Thomas Tenkate Obituary, Death – On Thursday, August 1, Toronto Metropolitan University’s renowned director and associate professor, Dr. Thomas Tenkate, passed away. For the academic and professional communities he had a deep impact on throughout his career, his passing is a great loss.
From 2011 to 2020, Dr. Tenkate headed the School of Occupational and Public Health. From 2022 to 2023, he took on an acting role as the School of Early Childhood Studies’ director. His leadership made a lasting impact on the university, its students, and the advancement of its programs and research activities.
Dr. Tenkate was a respected member of the Queensland University of Technology School of Public Health in Australia prior to his employment at Toronto Metropolitan University. He made a decade of noteworthy contributions to the Queensland Department of Health before starting his academic career in 2003. His varied professional career included skills in risk management, management, education, occupational health and safety, and environmental health officer certifications. The University of Alabama in Birmingham is where he received his doctorate in public health.
In many professional circles, Dr. Tenkate was well-liked, most notably at Environmental Health Australia, where he was national president from 2009 to 2011 and held several executive posts. He provided consulting services on food safety, environmental health, occupational exposure assessment, and risk management to law firms, government organizations, senior living centers, and educational institutions.
His main areas of study were occupational and environmental risk assessment and management, with a focus on the health concerns associated with ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure in humans.
The legacy of Dr. Thomas Tenkate is one of creativity, hard work, and unflinching dedication to public health and safety. Future generations in the field will continue to be influenced and inspired by his achievements.