UNews - alumni

Alumnus of the Year Johnson followed his passion

trevor.kenney — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 16:28:04 +0000

The research station at CFB Suffield outside of Ralston, Alta., has been the site of hundreds of military and scientific tests since 1941, and when Lawrence Johnson (BASc (BSc) ’78) was just 16 years old, he got his first job there – a summer job stacking TNT for explosives trials. It was an auspicious start for a future nuclear scientist, although Johnson himself says he didn’t know what he wanted to do with this life until a couple of years after high school when he came to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and began to study chemistry.

Lawrence Johnson credits the U of L with helping him become a broad-range thinker with the ability to delve into different fields.

Four years later, with a bachelor of science degree and the Faculty of Arts & Science gold medal to his credit, Johnson went to work for Atomic Energy of Canada. He put in 20 years with the company as a scientist and later department manager for nuclear waste research, leading studies to develop engineered barriers for nuclear waste disposal. Johnson’s work at the company played a central role in the Canadian Environmental Assessment and Review Process conducted between 1994 and 1997.

By 1999, Johnson was ready to make a career move. An opportunity at the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) took him, his wife and youngest teenage son all the way to Europe.

Nagra is a Swiss-based company whose mandate is to prepare and implement solutions for the safe, long-term disposal and management of nuclear waste. Johnson’s role as research and development coordinator for Nagra involves the planning and coordination of research projects on radioactive waste repositories in Switzerland. He also manages studies on spent nuclear fuel under disposal conditions, and is responsible for developing new design concepts for disposal canisters. He is the author of more than 120 publications and is a consultant to numerous international waste-disposal organizations.

“Switzerland is powered 40 per cent by nuclear energy, which may surprise a lot of people,” says Johnson. “The reactors naturally produce waste, and we have to resolve what to do with it. I try to find the right balance of research to be done on the subject – how much of this type of study, how much of that one – which over 15 years has allowed me to become knowledgeable in a lot of different disciplines.”

Johnson says the liberal education he received at the U of L helped him become a broad-range thinker with the ability to delve into different fields.

“My job requires that I have a working knowledge in a variety of disciplines. At the U of L I had the freedom to take a number of courses outside my major that I was simply interested in taking, which gave me an appreciation for different areas of study. Undergrads should come away with a wide range of knowledge – they should learn how society functions, about history, about literature, in addition to having a strong base in their chosen discipline. To be able to assimilate a breadth of information you have to be schooled in how to think that way. That’s one of the great strengths of the U of L.”

Due to Swiss law, Johnson will take mandatory retirement from Nagra in 2015, but plans to continue working as a consultant. He intends to move back to Canada with his wife and settle in Winnipeg so the couple can be close to their two sons and first grandchild.

Like himself, both of Johnson’s parents were scientists (his father, Olafur Johnson, worked at Defence Research Establishment Suffield, and his mother, Hope Johnson, was a well known southern Alberta paleontologist who received an honorary doctorate from the U of L in 1981). Interestingly, both of Johnson’s sons chose to work in the film industry – an area that’s about as far from the field of nuclear-waste management as you can get.

“I didn’t even try to encourage my sons to go into science. I told them to do what they love doing,” says Johnson. “It’s the same advice I’d give to anyone – don’t chase after a career for money or prestige or any such reason. If you love what you do, everything else tends to fall into place.”

After hearing about his nomination as Alumnus of the Year, Johnson found himself pleased, and admittedly surprised.

“I had a friend jokingly say there must have been a mix-up on the call between Alumnus of the Year and the alumnus with the most parking tickets,” says Johnson with a laugh. “I don’t feel I’ve done anything particularly extraordinary – I’ve just done what interested me. That’s taken me a long way.”

Big Thinking About Small Farms

david.kirby — Fri, 16 May 2014 15:34:41 +0000

In January, Lydia Ryall (BSc ’06) was named the 2014 British Columbia and Yukon Outstanding Young Farmer. The honour recognizes farmers aged 40 and under who derive at least two-thirds of their income from farming. Nominees are evaluated on, among many things, their conservation activities, financial and management practices, production history and contributions to the community. As a regional winner, Ryall, 29, will travel to Quebec City this fall to compete for the title of Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer.

“I believe that we’re stewards of the land. I want my farm to work with nature as much as possible.” - Lydia Ryall

Ryall’s passion for farming took root when she was just a child. A third-generation farmer whose parents owned a greenhouse operation, Ryall regularly heard about the agricultural industry during dinner-table conversations. Today, she owns and operates Cropthorne Farm, a four-hectare, certified organic farm on Westham Island, close to Ladner, B.C. Working alongside older sister Rachel, Ryall also employs two full-time, year-round employees and three full-time seasonal employees. Together, they grow more than 50 types of vegetables, everything from arugula to zucchini. In addition, eggs are provided by the farm’s 100 free-range hens.

In the five years since Ryall started Cropthorne, she has become known for her commitment to conservation, farmland preservation and alternative pest-management practices. For example, to protect her plants and prevent insect damage, Ryall uses sprays that are organically approved and a lightweight fabric called a floating row cover.

“I believe that we’re stewards of the land,” says Ryall. “I want my farm to work with nature as much as possible.”

Using the tagline “Real. Good. Honest. Food.” Cropthorne’s products are sold at local farmers’ markets, to nearby restaurants and through a seasonal farm stand. Cropthorne also runs its own 90-member Community Supported Agriculture Box program. But just because Ryall uses social media to connect with customers and directly sells to local buyers doesn’t mean her business concerns are any different from those who run larger, more conventional operations.

“Small farms want to make money, too,” she says. “Growing food is the easy part. We also deal with debt, manage millions of dollars in cash flow, market our products and handle staffing issues.”

Ryall credits the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge for teaching her about the complexities of modern farming. The only liberal arts university in Canada to offer an Agricultural Studies program, the U of L helps aspiring agriculturalists gain an in-depth understanding of contemporary farming and ranching activities through hands-on learning and courses in such diverse subject areas as biological sciences, economics and geography.

“The U of L taught me to become a lifelong learner and how to network within my industry,” says Ryall, who frequently attends agricultural conferences to stay on top of new developments in her field. She is also director of the Delta Farmers’ Institute, is involved with the Lower Mainland Horticulture Improvement Association and serves on a local agricultural advisory committee.

“I think about what I can do in my own corner of the world to make positive change,” says Ryall. “There’s a lot of stress involved in farming. Every year brings different challenges. But being a farmer is also very rewarding.”

This story appears in the Spring 2014 edition of SAM. For a look at the full magazine in a flipbook format, follow this link.

International leader Johnson named Distinguished Alumnus of the Year

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 May 2014 16:27:36 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association presents a special lecture by Lawrence Johnson - Nuclear Waste, What is the Solution? - at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014 at the Dr. Foster James Penny Building

Considered an international leader in the development of fuel waste technology, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge alumnus Lawrence Johnson (BASc (BSc) ’78) has been named the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association’s 2014 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.

Lawrence Johnson’s clear and innovative approach to fuel waste technology has established his position as an international leader in his field.

“We’re very excited to recognize Lawrence’s contributions to his industry with the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year honour,” says Grant Adamson, president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association. “Lawrence is at the top of his field, and he exemplifies the spirit and values of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge through work that makes a real difference in the world.”

Johnson’s clear and innovative approach to fuel waste technology has established his position as an international leader in the field.

After graduating from the U of L in 1978, Johnson took advantage of the growing opportunities in the nuclear industry at that time and started his career at Atomic Energy of Canada. During his time with the company, he led Canadian studies for the development of engineered barriers for nuclear waste disposal that played a central role in the Canadian Environmental Assessment and Review Process conducted from 1994-97.

Currently working for the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste in Switzerland, Johnson coordinates planning of research on repositories for radioactive waste, manages studies on spent nuclear fuel under disposal conditions and is responsible for developing design concepts for disposal canisters.

He is the author of more than 120 journals, reports and conference papers and acts as a consultant to numerous international waste disposal organizations.

“Our alumni, now numbering more than 37,000, are recognized as leaders in a variety of fields throughout the world,” says Maureen Schwartz, director of Alumni Relations at the U of L. “We’re pleased to recognize Lawrence with this honour and mindful of the many alumni who contribute to bettering their communities on a daily basis.”

Lawrence Johnson will be recognized for his outstanding professional accomplishments at the Fall 2014 convocation ceremony.

Management alums establish Pereira Entrepreneurship Award

trevor.kenney — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 17:03:08 +0000

Faculty of Management alumni Anil Pereira (BMgt ’87) and Sheryl (Turnbull) Pereira (BMgt ’87) have established an endowment fund to support a new scholarship at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge – the Pereira Entrepreneurship Award.

This is the second scholarship fund that the Pereiras have established at their alma mater.

The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded annually and is aimed at high school applicants to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge who have been admitted to the Faculty of Management and who have exhibited high academic achievement. The recipient of the scholarship will have been previously involved in entrepreneurial activities (such as Junior Achievement, Canadian Youth Business Foundation, 4-H or self-directed initiatives) with an aptitude to further those interests through their studies at the U of L.

“Sheri and I have very fond memories of our time at the U of L since that is where we met and where we set the foundation for our future careers,” says Anil Pereira, currently on campus in his role as the Faculty of Management’s inaugural Executive in Residence. “During the time I have spent on campus this year, it’s clear that there is tremendous interest from many students in establishing entrepreneurial careers. Having spent the past 15 years working on entrepreneurial ventures myself, this scholarship seemed like the perfect way for us to help ignite and support the entrepreneurial spirit among the next generation of Faculty of Management graduates.”

Pereira and U of L President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon, recently met with Dave Hancock, then Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education to speak about the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's drive to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship on campus.

Anil Pereira is a well-known Silicon Valley entrepreneur and marketing executive with more than 20 years of hands-on experience at both start-up companies and global corporations. He is the founder and executive chairman of Verious and an advisor to a number of high-profile high technology startups. Earlier in his career he was an executive at leading companies including American Express and VeriSign. He graduated from the Faculty of Management in 1987 and was named the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Alumnus of the Year in 2000. He is currently serving as the Faculty of Management’s inaugural Executive in Residence for 2013-2014. Anil also holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Pennsylvania.

“Entrepreneurship is about taking risks. It’s about creating a vision for a business from scratch. It’s about following your own path and inspiring those around you to work their hardest to make a small, growing business succeed,” says Pereira. “Sheri and I see a lot of those qualities in students at the U of L and hope that this award helps in some small way to attract even more entrepreneurially-minded students to the Faculty of Management.”

This is the second scholarship fund that the Pereiras have established at their alma mater. The first (Derrick and Lytta Pereira Management Prize) was put into place by Anil in 1987. The scholarship fund was later endowed by the Pereiras to fund an annual award for a deserving student in the Faculty of Management’s MSc program.

“Looking back, it seems a bit funny that I started a scholarship right after graduating from the U of L, when we ourselves didn’t really have much in terms of financial resources – and that ’s putting it mildly!” says Pereira. “However, both of us were recipients of scholarships while at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and my parents were very supportive of my education. I felt an obligation from day one to pay some of that support back.”

With the establishment of the new Pereira Entrepreneurship Award, the Pereiras are seeking to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit of students in the Faculty of Management at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge for years to come.

Applicants for the Pereira Entrepreneurship Award are required to submit a 500-word essay that discusses their interest in entrepreneurship as well as the entrepreneurial activities they have been involved with or wish to undertake moving forward. Also required is a letter of recommendation from someone involved with the entrepreneurial activity.

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