Donna Benito went home a winner again. The University of Saskatchewan associate professor received the “Outstanding Achievement in Mining Engineering Award” at the 2026 CIM Connect Awards. This is her third honor from the Canadian Institute of Mining, Minerals and Petroleum (CIM), following her receiving the Diversity and Inclusion Award in 2022 and being installed as a CIM Fellow in 2019.
The awards ceremony, held during the CIM Connect conference, brings together companies and mining professionals to celebrate “the brightest stars in the Canadian minerals industry.” Recognized as an industry standard achievement, the Functional Excellence Awards extend from recognition for safe driving to the ‘Indigenous Partnership’ and ‘Sustainable Development’ awards.
The Outstanding Achievement in Mining Engineering Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a significant contribution to the field during the previous year, through innovation or research.
Benito’s win is recognition of her continued leadership in mining education where preserving mining heritage is one of the pillars of her work. She is currently leading the effort to digitize historic CIM publications, helping to protect access to information for future generations.
Her conservation work also aligns with her recent work in which she has been involved The sacred story of mineralsA Canadian Mining Journal A series exploring everyday culture and human history.
In addition to Benito, more than 50 individuals and organizations were honored during the ceremony. The 2026 CIM Connect conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, attracted more than 7,400 participants.
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