The Minerva Foundation for BC Women recently announced this year's honorees for their Women In™ Science awards—among them is Dr. Lia Merminga, Head of the Accelerator Division at TRIUMF.
The awards honour British Columbian women who excel in their respective scientific fields, based upon nominations for three categories: Community Leadership and Excellence, Philanthropy, and the Emerging Leader award. Lia was one of two honorees for the category of Community Leadership and Excellence. She will be presented with the award at the Minerva Women In™ Science luncheon on November 27th.
The award recognizes Lia's integrity, excellence and vision for TRIUMF as well as the entire field of accelerator-based physics and technology. Her nominees describe her as not only a fiercely passionate leader within the physics community, but as a warm soul with a bright smile who inspires students and colleagues alike.
Dr. Pat Kalyniak, a professor of physics at Carleton University and Chair of the Personnel Committee of TRIUMF's Board of Management says, "Lia's dedication and focus have been a significant positive influence in the Canadian research community. She has applied her accelerator expertise to make a cutting-edge, challenging facility at TRIUMF truly work. Furthermore, she has been pivotal in establishing graduate training in accelerator research in Canada. This is a gift for our technological future through the young scientists she is educating."
Dr. Anna Grassellino, an Italian student who came to Canada to complete her Ph.D. in physics under the supervision of Lia at UBC, says, "Lia has been for me a role model as a woman in science. When I was a graduate student at TRIUMF, she was truly inspirational for me: she would find the time to explain many concepts to me, answer my technical questions, but also to provide guidance for my future as a scientist and for directions of R&D worthwhile pursuing. She is strongly supportive of young scientists and a truly meritocratic person. The thing that impresses me the most about Lia is that despite being a high level manager, she never loses sight and contact with the research and the people at the lab."
Lia came to TRIUMF in 2008 after serving as the director of the beam physics group at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Accelerators (CASA) at Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory. She is a fellow of the American Physical Society and a professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Victoria. A native of Greece, Lia has garnered respect and admiration from experts in her field all over the world, but TRIUMF is proud to have her as one our own.
Congratulations, Lia!
--prepared by Ariane Madden, TRIUMF Communications Assistant