By Fred Sgambati (’83)

Dr. Matthew Corkum (’06) is a meteorologist by trade, but is in many ways a force of nature himself.

Diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy at 18 months old, he knows what it’s like to need accommodation in an unaccommodating world. Such insight has fueled a determined and abiding advocacy, resulting in persistent volunteerism and public outreach to promote a message of awareness and inclusivity.

Passionate, thoughtful and energetic, his infectiously positive attitude fills every room he’s in and is, in large part, why he has garnered numerous professional and personal accolades, including the 2025 Acadia Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Simply put, Matt Corkum wants to create change. His dynamic personality and unique perspective are educational tools that help others to be better. Valedictorian of Acadia’s Class of 2006, Matt went on to earn a PhD in atmospheric science at York University and now works as head meteorologist for Dynasty Power Inc. in Calgary, AB. He is in charge of a team of four who forecast wind, solar and other weather events for all major power and natural gas markets in North America.

Matt not only knows how to track the weather, he also knows what it is like to be excluded, bullied, and discriminated against. Those experiences and more have led him to become a very active volunteer.

He served on the Business Council of Alberta Prosperity Advisory Committee. He also served five years on the City of Calgary Advisory Committee on Accessibility, which advises and recommends solutions to City Council on accessibility and disability. Since 2021, he has been an Advisory Committee Member for the Calgary Adapted Hub, an organization founded to make sport and recreation more inclusive for children, youth, and families living with disabilities that are physical, intellectual, sensory, developmental, or otherwise. Since 2022, he has served as a Board Member and a Director for Rocky Mountain Adaptive, a registered charity that provides multiple activity programs at subsidized cost to enable people of all ages with physical, developmental or cognitive impairments to participate, learn and excel in mountain sport and recreation activities.

Always up for a challenge, Matt is an avid downhill skier and cyclist. For the ski season of 2024-2025, he is an ambassador for Fernie Alpine Resort, which helps him combine his love for skiing and advocacy for those with disabilities in the same role. He was also chosen in 2023 as one of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue magazine for his advocacy and speaking on inclusion of those with disabilities. He regularly speaks at healthcare conferences and directly to businesses on how each can better include those with disabilities in their practices or company by using the message of solutions rather than excuses.

During his time at Acadia, Matt was an excellent student. He graduated with honours in physics and wrote a thesis on numerical modelling of ocean currents that was one of the highest quality theses in the Department of Physics over the last 22 years. His time at Acadia was marked by superior academic achievement and being an uplifting spirit to those around him. His intellectual curiosity and determination were evident then and have continued to shape his life and career ever since.

As considerable as these achievements are, they do not capture the person entirely. Matt is a warm and engaging individual whose passion for helping people see past disability and focus on the ability in everyone is his true superpower. He is funny, spontaneous and insightful, a natural storyteller who has a remarkable narrative to share.

“The Acadia Alumni Association is proud to add another commendation to Dr. Matt Corkum’s outstanding achievements by presenting him with this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award,” says Alumni Association President Christine Luckasavitch (’11). “His engaging personality and willingness to create discussion, enhance awareness, and promote inclusion around disability very strongly aligns with our Association’s commitment to equity and inclusivity. His message to see the ability in disability is powerful – and one we must take to heart.

“We applaud Dr. Corkum’s incredible commitment to effect change, share knowledge, and enhance social awareness. He is someone to whom we can all aspire, and we are honoured to recognize him as this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.”

The Acadia community will applaud Matt’s many accomplishments during the 2025 Acadia Alumni Awards Dinner on May 1 at Pier 21 in Halifax.