The official program for Western's 2024 Autumn Convocation.
CONVOCATION 323 rd SPRING 2024, ALUMNI HALL, JUNE 10 - 21, 2024
THIS IS WESTERN Ranked Canada’s fastest-rising institution for scientific research, Western University is internationally renowned for interdisciplinary expertise in fields ranging from neuroscience and imaging, to natural disaster mitigation, planetary science and social innovation. Home to nearly 500 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, Western attracts high-achieving students from almost 160 countries. We take enormous pride in our more than 362,000 alumni making extraordinary contributions to their professions and their communities around the world.
6 research areas ranked in the top 100 globally
83 Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
More than 362,000 alumni in almost 160 countries worldwide
Ranked among the top 1% of higher education institutions worldwide
24 Rhodes Scholars
27 faculty recipients of 3M National Teaching Fellowships
2 Western University
Land Acknowledgement We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek (Ah-nish-in-a-bek), Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-no-show-nee), Lunaapéewak (Len-ahpay- wuk) and Chonnonton (Chun-ongk-ton) Nations, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. We respect the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers. We acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (e.g. First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and we accept responsibility as a public institution to contribute toward revealing and correcting miseducation as well as renewing respectful relationships with Indigenous communities through our teaching, research and community service.
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Convocation Schedule Monday June 10, 2024 Tuesday June 11, 2024 Wednesday June 12, 2024
10:00 a.m. Faculty of Social Science (4 yr BA and BMOS Honours)
10:00 a.m. Faculty of Science (Honours)
10:00 a.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
Faculty of Social Science (BA Honours, BSc Honours, Diplomas and Certificates)
3:00 p.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
3:00 p.m. Faculty of Social Science (3 yr BA and BMOS)
3:00 p.m. Faculty of Science (3 yr and 4 yr BA/BSc)
Faculty of Education
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry (DDS)
Wednesday June 19, 2024
Tuesday June 18, 2024
Monday June 17, 2024
10:00 a.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
10:00 a.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
10:00 a.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies* Richard Ivey School of Business (Graduate programs)
Faculty of Health Sciences (Nursing)
King’s University College (BMOS Honours, BMOS, Social Work, 3 yr BA, Diplomas and Certificates)
3:00 p.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
3:00 p.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
3:00 p.m. Faculty of Engineering (Undergraduate)
Brescia University College
King’s University College (BA Honours, 4 yr BA)
Huron University College
St. Peter’s Seminary (Advanced Master of Divinity, Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies)
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Thursday June 13, 2024
Friday June 14, 2024
10:00 a.m. Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Faculty of Science (BMSc Honours and 4 yr BMSc, BSc Neuroscience)
10:00 a.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies* Faculty of Health Sciences (Health Studies - Honours, 3 yr and 4 yr BA/BSc, Diplomas and Certificates)
3:00 p.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
3:00 p.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
Engineering (Graduate programs)
Faculty of Health Sciences (Kinesiology)
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry (Graduate programs)
Faculty of Science (Graduate programs)
Thursday June 20, 2024
Friday June 21, 2024
10:00 a.m. Richard Ivey School of Business (BA Honours)
10:00 a.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
Faculty of Information and Media Studies
Faculty of Law
3:00 p.m. Richard Ivey School of Business (BA Honours)
3:00 p.m. School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies*
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Don Wright Faculty of Music
*Students in graduate programs hosted by the Faculties on the particular day
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Musical Program Western Convocation Brass Shawn Spicer, Musical Director
Repertoire Pieces will be chosen from the following list:
Western Convocation Brass Director: Shawn Spicer
Fanfare for Heroes
Arthur Bliss Herb Alpert
1980 (Olympic Theme)
Rhosymedre
Vaughan Williams
Africa
Toto (Paich / Porcaro) Taylor Swift arr. Wagler Ulvaeus/Andersson
Trumpets: Aaron Hodgson, Scott Harrison, Michael Barth French Horn: Sasha Gorbasew Trombones: Robert Stone, Michael Polci Tuba: Brent Adams Timpani-Percussion: David Robilliard
Taylor Swift Melody
ABBA Medley
The Thin Red Line
Kenneth Alford
Cantina Band (Star Wars) We Don’t Talk About Bruno
John Williams arr. Wagler
Lin Manuel Miranda
Jump in the Line
Bell/Deleon/Oller/Samuel
Sheep May Safely Graze
J.S. Bach
Vocalise Reverie
Sergei Rachmaninov
Kenneth Bray Jeff Smallman
Air
Thrift Shop
Macklemore (Brass Brothers) K. Rew (Katrina and the Waves)
Walking on Sunshine
Brass Brothers
Broken Brass
Ceremonial Intrada (Ceremonial Fanfare)
Gordon Jacob
O Canada
Calixa Lavalle arr. Wagler
Trumpet Tune
J. Clarke
Fanfare
Arthur Bliss
The University of Western Convocation Brass was started by Prof. Ken Bray in 1983. He produced numerous arrangements for the group, many of which are still used today.
O Canada O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all of us command. With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The true north strong and free! From far and wide, O Canada, We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
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Order of Ceremony June 10 - 21, 2024 Chancellor Kelly Meighen President & Vice-Chancellor Alan Shepard
Procession The audience remains standing when the Academic Procession enters the Hall. O Canada Audience may be seated following the national anthem. Conferring of Honorary Degree/ Presentation of Speaker Convocation Address The Chancellor will invite the Honorary Degree Recipient/Speaker to address Convocation. Presentation of Candidates The members of the Graduating Classes will be presented to the Chancellor by the President & Vice-Chancellor who will extend greetings and congratulations to them on behalf of the University.
Conferring of Degrees and Awarding of Diplomas
The Graduating Classes will be presented to the Chancellor in groups according to the degree awarded. As a courtesy to all graduates, it is requested that graduates return to their seats in the Hall until the Chancellor dismisses Convocation. Welcome from the Alumni Association The representative from the Alumni Association will extend congratulations and welcome to its newest members. Following Convocation, new alumni are invited to have complimentary photos taken on campus.
Ceremonial Occasion The audience will rise when the Academic Procession exits the Hall.
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Dear Graduates: Congratulations to you all – the Class of 2024 – on your tremendous accomplishment. You are Western graduates and today we celebrate you for your hard work and perseverance – and for all that you have given of yourselves as students at Western University. Earning a degree from Western is a tremendous accomplishment, but to have succeeded as you have, entering university during a global pandemic, I hope reminds you of how capable and determined you are. Rely on that experience and the resilience you have shown as you embark on the next steps in your life. Your experience and energy will help you in the future as you graduate and move out into the broader world. As in the past, personal relationships will continue to be so important. The people with whom we build relationships challenge us and hold us to account. They celebrate our successes and help us recover from times of hardship. They enable us to develop trust in one another, and they help to hone our instincts and critical thinking skills – crucial in this time of misinformation and disinformation. As you look to the future, you will have many opportunities for new connections, but I encourage you to also stay connected to your university community; Western offers a multitude of opportunities and supports as you navigate your future. And you have much to offer those who come after you to ensure a thriving alma mater. In my role, I get to see and am always impressed with the talent, the expertise and the ideas being generated by students and faculty at Western. Western graduates have been making effective and dynamic contributions to society for almost 150 years. For generations, our diverse programs have equipped our students to make a substantial impact in Canada and around the world. Now it is your turn to think about the role you might play in building and advancing our communities. Today, take this time to celebrate and feel pride in all that you accomplished here at Western. Thank those who have supported you along the way: your family, your friends, your professors and your mentors. They too are celebrating you today. On behalf of Western’s administration and alumni, I offer you my warmest congratulations and best wishes. We all look forward to seeing where the Western University Class of 2024 will go!
Sincerely,
Kelly Meighen Chancellor
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Dear Graduates, Congratulations on all that you have achieved! Today will be one of those ‘memorable’ days for you as you continue your personal journey. Take it all in and celebrate. You deserve it. Your time at Western, I say with confidence, has been transformative, challenging, fulfilling, and I hope fun too! Not only are you leaving with a world class educational experience, but you have also gained life-long friends who are sharing in your success today and those successes yet to come. Your commitment, adaptability and resolve have been tested, without a doubt, as you manoeuvred through the disruption of COVID-19. We grow and learn more through challenging times and your success is a result of embracing these challenges head on. Well done! Thank you for choosing Western. While it is your outstanding effort and achievement that are being recognized today, it is also an opportunity to acknowledge the talented and dedicated faculty and staff at Western who have been at your side throughout your years of study. For most of you, deciding to come to Western meant leaving home for the first time. I hope Western and London exceeded your expectations. Some of you may even decide to remain in London as you embark on your next challenge. Regardless, you are always welcome back to Western and we hope your connection to Western remains strong. Personally, and on behalf of Western’s Board of Governors, I wish you every success in the future. Sincerely,
Keith Gibbons Chair, Board of Governors
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Dear Graduates of the Class of 2024,
Congratulations – you did it!
It is my great pleasure to recognize your outstanding achievement at Western and to welcome you into the alumni family. Your student years were just the beginning of a lifelong relationship with Western. As a new graduate, you are joining an ever-growing network of alumni worldwide who are actively engaged in nearly every field of endeavour. On behalf of the University community that has supported your journey at Western and shares in the pride and excitement of this moment, I wish you all the best for continued success!
Warm regards to you and your loved ones on this happy day.
Alan Shepard President & Vice-Chancellor
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Hello, Western’s newest grads. Congratulations on reaching such an important milestone! Over the course of your studies at Western, I know that you, like me, have experienced transformational learning, made enduring friendships and created memories that will last a lifetime. I hope you are proud of all that you have accomplished. Convocation provides an opportunity to be recognized for your hard work and determination. Today, you will cross the stage and journey from student to alum. It’s a big day! You now become part of a community that is more than 362,000 members strong in almost 160 countries making incredibly positive impacts across the globe. As you move through your life and career, the Alumni Association hopes you continue to stay connected to Western. Our worldwide alumni networks are passionate about keeping in touch after graduation through a variety of events and opportunities that make the Western experience unique. We look forward to your continued purple pride and participation with Western. I also want to remind you of some incredible Purple Perks you get just for being an alum. Be sure to check them out on our website and download the app. Enjoy your graduation and this well-deserved celebration of your accomplishments!
Matt Helfand , BA’13, MA’14, JD’18 President, Alumni Association
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History and Tradition The Chancellor, on behalf of the University, bestows degrees upon its students. It is the act, not a certificate, which constitutes the validity of the degree. The students bear for all time the mark of their association with Western. They have received what the University has been and presently is. Bearing the promise of the future, they are what the University hopes to be.
Western Mace The mace has evolved into a symbolic emblem of legislative and civic authority. Western’s mace was presented to the University by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of London in 1948. It is made of silver and is ornamented with symbols derived from the Western coat of arms.
Bronzed Moccasins Children’s remains continue to be recovered at Residential School sites across Turtle Island. Their spirits inform and guide the work of Reconciliation, Decolonization and Indigenization—work that will honour the stolen lives of those who never had the chance to grow and experience a university education.
Indigenous Gonfalon Indigenous identity is diverse and every Indigenous nation across Turtle Island is distinct. The Gonfalon elements represent core beliefs that resonate with many Indigenous epistemologies. The Indigenous Gonfalon honours Indigenous diversity, identity and leadership at Western University.
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Gonfalons and Banners Gonfalons—banners designed to hang from a crossbar— have been used to identify assemblies in special processions since the 12th century. Western’s unique gonfalons were designed by the London chapter of the Canadian Embroiderers’ Guild to represent the University, its faculties, schools and affiliated university colleges throughout Convocation. The banners are unique to each faculty, and incorporate the hood colours for the different degrees. Those associated with the students graduating today accompany the academic procession and are placed at the front of the stage. Banners on stage represent units whose students will graduate on other days.
Ivey Banners The banners hanging above the stage were conceived by, and presented as a gift from former Chancellor Richard M. Ivey HBA’47, LLD’79 and Beryl Ivey, BA’47, LLD’97, who magnanimously supported Western throughout their lives. The banners, designed by London artist-architect David Yuhasz, represent the hood colours of degrees offered by Western.
Regalia Originally worn for warmth in unheated castles, the academic gowns, hoods and caps declare in their various designs and colours, the scholastic qualifications of the faculty. The graduates, dressed in black robes, have the appropriate degree hood, a symbol deeming their degree complete.
Congratulations to our graduates. Welcome to our global community of Western alumni.
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Degrees Offered
Degree
Abbreviation
Colour
Bachelor of Arts
BA
White White
Bachelor of Arts (Human Ecology)
BA (HEc)
Bachelor of Education
BEd
Light Blue
Bachelor of Engineering Science
BESc
Orange Brown
Bachelor of Fine Arts
BFA
Bachelor of Health Sciences
BHSc BMOS BMSc BMus BMusA
Red
Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies
Grey
Bachelor of Medical Science
Dark Green/Golden Yellow
Bachelor of Music
Pink Pink
Bachelor of Musical Arts
Bachelor of Science
BSc
Golden Yellow
Bachelor of Science (Foods and Nutrition) Bachelor of Science (Human Ecology)
BSc (FN) BSc (HEc)
Maroon Maroon Apricot Citron Scarlet Purple White Drab
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
BScN BSW
Bachelor of Social Work Bachelor of Theology
BTh
Juris Doctor
JD
Master of Arts
MA
Master of Business Administration
MBA MClD MClSc MDA MDiv MEd MEng MESc
Master of Clinical Dentistry Master of Clinical Science Master of Data Analytics
Lilac
Golden Yellow Golden Yellow
Master of Divinity Master of Education Master of Engineering
Scarlet
Light Blue
Orange Orange
Master of Engineering Science
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Master of Environment and Sustainability
MES MFE MFA
Golden Yellow
Master of Financial Economics
Copper Brown
Master of Fine Arts
Master of Health Information Science
MHIS LLM MLIS
Red
Master of Laws
Purple Lemon
Master of Library and Information Science
Master of Management
MM
Drab
Master of Management of Applied Science
MMASc
Golden Yellow
Master of Media in Journalism and Communication
MMJC MMus MSN MPT MPEd
Red Pink
Master of Music Master of Nursing
Apricot
Master of Physical Therapy
Turquoise Light Blue Peacock
Master of Professional Education Master of Public Administration
MPA MPH MSc
Master of Public Health
Salmon Pink Golden Yellow
Master of Science
Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition Master of Science in Management
MScFN MScM
Maroon
Drab
Master of Science in Nursing
MScN
Apricot
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
MScOT
Golden Yellow
Master of Social Work Master of Studies in Law
MSW MSL MTS DDS
Citron Purple Scarlet
Master of Theological Studies Doctor of Dental Surgery Doctor of Education Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Musical Arts Doctor of Philosophy
Lilac
EdD MD
Light Blue
Green
DMA PhD
Pink
Purple
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Convocation Speaker Chantelle Richmond Monday, June 10, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
next generation of scholars led her to develop and direct Ontario’s Indigenous Mentorship Network (2017-2022). Professor Richmond’s scholarship has earned her numerous awards and memberships, including membership in the Royal Society of Canada’s (RSC) College of New Scholars, and fellowship of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. In 2023, Dr. Richmond held the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Social Sciences at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. At Western, Professor Richmond has played key leadership roles with respect to advancing Indigenous matters. In 2022, she chaired the working group that created Western’s Indigenous Research Strategy, and she presently serves as Co-Chair of the Indigenous Faculty Advisory Council. Professor Richmond received her Honours BA (2001) and MA (2003) at McMaster University, and her PhD (2007) from McGill University. Professor Richmond lives in London with her husband, Ian Haase, and their two children, Maya and William. Outside academia, she is an avid runner and loves to garden and cook. She can most often be found walking her dog, Princess Leia, along the Thames Valley Parkway, or at the city pools where her children train with the London Aquatic Club.
Chantelle Richmond (Biigtigong Nishnaabeg) is a Professor in the Department of Geography and Environment and the Indigenous Studies Program at Western University, where she holds the Canada Research Chair on Indigenous Health and the Environment. Professor Richmond is a health geographer by training, and her research is based on a community-engaged model of research that explores the intersection of Indigenous People’s health and knowledge systems within the context of global environmental change. Along with colleagues and community partners in Canada, Hawaii and New Zealand, Professor Richmond’s current research examines concepts and applied processes of environmental repossession. Her first book “ Because this Land is who we are: Indigenous practices of Environment Repossession, ” is currently in press with Bloomsbury Inc., and sets the stage for a research program focused on urban Indigenous environments. Professor Richmond is passionate about research mentorship. In her Indigenous Health Lab, she has supervised 50 trainees to date, half of these are graduate and post-doctoral students, and the other half are undergraduate students and research assistants who work with and for Indigenous communities. Professor’s Richmond’s commitment to training the
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Convocation Speaker Stephen Baker Honorary Degree Recipient Monday, June 10, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
In the summer of 1987, the family made the difficult decision to leave Newfoundland and head to Ontario. Baker started teaching at a school for incarcerated young offenders and then spent three years in an alternative school where the idea of asynchronous education started to grow. After he returned to the traditional classroom in Goderich, his principal resisted replacing his 30-year-old class textbooks, so in 1995, Baker taught his senior biology class HTML so they could develop their own genetics unit on the fledgling internet. The Director of Education encouraged Baker to develop a complete online biology course and to work with colleague, John Smallwood, to develop an online Canadian Literature course. In 2000, Baker transitioned his two online courses into a private school – and Virtual High School was born. Following its successful inspection by the Ministry of Education, the school rapidly increased registration, allowing Baker to hire staff and to eventually leave the school board in 2005. Over the next 20 years, Baker and Smallwood worked alongside their growing staff to write more than 130 unique online courses for their school and 36 online courses for a large virtual school in the United States. Many online schools have embraced their original model for online courses. Today, the school’s courses include advanced multimedia and interactivity, but the original concepts of asynchronous learning, challenging educational content, teachers trained to teach online, and sensitive administration, have not changed. With over 90 000 registrations from Ontario, as well as other provinces and countries, the school is achieving Baker’s original vision of making quality education available to all potential students, while at the same time, empowering students to take charge of their own education.
Stephen Baker was born in February 1951 in Grand Falls, Newfoundland where his father, a WWII veteran, owned and operated a dry-cleaning plant while his mom was a secretary at the pulp-and- paper mill. Growing up, Baker spent his summers at their cabin in Point Leamington without electricity or responsibilities. He explored beaches and tidal pools, swam in the buoyant salt water with the jellyfish, boiled tasty blue mussels raked from the bottom, and rode his Newfoundland pony like his cowboy heroes. After Grade 11, he attended Memorial University of Newfoundland with a plan to study dentistry. However, he and his future wife, Patricia, decided to pursue teaching together. They were married in June 1974 and purchased an old sealing captain’s house in Wesleyville. Over the next 13 years, they were taught how to teach by the wonderful students from Bonavista Bay, while also having four children of their own. Baker spent his summers repairing his old house, starting a scuba diving business, and forming a Stamp Club, which still meets regularly.
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Convocation Speaker John Smallwood Honorary Degree Recipient Monday, June 10, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
In the 1990s, the Huron County Board of Education asked Stephen Baker to consider how online courses might be developed for use in local schools. Baker, who had worked with Smallwood occasionally in team-teaching classes, asked Smallwood to join him in creating an online course in Canadian literature. Baker himself was developing an online course in biology. A blended course was offered in which Smallwood would spend time in different classrooms in Huron County indicating to students how they might navigate the online course they were studying. In 1997, the Canadian literature course was entered into a competition for online teaching and received a second-place award, second only to a course offered by Intel. In 2000, Baker and Smallwood transitioned their two online courses to a private school – and Virtual High School, based in Bayfield, Ontario, was born. Smallwood retired from teaching in Goderich after his wife became ill and started as an adjunct professor in the Writing Department at Western. During each of his 12 years at Western, he earned the University Students’ Council Award for Excellence in Teaching. He has also been nominated twice for the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Smallwood has worked continuously with his mentor, friend, and colleague, Stephen Baker, for nearly 30 years. They continue to write and develop courses and have seen Virtual High School grow to become the leader in online teaching in Ontario. There are now 132 courses with teachers working across the globe. More than 94 000 students have registered with Virtual High School and a Virtual Elementary School has been added, along with an elementary and Christian affiliate. Now in his 54th year in education Smallwood says, “When work is enjoyable, it is no longer work.”
John Smallwood was born in London and after an indifferent few years in high school, attended Western University where he studied English with extraordinary professors who became role models for him when he became a teacher. After graduating from Western and the Faculty of Education, Smallwood began teaching in Goderich. Several years later he was asked to teach a course in Canadian literature. At that time (the 1970s) the nation’s literature was not taken seriously by many, but by introducing students to works by Laurence, Atwood, Munro, Ondaatje, and many others, Smallwood found an area of specialization that has stood him and his hundreds of students well for fifty years. After a decade of teaching, Smallwood began graduate studies and again had the opportunity to work with distinguished professors such as Donald Hair, Stan Dragland, James Reaney, and Joe Zezulka to name only a few. He later earned a Master of Philosophy at the University of Waterloo, where he completed a thesis on the fiction of Rudy Wiebe.
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Convocation Speaker Kaitlynn Mendes Tuesday, June 11, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
For more than 15 years, Professor Mendes has studied how digital technologies shape, disrupt, and transform the gendered nature of political participation. This includes popular feminist campaigns such as #MeToo and SlutWalk. In recent years, she has become increasingly interested in what’s known as technology-facilitated sexual violence – an umbrella term that captures a wide range of harms such as non-consensual sharing of intimate images and the generation of deepfake porn. In doing this research, she has also been a vocal critic of how existing legal and educational policies fail to address the rise of trolling, harassment, and other forms of technology- facilitated sexual violence. Professor Mendes has spent considerable effort mobilizing academic knowledge and translating it to a broad range of stakeholders including school leaders, teachers, parents, young people, policy makers and law enforcement agents. Insights from her research have been used to inform policies, practices and public understanding on contemporary gender inequalities in Canada, Australia, the EU and UK. In 2023, policy guidance for schools that she co-developed was cited in a UK Department of Education government briefing, and she has recently advised the Justice Minister and Attorney General on Canada’s proposed Online Harms Bill. As a public academic, she has more than 80 media appearances and has been featured in The National, The Current, The Washington Post, The Toronto Star, the BBC and The New York Times , to name a few. With her current research, she aims to produce educational resources and policy guidance that will reach millions of people in years to come.
Kaitlynn Mendes is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Western University and holds the Canada Research Chair in Inequality and Gender. She received a Bachelor of Journalism (2005) from Carleton University and her PhD in Journalism Studies from Cardiff University, UK (2009). She is a world-leading researcher renowned for her work on feminist activism, rape culture and the gendered dynamics of digital practices. Professor Mendes has authored three monographs, two edited collections, 13 policy documents, and nearly 60 outputs in top-tier journals or important edited collections. She has also delivered more than 60 international keynotes and/or invited addresses on the topics of feminism, activism, rape culture and social media in places such as China, India, Bangladesh, France, Portugal, Germany, Spain, Canada, the UK, and the US at world-leading institutions such as Cambridge University (UK), Fudan University (China), and Paris-Panthéon- Assas University (France).
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Convocation Speaker Stephen Williamson Tuesday, June 11, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
Professor Williamson conducts research on problems in monetary economics, banking and monetary policy. He has studied the causes and consequences of financial crises, the role of financial factors in aggregate fluctuations, unconventional monetary policies, and the efficacy of central bank digital currency, among other topics.
Stephen Williamson is the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair in Central Banking at Western University. He received his BSc (Honours, Mathematics, 1977), and MA (Economics, 1979) from Queen’s University, and his PhD (Economics, 1984) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has held non-academic positions at the Bank of Canada, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and academic positions at Queen’s University, the University of Iowa, Western University and Washington University in St. Louis. Professor Williamson has published extensively in peer-review journals, including the American Economic Review , the Quarterly Journal of Economics , the Review of Economic Studies , the Journal of Political Economy and the Journal of Monetary Economics . He has been a visitor at Australian National University, Seoul National University, Fudan University, the London School of Economics, the Bank of Canada, and the Federal Reserve Banks of Cleveland, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Atlanta, Richmond and Kansas City, among other research institutions.
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Convocation Speaker Jay Ingram Honorary Degree Recipient Wednesday, June 12, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
Ingram’s accessible approach attracted more attention: he began a weekly science column in the Toronto Star, which ran for 12 years, and expanded his publishing activity with science books on topics ranging from consciousness to mad cow disease. He also helped inspire a growing community of science communication professionals. From 2005 to 2015, he was Chair of the Science Communications Program at the Banff Centre and was co-founder of the arts and engineering spectacle in Calgary called Beakerhead in 2013. It attracted attention around the globe for its original take on science in mainstream culture. During this period, he pioneered a twist on the public science talk by performing with a band, which developed into rock’n’roll shows on science and culture that continue today. More recently, he conceived and co-hosted an award-winning podcast, Anthropomania. His latest podcast project, Defy Dementia, is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, for whom he has served as a national spokesperson. To date, Ingram has written 20 books, many reaching the bestseller list and published in translation around the world. He is now working on his 21st book, to be released next year. He has served as a member on numerous boards of directors including the Ontario Science Centre and Genome Canada. He has received the Sandford Fleming Medal from the Royal Canadian Institute, the Royal Society of Canada’s McNeil Medal for the Public Awareness of Science, the Michael Smith Award (now the NSERC Award for Science Promotion), the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and was named the 2015 Winner of the Walter C. Alvarez Award by the American Medical Writers’ Association. In 2010, he was appointed as a member to the Order of Canada for his outstanding contributions to the popularization of science.
Jay Ingram is one of Canada’s most influential and inspiring communicators of science. His commitment to creativity has broken new ground in all mass media, from television and live performance to radio and podcasts, from newspapers and magazines to books translated into 15 languages. Ingram started his career in radio, first as a biology instructor delivering a radio course. He then moved to the CBC, where he hosted “Quirks and Quarks” for 12 years, earning two ACTRA Awards, and hosted two CBC Radio documentary series. With three young children at the time, he also wrote for the popular children’s science magazine, Owl, for ten years, and published the first of many science books. His work in radio led to an invitation to help design a daily science show for television. This was the beginning of a 16-year career as co-host of “Daily Planet” on Discovery Channel. The hour-long prime- time science program became a staple in homes across the country.
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Convocation Speaker Mona Nemer Honorary Degree Recipient Wednesday, June 12, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
Nemer has represented Canada in international science forums, is a globally recognized champion of Canadian science, and is the recipient of many national and international honours. She is a Member of the Order of Canada, a fellow of the Academy of Sciences of the Royal Society of Canada, a fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Science, a Knight of the Ordre national du Québec, a Knight of the French Republic’s National Order of Merit and a Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour. She has been awarded honorary doctorates from universities in France, Finland, and Lebanon. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from McGill University and has completed post-doctoral training in molecular biology at the Montréal Clinical Research Institute and Columbia University. Prior to joining the University of Ottawa, she was a Professor of Pharmacology at the Université de Montréal and directed the Cardiac Genetics Unit at the Montréal Clinical Research Institute.
Mona Nemer was first appointed Canada’s Chief Science Advisor in 2017, reappointed in 2020, and again in 2022. Prior to this role, Nemer was Professor and Vice-President of Research at the University of Ottawa and Director of the school’s Molecular Genetics and Cardiac Regeneration Laboratory. She is a leader in the field of molecular cardiology and has served on various national and international advisory committees and boards, including as an Executive Committee Member of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, as well as an ex-officio member of the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force and the Industry Strategy Council. During her mandate, she has helped to expand and diversify science advice to the government. She also promoted free, open, and responsible use of science in government through the creation of a policy on scientific integrity and a roadmap for open science to guide efforts in making federal research available to Canadians.
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Convocation Speaker Brad Urquhart Thursday, June 13, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
pharmacology in the classroom and laboratory to undergraduate and graduate students. He has been the recipient of multiple research and teaching awards. Outside of Western, Brad holds several national leadership positions. He is currently President of the Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and has previously served as Treasurer and Chair of the Scientific Program Committee. Brad has also reviewed grants for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and currently serves as Scientific Officer of the Pharmacology and Toxicology panel for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Brad Urquhart is a Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University. He is also the Associate Dean overseeing Western’s Basic Medical Sciences and Neuroscience programs. Brad completed his BSc and PhD in the areas of pharmacology, toxicology and clinical pharmacology at Western. He then completed post- doctoral training in clinical pharmacology at both Vanderbilt University and Western. The Urquhart lab focuses on reasons why patients respond to medications differently and is particularly interested in why some patients get toxic reactions following medication exposure while others do not. The ultimate goal of his research program is to identify why patients respond differently to medications so drug-induced toxicity can be prevented, and drug therapy optimized. Research in the Urquhart lab has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Kidney Foundation of Canada and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council. In addition to an active research program, Professor Urquhart really enjoys teaching
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Convocation Speaker Eugene Wong Thursday, June 13, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
Recently, he was the interim Director of Research and Education for the physics group at the London Regional Cancer Program, and this year, he became chair of the Science Committee of the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists. His role there is to help raise research profiles of young and seasoned medical physicists across the country. Eugene received the undergraduate teaching excellence award from the Faculty of Science two years ago. This year, in 2024, he was given Western’s highest teaching honour, the Edward G. Pleva Award for Excellence in Teaching . He is deeply honoured to be part of the convocation ceremony to commemorate the graduates’ important milestones and achievements, and to send them off with the very best wishes as they embark on their next endeavours.
Eugene Wong is currently Professor of Physics & Astronomy at Western, cross appointed to Oncology and Medical Biophysics with 25 years of experience applying physics to medicine. After completing a residency at the London Regional Cancer Program of the London Health Sciences Centre, he led a team to implement new treatment delivery techniques in radiotherapy. For about a decade, he was responsible for generating radiation treatment plans for the most complex patient cases. In collaboration with cancer biologists, imaging scientists, and oncologists, Eugene initiated the Oncology Physics Laboratory at Western in 2006 for pre-clinical research and has since been working on novel imaging and treatments for cancer patients. His research has been funded by the Canadian Cancer Society, the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation of Innovation and the London Health Sciences Foundation among others. He was a recipient of the Faculty Scholar award at Western for his research and teaching.
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Convocation Speaker Ken Kirkwood Friday, June 14, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
writings and public speaking appearances on ethical issues around performance-enhancing drug use in sports. These works have landed him on such media outlets as ESPN, CBC, CTV , and TSN , among others. Ken is a passionate teacher of Western students. Winner of various teaching awards and the Faculty of Health Sciences and Western University levels, Ken firmly believes that teaching is the most important part of his job. His greatest accomplishment during his time in London is meeting his wife Susanne, and fathering two daughters, Solange and Simone, whose existence was supposedly impossible due to the cancer surgery.
Ken Kirkwood has taught at Western University for 20 years (2004-2024). After graduating from Queen’s University with his MA in 1999, he came to Western in 2000 to begin his doctoral studies and never left. Born in Kingston, Ontario, Ken dreamed of attending his hometown Queen’s University and playing football for the Queen’s Golden Gaels, which he accomplished by playing from 1990 to 1993, and again in 1995. His football career saw him winning the National Championship in 1992, being named a conference all-star and named a Captain of the 1995 Golden Gaels squad. His undergraduate studies were interrupted in 1994 by a cancer diagnosis, surgery, and a long series of medical treatments for five years afterward. October 28, 2024 will represent his 30th anniversary of remission. Academically, Ken has written on a host of topics related to historical and ethical issues in health and sport. Among the 65 articles and one book he has written, his most notable contributions are his
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Convocation Speaker Bob Vigars Honorary Degree Recipient Friday, June 14, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
further championed inclusivity by coaching both men’s and women’s teams together, a pioneering move in Western’s sports history. Vigars was a vocal advocate for cross country, track and field, and women’s sports. His efforts led to the formation of Western’s women’s cross-country team and the official recognition of women’s cross country by Canadian Interuniversity Sport in 1980. In addition to his coaching duties, Vigars excelled as an educator, teaching kinesiology, and chairing the undergraduate program. He balanced his academic responsibilities with coaching, consistently earning accolades for his teaching prowess. Beyond academia, Vigars contributed significantly to community service, directing coaching clinics across North America, and founding several prominent athletic associations. His achievements include establishing the Canadian University Track and Field Championships in 1981. With 28 publications to his name, including textbooks and sports journal articles, Vigars has also made a significant impact in scholarship and research. In the community, he played a pivotal role in fundraising efforts, chairing the Labatt 24-Hour Relay for 12 years and helping raise $5.8 million for London hospitals. His outstanding contributions have been recognized through inductions into various halls of fame, including the Western Men’s Athletics Hall of Fame, Western’s Women’s Athletic Alumnae Hall of Fame, the London Sports Hall of Fame, and Athletics Ontario Hall of Fame. In 2019, he received Western’s Lifetime Achievement Award, cementing his legacy as a true icon of Canadian athletics.
Bob Vigars, a Western legend, has left an indelible mark on Canadian athletics. Over his remarkable 46- year tenure at Western University, Vigars garnered more Canadian championships for the Mustangs than any coach in any sport in Western’s history. His dedication to enhancing athletes’ skills, promoting Mustangs teams, and fostering sports at Western has earned him widespread respect. Throughout his illustrious career, Vigars led teams to an impressive total of 14 national championships and 28 Ontario Universities Conference Championships. Originally from St. Thomas, Ontario, Vigars earned his Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University in 1967 and his Master of Arts from California State University, Los Angeles in 1968. He began his career at Western in 1968 as head coach of the men’s cross-country team and men’s track and field team, roles he fulfilled for 46 years and 31 years, respectively. Innovative and forward-thinking, Vigars established Western’s first intercollegiate gymnastics teams for both women and men during his early years. He
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Convocation Speaker Abe Oudshoorn Monday, June 17, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
Arthur Labatt Family Chair in Nursing Leadership in Health Equity. He has held administrative roles as the Year 3-4 Faculty Lead, is currently the Associate Director (Graduate Programs) and will be the Acting Associate Dean Research for the 2024-2025 academic year. Western has recognized his work with the Western Humanitarian Award in 2016, a Legacy 2020 Centenary Award of Distinction , and a Faculty Scholar award for 2024-2026. Outside of Western University, Professor Oudshoorn is the co-founder and current Managing Editor of the International Journal on Homelessness . He has been on the Mayor’s New Year’s Honours list municipally (2021), was honoured by a provincial MPP in 2022, and by a federal MP in 2019. In 2018 he received one of the Canada 150 Medals as part of Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations. In 2022 he was awarded the Gold Roof Award for Housing Research Excellence by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which overseas Canada’s National Housing Strategy. Professor Oudshoorn is a prolific researcher with 84 journal publications, 51 graduate students supported via supervision or committee work, and has held or participated on granted research projects worth over $15,000,000.
A lifelong Londoner, Abe Oudshoorn is a 2004 graduate from Western’s BScN program, fast- tracked the MScN, and is a 2011 graduate from Western’s PhD in Nursing program with a specialization in Health Promotion. His clinical practice was in primary care at the London InterCommunity Health Centre (LIHC), a multi- program community health centre located at Dundas and Adelaide. He worked front-line for five years at LIHC, including in the ‘Health Outreach for the Homeless Program.’ Professor Oudshoorn’s PhD research on caregiving experiences in working with people experiencing homelessness was highly awarded, for which he received both Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) funding, as well as the Jan Metcalfe Award , the AstraZeneca Urban Scholarship , and the Louise Rickwood PhD in Nursing Scholarship . Joining Western’s Nursing faculty full-time in 2009, Professor Oudshoorn moved into a tenure-track position in 2017 and was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2021. He is currently the
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Convocation Speaker Christy Bressette Monday, June 17, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
of the first Indigenous women to earn a Ph.D. in educational studies from Western, where she also earned her B.A. (Honours) in history and B.Ed. (with distinction). After completing her studies, she taught at the primary and secondary levels in Ontario and British Columbia, where she was able to provide students and fellow staff with insight into Indigenous ways of being and knowing. She also designed and taught several graduate-level courses related to Indigenous culture and education in Western’s Faculty of Education, helping to widen the University’s pedagogical scope. In 2017-18, she co-chaired the Provost’s Task Force on the Implementation of Western’s Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP). Her efforts laid the groundwork for the major developments in Indigenous outreach since undertaken by the University. In 2021, Western established the Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII) and asked Christy to lead it. She has done so for the past three years, growing its staff complement and expanding its activities to fulfil the strategic goals outlined in the ISP. A major milestone in OII’s trajectory was the opening of the Wampum Learning Lodge in November of 2022. The Lodge is an Indigenous- designed space dedicated to the advancement of Indigenous ways of knowing and being on campus, as well as a centre that builds and coordinates relationships with local Indigenous communities. It serves as the hub for Indigenous life on campus and is a major venue for showcasing Indigenous culture and broadening the educational experience of everyone at Western. Throughout her career, Christy has demonstrated an ability to bridge cultural differences between people and promote inclusive, equitable and quality education opportunities for all. Her extensive experience in our educational systems, at both the pedagogical and administrative levels, has positioned her well to help implement Western’s overall strategic plan. In particular, she is committed to realizing Western’s stated goal of achieving Reconciliation with Indigenous Communities, as articulated in Towards Western at 150 , the University’s strategic plan.
Christy R. Bressette is Western’s first Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President (Indigenous Initiatives). Christy — whose Anishinabek name is Neeta-Noo- Kee Kwe (Hard-Working Woman) —joined Western on March 1, 2021, after two decades of work spent advancing Indigenous education in Canada. Her most prominent role before coming to Western was to serve as the National Coordinator for Indigenous Education with the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC). Beginning in 2008, she led CMEC in developing policy related to Indigenous education, as well as advising provincial and territorial ministries of education on how to implement their Indigenous education strategies. She has also been active in supporting the Anishinabek, Haudenosaunee and Lenape nations in the Greater London Area, together with local friendship centres, in advancing educational outcomes for Indigenous learners in the areas of policy, curriculum and governance. Christy has strong ties to Western, which serve her well in helping to shape the University’s mandate and Indigenous education strategy. She is one
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