Going the extra mile: Daniel Leznoff

Daniel (Danny) Leznoff has been a dedicated member of the SFU community for more than 25 years. Along with his research and teaching, he has served on the SFU Board of Governors, is a member of the SFU Senate, and remains a long-time donor. In 2024, he established an endowment for a lecture series about chemistry and society for the general public. 

What specifically motivated you to support SFU?

When I was a young assistant professor, there was a very generous matching opportunity for new donations. That was very encouraging and was what really got me started. When I considered what to support, I wanted to try and target a non-traditional area that I am passionate about, and one where I could help more than a small select number of students. Supporting science outreach and demonstration/display infrastructure means I can have a broader impact and help bring science knowledge and awareness to more people.

Why do you believe it's important to support SFU and, more broadly, higher education in Canada?

The value of a university education should be obvious but isn't necessarily these days. There's lots of misinformation, lots of disinformation, lots of ‘what do I need a degree for?’ Higher education is important, worldwide access is important, and quality and standards are important. If I'm going to spend my life at the university, then it's not enough to just believe in it. You should show that you do by highlighting why you find it is critical to you, and defend the aspects of the university that you think are so important to society. Giving money and support is part of that. It's quite holistic. To me, it’s almost a character thing.

What would you say to encourage your SFU colleagues to give back?

I would encourage my colleagues to find something that inspires and interests them to support at the school and then do it. Doing it through payroll is easy, it's painless—and it’s tax deductible! It doesn't have to be a lot at first—you just have to get started!