The University of Ottawa invites members of the media to join more than 7,241 graduating students, eight exceptional honorary doctorate recipients and the University community to celebrate 2017 Spring Convocation.
Can’t make it? Tune into the ceremonies on Facebook Live and follow along on social media: @uOttawa and #uOgrad.
WHAT: 2017 Spring Convocation
WHERE: Shaw Centre, Canada Hall (55 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa)
WHEN: From Saturday, June 17 to Wednesday June 21, 2017
Eight luminaries will be awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Ottawa in recognition of their extraordinary contributions in their fields:
- Dany Laferrière’s first novel, How to Make Love to a Negro (Without Getting Tired), launched him as one of the most prominent representatives of a new generation of Quebecois writers.
- David Ross, CEO of Ross Video, has successfully blended engineering and business to epitomize the entrepreneurial spirit.
- Dennis Liotta has helped to transform HIV/AIDS from a death sentence into a chronic infection, allowing patients to live near-normal lives.
- Mary Anne White’s research on energetics and the thermal properties of materials have led to advances in energy scavenging and storage, and materials that change colour with temperature for erasable printing.
- Lakhdar Brahimi has worked to resolve conflicts in some of the world’s most troubled regions.
- Sonia Nieto is widely acknowledged as one of the most important international voices for cultural openness and bilingual learning.
- Edward Shortliffe created the medical expert system known as MYCIN, and was one of the first to imagine the disruptive-yet-lifesaving potential of applying artificial intelligence to medical science.
- Louise Otis spearheaded the introduction of one of the world’s first judicial mediation programs, which has since been adopted by all courts and tribunals in Quebec.
- Short biographies and photos
Ceremonies
Saturday, June 17
2:30 p.m.: Faculty of Health Sciences I
- Dennis Liotta
7:00 p.m.: Faculty of Health Sciences II, Faculty of Medicine
- Dennis Liotta
Sunday, June 18
9:30 a.m.: Faculty of Social Sciences I
- Lakhdar Brahimi
2:30 p.m.: Faculty of Social Sciences II
- Lakhdar Brahimi
7:00 p.m.: Faculty of Social Sciences III
Monday, June 19
9:30 a.m.: Faculty of Arts I
- Dany Laferrière
2:30 p.m.: Faculty of Arts II
- Dany Laferrière
7:00 p.m.: Faculty of Science
- Mary Anne White
Tuesday, June 20
9:30 a.m.: Faculty of Engineering I
- David Ross
2:30 p.m.: Faculty of Engineering II
- David Ross
7:00 p.m.: Faculty of Education
- Sonia Nieto
Wednesday, June 21
2:30 p.m.: Telfer School of Management
- Edward Shortliffe
7:00 p.m.: Faculty of Law
- Louise Otis
Media inquiries:
Isabelle Mailloux-Pulkinghorn
Manager (acting), Media Relations
613-240-0275