The following individuals have been nominated for positions on Science Atlantic’s Board of Directors. The vote will be held during the 2024 Annual Members Meeting, Nov. 15, 2024, hosted at Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL.
← Back to the 2024 Annual Members Meeting page
Board Chair
Nominated: Malcolm Butler (Saint Mary’s University)
Malcolm Butler is a Professor of Physics at Saint Mary’s University, in the Department of Astronomy and Physics. Prior to that, he was Vice-President Academic and Research at Saint Mary’s (2017-2022), Dean of Science at Carleton University (2010-2017), and Dean of Science at Saint Mary’s University (2006-2010).
Malcolm has a long association with Science Atlantic, from the days when it was called APICS. First, he and his department supported students attending the regional physics conference, including the hosting of the conference at SMU. As Dean at Saint Mary’s, he served on the APICS Council and was the Chair of APICS from March 2009 to July 2010.
Malcolm has maintained contact with Science Atlantic in the intervening years and is happy to be connecting again with the organization. He has held the position of Chair-Elect for 2023 2024 to prepare for the Chair’s position effective November 15, 2024.
Director: Student Representative (one position)
Nominated: Rachael Bennett (St. Francis Xavier University)
Rachael Bennett is a first-year Bachelor of Education student at St. Francis Xavier University. Previously, she completed her undergraduate studies at Cape Breton University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology (2017-2021) and an undergraduate degree in Biological Research (2021-2024).
Rachael has been actively involved with Science Atlantic since her early university years, playing a significant role in organizing the 2020 and 2021 Science Atlantic Biology, Aquaculture & Fisheries Annual Conferences. She continues to enjoy participating and attending in Science Atlantic conferences such as the Science Atlantic Environment Conferences and the Atlantic Universities Geoscience Conference. Rachael greatly values learning with the scientific community and learning about the opportunities they offer.
Director: Community-at-Large (one vacant seat)
Nominated: Svetlana Barkanova (MUN-Grenfell)
Dr. Svetlana Barkanova is a professor at Grenfell Campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland, home to one of the largest campus-based telescopes in Canada. An internationally known researcher in theoretical subatomic physics, she is on a quest to discover the nature of Dark Matter in our Universe.
A proud new Canadian with wide multicultural experience, she brings a lens of equity, diversity and inclusion to her leadership roles at the regional, national and international level, striving to improve the climate for underrepresented groups in both research and education. Currently, Svetlana is one of three NSERC Chairs for Inclusion in Science and Engineering, Atlantic Region.
She is also an award-winning teacher and a dynamic presenter passionate about science promotion and exploring the stunning beauty of the night sky.
Nominated: Michael Steinitz (St. Francis Xavier University, emeritus)
Michael Steinitz is an emeritus professor of physics and a member of Commission 13 (Physics for Development) of the International Union for Pure and Applied Physics. He is involved in the proposal for an African Light Source analogous to the Canadian Light Source.
Michael is a past president of the Canadian Association of Physicists and past chair of the board of directors of the Canadian Institute for Photonic Innovation (CIPI – an NSERC network of excellence).
Michael was one of the first inductees of the Science Atlantic Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the King Charles Coronation Medal.
Director, Institutional Representative (one vacant seat)
Nominated: Céline Surette (UdeM)
Céline Surette est doyenne de la Faculté des Sciences et professeure titulaire de chimie environnementale au Département de chimie et de biochimie de l’Université de Moncton. Elle détient un doctorat en sciences de l’environnement de l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Comprendre comment sont liés les activités anthropiques, les écosystèmes et la santé représente le thème central de ses activités de recherche. Ainsi, ses recherches portent sur les impacts cumulatifs du développement des ressources, sur les contaminants dans les systèmes aquatiques, et sur l’évaluation de l’exposition humaine aux contaminants. Par la recherche-action, elle tente de valoriser les connaissances et les données issues des communautés. Les approches écosystémiques de la santé sont au cœur de ses pratiques.
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Céline Surette is dean of the Faculty of Sciences and professor of environmental chemistry with the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the Université de Moncton. She holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences from the Université du Québec à Montréal. Understanding how human activities, ecosystems and health are linked is the central theme of her research activities. Thus, her research focuses on the cumulative impacts of resource development, on contaminants in aquatic systems, and on the assessment of human exposure to contaminants. Through action-research, she tries to enhance local knowledges and data held by communities. Ecosystem approaches to health are at the heart of her practices.
Director, Division Representative (one vacant seat)
Nominated: Deanne Van Rooyen (Acadia University)
Deanne is an Associate Professor of geology at Acadia University and has a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from Carleton University. Her main research focus is on understanding the interaction between cratonic margins and accreted terranes using a combination of field work, structural geology, petrology, geochronology, and thermobarometry. Her main area of research is the Northern Appalachians in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. She also works in the New Quebec orogen between the Superior craton and the Archean to Paleoproterozoic Core Zone of Nunavik (Northern Quebec), Nunatsiavut and Labrador, and in the Torngat orogen between the Core Zone and the North Atlantic craton.
Deanne is Chair of the Science Atlantic Earth Science Division, The joint Atlantic Geoscience Society-Science Atlantic Speaker Tour Coordinator, a former speaker, and a faculty advisor for student organizers of the AUGC.
Continuing to November 2025
Executive:
- Treasurer: Steven Smith (Saint Mary’s University)
- Past Chair: Charles Macdonald (Dalhousie University)
Directors, Institutional Representatives:
- Alain Joseph (NS Community College)
- Jennifer Tomes (Mount Allison University)
Directors, Division Representatives:
- Angie Birt (Mount Saint Vincent University)
- Darien DeWolf (St. Francis Xavier University)
Directors-at-Large:
- Isaac Cook (Dal Innovates)
- Nick Nickerson (Eosense)