- Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Order of Canada
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Companion of the Order of Canada
- Awarded on: November 19, 2015
- Invested on: May 13, 2016
For his eminent contributions to particle physics, which have broadened our understanding of the universe and brought renown to Canadian science.
This is a promotion within the Order.
Thanks to Arthur McDonald, we have solved one of the mysteries of our solar system. In what is now a Nobel Prize-winning breakthrough accomplished two kilometres underground at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, he steered a major experiment that conclusively demonstrated that a class of solar particles undergoes transformation on its way to Earth. This finding has shed light on the very nature of matter in our universe, and spawned a range of new particle physics research. Also a professor emeritus at QueenÆs University, he has been a prominent ambassador of Canadian science through his service on advisory committees and as a keynote speaker at conferences the world over. -
Officer of the Order of Canada
- Awarded on: October 5, 2006
- Invested on: April 11, 2008
An eminent scientist and administrator, Arthur McDonald has greatly contributed to the physics community and to Canada's reputation for excellence. A former professor at Princeton University, he joined Queen's University in 1989, and was instrumental in spearheading an international research project studying tiny particles emitted from the sun. At the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, where he is director, researchers found that neutrinos changed into different varieties on their way to earth. Hailed as one of the world's top scientific breakthroughs in recent years, the finding has changed the laws of physics and provided remarkable insight into the structure of the universe. Over the years, several scientific institutions and organizations have benefited from his valuable guidance.