Manitoba Science Academy Board of Directors
Mr. Vince Lopata, Chairman
Mr. Lopata was employed by AECL from 1970 to 1998. Upon retiring from AECL in 1998, he formed Acsion Industries, an industrial leader in electron beam technology used in the manufacture and repair of composites. He is a world authority in this technology with over 130 scientific papers, two patents and two international awards, as well as numerous other awards. Vince retired from Acsion in 2003 but continues to provide consultant services to the industry. He was President of the Pinawa Chamber of Commerce for 3 years and has served with the Whiteshell Campus of the DRSA since 1999 and been its Chairman for the last five years. Vince also served with the Canadian Army Reserve for 25 years working with cadets, serving as The Winnipeg Grenadiers Cadet Corps Commanding Officer for 17 years. During his tenure as Commanding Officer, the Cadet Corps won numerous awards at the district, regional and national levels. He was also a director with The Manitoba Army Cadet League responsible for organizing tag days and weekend events involving over 400 people. He is presently a director with the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association (Manitoba) and is the Sergeant-at-Arms for the Hong Kong Veterans Association (Manitoba). He has served on numerous committees of these two organizations.
Ms. Jane Sargent, Vice-Chairperson and Marketing Committee Chair
Ms. Sargent has over 20 years experience in all areas of corporate communications, primarily within the nuclear industry. She has been active volunteer in a variety of community organizations. She has been member of the Pinawa Community Development Corporation Board of Directors since 2000, serving terms as Chair and Vice-chair, and has been the Public Information Manager for Pinawa's Emergency Operations Centre Committee since 1999. Jane joined the Whiteshell Campus of the DRSA in 2002.
Dr E. Michael Attas, Corporate Secretary and Research Committee Chair
Dr. Attas has 25 years experience in analytical chemistry and nuclear science. He is currently head of the analytical science group at the Whiteshell Laboratories of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), where he is also a quality assurance specialist. He has been an adjunct professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Winnipeg since 2001, and is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. He has served with the Whiteshell Campus of the Deep River Science Academy since 2000.
Ms. Connie Hamon, Membership Committee Chair
Connie Hamon holds a B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Zoology from the University of Manitoba. She has worked as a laboratory technologist at AECL for over fifteen years. Her involvement with the DRSA program has been as a Supervisor of microbiology projects since 1995 and as a committee member of the Whiteshell campus since 2003. Connie has served on many other executive and has twice been chair of the Association of Community Theatres drama festival, with membership province-wide.
Dr Tjalle (Chuck) Vandergraaf, Education Committee Chair
Dr Vandergraaf has 35 years of experience in various aspects of research associated with the nuclear industry, most recently in high-level nuclear waste management. He has also been an adjunct professor in physical and environmental science at Providence College for the last 10 years and is a faculty member of the Radiochemistry Society. He is a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada and a charter member of the Canadian Nuclear Society. He is a member of the Program Advisory Committee the Nuclear Waste Management Conference, held annually in Arizona. He has been associated with the Whiteshell Campus of the DRSA for two years and has served as Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary for a number of community organizations.