Thank you to all of our nominees, as well as the nominators who took the time to submit nominations!
Since 2015, the Centre for Blood Research (CBR) has offered an award to honour the memory of Neil Mackenzie and to recognize the mentorship excellence he provided within the CBR community. Nominations for this award are open to any member of the CBR (with the exception of PIs). CBR members nominate their colleagues and lab mates who exhibit excellence in mentorship, enthusiasm, positivity, and who go above and beyond, to inspire others in the lab environment. Nominators craft a 500-word essay describing how their nominee demonstrates a commitment to mentorship and the development of others.
A committee of Neil Mackenzie’s close friends and colleagues review all nominations for the award and are tasked with the difficult decision of choosing a winner who demonstrates the mentorship characteristics Neil embodied. This is a challenging process, given the many incredibly supportive and caring mentors at the CBR.
Umme Amara (centre) with Neil Mackenzie’s parents, Angus and Margaret.
This year, we received 20 nominations applauding the mentorship skills of 13 candidates. The winner was announced at the CBR Research Day on August 17, 2017: Umme Amara!
On behalf of the CBR, we would like to express our heartfelt thank you to all of the nominees for making a difference in the lives of those with whom you work! You truly have an impact on the learning and the well-being of everyone at the CBR. We are very appreciative of your support, your dedication, and your willingness to be of service to the CBR community. We all benefit from your presence!
2017 Neil Mackenzie Mentorship Excellence Award Nominees:
| Abhinav Ajaykumar | Heidi Wolfmeier | Pierre-Marie Andrault |
| Anthony Hsieh | Jennifer Grants | Quinn Matthews |
| Brankica Culibrk | Kyung Bok (KB) Choi | Srinivas Abbina |
| Chieh-Ju (Jay) Lu | Michael Sutherland | Umme Amara |
| Zhongming (Eric) Chen |
Neil Mackenzie was a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Bromme’s lab at the CBR. Neil was a dedicated and caring mentor whose encouraging and motivating words and actions were sincerely appreciated by all those whom he touched – colleagues, friends, and students. To honour his legacy and the impact he has made on the people within and outside the Centre for Blood Research, you can make a donation to the Neil Mackenzie in Memoriam Fund (http://memorial.supporting.ubc.ca/neil-mackenzie). Your donation will support the CBR mentorship initiatives, promoting mentorship excellence throughout our research community.