Franklin Named Trudeau Mentor

University Professor Emerita Ursula Franklin (DSc Hon. 1994) was recently named a Trudeau Mentor. Franklin, the first woman appointed to U of T’s department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, received the Pearson Peace Medal in 2002 for her humanitarian work. Mentors, named by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, work with doctoral candidates in social sciences and humanities who have been awarded Trudeau Scholarships.

Bruce Kidd (BA 1965 UC), dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Health, was recently honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Commonwealth Sports Awards in London, England. Kidd, who was a member of the 1964 Olympic track-and-field team, has worked against apartheid and racism in sports, and is the founder and current chair of Commonwealth Games Canada’s International Development Through Sport Program.

University of Toronto Mississauga is honouring two of the city’s residents in a very concrete manner. Its new four-level library and information centre has been named the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre, after Mississauga’s 29-year mayor. McCallion is the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history, and was runnerup for World Mayor 2005. The centre, which opened in October, has 1,200 study spaces, 170 computer workstations and wireless access. It was designed by Andrew Frontini of Shore, Tilbe, Irwin and Partners.

U of T Mississauga’s eighth residence, scheduled to open in September 2007, will be named Oscar Peterson Hall in honour of the acclaimed jazz pianist and social-justice proponent. Peterson, who was awarded an honorary doctor of laws from U of T in 1985, has received a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement.The 423-bed residence is designed by Cannon Design, and will be the most accessible building on campus for students with disabilities.

Professor Franco Vaccarino, chair of U of T’s department of psychology, has been named the new principal of the University of Toronto Scarborough and University of Toronto vice-president. His five-year term will begin July 1, and he will take the helm from interim vice-president and principal Jonathan Freedman. Vaccarino attended U of T Mississauga and graduated in 1978 with a bachelor of science; earned a master’s degree and PhD at McGill University; and received his post-doctoral training at the Scripps and Salk Institutes in California. He returned to U of T in 1984 as an assistant professor of psychology, and has served as head of the neuroscience program in U of T’s department of psychiatry.

Professor Pekka K. Sinervo, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, was named U of T’s first vice-provost (first-entry programs) in November. In his new role, he will represent the first-entry undergraduate divisions. Sinervo, a professor of physics, joined U of T in 1990. He was named dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science in 2004. Sinervo’s term as vice-provost will be concurrent with his term as dean, which ends on June 30, 2009.