John Root received his PhD from the University of Guelph in 1986, after developing a way to measure quantum effects in the structure of water and other liquids.  He joined Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), where he helped to develop a method to map stresses inside materials using a beam of neutrons from the NRU reactor at Chalk River Laboratories.  This method has been copied at neutron-beam laboratories around the world, and is now applied to help industries improve their products, and expand their businesses.  Dr. Root has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, generated over 75 proprietary reports for industry clients, and delivered more than 100 invited presentations.

In 2003, Dr. Root was appointed as Director of the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre (CNBC), which was comprised of six neutron spectrometers, supported by a team of expert researchers and technicians, and managed as an international user facility.  By the time the NRU reactor was closed, in 2018, the CNBC was supporting a community of more than 800 research participants from more than 20 universities across Canada and over 100 foreign institutions.  (http://cins.ca/resources/cnbc/).  CNBC users generated knowledge of materials at the molecular and nano-scale, for applications such as transportation safety, lifetime management of infrastructure, market development, fundamental scientific understanding and education (www.cins.ca/discover)

In 2011, Dr. Root established the Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation Inc (Fedoruk Centre), a not-for-profit corporation with the purpose of placing Saskatchewan among global leaders of nuclear research, development and training through investment in partnerships with universities and industries for maximum societal and economic benefit.  Since 2017, Dr. Root has served as Executive Director of the Fedoruk Centre, to accomplish impacts in three key areas:  (1) Nuclear imaging tools and methods to advance life sciences, agri-biotechnologies and medicine; (2) Material sciences, through nuclear techniques, such as neutron scattering, to improve energy, health, and transportation; and (3) Understanding the practical and social aspects of nuclear energy, to inform decision-making towards a clean, sustainable future.

Mr. Donald Deranger is a member of the Fond du Lac Denesuline First Nations in Northern Saskatchewan and a Residential School survivor. For more than 25 years he has been actively involved with employment, training and economic development initiatives for First Nations people in the Athabasca region of Northern Saskatchewan. From May 2003 to October 2012, Mr. Deranger served as Athabasca Vice-Chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council, in portfolios that included Justice, Lands and Resources, Health and Community Development. Throughout his career he has been committed to working towards the protection, preservation and implementation of the Treaties and to maintain the protection of First Nations’ traditional territories and resources. He brings insight and understanding of the culture and perspectives of the peoples of Saskatchewan’s north.

Mr. Deranger is chairman of Points Athabasca Contracting and an advisor to the Athabasca Basin Development Corporation. He is the past-president of Learning Together, a non-profit organization that works to build relations between aboriginal people and the mining industry. Mr. Deranger has served on the Board of Directors of Cameco Corporation since 2009, and also serves as director of Northern Resource Trucking Limited Partnership, on the Mackenzie River Basin Board and the Keepers of the Athabasca Watershed board of directors.

Iain Harry is a Senior Business Advisor in Generation Asset Planning with SaskPower. In that capacity, Iain has led SaskPower’s evaluation of many emerging clean energy generation technologies including the feasibility of nuclear power from small modular reactors (SMRs). Iain led the Government of Saskatchewan’s evaluation of nuclear power from 2008 to 2012 and has led the SaskPower team responsible for advancing SMR development and deployment in Saskatchewan since 2013.  Prior to joining SaskPower, Iain served as a Senior Advisor to the Premier of Saskatchewan and Vice President of Crown Sector Initiatives with Crown Investments Corporation of Saskatchewan. In that capacity, Iain played a lead role the development of a number of major innovation projects including Saskatchewan’s Uranium Development Partnership, the establishment of the Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation, the establishment of the Saskatchewan Centre for Cyclotron Sciences and the development of SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Project – the first and largest commercial demonstration of carbon capture technology on coal fired power generation in the world.  Iain holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from the University of Saskatchewan and has more than 30 years of experience in public and crown sector management and public policy development at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.

Esam Hussein, PhD, PEng, FCSSE, is a professor emeritus of Engineering and Applied Science and an adjunct professor in Physics at the University of Regina (UofR). He is also a professor emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). He retired as Dean of Engineering and Applied Science at UofR. After completing his undergraduate studies and a master's degree in nuclear engineering at Alexandria University, Egypt, he earned a PhD also in nuclear engineering from McMaster University.  He was employed as a Nuclear Design Engineer at Ontario Hydro (now Ontario Power Generation). Subsequently, he joined the University of New Brunswick – Fredericton, where he taught in Chemical then Mechanical Engineering, and served as Department Chair, Associate Dean and President of the Association of UNB Teachers.

Dr. Hussein led a research program that focused on the industrial and medical uses of nuclear and atomic radiation for nondestructive testing and imaging to detect threat materials. His current research focus is on small modular reactors.  He has supervised many graduate students, published numerous scientific papers and industrial reports, is a holder of six patents, and the author of three books on radiation science and applications.   His research has led to the establishment of a start-up company (Inversa Systems, Ltd). Dr. Hussein received the  Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019, the Canadian Nuclear Innovation Achievement Award in June 2003, and the Sylvia Fedoruk Prize  in 2000. He is currently a receiving editor of Applied Radiation and Isotopes and of Physics Open.

Hussein is a registered professional engineer in the Provinces of Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Ontario, and a fellow of the Canadian Society for Senior Engineers. He has been a member of the Canadian Nuclear Society, American Nuclear Society, American Society of Mechanical Engineer, IEEE Nuclear IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society and American Society for Nondestructive Testing.  He is an executive councillor of the International Radiation Physics Society, and was a member of the working Group for the CANDU Reactor Textbook for the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering.  Hussein served as a member of the Board of Governors of the University of New Brunswick and the Board of the Petroleum Technology Research Centre.

Kim Kearfott is a board-certified radiation safety specialist at both the practitioner (NRRPT) and professional (CHP) levels. She is a tenured full Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences at University of Michigan with a Doctor of Science degree from M.I.T. with a doctoral minor from Harvard School of Public Health (nuclear medicine imaging, medical physics, radiation biology). She also earned a Master of Engineering degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Virginia in nuclear reactor safety. Professor Kearfott received National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator, Society of Nuclear Medicine Tetalman, Health Physics Society Elda Anderson, and American Nuclear Society Women's Achievement and Rockwell Lifetime Achievement awards. She is a Fellow of the Health Physics Society, the primary scientific organization of radiation protection specialists in the United States. She has served on the national board of directors of both the American Nuclear Society and the Health Physics Society. She completed training in the first class of FEMA Radiological Operations Support Specialists (ROSS).

Kim Kearfott has more than four decades of research and applied experience in radiation detection and radiological safety. She began her career in reactor safety analysis. She then became known for her early work on internal dose assessments for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and for her designs of clinical PET facilities. She performed pioneering work in radon: discovering and mitigating the highest ever recorded domestic indoor radon air concentration. She has conducted projects in the personnel radiation monitoring, external dosimetry, and internal dose assessment. Her current research is the design of radiation detection systems for environmental radiation, homeland security, and nuclear weapons verification. Dr. Kearfott maintains an interest in measurement systems of all types, including the detection of conventional explosives. She holds several patents on radiation detection methods and detectors. Dr. Kearfott has supervised ~ 447 graduate and undergraduate student projects, resulting in more than 565 publications. An experienced teacher, Prof. Kearfott has presented more than 250 talks, 83 formal undergraduate and graduate courses, and 37 short courses.  

Tom started his career in the field of heavy industrial equipment manufacturing for power generation at a then brand new company, Hitachi Canadian Industries Ltd.  Over the next 26 years, Tom worked in many roles to support the needs of a growing business and in 2006, Tom was appointed as the first Canadian President and CEO of the Canadian operations.

Tom was appointed Vice-President Operational Support for Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) in 2015 where he led the Health and Safety, Logistics, Facilities Design and Development, and Growth and Business Development teams.  Tom started his consulting business, TPK Management Consulting Inc. in 2020 to continue supporting organizations in their growth and improvement journeys.

Through his work, Tom has had the opportunity to conduct business in many countries and cultures, primarily those in Asia, Europe and North America.  He has extensive Board experience in the corporate, co-operative and not-for-profit sectors and is currently Chair of the University of Saskatchewan, College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board.  Recent past board director appointments have included the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council, Safe Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Community Foundation and the national board of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

Tom has a BSc and MSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, and completed the Ivey Executive Program at the Richard Ivey School of Business.

Devan Mescall is the Chief Financial Officer of the University of Saskatchewan.  Devan holds a CPA, CA designation with a membership in both Saskatchewan and Ontario.  Devan is a former member of the Provincial audit committee of Saskatchewan and a member of the search committee for the provincial auditor for the province of Saskatchewan.  Devan received his B.Comm and MPAcc degrees from the University of Saskatchewan before completing his PhD at the University of Waterloo. In the BYU Accounting Research Rankings that include over 2800 researchers, Devan has been ranked within the top 20 researchers in his field worldwide.  Devan’s research has been highlighted in publications by the International Monetary Fund, OECD Secretary General Report to the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bankers, invited for presentation to the IRS and within the German Ministry of Finance. Devan has received multiple awards for his teaching and research.

Dr. Baljit Singh is a highly accomplished researcher, educator and administrator in the field of veterinary medicine, with specific expertise in lung biology and anatomy. He began his role as Vice-President Research at the University of Saskatchewan in 2021, after serving as Dean of the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (2016 – 2021), and serving as Associate Dean of Research at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan (2011 – 2016).

Dr. Singh’s formal education includes a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc and AH) and Master of Veterinary Science (MVSc) from Punjab Agricultural University in Punjab; a PhD from the University of Guelph; post-doctoral training at Texas A&M University and Columbia University, New York; and he completed licensing requirements set by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) for foreign veterinary graduates.

Dr. Singh has received the 3M National Teaching Fellowship, the University of Saskatchewan’s Provost’s Prize for Innovative Practice of Teaching and Learning, University of Saskatchewan Master Teacher Award, and the Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teacher Award. He has also received the Outstanding Veterinary Anatomist Award from the American Association of Veterinary Anatomists, as well as the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence. In 2013 he was named a fellow of the American Association of Anatomists.

Dr. Singh’s research has focused on cell and molecular biology of lung inflammation. He is the author or co-author of more than ninety peer-reviewed journal articles and books, and has supervised the research training of more than eighty undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students.

Avery Vold was appointed Vice President, Economic Development and Research Investments in January 2023. She joined Innovation Saskatchewan in 2018 and held various roles in Corporate Services, Strategy, and Governance. Prior to joining Innovation Saskatchewan, Avery spent four years with the University of Saskatchewan working in the Edwards School of Business, Executive Education department developing and administering professional development programs for the business community.

 Avery holds a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance, from Edwards School of Business and a Master of Public Administration from Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. She is currently a board member of Saskatchewan’s first tech incubator, Co.Labs, the Global Agri-food Advancement Partnership, Interval House and Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. 

Dr. Wilson is a Nuclear Medicine Physician and Radiation Oncologist at the British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA) where he has served as Medical Director of the Functional Imaging Program since 2005.  In this role Don has overseen implementation of the province’s first Positron Emission Tomography/Computerized Tomography (PET/CT) scanner at the BCCA’s Vancouver Centre.  Under his medical leadership the Functional Imaging Program has expanded to include two state of the art PET/CT scanners, a cyclotron facility as well as clinical and research radiopharmaceutical laboratories.  In addition to providing diagnostic imaging services for oncology patients across BC, the Program includes leading clinical, preclinical and scientific research components with local, national and international academic collaborations. 

Dr. Wilson is a native of Saskatoon and graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1989 with degrees in Biochemistry and Medicine.  He did post-graduate training in Internal Medicine at the University of British Columbia and went on to complete specialty training in Nuclear Medicine at the University of Western Ontario, and Radiation Oncology at the University of British Columbia, followed by a fellowship in PET imaging and radiobiology at the University of Washington Medical Center.

Dr. Wilson joined the BC Cancer Agency as a staff Radiation Oncologist in 1998.  He is a member of the Agency’s Radiation Safety Committee, the Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine, the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncologists and is actively involved in medical teaching at the undergraduate, post-graduate and fellowship levels.

Dr. Katherine Zukotynski is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Radiology at McMaster University and an Associate Member of the School of Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University. She is affiliated with several hospitals including Children’s Hospital Boston.

After completing an undergraduate degree in Engineering Science at the University of Toronto, Dr. Zukotynski completed medical training followed by a residency in radiology, also at the University of Toronto. In 2009, she completed nuclear medicine training through the Joint Program in Nuclear Medicine at Harvard. She was a staff radiologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 2009 through 2012, and Instructor at Harvard Medical School. Subsequently, Dr. Zukotynski was a staff radiologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre from 2012 through 2015, an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and a Visiting Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. She is board certified in nuclear cardiology, as well as in nuclear medicine and radiology, in both the United States and Canada.

Dr. Zukotynski is involved in medical imaging research. Her main areas of research are in PET/CT, particularly as it relates to oncology, neurodegenerative disease and machine learning. She received the RSNA Research and Education Foundation Roentgen Resident/ Fellow Research Award first as a radiology resident and then as a nuclear medicine resident. She held an RSNA Research Scholar Grant from 2012-2014, and currently holds approximately $5M in funding for molecular imaging, predominantly in prostate cancer research.

Dr. Zukotynski is also actively involved in the leadership of several imaging societies. She is Chair of the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) Nuclear Medicine Section Instructional Courses, Chair of the Radiologic Society of North America (RSNA) Nuclear Medicine Refresher Course Committee Track, as well as the Research and Education Public Relations Committee. She is also Secretary of the American College of Nuclear Medicine (ACNM) and immediate past Treasurer/Secretary of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), as well as immediate past president of the SNMMI PET Center of Excellence and Eastern Great Lakes Chapter.