New chief for ingenuity organization

Edmonton, AB – August 18, 2004 – Dr Peter Hackett, an internationally recognized chemical physicist and research leader, has been appointed as president and CEO of Alberta Ingenuity. Dr Hackett will assume his position in October 2004.

Dr Hackett will become the second President and CEO of Alberta Ingenuity. He will take over Alberta Ingenuity’s operations from Dr Bill Bridger, who is retiring this fall.

Dr Hackett has been Vice-President Research at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) since January 1997. His portfolio included biotechnologies, information and telecommunication technologies, manufacturing technologies, molecular sciences, and national measurement standards.

Dr Hackett is not unknown in Alberta. He was the lead NRC executive behind the creation and design of the National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT) at the University of Alberta. He is also a member of the Board and of the Executive Committee of iCORE (the Informatics Circle of Research Excellence), based in Calgary.

“Dr Hackett will bring exceptional research and leadership experience to his new position as our President and CEO,” said Mr. Libin. “I am confident that Alberta Ingenuity will continue to thrive as an outstanding research organization with the highest standards of excellence under his fine stewardship.”

Dr Peter Hackett received his PhD in photochemistry in 1972 from the University of Southampton. He was elected a fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada in 1986. He has published 200 scientific papers and seven patents. He received the Noranda Lecture Award from the Chemical Society of Canada in 1988 for his work on laser-induced chemistry and the Rutherford Medal in Chemistry from the Royal Society of Canada in 1989 for his work on inorganic chemical dynamics. He is a trustee of the Steacie Foundation, and has been an adjunct professor in chemistry at the University of Toronto and at the University of Saskatchewan.

As president and CEO, Dr Hackett will guide Alberta Ingenuity’s planning, operations, and strategic direction as a major research funding organization in Alberta.

Alberta Ingenuity supports science and engineering researchers and researchers-in-training at Alberta universities, public colleges and technical institutes, and in industry.