Board Of Advisors
Professor Pandurang Ashrit
Professor Ashrit is the Director of the Thin Films Research Group at the Université de Moncton which he joined in 1982. He holds a PhD in solid-state physics from Karnatak University in India and has worked at the forefront of this field for over 30 years. Professor Ashrit and his team provide manufacturing facilities for MTI's thin film technology prototyping and testing as well as advice on the research strategies of the Company.
Major-General Andreas Blanos (Rtd)
Major-General Blanos has been assigned in several Signal Corps units, also paying duties as Deputy Commander and Commander respectively, as well as Staff Officer in various Army Headquarters. He has served at NATO Allied Headquarters both inland and abroad (NDC-GR, NHQS) and has participated in International Organizations’ missions, such as EUMM. In 2005, he was assigned as the Hellenic Deputy Military Representative to the EU in Brussels. In March 2008, he was promoted to Brigadier General and in June, assumed the post of Director of the International Affairs Directorate at the Hellenic National Defense General Staff in Athens. Andreas retired in June 2011. Since October 2011 Major-General Blanos is the Company’s senior advisor on Security and Defense matters.
Professor Andrea Alù
Professor Alù received his Ph.D. in electronic engineering in 2007 from the University of Roma Tre, Italy. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the Universityof Pennsylvania, in 2009 he joined the faculty at UT Austin. Over the last few years, he has received several awards for his research work, including the OSAAdolph Lomb Medal (2013), the SPIE Early Career Investigator Award (2012), the URSI Issac Koga Gold Medal (2011), the NSF CAREER award (2010), the AFOSR (2010)and DTRA (2011) Young Investigator Award. Prof. Alù advises MTI’s research force a broad range of areas, including metamaterials and plasmonics, electromagnetictheory and applications, nanooptics and photonics, and acoustics.
Robert Turner
Mr. Turner, after serving 22 years with the RCMP in several Canadian Provinces, co-founded Scotia Premium Stamping, a manufacturer of parts for the automotive industry, which was subsequently sold to one of the world’s largest Stamping Companies in 1998. Mr. Turner owns and operates Steel Stallions Consultants Inc., a Business Development company specializing in (Aboriginal) Canadian First Nations as well as USA Tribal Business Development. Mr. Turner also owns and operates Corporate Options Inc., a Corporate Private Investigation firm specializing in Corporate Espionage, Fraud and Security training for high level managers. Mr. Turner is well known for his negotiations with Millbrook First Nation and the Federal Government regarding the Marshall Decision. Mr. Turner works with both Government and Industry alike and has worked on technology transfers from China, Taiwan, Russia, Austria, Germany and the USA in the fields of Seafood, Aerospace, Solar, Wind, Bio-Energy, Pharmaceuticals, Hospitality and Gaming.
Professor Felipe Chibante
Prof. Chibante has a wealth of experience in the research and commercialization of nanomaterials with the creation of four technology companies since 1994. As a serial entrepreneur, he has comprehensive experience in all elements of technology commercialization, such as intellectual property, international import/export, customer partnering, government support, and mentoring. His technical background is demonstrated in over 70 journal, conference and book publications with 7 patents. Prof. Chibante currently serves as the Currie Research Chair in Nanotechnology at University of New Brunswick as well as President of NanoTex Corporation based in Houston, TX and CEO of NanoNB Corp, Fredericton, Canada. He has on-going collaborations with Rice University, NASA, US Department of Defense and Laboratories in the US, Europe and Japan and is well connected within the Atlantic Canada business network.
Cameron S. McKinnon
Mr. McKinnon (Q.C.) is a graduate of Acadia University [BA.,1978] and The University of New Brunswick [LLB.,1985]. Mr. McKinnon practiced criminal law for 26 years at all levels of Court in Nova Scotia and has been a member of the Nova Scotia Barrister’s Society since 1986. He was a partner with the law firm of Burchell MacDougall in Truro, NS, until his gradual withdrawal from practice several years ago to pursue various business opportunities. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and was appointed as Queen’s Counsel in December2012. Mr. McKinnon has given various lectures in criminal law to community groups in Truro during his career.
Professor Vassilis Yannopapas
Professor Yannopapas is an expert in metamaterial technology, nanostructures and novel optical and photonic materials working with the Materials Science Department at the University of Patras in Greece. He is known worldwide for his pioneering work in the field of metamaterials and photonic structures. His academic work has received over 1,000 citations. Prof Yannopapas serves as a reviewer for the most prestigious institutes in the field, such as the American Physical Society, the American Institute of Physics and the Optical Society of America. His research on left-handed materials has been awarded the European Union Descartes Prize for Excellence in Scientific Collaborative Research and he has been involved both as a principal investigator and as a participant in numerous international collaborative projects in the field of materials science.
Using his expertise in the fields of metamaterials, optics and nanoscience, Prof. Yannopapas advises MTI's R&D team on the research strategies of the company.
Dr. Nadine Geddes
Dr. Geddes is the co-founder of MTI and an expert in the design and evaluation of technology. Having worked with the UK government amongst other research organizations and industries, she has a great deal of experience in user centered design, integrating continuous stakeholder involvement into the design process. Nadine brings to MTI a specialized background in human factors engineering and ergonomics which ensures end products meet the needs of all potential users.
Professor Emeritus Hans-Dieter Reidenbach
Professor Reidenbach is with the Cologne University of Applied Sciences in Germany, focusing on non-ionizing radiation protection, optical physiology and psychophysics, and the indirect effects from temporary blinding. He has authored four books and more than 200 publications. He is the head of the Research Laboratory for Medical Technology and Non-Ionizing Radiation, a member of the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), the secretary of the Working group for non-Ionizing Radiation (German-Swiss Radiation Protection Association), and a member of 'IEC TC 76 Optical radiation safety and laser equipment'.His research team measures the effects of lasers on the eyes in various possible configurations, and verifies that all of MTI's filtering products eliminate the health impact of lasers on humans.
Victoria-Alice Porter
Miss Porter is a business governance expert with a strong scientific background having been involved in the Research & Development, and the Test and Evaluation of several technologies at the UK's Defence, Evaluation Research Agency and subsequently QinetiQ. Her detailed knowledge of research and test protocols provides valuable expertise to the Company. Having held senior operational and functional management positions, she oversees MTI's internal operations.