Twelve of 20 women who received 2018 Women of Distinction Awards last week have University of Guelph connections.
The awards recognize and celebrate the achievements of women in Wellington County. They were presented May 3 at the River Run Centre.
Prof. Bonnie Mallard received a Lifetime Achievement Award. She was honoured for her groundbreaking High Immune Response technology used to breed healthier cattle, as well as for being a mentor and for co-founding of the Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre in Puslinch, Ont.
Integrative biology professor Shoshanah Jacobs was recognized for her innovative teaching. As co-creator of the Ideas Congress transdisciplinary classroom at U of G, Jacobs is investigating senior undergraduate learning through experiential trans-disciplinary methods.
Prof. Tami Martino, Department of Biomedical Sciences, was recognized for her cardiovascular research. Martino is a pioneer in the exploration of circadian biology and heart health effects.
Claire Martin, a post-doctoral reseracher in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, is a kidney disease researcher and volunteer with ARCH HIV clinic and Rainbow Day Camp in Guelph. She was recognized for her perseverance as a young, single mother.
Biomedical sciences undergraduate student Crystal Gong was recognized for her academic excellence, support of Indigenous populations in food security and nutritional health, and as a volunteer with the Ontarion, Circle-K Guelph, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Big Brothers and Sisters.
Sally Humphries, a professor in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, was recognized for her 25-year international development research project in Honduras. It trains marginalized farmers to become researchers, improving diet and income, and increasing the number of local women leaders.
Six U of G alumnae were also recognized: Hayley Kellett, Jaya James, Rosalind Slater, Tanya Olsen and Teresa McKeeman.
The annual Women of Distinction gala supports programs run by the YMCA – YWCA of Guelph for women, teens and their families.