McGillians earn top government distinctions

Provost Anthony C. Masi appointed as a Knight in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; researchers Lavoie and Trocmé awarded partnership grants by SSHRC, and professors Knoppers and Habashi named to Ordre national du Québec.
Italian Ambassador to Canada Andrea Meloni (centre) with Provost Anthony Masi and Université de Montréal Anthropology Prof. Maria Rosaria Pandolfi, who were appointed Knights in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in a recent ceremony at the Ambassador’s residence in Gatineau, Que. / Photo courtesy of Paolo Siraco, L'Ora di Ottawa.

Masi receives top Italian government honour

Provost Anthony C. Masi was appointed as a Knight in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in a ceremony June 5 at the residence of the Italian Ambassador to Canada. Masi was recognized for his contribution to the support of research activities and to the strengthening of cooperation between Canadian and Italian academic institutions. The Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana is the highest honour and most senior order of the Republic. It is awarded in five degrees for “merit acquired by the nation” in the fields of literature, the arts, economy, public service, and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities and for long and conspicuous service in civilian and military careers.

Pair land SSHRC grants

Two McGill researchers were recently awarded large partnership grants by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Susanne Lajoie, of the Faculty of Education will receive close to $2.5 million over the next eight years to conduct research into how to develop technology-rich learning environments in a range of fields from medicine and psychology to history. The goal is to develop and test online learning environments to ensure that students from elementary school age to those in universities are not just learning, but are engaged in concrete problem solving.

Nico Trocmé, of the School of Social Work, will receive over $1.5 million over seven years to work with researchers, provincial service associations and direct service providers to gather and analyze information about the child protection services provided in Quebec to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. The goals of the research will be to both gather data about the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in youth protection services and to examine their trajectories within this system. The hope is that by gathering this information, researchers and social service agencies will be better equipped to develop policies to tackle some of the bigger issues.

 Knoppers, Habashi named to Ordre national du Québec

On May 31, McGill professors Bartha Maria Knoppers and Wagdi G. Habashi were named to the Ordre national du Québec, the highest distinction bestowed by the government of Quebec. Prof. Knoppers, Director of the Centre of Genomics and Policy, was named an Officer of the Order in recognition of her contributions in the field of health law and biomedical ethics. Habashi, Director of the Computational Fluid Dynamics Lab and an Engineering professor known internationally for his research in the area of in-flight aircraft icing, was named a Knight of the Order. The Ordre national is awarded annually by the Premier of Quebec to people who have contributed in exemplary fashion to the development of Quebec and to its reach regionally, nationally or internationally.