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They come from different disciplines but Simon Fraser University’s 2009 Outstanding Alumni Award (OAA) recipients share similar views on how to resolve the political and economic strife that divides the world today.

The SFU Alumni Association will present Richard Bruskiewich (academic achievement), Evaleen Jaager Roy (professional achievement), Gabor Mate (community service) and Jennifer Allen Simons (community service) with their awards on Thursday, Feb. 19. The presentations will be made at a dinner at the Four Season Hotel in Vancouver. The gala event will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the OAA’s creation and the SFU Alumni Association’s 40th birthday.

Christy Clark, a former B.C. cabinet minister and SFU student, and the host of the Christy Clark Show on Vancouver radio station CKNW, will be the master of ceremonies.

The 2009 recipients recently responded to the question: “What would you do if you could change the world?”

Richard Bruskiewich, BA ’87, a senior scientist in bioinformatics, International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines, says, “For some time now, I’ve contemplated a spiritual transformation of the world through a symbolic gesture. It would be that the United Nations develops and issues a global citizenship passport available to anyone who certifiably abides by and actively practices, in their daily lives and professions, the documented principles of global citizenship, as embodied by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other similar declarations…”

Evaleen Jaager Roy, BBA ‘84, former VP, human resources, global publishing and community, Electronic Arts, West Vancouver resident says, “If I could do one thing to change the world, I would instill in everyone, particularly our children, the sense that what unites us as humanity is much stronger and greater than anything that separates us. We are all one. We are also one with our natural environment and urgently need to understand this.”

Gabor Mate, PDP ’69, staff physician, Portland Hotel Society, Vancouver resident, says, “Awareness of why we do what we do is often a missing quality for many of us, myself included. We live out the hustle and bustle of our lives in many ways that are deeply unconscious and in doing so we harm ourselves, other people and other creatures, and the planet. The one thing I would do, if I could, would be to wake us all up to the truth of who we are and why we do what we do, whether in the realm of professional activity, business, politics or our private relationships.”

Jennifer Allen Simons, MA ’83, PhD ’89, educator, philanthropist, president, The Simons Foundation, Vancouver resident, says, “If I could do one thing to change the world, I would eliminate and ban nuclear weapons. Under International Humanitarian Law it is prohibited to target a nuclear power plant yet there is no such prohibition to target or attack a city with a nuclear weapon.

To use one, however, would constitute a crime against humanity. I believe that the nuclear weapons powers are constrained by this knowledge. However, there are people in the world attempting to obtain them and unhindered by the same constraint.  Until there is a ban and nuclear weapons are eliminated, we are in great danger.”

Tickets to the OAA dinner are $95 per person and $700 per table for eight. For more information: http://www.sfu.ca/alumni/news/alumni_news/news02190901.html

—30— (electronic photos available on request)

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