British Columbia Innovation Council

Mr. Jacob Kobelt

President, Kobelt Manufacturing Ltd.

Jacob Kobelt has a long-standing reputation as a successful industrial innovator and entrepreneur. As a machinist trained in engineering in Switzerland, Kobelt established what would become a life-long career when he developed his first control system in the basement of his house. In 1962, Kobelt opened a small factory making marine control systems under the Georgia Viaduct in Vancouver, British Columbia. Kobelt Manufacturing now resides in an 80,000 square foot facility developing mechanical, pneumatic, electronic and hydraulic products that are leading in innovative design and quality. Recognized as a leader in the international marine industry, Kobelt continues to demonstrate innovative capabilities in applications engineering, new product design, manufacturing process development, and international marketing. His innovative achievements have significantly enhanced the safety and efficiency of all vessels and crews in extremely hazardous waterways throughout the world.

Dr. Christopher Garrett

Lansdowne Professor of Ocean Physics, Department of Physics & Astronomy, UVic

Dr. Christopher Garrett is a world-renown physical oceanographer at the University of Victoria (UVic) with an exceptional scientific mind and ardent desire to protect and improve the health of the world's coastal areas. Garrett's research centers around physical oceanography, with an emphasis on mixing processes which crucially affect ocean circulation and climate. His body of work contributes to the accuracy of climate-change models and addresses the problems in marine productivity and pollution, tidal power, and oceanic waste disposal. As a fluid dynamicist, Garrett is known for his contributions in addressing practical problems, most often connected with tidal power in British Columbia, Nova Scotia and the Atlantic coast. He is a researcher and dedicated educator and citizen, working with an honest desire to challenge the conventional wisdom. With many awards and recognitions to his name, Garrett describes his passion, physical oceanography, as a "wonderful combination of intellectual challenge and society relevance".

Mr. Gordon Gore

Founder, BIG Little Science Centre

Gordon Gore is a retired science teacher who has dedicated his life to spreading science education to audiences of all ages. Gore's career lists numerous successes as a secondary school physics teacher, author, presenter, and teacher trainer. Even in retirement, he continues to share and communicate a passion for hands-on experimental science with students of all ages and the teaching community. In 2000, Gore established the Big Little Science Centre in Kamloops, British Columbia, a non-profit society dedicated to teaching science in an interactive environment. The Centre's beginnings started as a traveling science road show from the back of his truck until it established permanent residence at an elementary school. With numerous achievements to communicating science education, Gore's contributions have been significant in inspiring audiences of all ages to have fun with science.

Dr. Marco Marra

Director, Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre

Dr. Marco Marra is an internationally renowned expert in physical mapping and sequencing of genomes. Marra's work focuses on cancer research and the understanding of cancer through genome and gene analysis. But his contributions also address other areas with global impact, including his acclaimed work in the Human Genome Project and the sequencing of the SARS coronavirus-a discovery that initiated numerous activities within British Columbia to develop a vaccine and other therapeutics. In 1999, he established Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, a state-of-the-art facility applying genomics and bioinformatics tools and technologies to cancer and disease research. Here, Marra continues to raise the bar of research excellence by establishing the technology for a next-generation DNA sequencing platform, a powerful leading edge technology in the understanding of cancer genomics and the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic and currently one of four in the world.

Shown clockwise from top left: Dr. James Olson, Dr. Carl Ollivier-Gooch, Dr. Mark Martinez, and Dr. Robert Gooding

Dr. James Olson

Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, UBC

Dr. Carl Ollivier-Gooch

Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, UBC

Dr. Mark Martinez

Associate Professor, Chemical & Biological Engineering, UBC

Dr. Robert Gooding

Vice President, Technology, Advanced Fiber Technologies

Drs. James Olson, Robert Gooding, Mark Martinez, and Carl Ollivier-Gooch are a team whose innovations and leading-edge research led to the development of Advanced Fiber Technologies’ (AFT) advanced screen rotor technology. As pulp and paper manufacturing is an energy-intensive process consuming approximately 20 percent of all the energy produced by BC Hydro, pulp screening is an essential, energy consuming part of the pulping process. AFT’s novel screen rotor technology reduces power usage significantly while improving the capacity and efficiency of the screening process. The economic and environmental impact of saving power is tremendous; and the socio-economic impact of large-scale industrial energy reduction substantial. This development increases British Columbia's competitiveness in the Canadian pulp and paper industry—an achievement also contributing to significant reductions in green house gas emissions.

Dr. Karl Otto

Medical Physicist, BC Cancer Agency

Dr. Karl Otto is a committed physicist whose accomplishments in cancer research and treatment are paving the way for a bright and flourishing career. Otto's first invention was developed from his PhD work at the University of British Columbia. This formed the basis for his development of several novel advances for cancer treatment enabling increased precision in the delivery of radiotherapy, including Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT). As doses of radiation can be delivered more quickly and precisely to target tumors with VMAT, it is estimated that over one million cancer patients around the globe will benefit from Otto's innovations. His early contributions to the cancer treatment are significant in improving the quality of care for patients around the world.