Our Award Winners

Lifetime Achievement Award

Godfrey Nowlan Ph.D.

This award is presented to exceptional volunteers who have filled multiple roles within the society, who exemplify the society’s values and who have shown commitment for at least 10 years. Godfrey Nowlan, Co-Founder and First President Calgary Science Network, Scientists & Engineers in-the-Classroom Volunteer and Workshop Presenter became the first recipient at CSN's 20th Anniversary Celebration.

When the Calgary Science Network had its formative meeting in 1988, Godfrey Nowlan was there. He became the new society’s first president and in the intervening years has held every position on the Board except treasurer. Motivated by published reports of poor science literacy in Canada, he, and several like-minded volunteers directed CSN’s development.

He also led by example and became an original Scientists & Engineers-in-the-Classroom volunteer – a role he continues to this day. CSN quickly recognised that in addition to inspiring students about science there was a need for quality professional development for science teachers. Again Godfrey was integral in establishing CSN teacher workshops, that pair a scientist (for strong science content) with a teacher (for practical class activities), as co-presenters to meet this need. He has continuously led workshops every year on topics such as Rocks and Minerals, Planet Earth, Regions of Canada, Geoscape Calgary, Planet Earth and its Peoples: Repairing Broken Connections. Our records are incomplete but we can vouch for more than 25 workshops since 1998!

Godfrey’s volunteer work is not restricted to the Calgary Science Network. He is a co-founder of the Alberta Science Literacy Association (ASLA) and since 2003, Godfrey has been engaged on a program of public outreach in Canada's North.

"I have used the skills and materials developed in partnership with teachers in CSN in my new role in the north and I have given "CSN" workshops in Whitehorse, Yellowknife, High Level and other places for teachers from across northern Canada - if I had not had the CSN experience and the sage advice of teachers who are also involved in CSN, I would not have been able to "transfer the technology" to the north."

Nationally, he revamped the Canadian Geoscience Council's (CGC) education program, served on a dozen committees of the Geological Association of Canada, organized symposia, played a major role in GeoCanada 2000, led field trips, and published field guides. He also chaired the Organizing Committee of GeosciEdIV, an international conference that brought geoscience educators from 25 countries to Calgary in August, 2003. For all his contributions, Godfrey was recently awarded the prestigious Ambrose Medal. Congratulations!