Order of Sancta Barbara - Description
This medal was designed by Madame Françoise Drolet who, along with her husband Dr. Jean-Paul Drolet, President, CIM, 1978-79, donated and maintained this award "to recognize the important role played by women in the progressive development of Canadian mining communities.
This Year's Winner - 2009
Sheila StenzelVancouver, BC
“For her untiring efforts and contributions to the mining industry and community through her leadership of the Mineral Resources Education Program of BC.”
Sheila Stenzel is director of the Mineral Resources Educational Program of British Columbia (MREPBC), the BC mining industry’s kindergarten to grade 12 school program.
Stenzel obtained undergraduate degrees in biology and earth sciences from St. Cloud State University, Minnesota, an M.Sc. in geology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a PhD in geology from Memorial University, Newfoundland & Labrador.
Stenzel began working with the MREPBC in 1999, initially as a volunteer workshop presenter, later as program coordinator, and most recently as director since 2003. She overseas the daily operations of the program, working throughout the year with a coordinator, a team of seconded teacher-partners, and volunteers from industry to support mineral education initiatives in communities across British Columbia such as workshops, mining and geosciences field trips, and student and teacher programs at industry conferences.
Now in its 18th year, MREPBC has assisted more than 7,300 British Columbia teachers and student teachers with mineral-relevant curricula and learning experiences, estimated to have reached more than 650,000 students.