Seneca President David Agnew appointed to Science, Technology and Innovation Council

Toronto, February 1, 2011 – The Honorable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, today named Seneca College President David Agnew one of six new members to the Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC), the government's advisory body on science, technology and innovation issues.

The Council is composed of a chair and 17 members, of which 15 come from outside government. Members are selected to cover many sectors of the Canadian economy and have varied competencies and areas of specialization.

“I am honoured to be part of this distinguished council,” said Seneca College President David Agnew. “I look forward to the opportunity to bring the college perspective to the important work of the Council.”

The government established STIC in 2007 as a single, integrated advisory body. Its twofold mandate is to provide timely advice on critical issues of science, technology and innovation and to produce regular reports benchmarking Canadian science, technology and innovation performance against international standards of excellence.

"These talented Canadians come from the public, private and academic sectors. They have the broad range of experience that is essential to advise the government on science and technology (S&T) matters of national importance," said Minister Clement. "I am pleased they have agreed to serve on the Council and am certain their contributions will advance the government's innovation agenda. I would also like to thank the outgoing members for their strong leadership in their fields and unwavering commitment and contributions to the Council."

Also appointed were Louis Levesque, Deputy Minister of International Trade; Dr. Simon Pimstone, President and Chief Executive Officer of Xenon Pharmaceuticals in Burnaby, British Columbia; Dr. Indira Samarasekera, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta; Dr. Neil Turok, Executive Director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario; and Glenda Yeates, Deputy Minister, Health Canada.

More people choose Seneca than any other college in Canada. With 10 campuses across the Greater Toronto Area, Seneca provides internationally and nationally recognized education, training, and academic pathways key to graduate career success in the global economy. Every Seneca diploma, certificate and degree program is developed to a high academic standard, in consultation with industry, integrated with information technology, combined with technical and transferable skills, and reinforced by opportunities for ongoing education and re-training.

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