|
|
Microsoft Canada Co. Announces Winners of the 3rd Annual TechNet Canada Innovation Awards
and 2nd Annual MSDN Code Awards |
May 5, 2008 |
Selected by the Canadian IT Pro community, winners are chosen based on their technological achievement, contributions to the community, and all-round passion for IT
MISSISSAUGA, ON – May 1, 2008 – Microsoft Canada Co. today announced the winners of the third annual TechNet Canada Innovation Awards and second annual MSDN Code Awards. The TechNet Canada Innovation awards recognize IT professionals who have used Microsoft-based software to make a positive impact on their organization or community, while the MSDN Code Awards recognize the very best in software development. The winners will be celebrated at Microsoft Canada's Energize IT event taking place on May 24th, 2008 at the Toronto Congress Centre in Toronto (www.energizeit.ca).
"We recognize that across Canada IT heroes are hard at work developing solutions to help businesses and consumers be more productive. These award programs are designed to help recognize and reward IT professionals for the innovative work they do," said Dottie Horne, manager of IT pro marketing, Microsoft Canada.
This year's winners include:
TechNet Innovation Awards:
• Team Category: Awarded to Yong Hu, Senior Solutions Architect, Navantis, and his team who developed and implemented Canada's first Critical Care Information System.
• Individual Category: Awarded to Kurtis Kril, Senior Technology Specialist, TELUS, for his work upgrading a Web single sign-on solution for his client, Finning International Inc., the world's largest dealer of construction equipment from Caterpillar.
MSDN Code Awards:
• Team Category: Awarded to Sam Zaid, chief operating officer, Apption Software, and his team who used advanced service oriented architecture (SOA) design and the Microsoft .NET 3.0 Framework to help build a case management system for the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC).
• Individual Category: Awarded to Alexei Kouznetsov, research assistant, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, who used Microsoft-based software development tools to create a software tool that helps automate the prognosis and diagnosis of cancer from histology specimens.
TechNet Award Team Winner: Yong Hu and team, Navantis
In May 2006 the Ontario Ministry of Health announced a $90-million investment in critical care access across the province. An important part of that mandate was to better connect the intensive care units of the province's 120 hospitals. Navantis, a provider of IT services, was asked to build Canada's first Critical Care Information System (CCIS) to help improve utilization, and help increase the accessibility of care to the critically ill. Under the leadership of senior solutions architect Yong Hu, the team from Navantis built CCIS in just seven months by taking advantage of the Microsoft .NET 2.0 Framework, Microsoft BizTalk® Server 2006, Microsoft BizTalk Accelerator for Health Level 7 (HL7) messaging standard and Active Directory® Federation Service (ADFS) in Windows Server® 2003 R2.
"I'm tremendously proud of my team. In a very short period of time we created a business process management (BPM) solution that allows critical care providers to have real-time bed, staffing and equipment utilization data. Our solution came in on time and on budget and is now helping to save money that can be reallocated towards providing better patient care," said Hu, Senior Solutions Architect, Navantis.
TechNet Award Individual Winner: Kurtis Kril, TELUS
Finning (Canada), a division of Finning International Inc., the world's largest dealer of Caterpillar equipment, needed to upgrade its Web single sign-on implementation. Kurtis Kril, senior technology specialist, TELUS, recommended migrating to ADFS. The new Microsoft-based solution integrated easily with Finning's existing Microsoft-based infrastructure and it helped reduce ongoing support and maintenance costs and has provided Finning with the flexibility to easily roll out new web applications. In addition, the company is now able to share access to applications with customers and partners without the need to create separate user names and passwords.
"It's very satisfying to know that through hard work, a strong client relationship and innovative Microsoft-based technology, I've been able to provide our client with a new, simplified single sign-on solution," said Kril.
MSDN Code Award Team Winner: Sam Zaid and team, Apption Software
The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) handles up to 50,000 inquiries each year, each initiating an investigative workflow that can take months to complete. CHRC's previous Case Management System was difficult to maintain, cumbersome and did not integrate with newer enterprise systems. Leveraging their expertise in SOA, the team from Apption Software created the new Case, Audit and Initiative Management System (CAIMS) integrating end-to-end systems and processes. The application includes case management, contact management, document generation, meeting scheduling and operational and performance reporting features. In order to ensure a high level of flexibility while still rapidly delivering the required features, Apption designed the system based on SOA principles leveraging the new features of Microsoft .NET 3.0 Framework.
"It gives us great satisfaction to know that CHRC employees now have a system that is easier to use, accessible remotely and that provides them with visual flow charts to make business processes easier to follow. This project also marks one of the first implementation of SOA using the .NET 3.0 Framework for the Government of Canada," said Sam Zaid, chief operating officer, Apption Software.
MSDN Code Award Individual Winner: Alexei Kouznetzov, Tom Baker Cancer Centre
On the basis of current mortality rates, approximately one out of every four Canadians will die from cancer (Canadian Cancer Statistics, 2008). Cancer pathologists assess the grade of a tumour by examining tissue taken during a biopsy. This information is critical in determining a patient's prognosis and course of treatment. Researchers at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary Alberta are working to create quantitative, reproducible and automated methods for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer from these specimens, which will help combat the shortage of cancer pathologists and the potential for inconsistencies in assessments. Software developer Alexei Kouznetzov created an easy-to -use software based on Microsoft SQL Server® 2005 database software,.NET 2.0 and .NET 3.0 Framework and Visual C#® 2005 development tool. The new tool has the potential to provide significant value for pathologists.
"This project highlights how Canadian software developers are contributing through the use of Microsoft-based software. As a result, future cancer patients across Canada may have the potential for faster, more accurate and consistent diagnosis to help receive the best cancer treatment possible," said Kouznetzov.
-30-
About the Awards
From an initial group consisting of hundreds of nominations, a panel of judges selected the top five candidates for each prestigious award. The candidates were then featured in the TechNet Flash and MSDN Flash newsletters and on the TechNet Canada Web site and MSDN Canada website where the IT community voted for its favourite IT professional and developer. Each candidate's submission was judged on: community impact; use of Microsoft-based technology; the solution implemented; technical expertise required and demonstrated level of passion. Team winners receive $4,000 along with $1,000 to donate to the charity of their choice. Individual winners receive $2,000 along with $1,000 to donate to the charity of their choice.
To learn more about the TechNet and MSDN Awards, please visit www.microsoft.ca/technet/innovationawards and msdn.microsoft.ca/codeawards. Registration information for the next round of nominations is available by signing up for TechNet Flash at www.microsoft.ca/technet/flash and the MSDN Flash at msdn.microsoft.ca/flash .
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For more information on Microsoft Canada, please visit www.microsoft.ca
|
|
|
| Top 300 Issue |
 
|
| Gadget of the Week (Canadian) |
|
Nav, with 3D maps
Navigon 7100
All GPS devices perform the same basic functions: supplying turn-by-turn directions and highlighting area restaurants, hotels, etc. So selecting your device comes down to deciding which extra features matter to you.
more>>
|
| Gadget of the Week (Japanese) |
Sounds of Japan
Why record just the visual when you can capture the sounds as well.
more>> |
| Backblog RSS feed |
Click to subscribe  |
|
sponsored by 
