Professor Emeritus in Sociology Encaenia Ceremony B: May 29, 2008

David A. Rehorick is a teacher and scholar of vision and courage.

His scholarship has extended to the fields of nursing and health, fine arts, and social and behavioural sciences. His poetry, improvisational jazz piano, art and writing all help him to understand the meaning of authenticity, wholeness and spontaneity in thought and life.

He encourages his students to use their own gifts, and mindful inquiry into the events in their own lives, in order to find their purpose and meaning. By transcending the traditional disciplinary boundaries, his students discover a rich field of social science knowledge.

During his 33 years at UNB, Dr. Rehorick was presented with numerous teaching awards, contributed generously to the administration of the university, and brought it distinction through his myriad research publications and presentations. He is a founding member of an English/Japanese liberal arts institution in southern Japan, and of Renaissance College, home to UNB’s innovative undergraduate leadership program.

In retirement he continues to experiment with unique ways to approach the craft of teaching in a thoughtful, artful manner.

Professor Emerita in Education
Encaenia Ceremony A, May 19, 2010

In her more than 20 years with UNB, Sally Rehorick contributed in a significant and meaningful way to all aspects of academic life.

As an educator, she exhibited exemplary teaching practices and engaged her students in meaningful conversations. She also provided guidance and encouragement for new scholars to grow in their academic careers and to improve as researchers and teachers.

Prof. Rehorick is recognized nationally as a leader in the field of second language education. Her report, French Second Language Learning in New Brunswick Schools, was instrumental in restructuring the French Second Language programming of the province, and in leading Policy 309, a critical element of French Second Language learning in New Brunswick.

Her work on national research projects included Plan 2013, which provided a vision for improving second language education across Canada and has been adopted in most provinces. In 2001 she received Le Prix Robert Roy for her outstanding contributions to second language education in Canada.

Prof. Rehorick has also contributed internationally, and was a founding member of the faculty of education at Myasaki International College in Japan.

Through her extensive service to the Canadian Olympic Association and the Canadian Figure Skating Association, she has also brought recognition to UNB and her community.

Professor Emeritus in Mechanical Engineering
Encaenia Ceremony D, May 19, 2011

Robert Rogers joined the University of New Brunswick in 1977 as an assistant professor and over the past 33 years has provided exemplary service to his students and to the university.

Dr. Rogers has been an integral part of the mechanical engineering experience for students. Known for his ability to guide and direct with an inexhaustible supply of good humour, he has taught more than 3,000 undergraduate students and supervised many others as graduate students.

In recognition of the quality of his teaching, he was selected as the first recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award in mechanical engineering by his students.

He has served as a student advisor, as acting associate dean of engineering and on a variety of committees.

Dr. Rogers’ academic research has focused on the causes and effects of mechanical vibration. As a member of many professional societies he has served as Chair of the National Research Council’s Machinery Dynamics Subcommittee and as director of the Canadian Machinery Vibration Association. He has co-authored 44 journal publications, 46 conference proceeding articles and acted as a consultant on 55 projects.

A gentleman and a scholar, Dr. Rogers has been a consummate professional in all spheres of academic life and a model for both new and established faculty.

Professor Emeritus in English
Convocation: October 13, 1991

Donald F. Rowan retired in 1990 after 30 years of distinguished academic service with the University of New Brunswick's English department.

He was born to Canadian parents in Rochester, N.Y., but moved to Canada in 1938 and received his early education in Fredericton. He holds undergraduate degrees with honours in English, from UNB and from Cambridge University, as well as a master's degree from Cambridge. He earned a doctorate from UNB in 1967.

Dr. Rowan served as a high school vice-principal and a technical officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force before beginning his UNB teaching career in 1961. His academic specialty was Elizabethan drama, particularly Shakespeare. Dr. Rowan's scholarly research concentrated on the influence of the physical structure of the theatre on the kinds of plays Elizabethan dramatists wrote and the relationship between the actors and the audience when the plays were staged.

An innovative scholar, he has combined forces with colleagues in computer science to develop ways of using computers to organize information about Elizabethan drama. Most recently he led a team in developing a computerized database of stage directions in Shakespeare plays, a software tool which scholars everywhere can use for research and analysis. This project and his work as co-editor of the New Variorum edition of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, continue to occupy much of his time in retirement.

Teaching, from introductory to postgraduate courses, has always been a passion for Dr. Rowan. "I enjoy teaching, teaching everything and I genuinely like working with students. That's the thing I miss most in retirement," he muses. In 1987, Dr. Rowan was awarded UNB's most prestigious pedagogical prize, the Allan P. Stuart Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Professor Emeritus in Chemical Engineering
Encaenia Ceremony C: May 19, 2005

Douglas Ruthven is internationally known for his innovative research in chemical engineering. In fact, his name has become synonymous with the theory and practice of adsorption.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, he has received some of the most prestigious honours available: the Max Planck Research Award, an award from the Humboldt Foundation, the Century of Achievement Award from the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers, and an honorary degree from the University of Cambridge.

A prolific author, Dr. Ruthven has published more than 250 refereed papers. He has served as North American editor of the journal Chemical Engineering Science, and on the editorial boards of five other major journals.

Dr. Ruthven played a key role in building the reputation of the chemical engineering department at UNB. He served as department chair and, for 11 years, as director of graduate studies. In addition to teaching numerous undergraduate courses, he developed five graduate-level courses, and supervised 40 successful graduate theses and 17 postdoctoral fellows.

During his 29 years at the University of New Brunswick, Dr. Ruthven worked tirelessly and with great enthusiasm in the interests of the university. An outstanding scholar, he maintains his ties to the university as an honorary research associate.

Professor Emeritus in Electrical Engineering
Convocation: October 22, 1995

A professor of electrical engineering from 1959 to 1995, Robert Scott touched the lives of many people through his work.

His vision and pioneering research in the development of electronic aids for the disabled led to his founding the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick in 1965. During the 25 years he served as its director, the institute became internationally renowned.

The control system he personally developed is now common in commercially available myoelectric limb prostheses. Dr. Scott also conceived and developed a Hospital Engineering Program for the Province of New Brunswick, and in 1982 established the Child Prosthetics Research Centre in Fredericton.

Among the many honours he has received are Canada's Centennial Medal and an honorary doctorate from Acadia.

Professor Emeritus in Biology
Convocation: Oct. 19, 2006

The first to develop the study of insect neurophysiology and sensory physiology in Canada, William Seabrook pioneered many of the methodologies used worldwide by researchers in the field.

His work on electrophysiology and insect pheromones resulted in practical benefits for industry, including alternative methods of controlling pest populations, which in turn allowed for a reduction in the use of pesticides.

Dr. Seabrook successfully brought his findings into the classroom and had a profound impact on generations of students. During his 33 year career at the University of New Brunswick, he taught 28 different courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels and was sought after as a supervisor. Dr. Seabrook was a true mentor and played a pivotal role in shaping many young lives.

He was the driving force behind UNB's acquisition of the first scanning electron microscope in Eastern Canada and attracted a career total of $4.2 million in support of his research and his students.

A former dean of graduate studies and research, Dr. Seabrook has an exceptional record of university and professional service.

Recognized internationally, he is an elected Fellow of the Entomological Society of Canada.

His legacy is large and his impact on generations of students is enviable.

Professor Emeritus in Education
Convocation Ceremony: November 7, 2020

Dr. Alan Sears holds a Bachelor of Education in History and English (1977) and a Master of Education in Social Studies Curriculum (1985) from the University of New Brunswick. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies from the University of British Columbia (1996).

He joined UNB’s Faculty of Education as Assistant Professor in 1988, was granted tenure in 1996, and promoted to Professor in 1997. He served as Acting Dean of the Faculty of Education for a brief period in 2002, and as Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, Research and International Development within the Faculty of Education from 1999 to 2002.

Dr. Sears’s most significant area of impact and contribution is in curriculum, policy, and practice in Citizenship Education and History Education. He has an outstanding record of national research grants, is widely published, and his work is regularly cited.

Throughout his highly successful career, Dr. Sears has been the recipient of numerous awards, including UNB’s President’s Medal in 2019. He has lectured and served as keynote speaker at various lectures around the world, including the Eaton Lecture in Toronto (2017), the Children’s Identity and Citizenship European Association Jean Monnet CICE Network Conference in Corinth, Greece (2017), and the annual conference of The National Council for the Social Studies in Seattle, Washington (2012).

Dr. Sears continues to explore the connections between citizenship education and history education, which is particularly evident in his most recently published book, The Arts and the Teaching of History: Historical F(r)ictions, co-authored with UBC’s Penney Clark.

Dr. Alan Sears is most deserving of the honour of professor emeritus at the University of New Brunswick.

Professor Emeritus in Law, 1977

Professor Emeritus in Forestry, 1970

Professor Emeritus in Physics
Encaenia Ceremony A: May 16, 2012

Allan Sharp joined the Faculty of Science in 1975 and during his 34 years at UNB, he provided exemplary service to his students and to the university.

Dr. Sharp had the reputation of being an enthusiastic and inspiring teacher. It was not unusual for his Physics and Society class to have 150 students, many of whom were outside the Faculty of Science.

Dr. Sharp’s enthusiasm for teaching was matched by his enthusiasm for his research, which focused on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. He has authored, or co-authored, 33 refereed papers and has supervised several master and PhD theses.

On many occasions he took his love of physics outside the department. He was active in developing outreach activities, including a weekly science and technology program on the UNB student radio station.

Dr. Sharp was involved in the development of Renaissance College and taught leadership and public policy courses there for several years.

His colleagues have recognized his skills as an administrator, noting that during his time as chair of the physics department, and later as dean of the science faculty, he fostered an environment in which personal and academic success could take route.

In addition to his academic activities, Dr. Sharp served as Chief Negotiator and President of the Association of UNB Teachers, as President of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, and as co-chair of the Academic Pension Fund for UNB. He also served on numerous UNB committees, including Senate and the Information Technology Strategic Planning Task Force.

Professor Emeritus in Spanish, 1988

Professor Emeritus in History
Encaenia Ceremony B: May 18, 2000

Lawrence Shyu has achieved international recognition as a scholar in 20th-century Chinese history.

A prolific author and well-liked professor, he presented papers at major international conferences around the world. During his 30 year career in the history department, Dr. Shyu enhanced the image of the University of New Brunswick as a world-university and forged lasting links with educational institutions in China.

As director of graduate studies in history, he recruited and supervised numerous students from the People's Republic of China. Dr. Shyu has held professional appointments as president of The Historical Society of 20th-Century China in North America and as vice-president of the Canadian Asian Studies Association.

His extensive community service has benefited, among others, the Chinese Cultural Association of New Brunswick and the Fredericton Multicultural Association.

Professor Emerita in Education and Dean Emerita
Encaenia Ceremony A: May 16, 2007

Marian Small's influence on mathematics education is felt throughout North America and beyond.

The course materials she co-developed and taught in the University of New Brunswick's faculty of education, along with the textbooks she co-authored for public schools, have helped to make mathematics an engaging subject for tens of thousands of school children.

This university's Mathematics Education Centre, which she founded and directed for 15 years, is arguably the most important contribution to mathematics education in New Brunswick's history.

Dr. Small established UNB as a leader in mathematics education, and educators nationally consider her name and work synonymous with excellence.

As a leader and administrator, chair of the department of curriculum and instruction, dean of education, and acting vice-president (academic), she fostered the development of a healthy, collegial attitude that contributed to a supportive environment for the intellectual life of the university.

In 2004, she received the President's Medal in recognition of her extraordinary career, her contributions to the university, and fair-minded ideals.

Professor Emeritus in Law
Encaenia Ceremony B: May 18, 2000

During the 16 years he taught in the University of New Brunswick Law School, Beverley Smith distinguished himself as the "eminent professor."

His textbooks, Introduction to the Law of Trusts in Canada and Professional Conduct for Canadian Lawyers, have been part of the landscape of books used by law students across Canada.

A recipient of the university's Allan P. Stuart Award for Excellence in Teaching, Prof. Smith's teaching areas largely mirror those areas in which he has published: professional conduct, trusts, and wills and estate planning.

He received the UNB Merit Award on two occasions in recognition of his scholarship and has been an active fund-raiser for his faculty and the university as a whole.

Since his retirement in 1996, Prof. Smith has completed the significant task of rewriting the Code of Professional Conduct for the Canadian Bar Association and continues to be held in high esteem by the entire faculty of law.

Professor Emeritus in Forestry and Environmental Management
185th Encaenia: May 29, 2014

During his academic career, Ian Smith was known throughout the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management as a valued scholar and mentor to students and faculty alike.

He began his career at UNB in 1986 as an assistant professor of structural engineering. In 1988, he was the director of the Wood Science and Technology Centre. From 2004 to 2012, he held the distinction of University Research Scholar; and in 2004/2005, was acting dean of the Faculty Forestry and Environmental Management

Dr. Smith has supervised ten post-doctoral fellows, 11 UNB PhD students, six non-UNB PhD students and 13 Master’s students. Dr. Smith is one of the most prolific publishers of research papers and reports in the faculty. Over the course of his career, he has published two books and more than 250 research articles on topics related to timber engineering, the vast majority of which were co-authored with his students.

Recognized as the leading expert worldwide on timber connections, his research results have been included in timber design codes in Canada, U.S., Europe and the U.K. His publicly funded individual research grants and contracts at UNB have totalled $2.2 million to date.

In addition to his academic work, Dr. Smith is a fellow of six national and international professional bodies, including the Institution of Civil Engineers in the United Kingdom, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering, just to name a few.

In 2003, he was awarded the prestigious J. James R. Croes Medal by the American Society of Civil Engineers. This award is among the world's most prestigious honours bestowed on civil engineers and is given in recognition of an outstanding paper published in any of the society's 30 journals.

Professor Emeritus in Classics, 1987

Professor Emeritus in Economics, 1984

Professor Emerita in Psychology, 1974

Professor Emeritus in Mechanical Engineering
Encaenia Ceremony D: May 17, 2012

Antonio Sousa is an internationally recognized expert in thermal fluids.

He came to UNB in 1980 as an associate professor and was one of a group of professors who led the way in transforming the department of mechanical engineering into a first-class teaching and research unit.

Dr. Sousa’s research has produced both innovative theories and practical solutions to industrial problems. In 2003, he was asked to be a part of an experts group that conducted an in depth investigation into an airplane crash that killed the Prime Minister of Portugal and his Minister of Defense in 1984.

A prolific author, Dr. Sousa has an extensive publication history, consisting of 73 refereed journal papers, 154 refereed full conference papers and 5 book chapters. In the past 30 years, he has been involved in 78 national and international meetings in roles ranging from session chair to invited keynote speaker. He has been active on international and NSERC committees, including the NSERC Joint Prizes Selection Committee.

During his time at UNB, Dr. Sousa had delivered a wide range of courses in thermal fluids and was instrumental in creating the mechanical engineering department’s first renewable energy course, Industrial Ecology, which was highly popular and broadly attended by both undergraduate and graduate students.

In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, Dr. Sousa has supervised 37 PhD and master’s students, 36 undergraduate students and 31 students working in industrial practice school or work terms.

Professor Emeritus in Civil Engineering, 1989

Professor Emeritus in Kinesiology and Dean Emeritus
Encaenia Ceremony A: May 28, 2008

Christopher Stevenson has distinguished himself as a scholar, educator and administrator throughout his productive career at the University of New Brunswick.

He joined the faculty of kinesiology in 1974 with degrees in science, physical education, sociology, and the sociology of sport, and experience teaching at the secondary and post secondary levels. In his 33 years as professor and dean, his experience and expertise enriched his students and the curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His background also allowed him to serve as thesis supervisor for students in both kinesiology and sociology.

Despite an often heavy administrative workload, he published numerous book chapters and articles in leading journals, and gave dozens of presentations at national and international scholarly conferences. Some of his articles are the most cited in the field and several were republished in anthologies. He is also an invited contributor to the latest edition of the Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Sociology.

Multiple terms as director of undergraduate and graduate studies, dean of the faculty of kinesiology and six years as a member of the university Senate are testament to Dr. Stevenson’s generous service to the faculty and university.

Professor Emeritus in Chemical Engineering and Centre for Nuclear Energy Research
Encaenia Ceremony C: May 29, 2003

Over his distinguished career, Dr. Frank Steward has made outstanding contributions to the profession of engineering, in general, and to the University of New Brunswick, in particular.

Dr. Steward joined the department of chemical engineering in 1963. Over the next 32 years, he developed and taught 15 undergraduate and graduate courses, and supervised more than 40 master's students, 22 PhD students, and five post-doctoral fellows.

In addition to serving as department chair for three terms, he was co-director of the Fire Science Centre for a decade and director of the Energy Conversion Engineering Group from 1988 to 1995. He also served on the UNB Senate and on various university and professional committees.

Dr. Steward earned the university Merit Award in 1981 and 1989.

His negotiating skills helped to secure university research chairs in the areas of nuclear engineering, power plant engineering, and pulping technology. His own research concentrated on heat transfer, combustion, fire science and energy-related studies. Dr. Steward published widely, with approximately 70 refereed articles in journals and conference proceedings, and over 100 recorded at technical conferences.

In 1991 he was awarded the Jules Stachiewicz Medal by the Canadian Society of Chemical Engineers for outstanding work in heat transfer.

Dr. Steward was largely responsible for the establishment of the Centre for Nuclear Energy Research at UNB and was appointed its founding director in 1993. While he officially retired from the department of chemical engineering in 1995, Dr. Steward continued his work for another eight years as an Honorary Research Professor and director of the Centre for Nuclear Energy Research.

Professor Emeritus in Education
Encaenia Ceremony B, May 18, 2011

John Stewart has made significant contributions to the University of New Brunswick in teaching, scholarship and service as well as to the broader field of counseling psychology in Canada and internationally.

From the time he arrived at UNB in 1990, Dr. Stewart worked tirelessly to build a coherent and substantial master of education program in counseling psychology. Well regarded as both a classroom teacher and graduate supervisor, he incorporated innovation in his courses and was nominated several times for teaching awards by students.

Dr. Stewart has proven himself as a scholar. Through his numerous refereed publications and presentations he has done much to advance the field of counseling psychology in Canada and abroad.

Not only has he admirably fulfilled his teaching duties, he also has taken on the duties of director of graduate studies for his division and director of UNB’s Bhutan project. As such, he greatly expanded UNB’s presence and influence in that country. He also had a major impact on the developing field of career counselling in Bhutan.

In each role that he has undertaken, he has been committed to doing the best job possible.

Dr. Stewart retired in 2007 after nearly 20 years of exemplary service at UNB and remains a presence in the faculty continuing to teach in the master of education program.

Professor Emerita in Education
Encaenia Ceremony A: May 16, 2001

Mary Lou Stirling has been an exemplary teacher of teachers. During her 27 years in the faculty of education at the University of New Brunswick and before her retirement in 1999, she was a role model for generations of New Brunswick language arts teachers.

A former elementary school teacher herself, Dr. Stirling steadfastly refused to teach language arts methods in a doctrinaire fashion. Instead, she encouraged her students to find methods of instruction that worked for them in dealing with their own students. In the area of research and publication, Dr. Stirling made valuable contributions in the form of curriculum documents and textbook materials. She continues to work with publishers in the development and implementation of textbook series and literacy programs.

In addition to serving as a professor, Dr. Stirling became Dean of Residences in 1989. She was proactive in the creation of a holistic residence community with strong links between the students in residence and the greater academic community. Having been instrumental in developing several programs which improved the quality of student life at UNB, Dr. Stirling's colleagues credit her for establishing a safe, healthy, supportive and academic environment for students in residence.

Upon her retirement from UNB, Dr. Stirling was invited to serve as acting director of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research. In this position, she is enhancing the profile of the Centre and serving the community, as always, with grace, integrity and dedication.

Professor Emerita in Psychology and Dean Emerita of Graduate Studies
Encaenia Ceremony C, May 19, 2011

Janet Stoppard was one of the first women to hold an upper level administrative position at UNB, paving the way for others who followed.

She came to UNB is 1979 after working for several years as a clinical psychologist. During her time at UNB, she established herself as an exemplary academic, a dedicated leader and a steady mentor.

She was instrumental in the design and set up of the original Women’s Studies interdisciplinary program on the Fredericton campus, and played an important role in the development of UNB’s nationally accredited doctoral program in clinical psychology.

Well respected by her colleagues and her students, Dr. Stoppard received a UNB Merit Award and an Allan P. Stuart Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching.

She has served in a number of important administrative roles, including director of Graduate Studies in psychology, coordinator of the interdisciplinary women’s studies program and dean of Graduate Studies.

She is recognized internationally as one of the foremost researchers in women’s mental health. Her career as a psychologist was featured in the Canadian edition of Essentials of Understanding Psychology. She also received the Distinguished Member Award from the Canadian Psychological Association and a Professional Recognition Award from the New Brunswick Division of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Professor Emeritus in Biology, 1987

Professor Emeritus in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Encaenia Ceremony C: May 29, 2008

James H. Taylor’s research output has been remarkable for both its quality and its quantity.

He joined UNB in 1994 as the Monenco Industrial Chair in Instrumentation and Control, bringing 25 years’ experience in industry. James Taylor is a strong advocate of a quality, modern electrical and computer engineering curriculum, and ensures that his engineering courses are relevant to industry.

He was key to the development of an instrumentation and control option in the electrical and computer engineering undergraduate program and is the driving force behind the development of a collaborative degree program between the University of New Brunswick and Akhbar Elyom Academy in Egypt.

In the classroom he is able to teach extremely complex concepts with ease and provides his students with project work opportunities directly linked to industry. Since 1994, he has supervised more than 25 graduate thesis and 30 senior undergraduate projects.

A prolific author, with more than a dozen textbooks and book chapters to his credit, he is recognized internationally for his control-area research. He has also contributed to three successful Atlantic Innovation Fund applications for research and development under industry-sponsored projects.

An honorary research professor, Dr. Taylor has served the University of New Brunswick with distinction.

Librarian Emeritus
Encaenia Ceremony D: May 19, 2016

In his 23 years as Director of Libraries on the Fredericton campus, John Teskey served UNB with distinction and became a respected leader within the academic and research libraries arena in Canada and beyond.

He was elected president of most of the major national library organizations, amongst them the Canadian Association of Research Libraries and the Canadian Library Association. He served on the board of directors of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network, as resident of the Atlantic Provinces Library Association, and as chair of the Council of Atlantic University Libraries. For many years, John Teskey exercised leadership on the national stage with regard to copyright. In 2014, he received the Canadian Association of Research Libraries Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.

Over the years, John Teskey seized upon technological innovation to expand and enhance library services to students and faculty. With student success in mind, he led the way for the creation, at Harriet Irving Library, of the John B. McNair Learning Commons.

In 2009, John Teskey was awarded the UNB President’s Medal. An excerpt from the citation reads as follows: “John took the approach, from the very beginning, that UNB Libraries could be, and should be, at the national forefront. This bold vision produced impressive results”.

It is not an exaggeration to say that UNB Libraries were transformed under his leadership. Having come to UNB from Alberta, he became a tireless advocate for this institution, for the province as a whole and for Atlantic Canada.

Professor Emeritus in Chemistry
186th Encaenia Ceremony A: May 28, 2015

Dr. Ajit Thakkar began his career at UNB in 1984. During his illustrious 30 year career, he led an internationally recognized research program in the theoretical and computational prediction of molecular properties and interactions.

He is considered one of the top researchers in his field with 250 publications in high profile international journals that collectively have been sited more than 6,000 times.

As a professor, Dr. Thakkar taught a range of undergraduate courses, including some large first year general chemistry classes and several physical and quantum chemistry courses. He developed his own specialized textbook for his quantum chemistry course, which he provided to his students at cost for the last 20 years. He recently authorized its commercial production as part of the Institute of Physics collection of concise physics books.

24 of his former research students and post-doctoral fellows now hold academic positions at universities around the world. Even in his retirement, Dr. Thakkar continues to be very active in research, with 40 publications appearing in the last eight years, six of them in 2013 alone.

In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Thakkar served as chair of the chemistry department and helped modernize the department’s structure. He also took on the role of director of Graduate Studies and served on multiple committees at the departmental and university levels.

He is the editor of Computational and Theoretical Chemistry and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Computational Methods in Sciences and Engineering. He is past editor and associate editor of the Journal of Molecular Structure and has served on editorial boards of the International Journal of Quantum Chemistry, Canadian Journal of Chemistry and the Journal of Molecular Structure.

He held his National Science and Engineering Research Council discovery grant continuously from 1980 until his retirement. His research was recognized with a prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Research fellowship, the Canadian Society for Chemistry’s Noranda Award for distinguished contributions to physical chemistry, and the European Society for Computational Methods in Science and Engineering ICCMSE prize for career achievement in theoretical and computational chemistry.

Dr. Thakkar has been active in service to the broader academic and scientific communities and has been a great ambassador for the university, raising its profile and that of the department of chemistry.

He is most deserving of the rank of professor emeritus at the University of New Brunswick.

Professor Emerita in History
Convocation: Oct. 19, 2006

A distinguished social historian of early modern Europe, Gillian Thompson has conducted research on the Jesuit religious order in 18th century France.

Her publications have revised our understanding of Church history and set the suppression of the French Jesuits into the larger history of modern political and religious persecutions.

Throughout her career at the University of New Brunswick from 1972 to 2005, Dr. Thompson participated actively in university affairs. She served terms as Resident Fellow and department chair, and, at various times, held membership on the Board of Governors, the Senate, the Executive Committee of the Graduate School, and many advisory and search committees.

Dr. Thompson co-authored the first Status of Women Report at UNBF, served as chairperson of the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women at UNB, acted as adviser to the president on the status of women, and was as co-founder and long-time supporter of the Women Studies Program.

A natural facilitator who prefers consensus to confrontation and example to exhortation, Dr. Thompson has provided outstanding service to the university in tirelessly promoting the cause of gender equity and respect for the rights of all.

Librarian Emeritus, 2022

Professor Emeritus in Mathematics and Statistics
Encaenia Ceremony C: May 28, 2009

Jon Thompson’s contributions to UNB and to the promotion of mathematical science and academic values are truly exceptional.

Soon after his arrival at the University of New Brunswick in 1970, he became a force in curriculum development at all levels of the university. As chair of mathematics and statistics for 17 years, he transformed the department’s scholarly culture. He hired faculty from some of the world’s leading institutions, supported them, revitalized the graduate program and was instrumental in the department achieving a national research profile.

Dr. Thompson helped to establish the Atlantic Association for Research in the Mathematical Sciences and has been active in numerous professional and learned societies.

His involvement with the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers, from the first collective agreement, when he was association president, through the negotiations during the latest bargaining cycle, is a contribution of extraordinary importance to the academic community.

However, it is Dr. Thompson’s exemplary work with the Canadian Association of University Teachers which has singled him out as one of the foremost defenders of academic freedom and due process in Canada. Dr. Thompson is one of only seven people chosen to receive the association’s prestigious Milner Award for outstanding contributions to the defense of academic freedom, and his ground breaking study of the Olivieri Case has changed the foundations of medical research ethics worldwide.

Professor Emerita in Business Administration
Encaenia Ceremony A: May 27, 2009

Barbara Trenholm is without doubt one of the very best teachers that the faculty of business administration has ever had.

She embraces change, new technology and the chance to bring new teaching methods into the classroom. Her influence on creating a positive student-centered learning environment at the University of New Brunswick and her contribution to chartered accounting education in Canada have had a significant impact on students, alumni, colleagues and the accounting profession as a whole.

Among her many awards for teaching is the Global Teaching Excellence Award from the International Academy of Business Administration.

Prof. Trenholm’s scholarly work includes numerous articles in refereed publications and two accounting textbooks. One of these, Accounting Principles, is the most successful first edition in the history of higher education publishing in Canada.

Prof. Trenholm’s record of service to the university, her profession and the community is truly exemplary. During her 28 years at UNB, she served on more than 50 committees and was acting dean for 15 months. In recognition of her service to the accounting profession she was named a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, an honour that has been bestowed on less than five per cent of CAs in Canada.

Professor Emeritus in Mathematics and Statistics
Convocation: October 25, 1998

An outstanding teacher, Brian Tupper taught an exceptional range of courses in the department of mathematics and statistics.

He is also highly respected within Canada and abroad for his research. Dr. Tupper has been invited to give presentations at more than two dozen universities worldwide and attracted continuous NSERC support for his work from 1970 until his retirement in June 1998.

In 1988, he received the doctor of science degree from the University of London in recognition of the quality and quantity of his published work on general relativity theory. A referee for eight academic journals, Dr. Tupper has organized numerous conferences.

He also has an impressive record of university service, including terms as department chairperson and associate dean of graduate studies.

Professor Emeritus in History
Convocation, Oct. 20, 2011

From 1971 to 2010, throughout 39 years as the historian of science at the University of New Brunswick, Steven Truner was such a productive researcher, distinguished teacher, and able administrator that in all three areas of research, teaching  and service, he set the highest possible standards of professionalism and dedication to the purposes of the university.

Dr. Turner’s record as a research scholar in the history of science is outstanding. He has reviewed dozens of academic books, evaluated innumerable manuscripts and research applications, read over 50 papers at national and international scholarly conferences, and published 35 scholarly articles and book chapters.

After completing his Princeton PhD dissertation on 19th century German university reform, Dr. Turner turned to the 19th century German controversy over the physics of vision, producing a highly praised book, In the Eye’s Mind: Vision and the Helmholtz-Hering Controversy, published by Princeton University Press in 1994.

Recently, he has chosen to engage in more contemporary research, focussing on the history of agricultural biotechnology and genetic research on the potato in Canada and New Brunswick. Recognized as a “big thinker”, Dr. Turner has regularly been invited to comment on papers on the state of the field of the history and philosophy of science. He has held numerous research grants from German and American granting agencies, the Canada Council, the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, as well as an Alexander von Humbolt Fellowship.

Also a scholar of the history of pedagogy, Dr. Turner was one of the history department’s best teachers. Instructing students from arts, engineering, science, nursing and education. Dr. Turner made the history of science, including the significance of Darwin and Einstein, comprehensible to all. His remarkable pedagogical talent was recognized in 1995 when he gained the University’s highest teaching award, the Allan P. Stuart Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching and in 2006 when he received the Arts Faculty Teaching Award. His mentorship of others in the craft of university education was acknowledged in 2007 when he gained the title of University Teaching Scholar. In that capacity, Dr. Turner made several presentations to educators on why the teaching of science still matters.

His colleagues as well as his students reciprocate the high respect that he has shown them. An advisor and mentor for many junior colleagues and graduate students, and a wonderful colleague and friend. Dr. Turner has excelled in administrative service, as the history department’s director of graduate studies and as departmental chair (1993 to 1996). He has held a daunting number of university positions, including that of university orator, chair of the Forging our Futures Campaign, and was a member of the AUNBT Fulltime Negotiating Team.

Steve’s calm demeanour, clear thinking, and sage advice have been deeply appreciated in a vast range of committees, as have his good humour and sensitive approach to achieving consensus. Even in retirement he is the chair of the Research Ethics Committee, a commitment which reflects Dr. Turner’s generosity of spirit. Beyond the university he has served long and tirelessly on the executive of the New Brunswick SPCA, of which he was for many years vice-president or president.

Dr. Turner’s contributions to historical scholarship, to higher education in history and Science, to the education of thousands of UNB students, and to the broader UNB and New Brunswick communities have been profound. His achievements will long be remembered. In every way Dr. Steven Turner deserves the title of Professor Emeritus.

Governor Emeritus, 1991

Professor Emeritus in Chemistry and Dean Emeritus
Convocation: October 24, 1999

For the last two-and-a-half decades, Dr. Unger has been a tireless champion of science education, high academic standards and increased funding for post-secondary education.

He guided the science faculty as dean for 13 years and met the challenge of upholding the faculty's high quality of teaching and research in times of shrinking resources.

As a chemist, he has presented his research at scientific meetings around the world. Dr. Unger's impressive record of academic, professional and community service includes terms as president of the Canadian Association of University Teachers and the New Brunswick Chapter of Science for Peace.

He is also a founder of the Canadian Conference of Deans of Science Association and chairperson of the National Research Council Advisory Board on Scientific and Technological Information.