kudos
Dean of Law Peter Leuprecht has been named by the United Nations as its special representative for human rights in Cambodia. In this capacity, Leuprecht will play an active role in the planned trials of former Khmer Rouge leaders charged with the deaths of more than one million Cambodians between 1975 and 1979.
Professor Amanda Vincent from the Department of Biology was awarded a Pew Fellowship, the world's top prize for marine conservation. Worth $150,000 U.S., the fellowship is presented by the American Pew Charitable Trusts. Vincent is regarded as the world's top authority on seahorses and her organization, Project Seahorse, is internationally active in conservation efforts aimed at protecting seahorses and other marine wildlife.
Professor Peter Brown, director of the McGill School of Environment, was recently named to the Science and Technology Advisory Board for Environment Canada.
Professor Avi Friedman from the School of Architecture was recently heralded as one of "Ten Who Will Change the Way We Live" by the slick design magazine Wallpaper. Friedman specializes in designing affordable homes that are flexible enough to accommodate the needs of different sorts of homebuyers.
Professor Alan Patten from the Department of Political Science earned the American Political Association's Foundations of Political Theory First Book Prize. Patten won the award for writing Hegel's Idea of Freedom.
Professor George Styan from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics was awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy from the University of Tempere in Finland in recognition of his "great scientific contributions and merits in mathematics and statistics and the promotion of research in the University of Tempere."
Professor emeritus William Grant from the Department of Plant Science received an honorary doctor of science degree from McMaster University in recognition of his career achievements.
Professor Vikram Bhatt from the School of Architecture is the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute's new vice-president (India office). The institute promotes understanding between Canada and India through a variety of academic activities. Bhatt is living in India for a year to take on the job and will use the opportunity to further his own research into low-cost housing.
Ms. Alexya Heelis, annual fund officer for the McGill Alumni Association/McGill Annual Fund, earned a Rising Star Award from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education, a group that organizes events and promotes excellence for university staff who work in fundraising, alumni relations, public relations, student recruitment and publications. The Rising Star Award is presented to professionals who have demonstrated outstanding potential early in their careers.
Mr. Daniel Chonchol, communications officer for Development and Alumni Relations, Ms. Susan Reid, director of Planned Gifts, and Ms. Cathy Robertson, annual fund and alumni relations coordinator for the McGill Alumni Association, earned a bronze medal from the CCAE's annual Prix d'Excellence in the category of best ad campaign for the "Gift of a Lifetime" bequest profile series.
Ms. Hélèna Katz, a freelance writer and Ms. Diana Grier Ayton, editor of the McGill News, won a bronze medal from the CCAE for best writing. The winning article, a profile of McGill graduate Twinkle Rudberg, appeared in the fall 1999 edition of the magazine.
Ms. Wendy Corn, associate director of the McGill Annual Fund, won a pair of CCAE awards over the summer, a gold for best event for the McGill Parents' Tent (shared with Chonchol) and a silver for best development program for the "Scratch and win" faculty and staff solicitation (shared with communications officer Ms.Vivian Lewin). For more information on Corn's award-winning work, please visit the July 2000 issue of the McGill Reporter (www.mcgill.ca/public/reporter/32/18/).
Dr. Michel Azouz from the Department of Diagnostic Radiology has been asked to organize the 2001 meeting of the International Skeletal Society in Quebec City. He will also chair the Quebec meeting's refresher course and is a member of the editorial board of the society's publication, Skeletal Radiology.