Mary Fowler, manager of campus animal facilities at U of G, was recently recognized for her leadership and contributions to the field of animal care. She received the Charles River Canada Award from the Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science (CALAS) at the organization’s annual symposium in Vancouver.

The award is one of the most prestigious recognitions offered by CALAS, a national association that provides training and educational resources to animal-care professionals across Canada.

Fowler’s nomination included numerous supporting letters from U of G faculty, staff and students, as well as her colleagues both on and off campus. All emphasized her commitment to quality care for animals in research, her strengths in team-building and her professionalism in recruiting and working with students and volunteers.

Fowler’s career began as a research technician in the Department of Pathobiology in 1986; she became manager of the Campus Animal Facility in 1995.

CALAS also provides awards and prizes to help members advance their careers. Recent recipients from U of G’s Central Animal Facility are research animal technicians Panos Mavronicolas, who received the organization’s Ancare Award for innovation in the workplace, and Martha Manning, who received the Edstrom/Harry Rowsell Masters Travel Fellowship Award to attend the annual symposium. Veterinary graduate and D.V.Sc. student Janet Sunohara-Neilson received the Harlan/Teklad Speaker’s Award for the best paper presented at the symposium.

CALAS president Gordon Yee said these awards, along with Fowler’s recognition, “speak volumes about the calibre of people at Guelph” working in the field of laboratory animal care.