CEIMEXCAN 2008 had the honour to host the following special guest speakers:

• Robert S. Anderson, Research Division, Canadian Museum of Nature (see profile)
• Dr. Roberto Contreras Zárate, Director de Evaluación e Innovación, Convenios y Becarios en el Extranjero, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (see profile)
• Francisco Díaz-Mitoma, Head of Virology at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, CEO of Variation Biotechnologies Inc. (see profile)
• Víctor Hernández, Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas de la UNAM (see profile)
• Lic. Mario Eduardo Rivas Preve, Director General de la Fundación Pablo García / Gobierno del Estado de Campeche (see profile)
• Nina di Stefano, The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (see profile)

Profiles of our special guests:

Dr. Robert S. Anderson

Scientist, Canadian Museum of Nature
Specialty: Entomology
Education: Ph.D., University of Alberta, 1986.

Research interests: systematics; evolution; biogeography of Curculionidae with particular reference to the New World evolution of plant/insect associations; biological inventories and scientific and societal products; rare or endangered insects in Canada. He has been working in projects at the Mexican State of Chiapas rainforest since the 1980's. Thanks to his contribution to understand the ecology of the place, national parks and reserve have been considered more than simple land surface under protection.
 

Dr. Roberto Contreras Zárate

Director of Evaluation and Innovation, Agreements and Foreign Studentships
National Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT)

Director de Evaluación e Innovación, Convenios y Becarios en el Extranjero
Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia CONACYT
 
 

Francisco Diaz-Mitoma M.D., (Mexico), Ph.D., (Alberta), FRCP(C)

Medical Microbiology Chief, Regional Virology Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
Head of Virology at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
CEO of Variation Biotechnologies Inc.

Dr. Diaz-Mitoma is leading research into an HIV vaccine that holds tremendous promise. Variation Biotechnologies (VBI) was incorporated based on the development of its innovative Variosite' technology, which can efficiently develop vaccines against many viral diseases. The Company has focused its efforts on HIV. Located within the CHEO Research Institute and with separate offices in Gatineau, VBI has recently been named one of Canada's top ten life sciences investment opportunities by an international panel of venture capital investors brought together by the Ottawa Life Sciences Council. In partnership with scientific founders at the University of California and Harvard, VBI is based on a technology poised to challenge how vaccines are developed for some of the world's most devastating diseases. Dr. Diaz-Mitoma was able to help bring their vision to fruition as an established and recognized researcher within the CHEO Research Institute working on Hepatitis C and HIV vaccine approaches.
 
 

Victor Hernández Castillo

Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (ENAP)
National School of Plastic Arts (ENAP)
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Mr. Castillo is a printmaker who specializes in large etchings and linocuts. He was trained at the National School of Plastic Arts in Mexico with further studies in Poland and France. Victor Hernández Castillo has presented solo exhibitions in Poland and Mexico and has also exhibited his work in group shows in those 2 countries, as well as in Canada, Cuba, Norway, Japan, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy and the Czech Republic. He was awarded the Jean Claude Bergeron Gallery Purchase Award in OSA's First International Miniature Print Exhibition in April. Mr. Castillo's provocative and emotional work is based in the traditions and aesthetics of grotesque art.
 

Lic. Mario Eduardo Rivas Preve

Director General de la Fundación Pablo García
Gobierno del Estado de Campeche

Desde 1997 la Fundación Pablo García es un modelo de descentralización de recursos para Posgrado, y beneficia solamente a ciudadanos de Campeche. El prototipo de enlace entre diferentes universidades a nivel internacional a permitido a estudiantes del Estado de Campeche continuar con Maestrías, Doctorados, Diplomados y Posdoctorados en prestigiosas universidades en Norteamérica y Europa. El Lic Rivas Preve ha sido Director de este exitoso programa desde sus inicios y viene en representación del Gobierno del Estado de Campeche que busca extender sus relaciones con la provincia de Quebec.


 
 
 

Nina Di Stefano

Senior Policy Analyst, International Relations Division
Analyste principale des politiques, Division des relations internationales

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada/Association des universités et collèges du Canada
350, Albert, suite 600/6e étage Ottawa ON K1R 1B1
Tel./Tél. : (613) 563-3961, ext./poste 280
Fax/Téléc. : (613) 563-9745
http://www.aucc.ca