UN Women
March 11, 2019
Elizabeth Cannon, Suzanne Tough recognized by United Nations on International Women's Day
This year on International Women鈥檚 Day (March 8), United Nations Women chose to celebrate the work of 100 women from around the world who have contributed to mentoring, supporting and empowering women. Dr. Elizabeth Cannon, PhD, and Dr. Suzanne Tough, PhD, pictured above with Marie Delorme (centre),聽were selected as part of a group of five Alberta women to be honoured at a special event sponsored by UN Women in New York. 聽
This year鈥檚 theme, Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change, highlights the work of female leaders actively advancing gender equity in all aspects of life. The day鈥檚 event also served as an official launch for a global program called She Innovates, an initiative to establish local mentoring and leadership opportunities for young women.聽
Leading innovation in higher education聽
Cannon, president emerita and a professor in the聽, is being recognized for her leadership roles, both in administration and for her pioneering work in the field of geomatics.聽
鈥淲omen are curious, creative and resourceful 鈥斅爇ey elements needed for innovation and entrepreneurial thinking,鈥 says Cannon. 鈥淲omen are increasingly using these skills, combined with hard work and networking, to play leadership roles in the development of new companies as well as solutions to complex problems facing our communities.
鈥淯nleashing the talents of women will drive global change and impact.鈥
Helping mothers and high-risk babies
Tough, a pioneer in research to better understand high-risk babies and their outcomes, launched a definitive study in the mid-1990s focusing on the impact of Alberta鈥檚 high rate of preterm deliveries, one of the highest in Canada. The study, believed to be the first of its kind in the province, considered the preterm birth rate and the relationship to delayed childbearing age.
A professor in the Cumming School of Medicine鈥檚 departments of paediatrics and community health sciences, Tough is a Senior Policy Fellow with the Burns Memorial Fund and Max Bell Foundation, and is a member of the聽聽and the聽
鈥淭his recognition by the UN reflects on the research we鈥檝e conducted over the last 20 years to help families be strong,鈥 says Tough. 鈥淲hen you enable families to be strong and healthy, you create a path for empowering young women.鈥 聽(For more information on Tough鈥檚 research,聽)
Alberta women celebrated by the United Nations
Both women were honoured during the afternoon ceremony on March 8, which took place in Manhattan, along with three other women from Alberta: 2018 草莓污视频导航 Honourary Degree recipient Marie Delorme, PhD鈥12, former Member of Parliament Rona Ambrose, and humanitarian, social innovator and Team Canada powerlifter Nicola Paviglianiti.