2015 NSERC Award Ceremony

His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, presented a series of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Awards during a ceremony at Rideau Hall.

The annual Synergy Awards for Innovation recognize examples of collaboration that stand as models of effective partnership between industry and colleges or universities. Seen here are the recipients of the Category 1: Small- and Medium-Sized Companies. From left to right: Mr. Manfred Gerber (Venmar CES Inc.); Minister Holder; Mr. Carey Simonson (University of Saskatchewan); the Governor General; Mr. Robert W. Besant (University of Saskatchewan); and Dr. B. Mario Pinto.

The recipients of the Synergy Awards for Innovation, Category 2, Large Companies. Top row, from left to right, Mr. Gord Macdonald (Diavik Diamond Mines Inc.); Mr. Richard Amos (Carleton University). Front row, from left to right: Minister Holder; Mr. David Blowes (University of Waterloo); the Governor General; Mr. Leslie Smith (University of British Columbia); Dr. Pinto.

The Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering recognizes outstanding Canadian teams of researchers from different disciplines who came together to engage in research drawing on their combined knowledge and skills, and produced a record of excellent achievements in the natural sciences and engineering in the last six years. Top row, from left to right: Mr. John Valliant (McMaster University); Mr. Michael Kovacs (Western University); Ms. Anna Celler (University of British Columbia); François Bénard (University of British Columbia). Front row, from left to right: Minister Holder, Mr. Paul Schaffer (TRIUMF); the Governor General; Mr. Thomas J. Ruth (TRIUMF); Dr. Pinto.

Up to six Steacie Fellowships are awarded annually to enhance the career development of outstanding and highly promising scientists and engineers who are faculty members of Canadian universities. Top row, from left to right: Mr. Wei Yu (University of Toronto); Mr. Aaron Wheeler (University of Toronto); Mr. Daniel Ansari (Western University); Mr. Jiangchuan Liu (Simon Fraser University). From left to right, front row: Minister Holder; Ms. Leah Cowen (University of Toronto); the Governor General; Mr. Steven J. Cooke (Carleton University); Dr. B. Mario Pinto.

The recipients of the Synergy Awards for Innovation, Category 3: Two or More Companies. Top row, from left to right: Mr. Robin Sinha (Natural Resources Canada); Mr. Luc Deslandes (Voith Hydro Inc.); Mr. Normand Désy (Andritz Hydro Canada Inc.); Mr. Michel Sabourin (CanmetENERGY). Front row, from left to right: Minister Holder; Ms. Claire Deschênes (Laval University); the Governor General; Ms. Anne-Marie Giroux (Hydro-Québec); Dr. Pinto.

NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for all Canadians. The agency supports almost 30 000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding approximately 12 000 professors every year, and fosters innovation by encouraging over 3 000 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects.

The Honourable Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology), delivered closing remarks.

Mr. Axel Becke (Dalhousie University) was awarded the NSERC Herzberg Medal is awarded annually for both the sustained excellence and overall influence of research work conducted in Canada in the natural sciences or engineering.

Mr. Chris Eliasmith (University of Waterloo) was awarded the NSERC John C. Polanyi Award honours an individual or team whose Canadian-based research has led to a recent outstanding advance in the natural sciences or engineering.

The Synergy Awards for Innovation, Categorie 4: Colleges was awarded to Mr. David Humphrey, Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology (in the photo) and Mr. Mark Surman of Mozilla Foundation.

Mr. Jérémy Leconte (University of Toronto) was received the NSERC Howard Alper Postdoctoral Prize awarded to the most outstanding candidate in NSERC’s postdoctoral fellowship competition.

Dr. B. Mario PINTO, President of NSERC delivered remarks and introduced each of the recipients. NSERC-funded researchers are honoured every year for a wide range of achievements that showcase the high caliber of talent and the innovative research taking place in Canadian universities and colleges.

The Governor General delivered a speech on this occasion: "While these awards celebrate achievement in the natural sciences and engineering research in Canada, I have no doubt that your work is on par with—if not better than—work done around the world. That’s why I think of these awards partly as an invitation to global recognition."

Ms. Kaylee Byers (University of British Columbia) and Rowan Cockett (University of British Columbia) received the NSERC Gilles Brassard Doctoral Prize for Interdisciplinary Research which is awarded to outstanding recipients of an NSERC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship who best exemplify interdisciplinary research. From left to right: the Honourable Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology); Ms. Byers; the Governor General, Mr. Cockett; Dr. Pinto. research.