PURPOSE
The purpose of the STC Gabriel L. Plaa Award of Distinction is to honour those individuals who have made outstanding and sustained contributions to the science of toxicology in Canada and the Society of Toxicology of Canada.
SELECTION
The Awards committee is chaired by Past President and includes the junior councillor plus two members appointed by the Board from the general membership and who are not members of the Board. In current practice, the Past President as chair of the committee, nominates two members who have familiarity with the candidates work.
NOMINATION PROCESS
Nominations must be made by two regular members of STC, in good standing, but no member may nominate more than one candidate during any one year. Nominations for the award shall be made to the Chairperson of the Awards Committee by July 1st of the year of the award.
Nominations must be accompanied by:
- A summary, not to exceed two pages, clearly describing the nominee’s contribution to the science of toxicology in Canada and to the STC, particularly sustained impact that benefits toxicology in Canada. The summary should include specific examples and aspects that may not be evident from the CV.
- Copies of no more than five manuscripts and other documents considered by the sponsor to be pertinent to the award.
- The nominee’s curriculum vitae and a brief biographical sketch suitable for press release.
Nominees who are not granted the award in the year of the nomination will be automatically included among the nominees in the two subsequent years unless the sponsors explicitly request otherwise. Sponsors will be invited to update previously submitted information.
CRITERIA
The following weighted criteria will be used by the Selection Committee:
| Impact in the field of toxicology | 30% |
| Peer review examples | 15% |
| Mentoring | 15% |
| Productivity | 20% |
| Support for STC | 30% |
The decision of the Selection Committee shall be final. Only one award will be made annually, and there is no obligation or duty to make the award when, in the opinion of the Selection Committee, there is no qualified nominee. Once the Selection Committee has completed their deliberations, the Chairperson will notify the Board their decision, and will in turn notify the successful nominee as appropriate. Applications should be mailed or e-mailed to STC by July 1st.
The Award takes the form of an engraved plaque plus a cheque for $500. Presentation of the award will be made at the president’s reception following the Annual General Meeting. One of the nominating members will be invited to introduce the awardee and the award will be presented by the President.
GABRIEL L. PLAA AWARD OF DISTINCTION WINNERS
Lauren Foster, PhD
McMaster University
Dr. Foster is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, at McMaster University, and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology at Florida International University and a member of the Department of Reproductive Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Following undergraduate training and a Master’s degree from the University of Guelph, Dr. Foster obtained a doctorate in medical sciences from McMaster University and subsequently joined the staff at Health Canada where she served as the Head of the Reproductive Toxicology Section transferring positions to the Director of Research and Associate Director of Women’s Health at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in 1999. Dr. Foster later joined the faculty at McMaster University in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology in 2001. Professor Foster is an expert in reproductive biology and toxicology with more than 200 scientific papers and book chapters. She has received several awards including an Ontario Women’s Health Council Career award and the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society Award of Excellence in Reproductive Medicine. She has served on numerous international and national expert advisory panels, editorial boards, as well as grant review committees. Dr. Foster is an associate editor for the Journal of Applied Toxicology, Journal of Ovarian Research, and a past President of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society. She holds several patents and recently co-founded AIMA Laboratories Inc. to commercialize patents developed over the course of her academic career.
2022
Lauren Foster
McMaster University
2021
David Josephy
University of Guelph
2020
Rekha Metha
Health Canada
2019
Jack P. Uetrecht
University of Toronto
2018
Peter Wells
University of Toronto
2017
Bernard Robaire
McGill University
2016
Genevieve Bondy
Health Canada
2015
Thomas E. Massey
Queen’s University
2014
Daniel Cyr
INRS
2013
No awardees
2012
Kannan Krishnan
Université de Montréal
2009-2011
No awardees
2008
Barbara Hales
McGill University
2007
No awardees
2006
George Cherian
University of Western Ontario
2005
Allan Okey
University of Toronto
2004
Gail Bellward
University of British Columbia
2003
No awardees
2002
William Racz
Queen’s University
2001
Barry Thomas
Health Canada
1997-2000
No awardees
1996
Jules Brodeur
Université de Montréal
1995
H. Bruno Schiefer
University of Saskatchewan
1994
Gabriel L. Plaa
Université de Montréal
