• As a naïve first year MSc student learning how to measure cardiac output during heavy upright dynamic exercise and manipulating blood volume – this was awesome in 1980!
• Providing physical plus physiological fitness assessments and training strategies to a variety of athlete groups, their coaches and parents: i) developing figure skaters such as Kurt Browning, Elvis Stojko, Brian Orser, Robert McCall, Tracy Wilson, etc ii) the Crazy Canucks Ski  Team ( eg Brian Stemmel, etc); iii) Women’s Soccer  Team  (these were the early days for Katherine Sinclair); iv) Canada’s Cricket Team; v) the men’s and women’s field hockey teams  and the synchronized swimming team;  vi) Toronto Maple Leafs vii) Toronto Argonauts Football Club; etc.
• In 1980, being invited by some of the international leaders in Physical Activity Research (Drs. Gledhill, Salmon, Quinney, Bouchard, Macphearson- oft referred to as the “Fitness Mafia”) to be part of one of the first organizations “the Ontario Fitness Appraisal and Accreditation Program (FACA)” for establishing best-practice competencies for the accreditation of front-line exercise professionals. This initiative had a significant impact on both university and college hirings plus curricula over the subsequent decades  and served as a model for other accreditation programs that are now available to front-line fitness professionals.
• In 1991, I had the privilege of meeting with Frank Bonnello who at that time was the head of NHL Central Scouting. Bonnello spent time with me in the Human Performance Laboratory learning about the effectiveness and relevance of select physical plus physiological fitness assessment protocols. This uniquely challenged me to translate knowledge of a meaningful applied practice to a person who had no sport physiology expertise but was a hockey expert.   Following that, the Human Performance Laboratory was invited to develop, coordinate and conduct the NHL Entry Draft Medical and Fitness Combine from 1992 -2014.  During this time many Fitness Certificate Stream undergraduate students plus MFSc, MSc and PhD graduate students benefited from participating in this unique opportunity.
• Being selected to be the Chief Doping Control Officer at the following events: 1989 World Squash Championships, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, 1990 Canadian National Synchro Championships, Etobicoke, Ontario, 1992 World Squash Championships, Hong Kong and 1993 IAAF Indoor World Track and Field Championships, SkyDome, Toronto;

Collectively, these and other experiences not listed have had a profound impact on my teaching, knowledge translation capacity, professionalism, ability to mentor others, research and publication success.

Accepting the invitation to work with the “Fitness Mafia” organizing and assisting at five very pivotal international conferences was to seize the opportunity and I am thrilled that I did:  i) 1988 The Internal Conference on Exercise Fitness and Health, Toronto;  ii) 1992 The International Conference in Physical Activity Fitness and Health, Toronto;  iii) 2001 Dose-Response Consensus Conference, Hockley Valley, Canada;  iv)  2007 International Conference on Physical Activity and Obesity in Children, Toronto; and  v)  2010 International Conference on Physical Activity and Public Health, Toronto.  The content of these conferences continues to influence research and curricula on the complex interaction between, physical activity, exercise, fitness and public health.  For each, I rounded up (interpret this as you wish) as many undergraduate students from the Certificate Program in Fitness Assessment and Exercise Counselling and as many graduate students from the Human Performance Laboratory and encourage them to join the party.  We happily and not so happily stuffed thousands of delegate bags and assisted wherever needed but in return we had the rare privilege of meeting in person and getting to know some of the most influential researchers in the area of physical activity/exercise sciences from this century. (eg Drs Astrand, Blair, Paffenberger, Gledhill, Quinney, Astrand, Shephard, Bouchard, McPhearson, Pate, Haskell, Skinner, Drinkwater, Ainsworth, Sallis, Dishman, etc).  It was the very first international conference in 1988 that left me with a strong impression as it was just before presentation platforms like Power Point were readily available and presenters were still using slide projectors.  The Fitness Mafia needed to address a minor oversight – they had no provisions for advancing the presenters slides.  What to do? What to do?    Ask Roni! So the Fitness Mafia approached me and asked if I would advance the slides for these world renowned researchers – I said sure and found myself backstage at the Metro Convention Center, perched on a 25 foot scaffold waiting to hear the cue “next slide please” and this I did for the duration of the international conference – it was quite a view and as a result I got to know very accomplished people.

The phrase “Seize the Moment” is precious.   Be willing to take advantage of opportunities whenever and wherever they present themselves because once the moment has passed the opportunity is lost!

Prior to my faculty appointment I was invited to assist in the development of the Undergraduate Certificate Program in Fitness Assessment and Exercise Counselling and the Master of Fitness Science (MFSc) graduate stream of courses plus practica.  I organized plus supervised the practica of undergraduate students in the Certificate Program and MFSc graduate students.

Subsequent to my faculty appointment I continue to advance the Certificate Program in Fitness Assessment and Exercise Counselling and the MFSc in addition to supervising MSc and PhD students. My current research is focused on: 1) the impact of applying different pre-screening exercise  blood pressure cut-points for physical activity participation clearance, 2) investigating the mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity in individual training adaptations and detraining consequent to the same and personalized training stimuli  3) establishing best practice competencies for qualified exercise professionals, 4) pre-screening strategies for unrestricted and restricted physical activity participation (PAR-Q Plus Collaboration www.eparmex.com);  5) establishing evidence-based physical activity prescriptions for persons with chronic diseases (eg diabetes),  and 6) establishing bona fide occupational physical/physiological fitness protocols for physically demanding occupations in conformity with court decisions and human rights requirements.

• York University Faculty of Health Early Career Research Award, 2011-2012
• Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, National Recognition Award for Outstanding Service to the Health and Fitness Program, November 2009.
• Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology; National Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Fitness Appraisal Certification and Accreditation Program. October 1996.
• Ontario Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Recognition Award for a Significant Contribution to the Field of Fitness Appraisal in the Province of Ontario. October 1994.