” she says. “My role is to promote and advertise The Barrie Live Music Show and to occasionally perform by myself or with members of The Straits.”

“We give to a different charity every week,” Abbie explains, “and so far, we’ve raised over $35,000 for local charities including the Barrie Food Bank, the Women’s and Children’s Centre, and the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie.”

 Abbie celebrates earning her Honours Bachelor of Science degree in 2018.

“We have over 9,000 followers on the site now,” Abbie says.

Barrie’s Live Music Show features performances by The Straits, other Barrie bands, and performers from across Canada.

“We have over 600 videos of different artists – both live and recorded events – on our Facebook page,” Milli says.

The money for the hospital was used to purchase ventilators and iPads for patients unable to connect with their loved ones because of social distancing requirements.

Abbie's work supporting community members in times of crisis dovetails perfectly with her academic and vocational path.

During her master’s degree at Lakehead Thunder Bay, she specialized in Indigenous and Northern Health. “For my thesis, I worked with a fabulous team

This initiative was born in the spring of 2020 when the band was trying to figure out how they could keep gigging.

“We created the app because women in rural and remote communities don’t always have adequate access to support and care. It’s designed to allow them to receive therapy and telephonebased coaching services.”

In addition, the app – which she hopes will launch in 2021 – is able to conduct risk assessments of each individual’s mental health.

If the assessment determines that someone needs more support than the app can provide, it automatically directs them to in-person services in their community.

This autumn, a new chapter is unfolding in Abbie’s life as she begins studying at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Thunder Bay to become a physician. She sees a connection between the power of music and her aspiration to become a doctor.

“Music is healing. In times like these we really only get through it as a community. We lean on each other.”

Milli agrees with her little sister.

“This is a good time to sit down with a guitar or your grandmother’s piano and play a few songs and share them on Barrie’s Live Music Show. We are a 100% judgement-free zone – we’re looking for people who want to help people feel better.”

“We’d seen the Halifax Kitchen Party online music group,” Milli says. “It’s huge and tens of thousands of people follow them. They were the inspiration for our Facebook site. Once our Facebook page was up and running, things picked up really quickly, so we decided to use it as a platform to raise money for local charities.”

Abbie, who considers herself an honorary member of The Straits, was also involved at an early

of Lakehead researchers and community partners to develop an online app to improve maternal mental health in Northwestern Ontario.”

 “We play a lot of classic rock,” Milli says. “We do play newer music but we don’t enjoy it as much.” She and Abbie were influenced by their parents' love of groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

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Up and Coming Educator Sarah Simpson (HBASc’20)

by Tracey Skehan

 Sarah Simpson is training to be a primary/junior teacher. Although, she says, “I would also be interested in working with high school students later in my career.”

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” Sarah Simpson explains. “I’ve been volunteering in classrooms since I was in Grade 7.”

Sarah is in a concurrent program at Lakehead Orillia and after completing her Honours Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in May 2020, she’s returned to campus this fall to begin her education degree.

“My ultimate goal is to be a special education teacher and help students with exceptionalities. It could be children with behavioural issues or with conditions such as autism or Down syndrome,” she says.

Sarah’s compassion for others is clear from the outreach activities she’s taken on since arriving in Orillia from her hometown of Cambridge, Ontario. She’s been a campus tour guide and she’s excited about beginning her third year as a residence assistant.

“It’s been wonderful helping students with their transition to university,” she says.

In 2018, Sarah and Jessica Dinner, a friend and 2020 social work grad, co-founded the Orillia

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chapter of the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) – a global organization that provides educational, economic, and empowerment opportunities for youth around the world.

“I love that WUSC advocates for young people in other countries and gives them opportunities to share their viewpoints and knowledge,” she says.

Sarah expanded her international experience in 2019 when the MITACS research organization hired her as a Globalink Mentor to two Brazilian interns who spent the summer at Lakehead Orillia conducting research.

“I helped them adjust to campus and deal with any problems that arose. I also organized social activities for them, including exploring downtown Orillia.”

For the past two years, Sarah has been using her natural rapport with children as a crisis responder with the Kids’ Help Phone crisis text line. Young people from across Canada are able to send text messages to this anonymous online portal and get support from Sarah and hundreds of other trained volunteers.

“Kids will text in because they’re having a bad day at school or it might a longer-running issue like bullying at school, family abuse,

and mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.”

She says the biggest takeaway from the mental health work she’s done is that you don’t always have to give advice. “Sometimes people just want someone to listen to them so they can begin their journey of discovering what they can do to help themselves.”

This willingness to be there for those in need prompted Jessica to nominate Sarah for a 2019 County of Simcoe Youth Community Champion Award, which she received.

“It was amazing to be recognized for my efforts and to have people from the Lakehead community at the awards ceremony,” Sarah says.

But she doesn’t spend too much time dwelling on herself, her thoughts quickly turn back to the young people she enjoys mentoring.

“Kids are so open to trying new things and moving forward – they always hope for better things to come. I would love to be an educator who helps people, whatever their background or culture, achieve anything they put their mind to.”

Meet the alumnus leading Thunder Bay’s COVID-19 response

by Brandon Walker

 “You never really get a break from COVID-19,” Stewart says. “Since we started on March 6, there has been very little time off to regroup and refocus. I’ve carried on the normal business at the hospital as well as keeping my family practice going.”

Dr. Stewart Kennedy is the Incident Manager of COVID-19 at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Stewart is also the Executive VicePresident, Regional Programs, Clinical Supports and Medical Affairs at the Thunder Bay Health Sciences Centre and Regional Vice-President, Northwest Region, at Cancer Care Ontario.

Before becoming a doctor, Stewart earned his first degree – a Bachelor of Science in Nursing – at Lakehead University.

He explains how challenging it has been leading the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s response to COVID-19, with new information about the virus coming out daily.

“The team and I have had to continually adapt our policies and processes to make sure we keep patients safe and keep staff at the hospital safe, as well as staff in Northwestern Ontario,” he says.

“It’s been a humbling experience to deal with the explosion of knowledge in such a short period of time.”

Stewart, who is an assistant professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and past president of the

Ontario Medical Association, helped put the right protocols in place to keep everyone as safe as possible.

As of early September, there have been just over 100 COVID-19 cases in the region, and none of them are active.

Stewart credits his university education with enabling him to see the big picture as an interconnected system.

Not only did he attend Lakehead, Stewart also earned a Master in Hospital Administration from the University of Ottawa, and a medical degree from McMaster University.

He did his medical residency at the University of Calgary, but his love of Thunder Bay brought him back.

During the month of March and the first part of April, there were many unknowns about how aggressively COVID-19 would spread and how much exposure they might experience at the hospital.

Lakehead’s nursing program not only taught him how to treat patients, but also how to communicate effectively with them, their family members, and with his team.

“The main thing I took away from the program, besides scientific knowledge, is the ability to communicate effectively,” he says.

Stewart says one Lakehead course, Exercise Physiology, taught by the late Dr. Norm LaVoie, piqued his interest in studying medicine.

“Norm’s teaching style – with enthusiasm and passion – was very contagious and demonstrated excitement in all of us who attended his course, which provided a foundation to wanting to learn more about the human body,” Stewart says.

“We had to ask all staff to take additional risks to continue to work in a hospital that could have gotten overwhelmed by COVID-19,” he says.

Staff have stepped up to work longer hours away from their families.

“The way they understood their mission and understood the need to take care of the sick was quite impressive,” Stewart says.  Dr. Stewart Kennedy (BScN’77)

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HOMECOMING Thursday, October 1 - Saturday, October 3, 2020 LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY • lakeheadu.ca/homecoming

On behalf of the Alumni Association of Lakehead University, we are thrilled to host alumni, family and friends during Alumni Homecoming weekend.

We look forward to the new and exciting opportunity a virtual event will provide, to ensure the safety and protection of our students and alumni. Full schedule coming soon.

Join us and celebrate your 2020 Alumni Award Winners!

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

TRAILBLAZER AWARD

AMBASSADOR AWARD

This award is presented annually in recognition of a seasoned Lakehead University alumni well-established in their chosen career or field. The award recognizes significant lifetime contributions by an individual, whether through professional accomplishment, community involvement, or philanthropic dedication.

• Claude Haw (BEng'79)

This award is presented annually in recognition of a Lakehead University graduate, of the last ten years, who has flourished since graduation. The recipient will have shown exceptional and unconventional accomplishment in their professional career, community involvement, and/or philanthropic work in Canada or around the world.

• Sabah Rahmath-Ansari (MPH’16) • Dana Clark (HBASc’16) • Jocelyne Poirier (HBCom'13) • Matt Sellick HBMus'13)

This award is presented annually in recognition of a champion of Lakehead University. This award is presented to an individual whose dedication and continuing support of Lakehead University has made a significant impact on students, alumni, faculty and staff. Presented to an internal or external champion, the award recognizes the exceptional and unconventional community of Lakehead University.

• Andrew Petras (HBCom'13)

EXCEPTIONAL ALUMNI AWARD This award is presented by the Alumni Association to an alumnus/a who has demonstrated distinction or outstanding achievement in a particular field, community service work, personal accomplishment, or significant local, national, or international recognition for a personal endeavor.

• Jennifer Adese (BA’03, HBA’05) • Kevin Wallen (BA’96)

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HONORARY MEMBERSHIP This award is the highest honour the Alumni Association can bestow on a non-graduate, and recognizes a person’s exceptional service to, affinity for, or support of Lakehead University and the Alumni Association.

• Ron Watson • Susan Waite

COVID-19

Student Relief Fund Thank you! To the Alumni, Faculty, Staff, Governors and Friends who supported the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund at Lakehead University.

Your donation has meant everything to the over 750 students who have been assisted. Nearly $99,000 has been raised so far through your generous donations, and that combined with significant additional financial support from Lakehead University, resulted in an average of $500 per student for much needed emergency financial aid.

In my final year of school on the verge of graduating and starting my nursing career, I faced unimaginable hardship as my financial stability crumbled amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

With only $100 available to me, no available credit, and no financial or housing support, I found myself in a terrifying situation. I was unable to pay for food for myself, my pets, to pay for essential medications, and unable to pay for rent. I was facing possible eviction when I was just a couple months away from reaching my goal of becoming a nurse.

This fund saved my life. It helped me stay afloat long enough to start my nursing career.

To everyone who helped me, I'm eternally grateful and am in tears by the amount of kindness and caregiving you have shown me. You helped me stay afloat during this disaster and to reach a point where I am now able realize my dreams.

I am now able to support myself and care for others as a nurse.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

– Nursing student

I am grateful for your kind hearts as we are in an unprecedented time. I appreciate the employees of Lakehead, alumni members and the Board of Governors. Your contribution goes a long way in helping me and my family through a very hard time. I am currently doing my Master of Education with a portfolio route. I am focusing on this right now as I have been dealing with being the head of the household and needing to get simple things for the house to keep us safe. Thank you so much for your help again. You mean so much to me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Chi-Meegwetch.

– Education student

Thank you to all donors for helping us out. In the future, I wish to be a donor like you who can help students in need. This fund helped me get through a few harsh months without which the situation would have been bad and I might still be recovering from it.

Once again, thank you so much.

– Engineering student

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Digital Defense_ Cybersecurity activist David Bruno goes global

by Wendy Helfenbaum

Living our lives online with increasingly more connected smart devices may make shopping, streaming, and driving easier, but it’s also exposed us to threats including identity theft, data loss, phishing scams, and other cyberattacks.

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DIGITAL DEFENSE

When our personal information is held hostage, we can feel helpless and violated. Individuals, businesses, and even countries around the world can become victims when resourceful and sophisticated digital criminals are determined to invoke cyber harm.

David Bruno (HBA‘98) has devoted his professional life over the past 20 years to providing security protection to everyone who needs it. Splitting his time between Thunder Bay, Montréal, and Lucerne, Switzerland, David specializes in anti-fraud and anticorporate espionage systems for banks and financial institutions worldwide. He’s also worked tirelessly with businesses and government to change the way we detect and deter cybercriminals.

A Mother’s Love David’s work ethic developed while helping out in the family business: Donato’s Bakery on Court Street, first started by his mother's family, was founded upon

 Today, David’s two brothers Donny and James operate the bakery while he lends his internet and sales expertise.

Through the years, David picked up valuable life skills about business and community-building.

the 100-year-old bread-making traditions of her grandmother, who lived and baked in Simbario, a southern mountain town in Calabria, Italy. David often accompanied his late father on trips to Italy for rare ingredients like black anise seeds, which they hand picked.

“You don’t realize it when you’re in high school, but one of the things I was taught from the get-go is if someone’s hungry, don’t wait for payment. Just feed them,” recalls David. “All of this translates later to humanity: If you can help your fellow man, don’t think; just do it.”

Model Citizen David’s interest in politics and policy was piqued while studying for his bachelor’s degree.

“Lakehead shaped my life; it was the best education ever,” he says.

“Everything about the University was so nurturing, and I always felt supported. If you had a problem, they helped you.”

Along with a full course load and work at the bakery, David served part-time in the Canadian military as a second lieutenant in logistics.

His academic and extra-curricular success – including leading a student club that attended the Model United Nations Conference in New York – put him on the radar for many accolades, including Lakehead University’s President’s Award, the Princess Beatrice Award for Leadership and the Margaret S. Sideen Award for Excellence.

David was also awarded the Rotary Club’s International Ambassadorial Scholarship to study for a master’s degree abroad.

“I asked myself: Where is the biggest and best adventure? And I chose the University of Madrid, which was the best decision,” he recalls.

 David and his friend Amelie gaze over the rooftops of Madrid where David worked for the Spanish company Quality Telecom.

Taking a Global View Fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Italian, David worked as an interpreter at the Canadian Embassy in Madrid from 19982001 after completing his master’s degree, before being tapped to run Quality Telecom’s new international office. As the company’s business development manager, David split his time between Barcelona and Montréal, and his fascination with cybersecurity began.

“My boss, Jose Chillerón, was providing an SMS warning system to banks and financial institutions that was absolutely brilliant, and still in use today – every time you use a credit card, you get an alert

by SMS,” recalls David. “It was a rudimentary, but effective, fraud prevention program, and I loved it because it was so cool. That’s where my passion took hold.”

As David’s career advocating for fraud prevention systems advanced, he continued studying data security threats and topics like identity theft, anti-money laundering, and Distributed Network Attacks – also known as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS). After 13 years at Quality Telecom, David founded eCarteBlanche, a prepaid payment and payroll company. He also became increasingly aware of the

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DIGITAL DEFENSE

that the advent of Google, Yahoo, and Facebook was a game changer.

“They were all replacing spy agencies, because you didn't need them anymore – people were voluntarily putting their information online.”

The number one spy tool? Our emails.

 David also teaches at financial institutions around the world in the areas of information security, anti-hack, and anti-corporate spy systems.

“Email goes through many systems, acting like a postcard: Every time you send it, it’s being read by as many servers as it’s touching,” explains David, adding that the way to protect our emails is by encrypting them, which he likens to an envelope.

use of surveillance, data mining, and online harassment around the world, whether it affected LGBTQ people in authoritarian countries, vulnerable young women being tracked and sold into slavery, or refugees seeking safety for their families.

David believes in prioritizing cybersecurity for both citizens and governments, and offering better protection through the encrypted data services his company provides. Unfortunately, most people don’t have any kind of email encryption software, or even know what it is, he says.

Convinced that individuals and companies needed better privacy protection, he realized that private security providers, niche data-protective platforms, and cybersecurity software developers needed to step up. So he did just that. In 2015, David launched Secure Swiss Data, a global cybersecurity firm and one of the first companies to provide an all-in-one end-to-end encrypted email, calendar, file storage, and file-sharing facility directly to consumers.

Escaping the Email Trap David believes we all need to understand the potential dangers lurking in cyberspace, including destructive bots and foreign interference in democratic elections worldwide.

“When people first began putting everything online, we didn’t know the implications,” he says, adding

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“Our main focus is end-to-end encrypted emails, where only the sender and the receiver are able to read the email; everything in between is scrambled, and it comes across in every server as static,” explains David.

“A lot of governments are saying, ‘If you’ve got nothing to hide, give it to us’, but our motto is: ‘You may not have something to hide, but we all have something to lose.’”

Teaming Up with Lawmakers David’s white papers on cybersecurity have assisted some Canadian ministers in designing national guidelines, and he played a pivotal role in developing Canada's Digital Charter, a comprehensive guide to fighting cybercrime that was released in May 2019

by Navdeep Bains, the federal minister of innovation, science and economic development.

“Before, we had a patchwork of laws – copyright, personal protections, the Privacy Act – being applied to the digital age, but the problem was if you got into trouble, you just didn’t know which one to litigate with,” he explains. “So when the government called out to citizens and experts to help fix this problem, I saw an opportunity to galvanize everything into one digital charter that would really change the way we treat criminals in a digital situation.”

David’s contribution to prioritizing cybersecurity for citizens and governments involved making social media platforms responsible.

“If they’re circulating hate crimes, for example, don’t let them hide behind the fact that they're a platform registered in a country that makes them immune to hateful or hurtful things. I helped create a document to help clarify how to act online and how to prosecute if you’re wronged and that helped lead to the 10-point Digital Charter, and I’m very proud of that.”

Privacy, Politics, and the Pandemic David’s company recently signed a technology agreement with Qnext, the Toronto-based developer of the FileFlex Zero-Trust-Architecture remote access, file sharing suite.

“David has many great qualities when it comes to malware analysis, risk analysis and mitigation, and cloud security, and he’s positive and bubbly all the time,” says Qnext president and CEO Anthony DeCristofaro.

“He believes that making more secure systems for everyone makes cybersecurity easier for the largest stakeholders in the technological arena. David is a great team player and an innovative thinker with strong communication skills and he has business acumen combined with a

DIGITAL DEFENSE

with. Considering how rapidly the COVID-19 pandemic spread, it seems likely that corporations may have rushed their instructions and guides for employees to connect,” he wrote in his report.

With cybercriminals finding vulnerabilities in home network infrastructure and private internet connections to launch their attacks, businesses and governments could end up with billions of dollars in additional costs.  Services offered by David’s company Secure Swiss Data include end-toend encrypted voice calls and text messaging – all in one free app.

strong cybersecurity skill set, which is hard to beat.”

David’s talents are being put to good use as many employees continue to work from home.

“The problem is we have not allowed our security to catch up with the need for these types of changes,” he notes.

In his recent white paper about cybercrime during the coronavirus pandemic, David reported that the most common threats emerging with a remote workforce include phishing, malware, and ransomware attacks.

“For many employees, connecting to the corporate server through a virtual private network (VPN) isn’t something they’re familiar

That’s why today more than ever, David’s commitment to free public education is so crucial. As a member and contributor of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Northern Policy Institute, he’s been determined to share his knowledge so people – especially vulnerable populations – understand their digital civil liberties and how to protect themselves.

In February 2020, David’s company merged with SafeSwiss, a global leader in encryption, which will extend the reach of his ongoing efforts to mitigate cyberattacks and data breaches, which are on the rise.

“We have premium services to help pay for the whole system, but if you don’t give something for free, people just won’t take it on,” he says. “One of our philosophies is that privacy is a human right, and if we didn't provide at least part of it for free, then we go against our own ethos.”

Bringing it All Home For all his global career success, David is equally proud of the difference he’s made in his own backyard, says his spouse, Brock Adams.

“David’s family is deeply involved with the local community,” says Brock. “I’ve helped them deliver food to food banks and elsewhere, and upon marrying David, I found myself carrying a change purse – something I had never done before – with the intention of having money to give to the poor when you passed them. David does this without fail. He cares deeply about people, and his passion here is genuine and selfless. There’s just an infectious goodness to David.”

David notes that he is motivated to constantly do more, thanks to his mother, Caterina (Cathy).

“She’s been awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers

by Queen Elizabeth II, through the Governor General, and she’s my inspiration,” he says.

Together, David’s family has sponsored Syrian refugees, employing several in their bakery.

“My mother has shown to me that if it takes five minutes or an hour to help someone else, just do it as much as you can, and don’t stop,” he says.

Two Cybersecurity Strategies to Protect your Privacy Most people don’t reveal personal secrets to strangers, but all bets are off in the digital world, where we tend to share everything online.

Here are David’s tips to safeguard your data and identity: • Use an end-to-end encrypted server for your email.

“At SafeSwiss or our compatriots at ProtonMail, there’s an easy option:

Sign up for free and start using it,” says David.

• Be alert about common cyber threats.

“Don’t open phishing attacks,” advises David. “Malware is constantly attacking one’s computer, especially when people are working from home without a VPN.”

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Rookie MP Eric Melillo Talks Politics

by Tracey Skehan

 The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on Eric and his fellow MPs. “I can’t go out in my riding and meet with people and we now have hybrid House of Commons meetings – some in person and some virtually.”

For MP Eric Melillo, a sense of civic responsibility and a love of his hometown of Kenora have motivated him from a young age.

Eric was a third-year economics student at Lakehead University with a full course load when he secured the Conservative Party nomination to run in the 2019 federal election.

“I never knew what exactly my path would be, but I realized I didn’t want to be on the sidelines any longer,” he says.

As results rolled in on election night, it became clear that the voters had chosen the 21 year old to represent the riding of Kenora – making him the youngest Conservative MP in Canada’s history.

He officially received his BA in Economics four days later on October 25.

“I’m incredibly proud of my economics degree. My time at Lakehead went by way too quickly,” Eric says.

His interest in politics emerged in his early teens.

“I saw people like my father have to relocate for work and I saw the quality of life issues faced by First

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Nations people,” he explains. “I wanted to institute positive changes for my community and my region.”

His arrival on Parliament Hill was an experience that left Eric a little awestruck.

In 2015, he volunteered for MP Greg Rickford’s federal re-election campaign (since 2018, Rickford has been serving as the Kenora – Rainy River MPP). Eric made himself indispensable, prompting Rickford to promote him to campaign manager.

It was a role he proved adept at handling.

“I remember looking around and thinking about the members, speakers, and prime ministers who had been there before me.”

“You have a limited amount of time before the election to reach as many people as possible,” Eric says.

“Since our riding encompasses a huge area, planning events and getting out the vote requires a lot of coordination.”

“I remember looking around and thinking about the members, speakers, and prime ministers who had been there before me.”

Becoming a candidate in 2019 gave Eric the opportunity to put everything he’d learned in action and to demonstrate his integrity.

“Whether it was door knocking or debates, it was a very respectful campaign. All the candidates were supportive of each other even though we were expressing very different opinions. That’s vital because you have to represent everyone in your riding.”

But perhaps the moment when the weight of his new responsibilities really sank in was the first time he spoke in the House of Commons. It was during Question Period, so the benches and gallery were full.

“I was nervous, but as soon as I started sharing the concerns of my riding, my nerves went away. I raised the issue of the timelines for building a mercury contamination plant near Grassy Narrows. Since then, we’ve been able to sign an agreement.”

As well as representing Kenora, Eric is the Northern Affairs & Federal Economic Development Initiative opposition critic.

“It’s important to me to make sure that the voices of youth, especially marginalized youth, are heard.”

Eric’s willingness to advocate for Northern Ontarians on a complex range of issues and his passion for politics signal that he is someone to watch in the coming years.

is going online We have created a Journey magazine website to give our readers a more immersive experience.

The website will allow alumni to submit news about their milestones and accomplishments, update their addresses, access videos, view past magazine issues, and share Journey articles on social media.

VISIT - LAKEHEADU.CA/JOURNEY - TO SEE OUR NEW, EXCITING ONLINE VERSION

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Ask an Alum Biologist Al Harris (MSc’90) welcomes you to the world of birding Have you ever heard of a Lapland longspur, an olive-sided flycatcher, or black-bellied plover?

If you’re a birdwatcher, you’ll know that these are all species that can be found in Canada. If you’re not a birdwatcher, biologist and alumnus Al Harris (MSc’90) would like to encourage you to become one.

He’s a member of the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists club and the cofounder of Northern Bioscience – an ecological consulting company in Thunder Bay. “I love birding because it encompasses everything from looking at the birdfeeder outside your kitchen window to more adventurous trips into forests and wetlands,” he says.

There are a vast number of species across the country, but they can be divided into four broad categories – shorebirds, songbirds, water birds, and raptors (also known as birds of prey).

Get Out Your Binoculars

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2. Get an early morning start, that’s when most birds are active.

3. Pay attention to the weather.

Birds prefer clear skies and avoid rainy weather. North winds in the fall and south winds in the spring offer some of the best birdwatching conditions.

4. Bring a pair of binoculars to get a close-up look at the birds you are tracking. If you really want to get serious, invest in a good spotting scope.

5. Don’t forget your field guide.

Birders can choose a print guide, such as the Peterson Guide and the Sibley Guide, or download birding apps for smartphones. Al’s top pick is the Sibley Birding app but there are many others to choose from, including eBird and the Audubon Bird Guide.

6. Document and share your sightings with a camera or smartphone. This is a good way to keep a record of the birds you encounter.

Al has a few tips that will have you finding birds from the tiny redbreasted nuthatch to the majestic great blue heron. This is especially true now that birds are preparing to fly south for the winter. “They migrate from late August until midOctober,” Al says. “Peak diversity is in early September.”

7. Be respectful. Try not to disturb the birds or their environment and approach them slowly.

1. Dress properly for the outdoors.

Wear a hat to protect yourself from the sun and cover up to keep the bugs out. If you’re planning to venture into rougher terrain, hiking boots are recommended.

Visit the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists website at www.tbfn.net for the times and locations of field trips and talks in Northwestern Ontario.

8. Join a naturalists group. You’ll meet people with an enthusiasm for birding and have the opportunity to go on interesting field trips.

BECOME A  Barn swallows have streamlined bodies and tapered feathers that allow them to reach speeds of up to 74 km per hour and build cupshaped nests in barns and other manmade structures. They can be spotted in fields and meadows as well as near small bodies of water.

Photo courtesy of Cathy Paroschy Harris.

 Bald eagles are massive raptors with wingspans ranging between 1.8 and 2.3 m that like to hunt around lakes, rivers, and wetlands, but they can survive for several weeks without food. Eagles build nests of sticks in old-growth forests that can weigh well over a tonne.

Photo courtesy of Cathy Paroschy Harris.

 One of Al’s favourite places for birdwatching is Hurkett Cove located about 90 km north of Thunder Bay. “In the spring and fall, it’s very good for loons (pictured), ducks, geese, swans, and grebes. A little closer to Thunder Bay, I recommend Chippewa Park and Mission Island.”

Photo courtesy of Cathy Paroschy Harris.

 The great blue heron is a wading bird that’s most active in the mornings and evenings. It has a patch of feathers on its chest called “powder down” that it crumbles into a powder to remove fish slime from its feathers and prevent oils from clinging to its underside.

Citizen Scientist There are many citizen science projects that allow birders to contribute to a better understanding of different bird species, their behaviour, and their habitats.

The Ontario Bird Breeding Atlas is a great place to start. It’s updated every 20 years and it relies heavily on data submitted by recreational birders. Data collection for the next atlas begins on January 1, 2021. Visit www.birdsontario.org/atlas for more details.

There are also organized surveys and monitoring programs for birds such as owls and loons that you can get more information about by visiting the Birds Canada website at birdscanada. org. Smartphone apps like eBird and iNaturalist also allow birdwatchers to submit their sightings to a common database.

In Northwestern Ontario, birders can assist at the Thunder Cape Bird Observatory, a migration monitoring station on the Sibley Peninsula. Before visiting the observatory, check their website to see if there are any COVID-19 restrictions in place.

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Phil and Marlene Jarvis Always Put Young People First

 Phil and Marlene Jarvis (pictured with great grandson Lucas) have been loyal Lakehead University supporters. “We wanted to have the bursary for the community and for the university as a token of our appreciation,” Phil says.

“My wife Marlene and I got married in 1959 when she was 20 and I was 21,” says retired educator and Lakehead donor Phil Jarvis. “She was better known to me and our children as my Wild Irish Rose.”

North Bay Teacher’s College by beginning a part-time history degree at Lakehead University.

He was from Rainy River and Marlene was from Sleeman – two small Northwestern Ontario towns about 10 kilometres apart. The couple grew up on family farms and became sweethearts while attending the same high school. Then, after working as teachers for a couple of years, they became partners in a 60-year marriage.

The Jarvis family moved to Thunder Bay in the summer of 1969 so that when their six children finished high school, they would have access to a university education. Phil quickly found a job as a teacher at Northwood High School – a special vocational school that offered an alternative to traditional learning approaches. He finished his degree the following spring and was able to fully concentrate on his teaching.

While Phil embarked on his teaching career in earnest, Marlene shifted her focus to raising their growing family. Their lives, whether at home or in a classroom, revolved around teaching and learning and they placed a high value on education.

“Marlene was the first person in her family to graduate from high school and she was on the Rainy River High School honour roll,” Phil explains.

In 1964, Phil decided to build on the diploma he’d received at the

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“It was challenging,” he says, “because I was working and had a family by then.”

Being at university was a transformative period in Phil’s life.

“I had some of the most excellent professors anyone could ever have and it was at Lakehead that I really learned how to study.”

“I realized that if you had the students on your side, anything was possible,” he says. “My job was to discover what their abilities were and to encourage them to do their best.”

The Jarvis family’s connection with Lakehead continued to deepen over time. Their children – Guy, Marc, Jill, Marielle, Colleen, and Karen – would all go to Lakehead and earn degrees in fields ranging from engineering to commerce and nursing.

One evening during these university years, in their house on Amelia Street, the couple asked themselves, “How can we help our community?”

The answer, they decided, was to support Lakehead students who needed extra financial assistance.

This led them to establish the Marlene Jarvis (Kearney) Science Bursary for Bachelor of Science students in 2000.

Twenty years later, the bursary has reached an important milestone.

The donations Phil and Marlene regularly made to the bursary over the years have grown it to an incredible $100,000.

Marlene passed away in November 2019 and is not here to celebrate the occasion, but Phil believes that his Wild Irish Rose would be very proud of this achievement they built together. Because of their generosity, young people are creating better futures for themselves.

If you would like to make a gift to the Marlene Jarvis (Kearney) Science Bursary, please visit www.donate. lakeheadu.ca. You can also contact Mark Tilbury, our Annual Fund and Alumni Engagement Director, for more information about how you can help put Lakehead students on the path to a university degree.

T: 807-343-8916 E: mark.tilbury@lakeheadu.ca

The Power of Connection

by Meghan Hanbury

 Dr. Mary Clare Courtland. Educator. Philanthropist. Visionary.

Mary Clare Courtland and Keri-Lyn Durant were strangers to each other, yet they are powerfully connected.

“Because of the CoughlinCourtland Family Bursary, I was able to continue to pursue my educational goals – dreams, really – without financial hardship,” says Keri-Lyn Durant, the 2019-2020 recipient.

Mary Clare started her career at Lakehead in 1984 with a focus on children’s literature and KeriLyn started hers in 2012 (BEd).

Both women chose to become educators. Both pursued their PhDs and both taught for the Faculty of Education.

“My research is in death education – dying, death, and loss – and current pandemic restrictions have only served to heighten the demand for input. That’s why I am even more grateful that I can continue uninterrupted as we move forward in these unprecedented times."

The path to a higher education wasn’t an easy one for Mary Clare, who struggled financially and sacrificed as a single mother.

During a time when it wasn’t common for women to go to university, she forged ahead, following her passion with the encouragement of her mother.

Early in her career, Mary Clare demonstrated that she wanted to remove some of the financial barriers preventing young people from pursuing a university education.

She started gradually, making gifts when she was able. Later she used monthly giving to make steady

 Keri-Lyn Durant, the 2019-2020 recipient of the Coughlin-Courtland Family Bursary.

gifts spread throughout the year and then a matching gift initiative inspired her to create a bursary named in honour of her family.

She slowly built up the CoughlinCourtland Family Bursary over a period of five years. When her mother passed away, Mary Clare used a portion of the estate to add to it.

To sustain the life of the award, Mary Clare included a gift to Lakehead in her own will. When she passed away in 2014, her vision to provide future support to students like Keri-Lyn was realized.

As she nears the end of her doctoral journey, the impact that Mary Clare has made on Keri-Lyn has connected them for a lifetime.

To learn more about how to leave a life-changing gift in your will to Lakehead University, please contact: Lee-Anne Camlin, Philanthropy Associate. All requests remain confidential with no obligation.

T: 807-346-7792 E: rlcamlin@lakeheadu.ca

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Dr. Nancy Luckai

(HBScF’78/MSc’81, Forestry)

“Lakehead has been my home in so many different ways,” says Natural Resources Management Professor Emerita, Dr. Nancy Luckai. “It introduced me to the idea of graduate school and gave me the opportunity to teach, conduct research, and train another generation of forest professionals. I met my husband Frank here and both my children are Lakehead grads.”

“I was in my late 20s, so I was a bit older than the usual recruiter,” Nancy says, “but I was so passionate about the opportunities that Lakehead offered. This job provided insight into the amazing range of opportunities available to Lakehead students and introduced me to the staggering number of policies, regulations, and procedures that govern all studentrelated programs and activities – knowledge that came in very handy in later years as a program chair.”

In the words of Mark Tilbury, the University’s Annual Fund and Alumni Engagement Director, “Nancy is the embodiment of Lakehead for Life.”

“I was attracted to Lakehead because it was as far away as possible from my hometown of London without leaving the province,” Nancy says, “and forestry seemed like an intriguing subject.”

“There were very few programs in the 70s with an emphasis on the outdoors so it was pretty competitive. I can’t claim to have been an ideal student, especially during my first two years when I was more interested in socializing than studying.” By her third and fourth years, though, she’d found topics that resonated with her and her undergraduate thesis advisor, Dr. Stan Navratil, encouraged her to pursue a master’s degree at Lakehead.

“It was the School of Forestry at the time and one of the largest student bodies in the University.

Like many of the professional schools, the profs had spent most of their careers in industry, consulting, or government before taking up teaching. Their work experiences made for some very interesting and entertaining lecture material, entertaining lecture material," Nancy says.

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 The camaraderie among forestry students and the chance to be outdoors are a couple of the things that reinforced Nancy’s love of her field. She has fond memories of a first-year forest inventory course. “We had a lab every week on the opposite side of Oliver Road in George Burke Park.”

When Dr. Navratil left for an extended sabbatical, the School asked Nancy to teach his courses. “It was my first teaching experience and the start of a long career at Lakehead.”

This position was followed by work as Dr. Navratil’s research assistant and then, in an unexpected move, a job with the Registrar’s Office doing academic advising, admissions, and liaising with prospective students.

After 18 months, Nancy made another switch – this time to the School of Forestry greenhouse manager.

“Growing plants and seedlings for teaching and research purposes, I was able to apply what I had learned as a student. As a bonus, I got to know the great people in Physical Plant. I relied on them a lot because there were so many operating systems in those buildings – electrical, plumbing, heating, mechanical – and so many things that could go wrong.”

When the School of Forestry was looking for a new forest ecology professor, Nancy lobbied for the job. Offered the position on the condition that she get her PhD, Nancy remembers a meeting with Dr. Bob Rosehart, then president

LAKEHEAD FOR LIFE

involved in teaching, research, and professional forestry education.

Her research interests fall into two main areas – measuring forest biodiversity to assist with management planning decisions and investigating carbon and nitrogen cycling in forest environments. Her work has been widely recognized, including winning a Lakehead University Innovation Award, an Influential Women Award from Northern Ontario Business, and a Tree of Life Award from the Canadian Institute of Forestry. p “I always joke that chemistry was one of my toughest courses and I wound up running a lab based on chemistry,” Nancy says. “I’m a firm believer that it’s one thing to learn something in the classroom and another thing to actually apply it.”

of Lakehead, to discuss the appointment. “Bob cautioned me about the challenge I was taking on. He was right.”

“I did my degree part-time through the University of Guelph, starting in 1994, while maintaining my faculty commitments. It was a long haul, especially for my family, but absolutely worth it.”

Nancy would lead the accreditation of the FoReST lab as a member of LU’s Centre for Analytical Services (LUCAS). As an accredited facility, the lab supported research programs at Lakehead and elsewhere and created successful partnerships with government, industry, local farmers, and gardeners. “The mentorship provided by Al Mackenzie, himself an LU grad and then director of LUCAS, and the contributions of intelligent and dedicated graduate students and student employees were absolutely key to the lab’s success," Nancy says.

Although officially retired as of July 2020, she is still actively

“I really appreciate where we live,” she says, “the boreal forest is full of complexity and mystery. I love sharing that with students.”

Throughout her time at Lakehead, Nancy has pushed herself to take on new challenges. She’s been the chair of the Environmental Management program, head marshal of Lakehead’s annual convocation ceremonies for almost 40 years, and in 2014, she became deputy provost in the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic). “The learning curve was very steep but being able to work with so many talented and knowledgeable colleagues made it all much easier.”

Nancy says. “It was a fun way to share memories – like nights at the Crest Hotel, a favourite watering hole, which used to have a 'Ladies and Escorts' entrance and beer at $0.25 a glass. When 'last call' came, we would pool our money and often filled up a whole table with glasses of draft. I think the staff were happy to see us – but also happy when we left!”

Having made the journey from naïve undergrad to seasoned professor, Nancy has been reflecting on how Lakehead shaped the course of her life.

“I was always encouraged to try new things and I could always find people to help me,” she explains, “and I think that’s why I succeeded.”

She’s also volunteered her time to Lakehead by serving as a board member of the Alumni Association of Lakehead University.

In the spring of 2018, Nancy’s former classmate and her fellow Natural Resources Management faculty member, Dr. Reino Pulkki, worked closely with the organizing committee of the 40th reunion of the 1978 graduating class. Nancy was eager to get involved.

“I organized a scavenger hunt that sent alumni to our old haunts where they took selfies as evidence of completing each task,”

p All in the family: Nancy’s husband Frank Luckai is a Natural Resources Management technologist at Lakehead and their daughter Krista earned an Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology in 2014 followed by a Graduate Diploma in Kinesiology in 2016. Their son Philip earned a Diploma of Chemical Engineering in 2015 and a Bachelor in Science in 2016. Our kids grew up at Lakehead including attending the Nanabijou Daycare when they were children," Nancy says.

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Mike Walton (HBOR'83)

Lynne Brown (HBEd'87)

Mike Walton graduated in 1983 with an Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation. He’s stayed true to his roots. He’s worked in parks for over 30 years, including 23 with Parks Canada. In 2017, Mike earned his PhD from the University of Victoria studying protected area governance.

He currently runs his own company, Michael Walton Consulting - Parks and Protected Areas Governance, Strategic Planning and Development. He’s also served as the executive director of the Yukon Conservation Society and is a Lakehead Alumni Association board member.

Lynne (née Brown) Johnson played on the women’s basketball team and she also enjoyed hiking and skiing when she was a student between 1982 and 1986. She received her Honours Bachelor of Physical Education in 1987 and later worked for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. She now lives in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Karyn Pelkie (BA/BEd'07)

Victor Phyllis (HBK'84)

Karyn Pelkie earned her Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts in Geography in 2007. She is currently a teacher with the Peel District School Board in Brampton, Ontario.

Victor Phyllis earned an Honours Bachelor of Physical Education (now known as Kinesiology) in 1984. His love of sports and athletics has stayed strong over the decades. After coaching track and field at York University, Vic became a physical education teacher with the Peel District School Board. He is now an account manager in the GTA and Southern Ontario region for Impact Promotions.

It may have been a while since you’ve had your ID checked, but we thought this would be a great time to remind ourselves of our Lakehead student days.

Over the decades, our hair may have gotten longer or shorter and our clothing choices may have changed just a little, but we are all proud Lakehead alumni.

Douglas Brown (BA'65)

Danielle James (BAdmin'09)

When Douglas Brown started his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Lakehead was still known as the Lakehead College of Arts, Science & Technology. After graduating in 1965, he completed a master’s degree at the University of Western. He had a distinguished career that included working with the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Research Foundation, the Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital in Toronto, the Kitchener and District Public School Board, and 34 years with the Waterloo County Board of Education. Douglas retired in 2002 and today makes his home in Collingwood, Ontario.

Danielle James has put her Bachelor of Administration in Business to good use since graduating in 2009. She’s been an analyst with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and for the past six years, she’s worked with the Chubb Insurance Company of Europe, based in Manchester, England. She started as an underwriting service associate with Chubb before becoming a construction and engineering underwriter in 2016.

Karen Boz (BAdmin'92)

Vince Riccio (BA'06)

Karen Boz, who was born and raised in Thunder Bay, completed a Bachelor of Administration with a major in Personnel and Industrial Relations. She moved to Toronto after graduating from Lakehead in 1992 and joined the Royal Bank of Canada where she’s now the RBC Internal Audit Senior Director of Operations, Personal & Commercial Banking. Karen has maintained her Lakehead ties – she is the past president of the Lakehead Alumni GTA Chapter and continues to be an active chapter and Alumni Association board member.

Vince Riccio earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Education from Lakehead in 2006. He also has a Master of Public Administration in Leadership from Norwich University and a certificate in Automotive Law and Ethics from Georgian College. Vince is the service manager of Lakehead Motors in Thunder Bay. He has also worked with Summit Learning Centres in the Niagara Region and taught with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board.

Thank you to the grads who shared their old student cards, and photos of a more recent vintage, with us.

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TURNING POINTS 1960s Lorne G. Everett (BSc’66/ HBSc’68) was chosen by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as one of its 2020 class of Distinguished Members – the highest honour the ASCE can bestow. Lorne is one of only a small group of individuals who could be considered an expert in groundwater monitoring, characterization, and remediation technologies. He has served as an expert witness in contaminant hydrology and hydrogeology. As the CEO and chief scientist of L. Everett & Associates LLC, his technologies have enhanced the understanding of hydrogeology.

1980s Patricia Ellen Towell (BA‘89/ BEd’90) has been honoured for her work serving meals to vulnerable members of her community through St. Paul’s Anglican Church and for visiting with isolated seniors for more than two decades. On July 1, 2020, Governor General Julie Payette announced that Patricia was one of 123 Canadians to receive a Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers. The medal recognizes the exceptional volunteer achievements of Canadians across the country in a wide range of fields and pays tribute to the dedication and commitment of volunteers.

1990s Todd Miller (BEd’93) runs the Lakehead Public Schools culinary arts program for Grade 7 and Grade 8 students in Thunder Bay. The program operates out of the Kingsway Park Public

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School’s teaching kitchen and allows students to earn a safe food handling certification.

When schools switched to virtual learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Todd decided to make cooking videos so that his students could continue their learning too. You can find his videos on the Lakehead Public Schools website or by searching for “Cooking with Mr. Miller” on YouTube.

Marc Trudeau (IFRM'97) has been the executive director of The Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society since 2018.

The Trench Society is a founding member of the Rocky Mountain Trench Ecosystem Restoration Program that has been working to restore grassland and open forest on Crown land in the East Kootenay/Upper Columbia Valley region of southeastern British Columbia. Marc is a registered forest technician who moved to the Kootenays in 2000 where he worked in forestry consulting before joining the BC Wildfire Service as an initial attack crew leader.

2000s Dr. Christopher Mushquash (HBSc’02/MA’04 received a 2020 Champions of Mental Health Award in the Innovation – Researcher or Clinician category from the Canadian Alliance of Mental Illness and Mental Health. Christopher is a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, a Lakehead University psychology professor, and a Northern Ontario School of Medicine professor.

He champions culturally and contextually appropriate mental health and addiction services for First Nations peoples and individuals in rural and northern communities.

2010s Steven DeLorenzi (HBA’19) was hired as a provincial constable with the Ontario Provincial Police detachment in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, in June 2020.

Steven grew up in Thunder Bay and studied political science and psychology at Lakehead University. He also worked for the City of Thunder Bay Parks Department and for several youth programs in the city. In his spare time, Steven enjoys being outdoors and playing sports.

Gerilyn Fisher (BScN’19) is putting her passion for helping others into practice as a nurse at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital in Kenora, Ontario. With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has had to adapt to new working conditions and care for patients while wearing personal protective equipment. Gerilyn grew up 120 km north of Kenora on the Whitedog First Nation where she attended the Mizhakiiwetung Memorial School.

Svetlana Zeran (HBScF’15) is the general manager of the Bancroft Minden Forest Company in Ontario. After graduating in 2015 with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry, she interned with both the Canadian Institute of Forestry based out of Mattawa, Ontario, and with the Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society based in Edmonton. She later received her Registered Professional Forester designation and has worked with non-profits, government, and private industry.

Svetlana is currently the youngest female general manager of a Crown Forest in Ontario.

TURNING POINTS

IN MEMORIAM Bruce E. Brymer (BA’70, Economics) passed away on July 27, 2019. Bruce was a Canadian sailing Olympian, an extraordinary team player, and an enthusiast of squash, tennis, golf, skiing, fishing, dining, and the art of excessively long conversations. A proud Lakehead supporter and the president of the Student Athletic Society from 1967-69, Bruce was a pioneer in developing an honour system for supplying cheap beer for thirsty university residence students, dispensed from old Art

Deco coolers. After graduation, he turned down multiple job offers to return to Toronto where he successfully ran his family business for 50 years.

Dolores Wawia (BEd’85/MEd’83) passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in Thunder Bay on May 30, 2020, at the age of 76. Dolores, a member of the Gull Bay First Nation (Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek), was born in Beardmore, Ontario, and became a professor in

Lakehead’s Faculty of Education.

She was the first Indigenous woman to earn her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education in Northwestern Ontario, and devoted her career to improving educational opportunities for First Nations students. Dolores joined the Lakehead University Elders Council in 2017. During that time, she advised many staff and faculty on a wide variety of plans. Dolores was also an Elder with Lakehead’s Native Nurses Entry Program for several years until 2019.

We’re in it together At Tbaytel, we believe that participation and enthusiasm are a key part of building strong and vibrant communities.

Supporting you is our way of helping to make our neighbourhood a better place for everyone.

Thank you, Northern Ontario, for all of the good work you do.

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History Highlights The computer genius who ran Lakehead University In the 1970s, a dazzling inventor, researcher, and physicist who helped give birth to the modern computer age could be found striding through Lakehead’s hallways wearing a tie and a Harris Tweed jacket.

Dr. Andrew Booth served as Lakehead University’s second president from 1972-78, but beginning in World War II, he used his genius to transform the field of computer science. Dr. Booth grew up in Surrey, England, with parents who encouraged his curiosity.

“In pre-kindergarten days I remember helping my father with the assembly of a mains charger for radio batteries which he had invented,” he recalls.1 At a time in the 1940s and 50s when computers were ponderous metal towers that filled rooms, Dr. Booth built three small computers, including the All Purpose Electronic Computer. His partner in these endeavours was fellow computer engineer Dr. Kathleen Britten who he would later marry.

As Lakehead’s president, Dr. Booth focused his energy on helping the university stay afloat in the face of provincial funding cuts and rebound from declining student enrolment.

“My first recollection of my time as President of Lakehead University is one of surprise,” Dr. Booth said.

“At the time of my appointment I was told that the institution was in a healthy financial position – this illusion was rapidly dispelled when Grant Thompson, then the Comptroller, came into my office

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 Dr. Andrew Booth (right) and his wife and former Lakehead mathematics professor Dr. Kathleen Booth (centre) chat with the Office of the President secretary Linda Phillips (left) in 1989 during Lakehead’s silver jubilee year in 1989.

on my first day to ask me what I proposed to do about the deficit!”2 Dr. Bob Rosehart, who served under Dr. Booth as the Dean of University Schools before becoming Lakehead’s president in 1984, has vivid memories of Dr. Booth. “He was a short wiry man who was constantly moving,” says Dr. Rosehart. “Andrew was quirky and controversial,” he adds.

During his time in Thunder Bay, Dr. Booth stayed true to his roots.

“He imprinted the importance of research on Lakehead at an early stage of its development,” Dr. Rosehart says.

Former registrar Pentti Paularinne agrees. “I think Andrew Booth coined the saying, ‘Lakehead is the Harvard of the North.’” Under Dr. Booth’s leadership, Lakehead’s first graduate programs were established.

Andrew Booth remains a revered figure in the scientific world. Not only did he build early computers, he also invented a magnetic

storage device to hold computer data and developed Booth’s multiplication algorithm.

According to computer scientist Dr. Roger Johnson, this algorithm speeds up some of the calculations that a computer’s central processing unit carries out. “There are hundreds of them in a smartphone. In any chip that has a multiplier, the overwhelming majority will be a Booth multiplier.”3 1

Lee, J.A.N. Computer Pioneers Andrew Donald Booth. IEEE Computer Society, https://history.computer.org/pioneers/ booth-ad.html. Accessed 30 July 2020.

2

Booth, Andrew. LU Recollections 1972 – 1978, unpublished paper.

3

Ward, Mark. From punch cards to smartphones. BBC News, 2 April 2016, https://www.bbc.com/news/ technology-35924858. Accessed 30 July 2020.

IN THIS TIME OF UNCERTAINTY – NO MATTER WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS – WE REMAIN COMMITTED… To our Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni To our Communities and Community Partners To Academic Excellence, High Quality Programming, and Exceptional Learning Experiences To Entrepreneurship and Innovative Research To Advancing Truth and Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY REMAINS COMMITTED TO YOU. lakeheadu.ca Thunder Bay | Orillia

ANNOUNCING THE 2020-21

Alumni Entrance Award Winner Jessica Nelson

For over 35 years the Alumni Association of Lakehead University has been bestowing the Alumni Entrance Award. It is one of the largest donor-funded awards at Lakehead University.

Jessica Nelson enters the Honours Bachelor of Education program this fall with the intention to pursue her law degree in the future at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law. Jessica looks forward to continuing the family tradition set by her mother, Lisa Nelson (HBScN’89), by attending Lakehead University.

THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION WISHES TO THANK ALL OF THIS YEAR’S APPLICANTS.

Everywhere I went, I found a friendly face and support when I needed it. My Lakehead experience was exceptional.”

Stephanie Seymour MScF 2016

OCCUPATION

Management Trainee Ontario Power Generation