Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering
Awarded forContinued excellence and influence in research
CountryCanada
Presented byNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
EligibilityScientists or engineers working at a university, government or private laboratory
First awarded1991
Last awarded2022
Total31
Total recipients31
Websitehttps://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Prizes-Prix/Herzberg-Herzberg/Index-Index_eng.asp Edit this on Wikidata

The Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering is awarded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada to recognize "research contributions characterized by both excellence and influence."[1] Prior to 2000, NSERC had awarded the Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, before deciding to rename the award to honour Gerhard Herzberg, winner of the 1971 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.[2]

The Herzberg medal is commonly called Canada's top award for science and engineering.[2][3][4] It is an individual annual award that recognizes continued excellence and influence in research in either natural sciences or engineering.[5] The award is a gold medal, and the guarantee of $1 million over five years to use for personal research.[5]

About the award

NSERC's Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering was first awarded in 1991 to Raymond Lemieux, a chemist working at University of Alberta.[6] Mathematician James Arthur from the University of Toronto was the 1999 recipient,[7] the last year before the award was renamed in honour of Gerhard Herzberg, the winner of the 1971 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.[2] NSERC decided to rename the award after Herzberg because they felt he embodied the two main qualities of the award, namely research contributions that are of high quality and influential.[5]

The Herzberg medal is awarded to a scientist or engineer working at a facility in Canada. It is considered Canada's top award for science and engineering.[2][3][4] Eligible facilities include universities, government and private labs. Nominations can be submitted by any Canadian citizen or permanent resident. The winner is chosen by a selection committee representing different scientific disciplines, who make a recommendations to the current NSERC president.[8] The award consists of a gold medal, and the guarantee of at least $1 million to use for research or for establishing research chairs, fellowships or scholarships in the recipients' name.[5]

Recipients

Year Recipient[9] Affiliation Field
1991 Raymond Lemieux University of Alberta Chemistry
1992 William Fyfe The University of Western Ontario Earth Sciences
1993 Pierre Deslongchamps Université de Sherbrooke Chemistry
1994 Alan Davenport University of Western Ontario Civil Engineering
1995 Peter Hochachka University of British Columbia Zoology
1996 Stephen Hanessian Université de Montréal Chemistry
1997 Keith Brimacombe University of British Columbia Metallurgical Engineering
1998 Keith Ingold National Research Council Chemistry
1999 James Arthur University of Toronto Mathematics
2000 Howard Alper University of Ottawa Chemistry
2001 David Schindler University of Alberta Biology
2002 Tito Scaiano University of Ottawa Chemistry
2003 Arthur McDonald Queen's University Physics
2004 John P. Smol Queen's University Biology
2005 David Dolphin University of British Columbia Biochemistry
2006 Richard Bond University of Toronto Astrophysics
2007 John Polanyi University of Toronto Chemistry
2008 Paul Corkum University of Ottawa
National Research Council 		Physics
2009 Gilles Brassard Université de Montréal Computer Science
2010 Geoffrey Hinton University of Toronto Artificial Intelligence
2011 W. Richard Peltier University of Toronto Earth Sciences
2012 Stephen Cook University of Toronto Computer Sciences
2013 W. Ford Doolittle Dalhousie University Biochemistry
2014 No 2014 Medal[10] (Realignment - The prize is now attributed to the year in which it is announced)
2015 Axel Becke Dalhousie University Chemistry
2016 Victoria Kaspi McGill University Astrophysics
2017 Jeff Dahn Dalhousie University Physics
2018 Lewis E. Kay University of Toronto Biochemistry
2019 Barbara Sherwood Lollar University of Toronto Geology
2020 Molly Shoichet[11] University of Toronto Biomedical Engineering
2021 Sajeev John University of Toronto Physics
2022 Lenore Fahrig Carleton University Biology

Award of Excellence

From 2002 until 2009, three finalists were selected for the Herzberg Medal, and the winner selected from among them. The other two finalists (if it was their first time as a finalist) were awarded NSERC's Award of Excellence.[12]

See also

Canadian Association of Physicists#CAP Herzberg Medal

References

  1. ^ "NSERC - Gerhard Herzberg - About the Award". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  2. ^ a b c d "Finalists for Canada's Top Science Prize Announced". Ottawa: Canada News Wire. 2004-11-17. p. 1.
  3. ^ a b "Ottawa scientist honoured with $1M prize". Canadian Broadcast Corporation. 2009-03-17. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  4. ^ a b "Dr. Howard Alper Reappointed as Chair of the Science, Technology and Innovation Council". Exchange Magazine. 2010-12-20. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  5. ^ a b c d "NSERC - Gerhard Herzberg - About the Award". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  6. ^ "Past Winners". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  7. ^ "Past Winners". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  8. ^ "NSERC - Gerhard Herzberg - Call for nominations". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
  9. ^ "Past Winners". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  10. ^ "Past Winners". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  11. ^ "Current Winner". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  12. ^ "NSERC - Award of Excellence". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
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