“Let’s celebrate and let’s get back to work tomorrow,” said James McGill Professor and Bravo keynote speaker Michel L. Tremblay. “There is so much more to understand, discover, and celebrate.”
Prof. Tremblay of the Department of Biochemistry was among 105 laureates celebrated at the Bravo gala on March 15, an event honouring McGill researchers and scholars across disciplines who won special awards, memberships, and prizes during the preceding year. In 2017, Prof. Tremblay received the McLaughlin Medal from the Royal Society of Canada for important research of sustained excellence in medical science. His research contributions have changed the way the world understands a broad spectrum of diseases and conditions affecting Canadians and people worldwide.
Among those also celebrated, James McGill Professor and Director of the Institute for Human Development and Well-Being (IHDW), Claudia Mitchell, who received the prestigious Pierre Elliott Trudeau Research Fellowship for her work connecting young women and girls across borders through visual communication to help prevent sexual violence and promote well-being. Professor Isabelle Daunais of the département de langue et littérature française, was applauded for receiving the 2017 Acfas André-Laurendeau prize, for her role in reshaping the way readers think about and use literature. Professor Francisco Ruge-Murcia of the Department of Economics was commended for receiving the 2017 Bank of Canada Fellowship Award for his use of advanced research methods on the topics of extreme events for monetary policy and financial markets, and on central bank decision making.
The gala, hosted annually by McGill’s Vice-Principal of Research and Innovation, welcomed approximately 230 guests, including researchers and their families and friends, faculty members, students, as well as members of McGill’s academic leadership.
Principal Suzanne Fortier delivered words of welcome at the gala, thanking laureates for their commitment to excellence and for sharing their message with the public about why investment in fundamental research matters: “Tonight, we pause and say thank you to the researchers and educators whose commitment to their work is a shining example of the importance of research for Canada and the world.”
In her opening remarks, Martha Crago, Vice Principal (Research and Innovation) reflected on the importance of recognizing McGill’s research excellence and collaboration within the research community: “Thank you for all that you do throughout the year to create new knowledge through innovative research at McGill. Your research makes a difference in the lives of all Canadians as well as those of people around the world. This is a truly special night for our community, and it is through our collaborative efforts that we find ourselves here.”
During the ceremony, Louis Arseneault, Vice-Principal (Communications and External Relations), announced the recipients of the Principal’s Prize for Public Engagement through Media and was joined by Principal Fortier in congratulating the prizewinners. The winners of the prize included postdoctoral researcher Tina Gruosso of the Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Professor Catherine Potvin of the Department of Biology, and PhD student Vanessa Sung of the Department of Biochemistry. Professor Karl Moore of the Desautels Faculty of Management and Professor Joe Schwarcz of the Department of Chemistry, were awarded the Principal’s Prize for Public Engagement through Media – Outstanding Achievement.
A short video was screened featuring four researchers speaking about the positive impact of prizes and awards on their work and about the importance of recognition at McGill University. The highlighted researchers included: Professor Henri Darmon of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, recipient of the CRM-Fields-PIMS Prize and the Frank Nelson Cole Prize in Number Theory; Dr. Morag Park of the Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, inductee into the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and recipient of the Canadian Cancer Society’s Robert L. Noble Prize; Professor Tomislav Friščić of the Department of Chemistry, recipient of the E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship; and Professor Juliet Johnson of the Department of Political Science, recipient of the Canadian Political Science Association Prize in International Relations, the Davis Center Book Prize in Political and Social Studies, the Ed A Hewett Book Prize, and the Marshall Shulman Book Prize.
Read the full list of the laureates of Bravo 2018 online
