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UNB to grant four honorary degrees at Convocation

Author: Communications

Posted on Oct 11, 2016

Category: UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton

Daryl Branscombe, Siauw Ng, Geoff Flood and Barbara Stegemann

Daryl Branscombe, Siauw Ng, Geoff Flood and Barbara Stegemann

UNB will grant four honorary degrees during its Convocation ceremonies this month. 

UNB Fredericton’s 62nd Convocation: Thursday, Oct. 20

Alumnus, business leader and community volunteer Daryl Branscombe will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.

Daryl Branscombe graduated from UNB with a teaching degree, and before embarking on the world of business, taught for 10 years. He joined Greenarm Corporation Ltd. in 1985, and later established a brokerage division of the company, which he still operates today. In 1997, he launched his own development initiative under a holding company known as Dad's Enterprise (NB) Ltd.

Mr. Branscombe is actively involved in his community and has served on the board of directors of Junior Achievement, the United Way, and Partners for Youth. He was the founding director of Downtown Development Ltd. and was the first president of the Business New Brunswick Association. Recently, he was awarded the mayor’s award from the City of Fredericton for social and community development and the Fredericton Real Estate Board recognized him as Volunteer of the Year.

In memory of his sons who passed away from an autoimmune disease, Mr. Branscombe authored two books, Walking with a Limp and My Spiritual Journey Beyond the Tragedies. Understanding the importance of end-of-life care, Mr. Branscombe was a driving force behind Fredericton’s first residential hospice and served as its president and CEO.

Alumnus, researcher and scientist Siauw Ng will receive an honorary doctor of science degree.

Siauw Ng pursued his higher education in Taiwan, and although his studies were temporarily interrupted due to political unrest, he was able to complete his bachelor of science degree and work as a teaching assistant before moving to Canada for graduate studies.

Following completion of his PhD at UNB, Dr. Ng spent 12 years with the Iron Ore Company of Canada, then later worked for CANMET/Energy Research Laboratories, and is currently working with NCUT/CanmetENERGY in Alberta. He has been an adjunct professor for Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology since 1997.

Dr. Ng is considered a leading world authority on catalytic cracking of tar sands bitumen. His research is internationally renowned and his work emphasizes responsible use of non-conventional fuels and balances environmental sustainability with enabling Canada’s oil sands industries to be competitive in world petroleum markets. His expertise is regularly sought by major companies and organizations in Canada, the US, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Ng holds two patents and has received numerous awards in recognition of his work.

Dr. Ng is an enthusiastic supporter of several charities and has funded scholarships to a high school in Indonesia and a university in China.

UNB Saint John’s 34th Fall Convocation: Friday, Oct. 21

Entrepreneur, social change agent, active community leader, champion of education & skilling, and a deeply rooted family man from Saint John, Mr. Flood received a bachelor of arts in economics degree from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, NS and a master of business administration in finance from Queen’s University, Kingston, ON.

As the founder and the guiding force behind T4G Limited, a national technology consulting firm, Mr. Flood has a belief that success lies from within and you can do anything if you put your mind to it. He is a perfect example of that, balancing a successful business with a family and charitable work. Beyond the boardroom he is a founding member of the New Brunswick IT Council, founding and past co-chair of the New Brunswick Research and Innovation Council and a driver of our region’s Atlantic Big Data Congress.

A firm believer in the tremendous possibilities available to New Brunswick, Mr. Flood continues to lead and show us the art of the possible.

Bestselling author, mentor, and social business innovator Barbara Stegemann will receive an honorary doctor of letters degree.

Barbara Stegemann received both a bachelor of arts with a major in sociology and a bachelor of journalism from the University of King's College in Halifax, N.S.

Born with a hereditary hearing impairment and raised in humble roots in rural Nova Scotia, Ms. Stegemann is a champion of education as a way to break the cycle of poverty. She founded her Social Enterprise, The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc. after her best friend was severely wounded serving in the Canadian Forces.

She became known to millions of Canadians as the first woman from Atlantic Canada to land a venture capital deal on CBC’s Dragon’s Den. She received the Women Innovator’s Award in 2011 from the US State Department for the Economy of Canada, is a WXN Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada recipient, and was ranked Top 30 Cool & Fabulous Canadian Entrepreneurs by Profit Magazine.

Ms. Stegemann is the first woman to be made Honorary Colonel for 14 Wing Greenwood, Royal Canadian Air Force base, with the role of advising the military and supporting the troops. Perfume War, a documentary about her journey to build peace in nations rebuilding after war and strife through perfume, recently won the Best Feature Documentary at the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax.

All four honorary degree recipients are deserving of this distinction and UNB is proud to have such motivating leaders as part of its university community.

Media contacts: Natalie Montgomery (Fredericton); Heather Campbell (Saint John).