72 2020 NIL NISI OPTIMUM ALUMNI
NIL NISI OPTIMUM BY ANDREA HAHN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Nil Nisi Optimum (NNO) Alumni are selected from a multitude of decades and professions, and have brought great honour and pride to their alma mater. This year, three more alumni who have demonstrated notable accomplishments in leadership, service and dedication to their profession and community joined this prestigious group. This year’s notable alumni are all health care professionals, and by acknowledging their leadership, service and dedication, we extend our sincere gratitude to all those in the medical field providing hope and security during a global pandemic unlike anything our generation has experienced.
While my STS experience provided me with an exceptional education, it was much more than a purely academic experience.
DR. ALEX ASPINALL ’86 Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist, Clinical Assistant Professor
Like so many of our graduates, Dr. Alex Aspinall’s years at STS were a springboard to the rest of his life: chasing dreams, achieving career goals, and being a leader in his field. When looking back at his journey, the foundational building blocks have STS written all over them - from his first backcountry experience that bred a 35-year love of the outdoors; to the determination needed to ‘run the three fields twice’; to the dedication required to complete his first doctoral degree, a Ph.D. in Immunology. Subsequently completing his medical school training at the University of Calgary with an Internal Medicine Residency and Gastroenterology Fellowship, he continued with a subspecialty in Hepatology and Liver Transplantation at the University of Birmingham, UK.
Alex is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Calgary and has co-authored more than 30 research papers with particular interest in viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver diseases, and quality assurance in clinical outcomes. Recently, his medical expertise and training brought him into the front lines of the COVID-19 wards in Calgary. He was proud to be a part of the courageous team navigating unknown waters. He cites the bravery of the patients as an inspiration to him. “Some are fighting for their very lives,” he recalls. “I will never forget their eyes – the simple non-verbal communication conveys equal parts fear and gratitude.” Beyond grateful to his parents for the sacrifices made to send him and sister to STS, Alex knows he has been afforded extraordinary opportunities. Hard work, leadership training, quality mentorship, guided risk-taking and understanding the importance of perspective are some of the key pieces of STS infrastructure. They set up Alex for success and in turn, will also prepare the next generation of Aspinalls that attend our School.
