Five USask scholars named distinguished professors

This year’s distinguished professors are Dr. Claire Card (PhD), Dr. Daniel Chen (PhD), Dr. Miroslaw (Mirek) Cygler (PhD), Dr. Curtis Pozniak (PhD), and Dr. Barbara von Tigerstrom (PhD). 
 
“Congratulations to this year's distinguished professors, who have each made a lasting impact in their fields through their teaching, research, and scholarly contributions,” said Dr. Patricia McDougall (PhD), USask interim provost and vice-president academic. “These scholars exemplify the many ways excellence is expressed in academics and research. They have been leaders, collaborators, and innovators in their disciplines, industry, classrooms, and labs. They now join a legacy of scholars whose impactful work spans local to global communities and reflects the core mission of the University of Saskatchewan.” 
 
Professors emeriti and current USask faculty members who hold academic qualifications corresponding with an appointment at the rank of full professor are eligible for appointment to the distinguished professor position. Recipients of this lifetime award become distinguished professors emeriti upon retirement. This year’s recipients were selected by a committee made up of senior leaders, faculty and community members, who undertook an extensive review of all submitted nomination packages. 
 
“From innovative teaching practices to impactful research and dedicated service, this year’s nominees reflected the depth and diversity of talent across the University of Saskatchewan faculty community,” said Dr. Scott Walsworth (PhD), USask vice-provost, faculty relations. “This year’s high calibre of nominations made the selection process exceptionally difficult. After careful and thorough consideration by a dedicated selection committee, five professors were selected for this highest honour within the professorial ranks in recognition of their exceptional contributions. I am pleased to congratulate each of this year’s distinguished professors.” 
 
More information about the Distinguished Professorship Program, including a list of past recipients, is available online. 

Card is a professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the WCVM at USask, and an internationally recognized leader in equine reproduction and theriogenology. She earned her BSc with Honours, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with Distinction, and PhD in Physiology from Cornell University, followed by post-doctoral training in animal science. Card became a Diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists (ACT) in 1991 and joined WCVM that year, attaining the rank of full professor in 2000. 
 
Over a 35‑year academic career, Card has made seminal contributions to understanding maternal recognition of pregnancy in the mare, identifying key physiological regulators essential to early pregnancy maintenance. Her research bridges fundamental reproductive biology with clinical innovation, leading to the development of hysteroscopic low‑dose insemination techniques, transvaginal ovarian and luteal biopsy methods, and clinically meaningful benchmarks for endometrial inflammation. She has also advanced knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of congenital hypothyroidism in foals and the impact on neonatal skeletal development.  
 
Card has been active as a partner in development assisting rural women headed HIV-AIDS affected families in Uganda since 2008 to improve their lives and livelihoods using a one health approach. For this work, she was given the George Ivany Internationalization Award in 2022.  She is currently the principal investigator on a $4-million grant from Global Affairs Canada that broadens the work to include additional projects in Ghana and Ethiopia.  
 
Card’s scholarly output includes more than 80 peer‑reviewed publications and conference proceedings, 15 book chapters, 53 invited international presentations, and over 570 citations. She has supervised dozens of graduate students, residents, and interns, and was awarded the Provost's Teaching Award in 2025. In 2020, she was named ACT Theriogenologist of the year. Card was also awarded the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee for Science in 2022 and received the Saskatchewan Vet Med Association's J.J. Murchison Distinguished Veterinarian Award in 2024. Her sustained excellence in research, mentorship, and global engagement exemplifies the highest standards of academic leadership and impact.

Click here to view additional biographies of USask Distinguished Professors.