Parex Resources Innovation Fellowships
We believe our researchers and students can change the world – one discovery and innovation at a time.
Welcome to the Parex Resources Innovation Fellowships, a pioneering initiative launched in October 2019 for University of Calgary researchers deeply engaged in academic exploration and community collaborations leading to impactful startups or advancements, spanning both technological and social innovation.
Goals:
The Parex Resources Innovation Fellowships are designed to:
- Encourage Diverse Innovation: Support researchers across the university in exploring new ideas and insights that drive innovation in various domains.
- Facilitate Innovation Transfer: Enable researchers to focus on transferring innovative concepts into practical solutions, bridging the gap between academia and the broader community.
Background:
These fellowships are made possible by a generous $3.24 million endowment from alumnus Wayne Foo and Parex Resources Inc., a Calgary-based company engaged in oil exploration, development, and production in Colombia. The aim is to empower researchers to concentrate on diverse innovation and technology-transfer activities.
Celebrating Innovation:
Established in honor of Parex's 10-year anniversary, these fellowships underscore the company's commitment to fostering innovation across various sectors.
Innovation Focus:
Grounded in the university's research-intensive environment, the fellowships provide resources for researchers to concentrate on innovative projects that positively impact society. This spans a wide spectrum, including technological advancements, social initiatives, and novel approaches to addressing complex challenges.
Join us in advancing innovation, driving positive change, and addressing diverse global challenges through the Parex Resources Innovation Fellowships at the University of Calgary.
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Note: the Parex Fellowship Form will be open starting January 2, 2025. The deadline for applications is February 24, 2025 at 8:00 am MST
Now Innovating: A Research to Impact Series
Sharing the stories of UCalgary researchers who have moved their discoveries forward and their innovation journeys to implementation and creating impact.
More Questions?
- Please contact sci.ad.admin@ucalgary.ca to inquire about 1:1 office hour session availability
Information Session
2025 Parex Resource Innovation Fellowship Information Session
Date/Time: Friday, January 17, 2025 at 1:00pm
Location: Hunter Hub, 4th floor Collision Space
Register here to attend
To stay informed on all Parex related news, email sci.ad.admin@ucalgary.ca
The 2025-2026 Cohort of Parex Innovation Fellows
Karen Benzies, PhD
Professor, Faculty of Nursing
Dr. Karen Benzies is a leading researcher in maternal and child health, dedicated to improving outcomes for families through evidence-based care. She brings decades of expertise, with over 140 peer-reviewed publications, numerous awards, and international training, including a PhD from the University of Alberta and postdoctoral fellowships in Stockholm and Ottawa. As founder of Liminality Innovations, she focuses on translating research into real-world solutions. Dr. Benzies is a recipient of the Parex Innovation Fellowship for her project—Sustaining Impact of a Family Integrated Care Model in NICUs with Annual “Booster Dose” Education— which aims to enhance long-term care for newborns and their families.
Julie Drolet, PhD
Professor, Faculty of Social Work
Dr. Julie Drolet is dedicated to helping communities better prepare for and recover from disasters. Dr. Drolet was awarded a Parex Innovation Fellowship for her project, Digital Disaster Documents: Innovating Essential Record Systems for Disaster Risk Reduction in Households and Communities in Canada. She is creating digital tools that empower individuals and families to protect vital records before emergencies occur. With academic backgrounds in history and social work from the University of Toronto, University of Regina, and McGill University, Dr. Drolet combines a deep understanding of social systems with a focus on resilience. Her research continues to influence policies and practices that enhance community preparedness throughout Canada.
Amin Komeili, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
By combining biomechanics and computational modeling, Dr. Amin Komeili is transforming how lower limb injuries are treated and rehabilitated. He has been awarded a Parex Fellowship for his project, Commercialization of an Innovative Device for the Rehabilitation of Lower Limb Injuries, which aims to bring a novel, research-backed rehabilitation tool to market. Dr. Komeili’s research explores how different physical activities and loading conditions influence joint health, using multiscale finite element models to uncover the mechanisms behind joint function and disease. His work bridges engineering innovation with clinical impact, offering new hope for patients recovering from musculoskeletal injuries.
Jennifer Love, PhD
Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
From designing metal-catalyzed reactions to developing molecular indicators for hazardous compounds, Dr. Jennifer Love has built a career at the forefront of organometallic chemistry. She has been awarded a Parex Fellowship for her project, Indicators for Alkylating Agents Used in Chemical Warfare and Cancer Chemotherapy, which focuses on creating detection tools for highly reactive chemicals with both therapeutic and toxic potential. Dr. Love completed her PhD at Stanford University and postdoctoral research at Caltech, where she explored mechanisms behind complex chemical transformations. Now a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Calgary, she continues to push the boundaries of chemical reactivity and molecular design.
Lora Oehlberg, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science
Dr. Lora Oehlberg holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, where she focused on design theory and user-centered innovation. Her cross-disciplinary training in mechanical engineering and human-computer interaction informs her current work in designing technologies for expressive, real-world settings. Dr. Oehlberg has been awarded a Parex Fellowship for her project, Bringing Rella to Life: Targeting the Technical Challenges of Interactive Technology in Live Performance. Her research explores how interactive tools can support creativity and collaboration. With this project, she is tackling the technical hurdles of integrating interactive technologies into live performance spaces—advancing innovation at the intersection of computing and the arts.