Of physics and photons
On May 5, Mark Sutton, Rutherford Professor of Physics, was one of the recipients of the 2009 Arthur H. Compton Award along with Simon Mochrie (Yale University) and Gerhard Grübel (HASYLAB). The Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory feted the trio “for their pioneering efforts in x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS), which exploits the coherent properties of synchrotron x-rays to study the slow dynamics of condensed matter at short length scales.” Sutton has over 25 years of
experience as a synchrotron researcher, using high resolution X-rays to probe the time dependence of the structure of materials, at nanometer length scales and with time resolutions of fractions of a second.
Proud as a peacock
Don Francis, professor and Dawson Chair in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, has been awarded the Peacock’s Medal for outstanding contributions to the mineral sciences in Canada. The Peacock’s Medal, formerly the Past-Presidents’ Medal , is awarded by the Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC). The Medal is intended to recognize contributions in mineralogy, applied mineralogy, petrology, crystallography, geochemistry or the study of mineral deposits rather than in a narrow area of expertise.
Francis’ research explores the nature of the Earth’s upper mantle and the processes within it that give rise to document changes in the Earth’s mantle over time. He was part of a research team that recently discovered the world’s oldest rocks in northern Quebec. The Medal will be presented at the AGU/GAC/MAC meeting in Toronto, Ontario on May 26.
The Great Communicator
An entry by Michael Woloschuk, Communications Officer for the Faculty of Science, has won the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education Gold Prix d’Excellence in the “Best Fundraising Case Statement and Campaign Materials” category. The winning entry, entitled Science Matters, consists of 13 double-sided fact sheets that communicate, in plain English, the Faculty’s fundraising priorities to prospects and alumni.
Spinal research celebrated
Hugues Barbeau, a professor at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, was one of the co-recipients of the 2008 “Reeve-Irvine Research Medal.” The medal is awarded annually by the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at the University of California, Irvine to individuals who have made recent critical
contributions to promoting repair of the damaged spinal cord and recovery of function. The medal recognizes “the most meritorious science, a proven body of work that has withstood the test of time and scrutiny, as well as other enriching contributions to the field.” Barbeau uses neurosciences and clinical
approaches to examine the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying locomotion in both animals and subjects with spinal injuries.
And more award news …
Two graduates of McGill University’s Faculty of Law are among the 15 students who have been awarded a coveted Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship, one of Canada’s largest doctoral awards. Kathryn Chan, a graduate of McGill’s LLM program, will now undertake her doctoral work at McGill, exploring ways to modernize the law to better support or regulate voluntary and not-for-profit organizations in Canada, while Jonas-Sébastien Beaudry, who graduated from McGill’s integrated LLB/BCL program, will undertake his doctoral work at Harvard University, where he will examine social exclusion in Latin America with a view to promoting equality and better integration of various social groups. The annual $60,000 bursaries, for up to four years, subsidize tuition fees and living expenses and allow the Scholars to travel for research and scholarly networking and knowledge dissemination.
McGillians Nicholas Pang, who is graduating this year with a BA in Religious Studies, and Hilary Keachie, who graduated with a BA last year, are among eight Canadians chosen to be part of the inaugural group of Faiths Act Fellows. Sponsored by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, in collaboration with The Belinda Stronach Foundation and the Interfaith Youth Core, The Faiths Act Fellowship is comprised of young leaders of diverse faiths aged between 18 and 25 from the UK, US and Canada. Beginning in August 2009, they will embark on a 10-month journey of interfaith service. This youth leadership program was established to bring people of different faiths together to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, with a particular focus on ending deaths from malaria.