Honorary Degrees

Dr. Brian Wildcat, a member of the Ermineskin Cree Nation, has worked to improve Indigenous education in Maskwacis, Alberta, for the last 30 years. Brian's leadership was instrumental in the creation of Maskwacis Education Schools Commission (MESC), which was launched in 2018, taking responsibility for 11 schools, 2,200 students and 500 employees. Other highlights of his career include negotiating the transfer of Ermineskin Schools to local control in 1991, and serving as Superintendent of Miyo Wahkohtowin Education (Ermineskin Schools) for 20 years and of MESC for four years.

Brian attended Camrose Lutheran College and received a Bachelor of Physical Education in Outdoor Pursuits from the University of Calgary in 1987. He completed his Master of Education in Educational Administration in 1995 at the U of A.

Brian was recognized with an Eagle Feather Headdress from Ermineskin Cree Nation in 1991 and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the U of A in 2022. He also received Augustana’s 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award and the U of A’s 2019 Alumni Award of Excellence.

Shana Dion, nitisiyihkâson. nêhiyaw iskwêwak. kehewin cree nation ohci niya. māka niwīkin amiskwaciwâskahikan. nohtawiy, George Dion, nikâwiy Arlene Dion ekwa nikosis Delton. I am a University of Alberta alumna with a Faculty of Native Studies Degree (2005), a Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Sport & Recreation from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (2019), and a MSc from the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, & Recreation, whereby I engaged in an autoethnography to explore interconnection between nehiyaw (Cree) Ceremonies and physical activity (Dion, 2024). As Assistant Dean of First Nations, Métis and Inuit students, I am dedicated to leaving a legacy of sâkihitowin (love) behind that lets First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) students know that I loved them in advance by creating and implementing a transformative and unique student experience for FNMI students for generations to come. I hope that as we all move through our journey here on okâwîmâwaskiy (Mother Earth), we lead with courage, humility, kindness, openness, respect and truly with sâkihitowin (love).

Dr. Patrick M. Pilarski is a Canadian Institute of Advanced Research (CIFAR) Artificial Intelligence Chair, past Canada Research Chair in Machine Intelligence for Rehabilitation, a Fellow of Amii (the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) and a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta. .

For more than 20 years, his research has explored the boundaries between biology and technology and the interactions between human and machine minds. He co-leads an interdisciplinary laboratory focused on creating intelligent artificial limbs to restore and extend abilities for people with amputations. He has also advanced rapid cancer and pathogen screening through his earlier work on biomedical image analysis and hand-held diagnostic devices.

He currently serves as a director on Amii's board and the board of Silvacom Holdings Corp., and he is an AI Advisor on the Investment Committee of the UA Innovation Fund. He previously founded a startup company, actively engages in consulting, has created multiple arts organizations, and has experience steering councils and advisory boards of regional and national creative arts organizations.

Kenrick Lewis’s journey into the world of chemistry research began when he was an undergraduate student at the U of A, where he obtained a BSc before going on to earn his PhD from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In the decades since, he’s become one of the leading chemists of his generation.

Lewis has spent his career forging ties between academia and industry, making significant contributions to understanding the synthesis and performance of silanes and silicones, his areas of expertise. Currently a distinguished corporate research fellow at Momentive Performance Materials Inc., Lewis is an undisputed leader and innovator in the silicones industry with a long list of patents and academic publications to his name.

Silicones are found in everything from glues and sealants to automotive parts and electrical insulation. Given the wide range of applications for silicone products, chances are you’ve used something in the last 24 hours that was derived from Lewis’s advancements in chemistry. Several of his discoveries have led to a more efficient, economical and ecologically friendly manufacturing process for silanes.

Lewis, who was born in Gouyave, Grenada, has always championed the opportunities that education provides, making it his mission to help other talented students achieve their own dreams. Between 1991 and 2012, he funded a scholarship at his former primary school in Grenada that provides the top student with financial support for five years of secondary education. He has also mentored high school students in Tarrytown, thereby supporting the next generation of scientific innovators.

Peggy Garritty has made significant contributions to education, culture and community development in Alberta and beyond through her compassionate leadership and dedication to social responsibility. A two-time U of A graduate, she returned to her alma mater to serve as chancellor from 2020 to 2024, distinguishing herself as a champion of student engagement and an advocate for enhancing Indigenous representation during convocation. As chair of the University Senate, she helped strengthen the university’s reputation amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among her accomplishments, she created the award-winning podcast, Bridging Connections, she authored a paper on the university’s role in social innovation, and she continued the Chancellor’s Forum series, which raised the conversation about how the university can more meaningfully engage with and bring capacity to complex community issues such as houselessness, food security and the human impacts of artificial intelligence.

Her professional leadership as vice-president and chief reputation and brand officer at ATB Financial transformed ATB’s brand in the marketplace and elevated the organization’s corporate social responsibility, including creating a corporate giving platform and supporting vulnerable communities. As a communications adviser to the Alberta government, she contributed to a number of influential policy initiatives in finance, education and health.

A tireless community builder as both an independent business owner and a volunteer, she is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and serves on the boards of the Art Gallery of Alberta, the University Hospital Foundation, Edmonton Screen, and Alberta Ballet. She previously served as chair of the board for the Winspear Centre and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and on the board for the Alberta Mental Health Foundation. Her mentorship, advocacy and commitment to leading with purpose have been recognized with honours including the Queen’s Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals.

Michel Sadelain earned his PhD at the University of Alberta under famed immunologist Thomas Wegmann more than three decades ago, when the idea of using a cancer patient’s own immune system to fight the disease was still a largely unproven dream.

Thanks in part to Sadelain’s vision of that potential, followed by years of scientific inquiry, immunotherapy is now a standard part of the care that offers hope to millions.

Originally from France, he went on to do postdoctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then joined the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he developed chimeric antigen receptor CAR-T cell immunotherapy. He recently joined Columbia University to direct the Columbia Initiative in Cell Therapy and Engineering to further advance CAR therapies for cancer and other diseases.

The process involves collecting blood from a patient and separating out the T cells, which are part of the immune defence system. The cells are genetically engineered to produce synthetic proteins on their surfaces that, when the engineered cells are infused back into the bloodstream, latch onto the patient’s cancer cells, directing those T cells to kill tumours. The T cells expand in the body of the recipient and only require a single infusion to do their work.

Sadelain published his first paper on T cell engineering in 1992. He helped lead the first clinical trials using CAR-T cells, as did American researcher Carl June, and the first CAR-T cell therapies were approved for use in patients with various refractory blood cancers in 2017.

Sadelain holds 79 patents and has been recognized with major health sciences prizes, including both the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences and the Canada Gairdner International Award in 2024.

Sadelain returns to Edmonton often to visit family. He also advises on the work of U of A oncology professor Michael Chu, who is leading a project to manufacture and test locally produced CAR-T cells. He continues to push the boundaries of immunotherapy looking for strategies to overcome tumour resistance and to broaden the use of CAR-T treatment for cancer and other diseases.

Dr. Jana Rieger is an entrepreneur, researcher and educator whose career exemplifies the transformative power of bridging academic research with real-world innovation. With over two decades of experience at the University of Alberta, Dr. Rieger seamlessly navigated multiple roles as a clinician, researcher, professor, and director of research, consistently demonstrating her commitment to improving healthcare outcomes through technology.

As co-founder and CEO of True Angle, a company that emerged from the U of A in 2017, Dr. Rieger has led the development of wearable technologies that empower individuals to take control of their health. Her company's flagship products include Breth, a wearable device that reduces stress through guided breathwork practices, and Mobili-T, an innovative solution for individuals managing dysphagia.

True Angle was named Edmonton Startup of the Year by the National Angel Capital Organization in 2021, and Dr. Rieger received the 2024 Woman in Tech Award from Start Alberta.

Dr. Rieger is also an accomplished fiction writer, having published her novel, A Course in Deception, in 2017, demonstrating her creative versatility and intellectual breadth.

Dr. Carla Prado is a Distinguished University Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Integrative Nutrition, Body Composition, and Energy Metabolism at the University of Alberta. She is a leading expert in clinical nutrition, particularly for her work on muscle loss in chronic diseases like cancer and the role of nutrition in preventing and treating this condition.

Dr. Prado has published over 320 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters, and has earned some of Canada’s highest academic honours. She is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and a member of the Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists. She was also named a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate, placing her among the top one per cent of scientists globally for research impact.

Dr. Prado is committed to translating scientific knowledge to improve patient care. The free cookbook she published with her students, The High Protein Cookbook for Muscle Health During Cancer Treatment, received an international award and has been translated into Portuguese, Spanish, French, Romanian and Arabic.

Dr. Hasan Uludağ is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta with an honorary appointment in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 

Dr. Uludağ obtained dual BSc degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Biology from Brown University in 1989. He completed his PhD in 1993 at the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto, where he developed a strong expertise in polymeric biomaterials.

Since 1997, he has managed an interdisciplinary research program on experimental therapeutics. His research activity is now focused on novel anti-cancer therapies. 

He has published over 240 peer-reviewed journal articles and served as lead editor for Frontiers in Biomaterials. He is an elected Fellow of the International Union of Society of Biomaterials Science and Engineering. Dr. Uludag was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Canadian Biomaterials Society and an Innovation Award by BioAlberta, and he has initiated two spinoff companies from the U of A based on technologies emanating from his labs.

Dr. Tian Tang is a Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Tsinghua University in 2001 and PhD from Cornell University in 2005. She joined the U of A in 2007, and was recently elected as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Dr. Tang combines a passion for teaching with her internationally recognized research in multi-scale modelling and simulation of soft materials and interfaces. Her group creates novel approaches to reveal molecular-level “secrets” of functional materials.

Dr. Tang has served as Associate Chair Research for Mechanical Engineering and Acting Associate Dean Programs and Planning for the Faculty of Engineering. From 2017 to 2023, she was the Academic Co-Chair for WISEST (Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology).

Dr. Tang is a recipient of the Martha Cook Piper Research Prize, Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Killam Annual Professorship, and University Cup.

Jerome Cranston (he/him) is the Vice-Provost, Students and Learning at the University of Saskatchewan. He holds a PhD from the University of Manitoba and an MEd from the University of Lethbridge, along with degrees from the University of Alberta. A race-conscious scholar-educator, Dr. Cranston focuses on racial inequality and injustice, aiming for greater equity and healthier communities.

His work includes supporting displaced Syrians in Lebanon and Bhutanese refugees in Nepal, collaborating with Indigenous communities in Canada and serving as an Academic Observer for the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. In recognition of his contributions, he has received awards from the American Educational Research Association and the U of A for his work in anti-racism and equity.

Dr. Cranston is the author of five books and over 50 publications, and has secured more than $350,000 in research grants, contributing to various committees and initiatives on equity and social justice.

Dr. Guillermo Hernandez Ramirez’s background fuses Indigenous heritage with Spanish and African ancestries. As a child, he lived in a rural village in Central America without electricity or running water, which shaped his beliefs about co-operation, resourcefulness and solidarity. 

He earned his BSc from EARTH University in Costa Rica and his PhD from Purdue University. Before joining the University of Alberta 12 years ago, he worked as a scientist in New Zealand, a professor in Panama, a research fellow in Germany and a postdoctoral researcher in Iowa.

At the U of A, he is an academic adviser for the campus-wide Certificate in Sustainability and a course instructor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences. His teaching has been recognized by the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture and by the Rutherford Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

His research focuses on food production and climate action by managing emissions in agricultural systems. He has published more than 100 journal articles and has received an ASTech Award as well as the Inspiring Young Scientist Award.

From India, Radhe and Krishna Gupta have become leaders in Canadian real estate and are among Alberta’s most dedicated philanthropists.

Radhe began his career as an engineer in Toronto, with time spent in the oilsands and Libyan oilfields. During their time in Libya, Radhe and Krishna established Rohit Group in 1986 and entered the construction business full-time in 1990, when they moved back to Edmonton. Launched from their home office, the business has grown from a small homebuilder to a national real estate company that now includes retail, office, land development, residential rentals, homebuilding and health infrastructure development. They have built thousands of homes across Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, and are currently expanding into the Greater Ottawa market. Rohit Group is well known for its innovation, creativity and commitment to high standards in business.

Giving back to the local community has always been a cornerstone of Radhe and Krishna’s values. They established an annual fundraiser called Baskets of Hope for WIN House, and have been major donors to Habitat for Humanity, the City of St. Albert, City of Edmonton, Newcomer Centre, Mental Health Foundation, Little Warriors, Stollery Children’s Hospital, and NorQuest College. Their community leadership also extends into their business as Rohit Group partnered with the City of Edmonton on the First Place Program to deliver affordable housing for first-time homebuyers. Beyond their local community, they have also built a hospital, a cemetery and a school in Radhe’s hometown of Joura, India.

Most recently, they established the Radhe Krishna Gupta Executive Chair in Cities and Communities — Canada’s first interdisciplinary program of its kind.

Mustafa Farooq is a lawyer, holding a Juris Doctor from the University of Alberta and Osgoode Hall at York University, and a Master of Laws (LLM) from UC Berkeley. He is the past CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, where he was a prominent voice against Islamophobia and advocated for civil liberties.

Farooq champions a "Politics of Love," emphasizing empathy and connection to counter hate. His diverse career includes experience at Google Canada and as a senior government political staffer. Currently, he is engaged in private practice consulting and he is a Broadbent Leadership Fellow. His experiences have shaped his approach to community building and social justice.