Spring Convocation - Students - University of Saskatchewan

Governor General’s Academic Medals
These medals are awarded to the undergraduate student and graduate student with the highest academic standing.
Gold Medal
TARA GARIEPY
Tara Gariepy was born in Montreal,
Quebec in 1974. Tara received a
Bachelor of Science in Biology in
1998 from Concordia University
in Montreal. She pursued graduate
studies at Simon Fraser University
(Burnaby, British Columbia) where
she studied molecular diagnostics and
epidemiology of fungal pathogens. Tara
received a Masters of Pest Management
degree in 2002, and won the B.P.
Beirne Prize in Pest Management.
Tara then worked at CABI Europe-
Switzerland as a project entomologist
on a variety of insect biological control
programmes. In 2003, Tara started
her Ph.D. research in the Department
of Biology at the University of
Saskatchewan. She was the recipient
of the Margaret Mackay Scholarship
and an NSERC Canada Graduate
Scholarship. Tara completed her
Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2007.
Tara’s thesis research presents some
of the novel ways in which molecular
techniques can be used in classical
biological control programmes for
insect pests. Molecular diagnostic
techniques help address some of the
key ecological questions that arise
when exotic biological control agents
are imported into a new environment.
Techniques that allow a better
understanding of trophic and guild
interactions among natural enemies
will improve the success and safety
of biological control programmes for
economically important pests.
Tara has been awarded an NSERC
post-doctoral fellowship, and will
continue research on molecular
diagnostics in basic and applied
ecology.
Silver Medal
PHILLIP DESAUTELS
Phillip was raised in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan and graduated from
Walter Murray Collegiate with High
Honours in 2002. He graduates with
a Bachelor of Science in Engineering
Physics (with Great Distinction)
and with a Bachelor of Science
in Computer Science (with Great
Distinction). Phillip is the recipient
of the 2007 Spring Convocation
Gold Medal from the Association of
Professional Engineers & Geoscientists
of Saskatchewan, for the most
distinguished graduate in the College of
Engineering and the Dr. E.L. Harrington
Prize, the Engineering Physics
Distinguished Graduate Award.
He has received numerous awards
and scholarships during his academic
career at the U of S. These awards
include the NSERC Postgraduate
Scholarship (Master’s), James and
Mary Girgulis Memorial Scholarship,
Russell (Russ) William Haid Memorial
Award, the Association of Professional
Engineers and Geoscientists of
Saskatchewan Prize, J.P. Tremblay
Book Award, Teuro Natori Scholarship,
IEEE North Saskatchewan Section
Award, NSERC Undergraduate Student
Research Award, Peter N. Nikiforuk
Scholarship, George N. Listwin
Scholarship and the University
of Saskatchewan Undergraduate
Scholarship. Phillip is a member of the
Greystone Scholars Society and the
Golden Key National Honour Society.
Phillip is presently working on a
Master’s degree in Engineering
Physics and his field of specialization
is the “Development of advanced
microelectronics using plasma
immersion ion implantation”.
University of Saskatchewan 31 Spring Convocation 2007