Jennifer Abols is the new executive director of Laurentian University’s Goodman School of Mines and the president-CEO of the Mining Innovation Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corporation (MIRARCO).
The appointment is effective Nov. 4.
Abols replaces Bruce Jago, who’s finishing out his term as Goodman’s founding executive director, and MIRARCO president Vic Pakalnis, who’s retiring.
An Oct. 3 Laurentian University news release described the Sudbury-raised Abols as the “perfect candidate” to enhance the Sudbury post-secondary institution’s reputation as “Canada’s Mining University,” and take advantage of the “synergies” between the two organizations.
The release said Abols was the unanimous choice of the selection committee, comprised of representatives from the university and the boards of the two organizations.
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Abols is a professional engineer with more than 20 years of experience in the mining and minerals sector. She graduated from Laurentian with a bachelor of engineering in extractive metallurgy before moving on to Wilfrid Laurier University to obtain an MBA with a focus on marketing and international strategy.
She is the past chair of the Canadian Mineral Processors (2005), was the president of the Western Australia Mining Club (2009-2010) and received the Canadian Mineral Processors Mineral Processor of the Year award in 2015.
“I am very excited about the opportunity and eager to jump into this new position at Laurentian University,” Abols said in a statement.
"I look forward to working with the talented people at MIRARCO and the Goodman School of Mines to further position Laurentian as Canada’s Mining University.”
Laurentian University president Robert Haché said this appointment will expand the school’s international reach by having a “passionate industry innovator, with global connections who can be a bridge between industry and the university.”
“We have found a leader who can bring people from across campus together and help ensure we are preparing graduates to transition successfully to careers and be vibrant contributors to the innovation that will help move the mining sector forward.”
