Schulich is proud to announce that Hjalmar Turesson, Adjunct Professor, Deloitte Data Scientist and Associate Director of the Master of Management in Artificial Intelligence (MMAI) Program, has been named the recipient of the 2024 John Peace Part-Time Award.

Julian Scott Yeomans, Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems and Director of Schulich’s MMAI Program, wrote a letter nominating Hjalmar for the award. In his letter, Professor Yeomans described Hjalmar as a “highly valued colleague who quietly and competently gives his very best to the MMAI and to his students every day.”

Professor Yeomans also noted the consistently strong teaching ratings Hjalmar has received during the time he has been an instructor at Schulich, and the state-of-the-art knowledge that he brings to the classroom – an incredible achievement given the rapid advances in AI over the past several years. He particularly lauded Hjalmar’s dedication to assisting students with their 8-month industry consulting projects – a mandatory component of the program in which students apply AI skills learned in the classroom to assist with real-world business needs – and pointed out that many of the students end up being hired by their host companies following graduation. Said Professor Yeomans: “This success would simply be impossible without Hjalmar.”

Congratulations to Hjalmar Turesson for winning this year’s John Peace award – a well deserved accomplishment for his outstanding teaching and numerous contributions to our School over many years.

The John Peace Part-Time Faculty Teaching Award was established in honour of John Peace, a dedicated part-time instructor at the Schulich School of Business from 1986 to 1996.  John, who taught business law and real estate courses, made valuable and significant contributions to the school until his passing.  In April 1996, the Policy Area posthumously nominated John for the Part-Time Faculty Teaching Award, and recognizing John’s exemplary teaching and service, it was proposed that the award be renamed in his memory, a suggestion that was warmly received and supported by then Area Coordinator, Jerry Dermer.  Consequently, the award was renamed the John Peace Part-Time Faculty Teaching Award, with the inaugural award presented to John’s widow and son at Convocation breakfast that year. Each year since, every area within the school is invited to nominate one outstanding part-time faculty member for this esteemed award, with the final selection made by the Dean in consultation with the Management Committee.