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2022 CHAIR Leadership Award Recipients

Dr. Edouard Asselin, Professor, and Dr. Amanda Clifford, Assistant Professor

Dr. Edouard Asselin, B.A.Sc., Ph.D., P.Eng. Professor

Dr. Amanda Clifford, B.Eng., Ph.D. Assistant Professor

 

Email: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]
Web: mtrl.ubc.ca/

 


Dr. Asselin is a Professor in the Department of Materials Engineering at UBC who studies the extraction and corrosion of metals with an emphasis on copper. Since 2018, Ed has worked with VGH and Teck to study the durability of antimicrobial copper surfaces in public health care and transit systems. Ed has also worked on developing surface-engineered antimicrobial copper coatings.

 

Dr. Amanda Clifford is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Materials Engineering at UBC in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her research is focused on developing new self-disinfecting nanomaterials and coatings that rapidly kill pathogens to prevent surface-mediated transmission of infectious diseases.

 

"CHAIR wants to recognize Dr. Asselin and Dr. Clifford's passion and commitment to leading research in infection prevention and control," said Reinecke. "Specifically your published Smart Cu research and your contributions to the Cross-Canada Durability Study and Copper in Transit Program."

 

"Reducing surface-acquired infections across a wide variety of public spaces is essential to promoting public health," said Dr. Asselin. "CHAIR and its partners have long worked to this end, and I am honored to be recognized by this award."

 

"The creation and widespread implementation of 'smart' self-disinfecting coatings and materials in public spaces are critical to combatting the rising threat of antibiotic resistance," continued Dr. Clifford, "and reducing the surface-based spread of respiratory viruses such as coronavirus and influenza."

Joseph Fox

Joseph Fox

 

Chair, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Advisory Group
Ontario Society of Professional Engineers

 

Email: [email protected]
Web: itsairborne.com/

 


Joseph Fox is a professional engineer with more than ten years of experience in the HVAC industry. He chairs the Indoor Air Quality Advisory Group for the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. Their guidance has specifically targeted mitigating airborne disease transmission in healthcare settings.

 

"This award recognizes Joseph's passion and dedication to developing and publishing Indoor Air Quality Reports outlining how COVID-19 spreads, the core recommendations for safer Indoor air, the indoor Air Quality checklist, and the guidance around face coverings for COVID-19 prevention," said Steve Reinecke, Executive Director of CHAIR.

 

"Thank you for the honor of receiving the CHAIR Leadership Award. We have the necessary tools and knowledge to mitigate the transmission of airborne diseases. The time has come for us to put these measures into practice," said Joseph Fox. "The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers Indoor Air Quality Advisory Group specifically targeted healthcare settings in our core recommendations because of the moral imperative to protect patients and healthcare workers."

John Tcherkezian

John Tcherkezian

 

Occupational Health & Safety Manager
Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care
Toronto, Ontario

 

Email: [email protected]
Web: www.yeehong.ca

 


John Tcherkezian is the Occupational Health and Safety Manager at The Yee Hong Center for Geriatric Care. John has translated his solid education in microbiology and molecular biology and his experience in the biopharmaceutical industry into a systematic and scientific approach to safety and infection control. John tries to take the complexity out of safety and infection control measures, as he feels they are more likely to be effective and more likely to be used.

 

"CHAIR wants to recognize John's passion and leadership in embracing new ideas around copper alloy engineered infection reduction materials to enhance the safety of the staff, residents, and families of Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care." Said Steve Reinecke, Executive Director of CHAIR.

 

"I am greatly honored and humbled to be recognized by this award." Said Mr. Tcherkezian. "Infection control in general, and in healthcare in particular, needs to be innovative and passive to reduce our reliance on harsh chemicals and manual disinfection systems. CHAIR is an excellent forum to bring these innovations and systems to the attention of regulators and organizations."

Dr. Titus Wong

Dr. Titus Wong, BSc(Pharm), MD, MHSc (Epidemiology), FRCPC

 

Executive Medical Director, Medical Affairs, PHSA
Medical Director, Provincial Infection Control Network, PHSA
Medical Director, IPAC and Community Health, BCCDC
Medical Director, BC/VCH PPE Testing Laboratory

 

Email: [email protected]
Web: www.phsa.ca/

 


CHAIR needs to recognize Dr. Wong's leadership in IPAC and his leading contributions to advances in Vancouver Coastal Health copper installations, including Vancouver General Hospital, Lions Gate Hospital, and VCH Long Term Care facilities." Said Reinecke, "Dr. Wong is passionate about infection prevention in healthcare and the community. He continually collaborates with ministry, community and health authority partners to improve the health of British Columbians and Canadians.

 

"It is an honor to be recognized by CHAIR." Said Dr. Wong, "The engineered space represents a crucial component to patient and healthcare worker safety. CHAIR's advocacy, innovation, and leadership in this area is to the benefit of all Canadians."