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Duncan Blewett was born in Edmonton, Alberta on October 28, 1920. After fighting in World War II, Blewett, along with other young veterans, was offered the choice of a lump sum payment or a free education as compensation for their time given to the war. Blewett chose to pursue an education in psychology. He received his BA from the University of British Columbia in 1947 and his MA from the same institution in 1950.

Blewett went on to earn his PhD in one and a half years at the University of London with renowned psychologist Hans Eysenck. He later taught at the University of Illinois which was headed by noted psychologist Raymond Cattell, before the government of Saskatchewan recruited Blewett to be chief psychologist of the province in the 1950s.

Blewett was pivotal in pioneering psychedelic research. In 1959 along with Nicholas Chwelos, he co-authored Handbook for the Therapeutic Use of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide- 25(LSD): Individual and Group Procedures. Blewett became instrumental in advancing LSD treatment programs as therapy for schizophrenics and alcoholics in Saskatchewan.

In 1961, he was hired by the University of Saskatchewan Regina Campus to develop psychology as a discipline at the rapidly growing institution. Here he founded the Department of Psychology. Blewett would also be a founder of the Saskatchewan Psychological Association. During this time he joined the world-renowned University of Saskatchewan research team at the Saskatchewan Hospital in Weyburn and worked beside such notable researchers as biochemist and psychiatrist Abram Hoffer, and project coordinator Humphry Osmond (who coined the word “psychedelic” in a letter to his friend Aldous Huxley).

Blewett retired from the University of Regina in 1986 and moved to Gabriola Island, B.C. after nearly three decades of dynamic research and teaching. Throughout his career Blewett wrote many books and publications that continue to influence the field of psychology today. His early work has been the subject of at least three documentaries, and a fourth was created around his March 24, 2007 memorial on Gabriola Island, B.C.

Blewett died on February 24, 2007. The Duncan Blewett Memorial Psychadelic Research Fund was created by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psycedelic Studies (MAPS) in his honour.

William Clifford Blight was born in Oakville, Manitoba in 1908 to parents George and Isabella Blight. He married Elizabeth A. Chaytor in December 1933.

After attending the Brandon Normal School, Blight obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of Manitoba in 1940 and a Masters degree of Science in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin in 1952.

He began his teaching career in rural schools in Manitoba from 1928 to 1937, including a new position as Assistant Principal in the Village of Isabella in the Municipal School District of Miniota where he was also able to teach high school classes. During the Second World War he served as an armament instructor with the Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Blight was employed at the University of Regina (succesor to Regina College, and the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus) from 1945 to 1974. In 1945 he started work as an instructor in mathematics, as Assistant to the Dean in 1952 to 1959; Assistant to Registrar and Registrar at Regina College/Campus, from 1959 to 1969; Regina Campus Secretary from 1967 to 1973; and Registrar Emeritus beginning in 1974. He served on numerous committees and assisted in developing the institution’s academic program.

Blight passed away in October 1994.

John (Jack) A. Boan became a faculty member at the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus in 1962, and a full professor in 1969. Prior to 1962 he worked for the federal government in several capacities: as an economist with the federal Department of Agriculture from 1949 to 1956; for the Defense Research Board from 1956 to 1960; in the Economics Division of the Department of Northern Affairs and Natural Resources from 1960 to 1961; and as a member of the Research Staff of the Royal Commission on Health Services from 1961 to 1964 with leave of absence for educational purposes for parts of some years.

His service activities range widely from local concerns on the quality of television broadcasting to United Way and Miles for Millions fund-raising campaigns. One of his closest interests is International Development and Resource management. His committee work in this area shows a desire to address the problems of both development and underdevelopment, problems about which, as an economist, he is aware. Firm in the conviction that education will redress some of the wrongs and inequities of these international situations, he has done much work for agencies which promote general education in underdeveloped regions of the world, and awareness about effective stewardship in the developed regions. He and some others including Robert McLaren founded the University of Regina Group for Refugees (U.R.G.R.) in 1979-80. To all of this can be added extensive participation in committees dealing with the administration of both his particular academic division and the University itself.