2016 Medal Winners | francais

The 2016 CAP-INO Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Applied Photonics

is awarded to

Richard Boudreault

"It is a great honor to receive the 2016 CAP-INO Medal in Applied Photonics, as a professional physicist in biophotonics and photonic materials science, but also as an entrepreneur of many corporations involved in industrial applications of physics. I am all the more delighted by this honor from the Canadian Association of Physicists as it underlines many years of work for solving technological problems and making significant commercial products for both the market and society." winner quote

The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) and the Institut National d'Optique (INO) are pleased to announce that the 2016 CAP-INO Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Applied Photonics is awarded to Richard Boudreault, Chairman Polar Knowledge Canada, in recognition of for his impressive career and intellectual property portfolio, as well as direct contribution to the establishment of several companies based on photonics technologies, namely Orbite Aluminae (production of high-purity Al-oxide and rare-earth with world’s first clean technology) and ART (development of two imaging systems based on the TPSF technology - molecular imaging based on time-resolved fluorescence for small animal imaging, and NIR TPSF spectroscopic system for early breast cancer detection). announcement

A scientist with extensive experience in astrophysics and optics, Richard Boudreault has built his career applying his curiosity and creative problem-solving skills to developing and commercializing promising technologies. In his studies and early career, Richard worked with Dr. René Racine on the Ritchey-Chrétien telescope at Mt-Mégantic and Dr. Pim Fitzgerald in globular cluster astrophysics. He conceived numerous space-based optical instrumentations that were flown on spacecrafts by the NASA and the European Space Agency, and were instrumental in the development of the world's first time-domain laser imaging system to detect cancer. He also developed software for detecting and locating distressed pilots using Doppler shifts on emergency beacons. Richard’s diversity of experience extends to the advanced materials sector, where he developed methods for producing high-purity alumina; high-purity alumina is used in products like LEDs, lasers, and photonic crystals. Richard has returned to his roots in optics in his current role as Chairman of the Board at Anyon Systems, where he advises a team of young entrepreneurs developing a topological quantum computing system. Moreover, in his role as Executive Chairman of Sigma Energy Storage, he is at forefront of climate change challenge.

In addition to mentoring tech entrepreneurs, Richard has contributed to the development of future scientists by teaching at universities such as Université de Sherbrooke and Cornell University, as well as at visionary global education initiatives such as the International Space University. He appears regularly on national television and radio, where he provides technical insight and interpretation of science news for the general public, especially relating to aerospace.

Richard has a 37-year track record as an entrepreneur, C-level general and innovation manager, and an expert practitioner of corporate governance. He has held CEO, CRO, and top corporate finance positions in both large and small companies, across private and public sectors, and has sat on or chaired on more than 30 Board of Directors of private, public, non-profit, and governmental organizations. Additionally of being a Professional Physicist, he is also Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineers, of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute, of the International Academy of Astronautics and Associate Fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics. nominator citation

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