2026 Robert T. Hughes Memorial Awardee

The Robert T. Hughes Memorial Award was founded in 2015 to honor Mr. Hughes, who passed away in late 2014. Robert T. “Bob” Hughes joined the ACGIH Industrial Ventilation Committee in 1976. He served as its Chairperson for 11 years before stepping down in 2001, though he remained dedicated and active on the Committee until his death. This award was established by the ACGIH Board of Directors to recognize outstanding individuals in the field of industrial ventilation.

The 2026 Robert T. Hughes Memorial Award recipient is Gyan Shankar Rajhans, M.Sc. (Engineering), P.Eng. (Retired), CIH (Retired), ROH.

Gyan Rajhans was born in India and graduated from Ranchi University, India in 1963 with a BSc Degree in Mining Engineering. In 1964, he was awarded a fellowship for postgraduate studies in mining engineering at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada where he received his MSc (Engineering) Degree in 1966. Upon graduation, Gyan joined the Canada Department of Energy, Mines and Resources as a Scientific Officer responsible for research into mine ventilation.

In 1968, Gyan began working at the Ontario Department of Health as Supervisor of the Dust Control Section. From 1977 to 1987, Gyan was Chief, Occupational Health Engineering Services and in 1987, he became Principal Occupational Hygiene Advisor for the Ontario Ministry of Labour. Gyan retired from the Ministry in year 2000 after a distinguished career in public service.

During his employment with the Ontario Government, Gyan was responsible for planning, developing, evaluating and implementing occupational health standards; providing expert advice on complex occupational hygiene issues in order to develop strategic policy; coordinating special field projects related to occupational hygiene, particularly with respect to silica, asbestos, indoor-air quality, ventilation and respiratory protection.

Upon his retirement, Gyan became Senior Scientific Advisor and Senior Consultant with Resource Environmental Associates (REA), and in 2002, he formed his own company Gyan S. Rajhans & Associates, Inc.Gyan continues to work as an expert witness for litigations regarding silica and asbestos hazards.

Awards

In 1995, Gyan received the Amethyst Award for outstanding achievements by an Ontario Civil Servant in occupational health and safety and in 1997 he was the recipient of the Hugh Nelson Award for Excellence in Occupational Hygiene.

Gyan received Lifetime Achievement Award from OHS Canada Magazine for his work that demonstrated the link between carbon dioxide levels and indoor air quality, an indicator of inadequate fresh air supply, and the set of symptoms that characterize sick building syndrome.

Gyan became a member of the Southern Ontario Section of the AIHA in 1969 and was a Director of the Ontario Section between 1981 and 1983 just prior to the change to the Occupational Hygiene Association of Ontario (OHAO). He has been a member of several OHAO committees including the Education Committee (1980–1985) and the Local Conference Committees for both the 1971 and the 1999 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce) in Toronto as well as the 1987 AIHce in Montreal. Indeed, Gyan claims to hold a unique achievement in having attended every AIHce since 1971 until 2000.

During his career, Gyan has supported several professional associations. In 1970 he joined the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and in 1974 he became an active member of the Industrial Ventilation Committee and the Air Sampling Committee. Gyan was Vice-Chair of the Industrial Ventilation Committee from 1993 until 1995 and became Chair in 2002. He was also Chair of ACGIH in 1996–1997 and, in 2009, he received the ACGIH Meritorious Achievement Award for outstanding, long-term contributions to the field of occupational health and industrial hygiene.

Gyan was a member of the Editorial Board of the American Industrial Hygiene Journal between 1983 and 2000 and in 1989, he became a member of the Board of Directors of the American Board of Industrial Hygiene.

In 1987, Gyan represented the CRBOH at the formation meeting of the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) and was appointed Chair of the Ethics Committee. He was also a member of the organizing committees for Ventilation ’85 and Ventilation ’91 – the first and the third International Symposium on Ventilation for Contaminant Control. Also, between 1987 and 1995, Gyan was a part-time lecturer with the Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario, an Adjunct Professor with the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toronto and an Assistant Professor with the Department of Medicine and Biostatistics, University of Toronto. Gyan has published articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals since the early 1960s and is the author and co-author of several books and pamphlets covering asbestos, ventilation and respiratory protection.