McGill has bestowed internal recognition awards on three cohorts of McGill professors. Nine senior scholars received James McGill Professor (JMP) awards. Eighteen tenure-track assistant or associate professors received William Dawson Scholar (WDS) awards, seven of whom were renewed for a second five-year term. Sixteen scholars became Distinguished James McGill Professors (DJMP) – McGill’s highest honour – awarded to late-career scholars whose work exemplifies excellence and international leadership.
“McGill’s Distinguished Professorships acknowledge our researchers who exemplify the highest standards of academic excellence,” said Christopher Manfredi, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic). “I am honoured to congratulate the 43 recipients of the WDS, JMP and DJMP awards. Their invaluable contributions to the advancement of knowledge and the enrichment of our community are truly commendable and deserving of this recognition.”
Both the JMP and WDS awards come with an annual salary supplement and an annual research allowance not exceeding $25,000. The Distinguished James McGill Professor award provides for a $10,000 academic stipend or a $15,000 research grant allowance. To be considered for a DJMP, recipients must have held a James McGill Professorship for two seven-year terms while maintaining an outstanding research record, or have held a Canada Research Chairs (Tier 1) for two seven-year terms. DJMP awardees hold the distinction until retirement, and those granted Emeritus status retain the title.
Improving health and healthcare
Among the recipients of the Distinguished James McGill Professor awards, there is notable representation from researchers within McGill’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Eduardo Franco’s expertise in HPV-related cancers and prevention strategies has played a pivotal role in shaping public health policies and positively impacted the lives of many individuals affected by cancer.
In addition to leading vital research on improving outcomes for people with disabling health conditions, Nancy Mayo is an inspiring entrepreneur, whose company PhysioBiometrics develops accessible innovations for patients with movement and posture vulnerabilities.
Nahum Sonenberg’s ground-breaking contributions in the study of protein synthesis and cellular signaling pathways has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of molecular biology and its implications in various fields, including in the study of cancer, diabetes, autism, and fragile X syndrome, among other diseases. The development of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 was reliant, in part, on the fundamental science conducted by Sonenberg in these areas.
From philosophy to invasive species
The James McGill Professor awardees in 2023 include Philosophy Professor Alia Al-Saji, whose work brings together and critically engages 20th-century phenomenology and French philosophy, as well as critical race, decolonial, and feminist philosophies.
René Provost teaches and conducts research in public international law, international human rights law, legal theory, and legal anthropology and was the founding director of McGill’s Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism.
Together with his lab students, Anthony Ricciardi examines why some of the earth’s species are better invaders than others, why some cause greater impacts, and why some ecosystems are more vulnerable to invasion.
Neuroimaging and musicology
Among the newly appointed William Dawson Scholar awardees is Udunna Anazodo, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and a member of the Neuroimaging and Neuroinformatics research group at The Neuro. She directs the Africa Neuroimaging Archive (AfNiA), a project seeking to bring together key opinion leaders in imaging data science and experts in African health care delivery to enable the formulation of policy and regulatory frameworks for discovery and implementation of AI imaging innovations in Africa.
Dorian Bandy is a musicologist and performer specializing in the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries. This year, Brandy will conduct and co-produce the North American debut of a long-lost opera by renowned composer Joseph Haydn together with faculty of the University of Toronto – which will include cast and crew from both universities.
The 2023 JMP, WDS and DJMP cohort:
Distinguished James McGill Professors – 16 honourees:
- Marco Amabili, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Douglas Arnold, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery
- Russell Davidson, Department of Economics
- Alan Evans, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery
- William Foulkes, Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Departments of Medicine and Human Genetics
- Eduardo Franco, Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology
- Nancy Heath, Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology
- Steven Huebner, Department of Music Research
- Nancy Mayo, Department of Medicine and School of Physical & Occupational Therapy
- Jeffrey Mogil, Department of Psychology
- William Muller, Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry, and the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute
- Vijaya Raghavan, Department of Bioresource
- Alejandro Rey, Department of Chemical Engineering
- Bernard Robaire, Departments of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Nahum Sonenberg, Department of Biochemistry and the Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute
- Wayne Sossin, Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Anatomy & Cell Biology
James McGill Professors – 9 honourees:
- Alia Al-Saji, Department of Philosophy
- Carlos Fraenkel, Departments of Jewish Studies and Philosophy
- Yann Joly, Department of Human Genetics
- Alex Maloney, Department of Physics
- Krista Muis, Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology
- René Provost, Faculty of Law
- Anthony Ricciardi, Redpath Museum and Bieler School of Environment
- Edward Ruthazer, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery
- Nathan Spreng, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery
William Dawson Scholars – 18 honourees:
- Udunna Anazodo, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery
- Dorian Bandy, Departments of Music Research and Music Performance
- Julia Burnier, Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology and Department of Pathology
- Igor Cestari, Institute of Parasitology
- Tyler Churchward-Venne, Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education
- Peter Douglas, Department of Earth & Planetary Science
- Kristian Filion, Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Occupational Health
- James Forbes, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Robert Hasegawa, Department of Music Research
- Kristy Ironside, Department of History & Classical Studies
- Arkady Khoutorsky, Department of Anesthesia and Faculty of Dental Medicine & Oral Health Sciences
- Rachel Langevin, Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology
- Jinhyuk Lee, Department of Mining & Materials Engineering
- Timothy O’Donnell, Department of Linguistics
- Natalie Reznikov, Department of Bioengineering
- Paul Sabatini, Department of Medicine
- Jun Song, Department of Mining & Materials Engineering
- Lijun Sun, Department of Civil Engineering
A current listing of all DJMP, JMP and WDS awardees: