McMaster honours its most distinguished grads

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For their outstanding contributions in the arts and sciences, McMaster's Alumni Association has recognized Leonard Blum and Rajendra Singh as recipients of the 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Established more than 15 years ago, the Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest form of recognition offered by the Alumni Association to its members.

Leonard Blum (B.A., 1975) is a well-recognized screenwriter, musician and newspaper columnist. He has written screenplays for numerous successful Hollywood motion pictures including Stripes, Beethoven's 2nd and Meatballs, which won him the Genie Award for Best Screenplay in 1980. Between 1998 and 2001, he wrote 132 weekly newspaper columns, entitled “Going to the Movies,” in the National Post. Sony Pictures is set to release a feature film of Blum's screenplay The Pink Panther, starring Steve Martin, in 2006.

Rajendra Singh (Ph.D, 1979) is known and respected throughout the semiconductor industry, playing a visionary role in the development of Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP). He has received numerous international honours and awards including the 2003 J.F. Gibbons award for outstanding contributions to the field of Rapid Thermal Processing. He is currently an Endowed Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the Center of Silicon Nanoelectronics at Clemson University.

The Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented at the fall Convocation ceremonies on Friday, November 18.