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Fred Van Goor has had a profound impact on the lives of people with cystic fibrosis through his groundbreaking research to develop a new class of treatments that can extend the life expectancy of those with the disease by decades.

He earned his bachelor of science and PhD in biological sciences from the º£½ÇÉçÇø, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. National Institutes of Health before joining Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2001, where he is now vice-president and head of cystic fibrosis research. At Vertex, he led a team that discovered and developed five licensed medicines for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, including Trikafta, an ingenious combination of three drugs that work in tandem to repair defects in a protein found in people with cystic fibrosis. Trikafta is suitable for about 90 per cent of people living with cystic fibrosis and is accessible in more than 50 countries. Van Goor is now working on a new treatment for those who don’t respond to current therapies.

He has published six book chapters on cystic fibrosis, ion channel drug discovery and endocrinology, and is the author of more than 40 research articles in major peer-reviewed journals. He is also highly regarded as a mentor and advocate who is inspiring the next generation of researchers and forging connections with patients and families. In recognition of his life-transforming work, he received a prestigious Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences in 2023 and was a co-recipient of a 2024 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, the world’s richest award honouring scientific advances.

Omayra Issa is an award-winning journalist and anchor at CPAC (Cable Public Affairs Channel), connecting Canadians to their democracy. Through her extensive experience in television, radio, and digital programming, she has developed a blueprint as a large-scale narrative shaper for reach and impact.

She has received many accolades, including several from RTDNA (Radio Television Digital News Association) Canada, celebrating the best in Canadian journalism and National Digital Publishing Awards. A former national reporter for CBC News, Omayra served as a correspondent on the flagship show The National, reporting on pressing national and international headlines. She co-created, co-produced and led the Black on the Prairies series, which received international recognition, led to impactful changes in education policy, reached millions worldwide and is taught in universities across the country.

Omayra is an educator who lectures in universities across Canada. Her work guiding national conversations around inclusion and diversity in newsrooms has set her apart as an innovator and changemaker, leading her to be recognized with a Reelworld Trailblazer Award in 2024. Omayra has been named one of Canada’s “Top 100 Black Women to Watch” by Canada International Black Women Excellence in 2019, a “Woman of Distinction” by YWCA the same year and an “Inclusive Storyteller” by CBC in 2021. She was awarded a William Southam Fellowship at Massey College in 2022.

Fluent in five languages, Omayra has interviewed heads of states, business leaders and community builders. Before becoming a journalist, Omayra studied Economics and English at the º£½ÇÉçÇø. She was awarded the º£½ÇÉçÇø Alumni Award in 2024 .

David Lynch was born in the village of Minto, New Brunswick where coal-mining and electricity generation were the main industries. He received his Chemical Engineering degree from the University of New Brunswick (1977) followed by a PhD from the º£½ÇÉçÇø (1982) focused on the areas of catalysis and chemical reactor engineering. He is Professor Emeritus (Chemical Engineering) at the º£½ÇÉçÇø following 41 years as a faculty member including 21 years as Dean of Engineering (1994-2015).

During his tenure as Dean, undergraduate enrolment in engineering doubled, while graduate enrolment quadrupled, bringing the total number of engineering students to over 6,000. More than 18,000 engineering students graduated during this period. Over 270 new engineering faculty members were hired, and more than 50 endowed, industrial, and government-funded Chair positions were established. Five major new buildings were constructed to support engineering education and research. In total, over $950 million was raised to fund these transformative initiatives.

Dr. Lynch has served on more than 30 Alberta-based, national and international advisory, management, government and corporate boards and agencies. Most recently, he was on the Board of Directors of Engineers Canada (2016-2021) including a one-year term as President and Chair of the Board.

David Lynch has received numerous awards including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Alberta Centennial Medal, the AC Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the APEGA Centennial Leadership Award, the ASTech Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Alberta Science and Technology Community, and he was named the “Resource Person of the Year” by the Alberta Chamber of Resources.

On his final day as Dean of Engineering, June 30, 2015, was officially proclaimed “Dr. David Lynch Day” in Edmonton by Mayor Don Iveson. In recognition of his contributions, the º£½ÇÉçÇø also established the “David and Joan Lynch School of Engineering Safety and Risk Management.” David Lynch was awarded an Honorary Degree (D.Sc.) from the University of New Brunswick in 2018, and he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada by the Governor-General of Canada in 2022.