Debra Shewfelt, P.Geo.
2021 Social Responsibility and Education Awards
The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum (CIM) has awarded Debra Shewfelt, P.Geo., two awards in their Social Responsibility and Education category.
One award was to recognize Shewfelt as one of the “Unsung Heroes” of the mining industry and CIM and the other was for exceptional contribution towards improving diversity and inclusion within the mining industry.
Shewfelt is a senior geologist who is a co-president and board member of RESPEC Consulting Inc., RESPEC’s Canadian subsidiary. Over the past two decades, she has grown a diverse team and encouraged girls and young women to consider non-traditional STEM careers in mining and minerals.
She has been recognized for leading STEM educational outreach activities in communities, and advancing the inclusion of underrepresented groups, such as women and Indigenous peoples.
Shewfelt mentors others in projects such as MentorSTEP, an Indigenous female STEM mentorship program. She founded the “Girls In The Classroom — Unearthing Career Opportunities in Mining” K-12 educational outreach program.
Dr. Donald M. J. Kent, P.Geo., P.Eng.,
FGC, FEC
2021 Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award
Geoscientists Canada named Dr. Donald M. J. Kent, P.Geo., P.Eng., FGC, FEC, a recipient of the 2021 Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award.
“Don richly deserves the award based on superb service to the geoscience profession and academic community, particularly in Saskatchewan. Mentorship of students and young professionals is especially noteworthy. A well-deserved award in recognition of a fabulous career,” said Kevin Ansdell, P.Geo., FGC the President of Geoscientists Canada.
Dr. Kent is currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geology at the University of Regina. He is recognized as the leading geological authority on Paleozoic carbonates in the Williston Basin, and Mississippian, Devonian, and Ordovician rocks. He has published over 60 papers on various aspects of the subsurface geology of Saskatchewan.
He has been a member of APEGS since 1959 and was actively involved in adding geoscience to the regulation of professionals in Saskatchewan in 1997 when APES became APEGS.
In 2009, he was listed as one of the 100 influential graduates from the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Kent holds a Ph.D. (1968) in Geology from the University of Alberta and a M.Sc. in Geology (1959) and B.Sc. (1957) in Geological Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan.
During his career, he has served as a petroleum research geologist with the Saskatchewan provincial government and now provides consulting services, including core analysis and training. He has contributed numerous core workshops at the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists conference in Calgary and the Williston Basin Petroleum conference.
Dr. Kent has also volunteered, including as chair of Geoscientists Canada’s prestigious Canadian Geosciences Standards Board (now Council) as well as on numerous APEGS boards and committees plus as president of the Saskatchewan Geological Society (SGS).
Dr. Kent received the APEGS Distinguished Service Award (2000), was inducted into the SGS Geoscience Honour Roll (2004) and received the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists RJW Douglas Medal in 2015.
The Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award recognizes those who have made an outstanding contribution to the development and practice of professional geoscience and advanced public recognition of the profession in Canada in their capacity as a registered professional geoscientist.
Bruce Belmore, P.Eng.
H. Robert Burton Distinguished Service Award
The Canadian Institute of Transportation Engineers (CITE) has given its most prestigious honour, the H. Robert Burton Distinguished Service Award, to Bruce Belmore, P.Eng. Belmore has specialized in transportation mobility and safety for over 30 years, working on a broad range of projects, involving active modes, traffic calming, micro mobility, traffic operations and safety engineering.
He currently leads the transportation practice at KGS Group as the Transportation Department head.
He also has been an adjunct professor at the University of Regina for six years teaching engineering law & ethics.
Belmore has been a dedicated member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), becoming the fourth ITE International President from Canada in the organization’s 90-year history.
He also served on the Saskatchewan Section Executive, including as president.
With CITE, which bestowed the award, Belmore has been elected CITE District Executive, serving eight years at the District level, plus three years representing CITE as District Director on the ITE International Board of Direction.
Richard (Dick) Strayer, P.Eng.
2020 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal
Richard (Dick) Strayer, P.Eng., has been volunteering for decades, which has earned him a 2020 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal. These medals were presented in late August at Government House in Regina by the Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty.
Strayer — a former APEGS president — been a member of the Saskatoon Nutana Rotary Club for 50 years.
Through Rotary Club, he collaborated with the City of Saskatoon to develop the Beaver Creek Conservation Area.
He was instrumental in organizing Meals on Wheels and a city-wide marathon in support of the YMCA in Saskatoon.
He was a board member of the Saskatoon Council on Aging for six years where he developed the first guide for caregivers.
For 15 years, he played the organ for services at Stensrud Lodge Special Care Home. He was also a board member and president of the Saskatoon Board of Trade (now the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce.)
Frank McDougall, P.Geo.
2020 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal
Frank McDougall, P.Geo., has made significant contributions to the areas of archeology, geology and paleontology in Saskatchewan as a volunteer, freely providing his knowledge of geology and archeology to the general public.
For this dedication, he was awarded a 2020 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal.
Frank has been a volunteer and member of the Saskatchewan Archeological Society (SAS) for over 40 years.
During those years, he has been a prolific contributor to SAS’s magazine and its Paleo Corner column and spent 1,800 hours digitizing and cataloguing information for SAS.
Frank has also given his time and expertise to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. He devoted his time and expertise to the excavation of Scotty, the world’s largest T-Rex, from Saskatchewan’s Frenchman River Valley.