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MARK CASSAR
BA ’94, BEd ’95, MSc ’99, PhD ’04
U
Windsor alumnus Mark Cassar has a knack for combining the unexpected. As an
undergrad, he earned a dual bachelor’s degree in English literature and physics,
and then obtained a second joint degree in education and physics.
Today, as publisher,
Journals and Technical Publications,
for the American Institute of
Physics (AIP), he continues to break down barriers. “With the mission to disseminate
and advance physics research, AIP is eager to continually communicate research in new
ways and forge new connections between authors and readers,” says Cassar.
AIP is a not-for-profit membership corporation created for the purpose of
promoting the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of physics and its
application to human welfare.
Cassar is responsible for AIP journals and conference proceedings programs and
the planning, launch and management of new titles.The alumnus tracks and monitors
industry and scientific data and helped conceive of and create AIP’s first scientific social
networking site, UniPHY.org. He opened and now manages AIP’s Beijing office.
He joined AIP in 2005 as manager of Journal Development following two years as
a research associate at UWindsor.
Cassar is also a mentor with AuthorAID, a program that helps researchers in
developing countries to publish and promote their work.
MARK O’CONNELL
BComm ’94, MBA ’95
E
very time you take out your debit chip card to easily
and safely pay for your purchases through Interac, you
can thank UWindsor grad Mark O’Connell.
O’Connell is president and CEO at Interac
Association and Acxsys Corporation, which allow
Canadians to access their money through automated
banking machines and point-of-sale terminals across
Canada. In 2012, consumers carried out more than four
billion Interac transactions.
The organization’s portfolio of products also features
Cross Border Debit, which extends the availability of
Interac debit to Canadians at nearly two million point-of
sale locations in the US, and online products Interac Online and Interac e-Transfer.
In his quest to improve Interac technology, the UWindsor alumnus led the
development of new and enhanced payment products and fraud prevention solutions,
including the introduction of chip technology to the Canadian marketplace.
O’Connell made the news in 2010 for enabling debit payments at Tim Hortons
outlets. “About 10 percent of transactions under $20 in Canada are made at Tim
Hortons,” he said at the time and predicted, “Soon, you’ll be just waving your phone at
the drive through. No more digging for change.”
In March 2013, his company’s product, Mobile Interac Flash, made good on
that promise when the first Canadian Interac payment directly by cell phone was made
at a McDonald’s.
WILLIAM ALTENHOF
BASc ’95, MASc ’97, PhD ’99
D
r. William
Altenhof,
both a graduate
and an associate
professor at
the University
in mechanical
engineering, has
a reputation for
innovation.
His research
has helped develop
safer infant car seats with the goal to reduce the
number of infant injuries and deaths as a result
of automobile accidents. His contributions in the
area of child safety, supported by the AUTO21
Networks of Centres of Excellence, have resulted
in the creation of a number of devices and
systems to reduce injury to toddlers.
These innovations include load-limiting
anchors for child restraint seats to significantly
lower the potential for head or neck injury to
toddlers, and an optimized child restraint seat
anchor system to lessen lateral displacements of
child car seats (and the child occupant) in side
crashes, significantly reducing the potential for a
contact-related injury.
Altenhof has also integrated safety devices
from NASCAR and Formula 1 racing into child
safety systems, including a mini head and neck-
restraining device for children.
The UWindsor graduate is a winner of the
prestigious international Society of Automotive
Engineers Ralph R. Teetor Award, given to
those who demonstrate excellence in engineering
education.
