Sci-Tech Ontario Board of Directors

David Wardlaw - London (Chair)

David is the Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Western Ontario. He has a long history of involvement with the Frontenac, Lennox, and Addington Regional Science Fair and served as Chief Judge at the 2001 Canada-Wide Science Fair in Kingston. He is currently the National Judge-in-Chief for Canada-Wide Science Fairs and Chair of the National Judging Advisory Committee.

Lorraine Cantin - Timmins

Lorraine Cantin is a key member of the Timmins Science Community playing a major role in their superb network of varied science programs and events. She has served as an Area Representative for Sci-Tech after her retirement from a full career in education as a teacher, consultant, principal, teacher at Laurentian University’s Faculty of Education, and coordinator of a Teacher Resource Network for Northern Ontario. Lorraine also co-chaired the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Timmins in 1998.

Nicole Chiasson - Sudbury

Nicole is Executive Manager of the CEO's office at Science North. She recently spent 14 months as Director of Dynamic Earth, Science North's earth sciences centre in Sudbury Ontario. With her background as a biologist, Nicole lead Science North's Outreach Program for 9 years and in December 1997 was appointed Assistant to the CEO. Nicole has been with Science North since January 1988. Nicole has been involved in the Sudbury Regional Science Fair since 1991. She has held lead roles in the judging aspect of the fair. Nicole has been part of the Grand Awards Committee with the Youth Science Foundation from 1998 to 2001. Nicole has judged projects at the Sudbury, Timmins, Edmonton, London, Calgary and Kingston Canada-Wide Science Fairs.

Patricia Gillies - Thunder Bay

Patricia has a PhD in Marine Geophysics (Auckland, New Zealand) & teaches as an occasional sessional lecturer in geology & geophysics at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay. She became involved in the Northwestern Ontario Regional Science Fair in 1987 as Chief Judge, and has held a number of positions since, including Chair for the last 10 years. Additional science fair tasks have included running: judges’ training workshops at both school & regional level in Thunder Bay, an intermediate level enrichment science fair class in Auckland, NZ, & science fair training workshops for student teachers at Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education. Patricia lives in Thunder Bay with her husband & 5 children.

Lorne Heslop - Ottawa

Lorne has spent much of his career at the interface of government, industry and the public. After spending a decade in industry, Lorne joined Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Ottawa in 1982. Over the next 25 years, he worked as a research engineer, science policy director and finally as Director of Science and Innovation before retiring in 2008. Lorne has been active in the youth science movement since 1994.

Mike Newnham - London -

After 25 years as a science teacher, enrichment teacher and computer consultant, Mike has spent the past nine years as the science learning coordinator for grades 7 to 12 with the Thames Valley District School Board. The Board has developed a new program called Smarter Science to encourage hands-on, inquiry-based learning. Effective 1 October 2008, he has accepted a two year secondment with the Youth Science Foundation Canada to further develop this program.

Lawrence Sereacki - Toronto

Lawrence is currently an independent consultant specializing in customer and external relations business strategy. Prior to building his consulting practise he worked in the government relations field for over 12 years with a number of brand name pharmaceutical companies both in Atlantic Canada and Ontario. During that time he developed and led numerous successful government and external relations programs and projects that supported key business and strategic objectives. His work experience in government, customer and external relations is augmented by a Pharmacy degree and a Masters in Public Administration. Lawrence has participated in numerous professional and business committees both at the provincial and national levels including President of the Nova Scotia Pharmaceutical Society and has served on community boards such as the Halifax Central Regional Health Board for which he was Co-Chair. His combined experience and skill provide him with a comprehensive knowledge of the public and private health care system in Canada. Lawrence has a keen interest in promoting Science as a career choice for students. He has been involved with SciTech for the past 3 years and as of 2006 has joined the Board.

William Smith - OUIT, Oshawa

William is the Founding Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Ontario's only fully laptop university, which accepted its first students in fall, 2003. With a goal at the outset of being both a research-intensive and student-centric university, by 2006 UOIT has grown to over 4300 students, has several prestigious Canada Research Chair positions, and will initiate several graduate programs in fall 2007. Dr. Smith has a keen interest in promoting science to youth and to the general public, and he has initiated several outreach events at UOIT, including the rebirth of the Durham Regional Science Fair and the lauch in Fall 2006 of an innovative 3-year program directed at the encouragement of youth project-based science, in collaboration with Youth Science Foundation Canada and funded by Ontario's Youth Science and Technology Outreach Program (YSTOP) and local industry partners . William has also acted as a judge for Team Canada selection and given presentations at Canada-Wide Science Fairs.

Adi Treasurywala - Mississauga

Adi has a PhD in Organic Chemistry and has spent more than 25 years in the pharmaceutical business in both Canada and the USA working in various capacities for Ayerst, Sterling Winthrop, Allelix Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer. Prior to founding his own company- ArrowCan Partners Inc.- in 2005, Adi was the COO of the University of Toronto Innovations Foundation and Head of Business Development for U of T. ArrowCan searches across Canada for early stage opportunities for its clients in all fields of research. Adi has always had an interest in mentoring the younger generation most recently students in the MBioTech Programme at UTM. He is currently starting a mentoring programme for Toronto Biotechnology Initiative.

Patrick Whippey - London

Patrick Whippey is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Western Ontario. He has long been involved with outreach activities, notably the Science Olympics and Science Fairs, at all levels. Chief Judge at the CWSF in 2000, he is currently the Chair of the Selection Committee for Team Canada, the group of students who represent us at ISEF.