2023 CAP Medal and Award Winners
The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) and its medal partners are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 CAP medals.
The 2023 medalists have been invited to give a plenary lecture as part of the 2023 CAP Conference program, and to receive their medals at the Medalists' Recognition Dinner in Fredericton, NB on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Please refer to the
Congress-at-a-glance for the schedule of plenary lectures by the CAP medal winners. If any of the medalists are unable to attend the conference, their medal will be presented at another mutually agreed upon time or sent to them separately after the conference.
CRM
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Yanqin Wu , University of Toronto ,
in recognition of her outstanding and impactful contributions to our understanding of the evolution of planets and planetary systems.
"It's a great honour to be recognized by the biggest body of physicists in a country that has adopted me. It is also a recognition of our vibrant community of theoretical astrophysicists." view the press release
Kirkby
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Laura Pankratz , Government of Alberta ,
in recognition of her service to both the CAP and to Canadian society through her exemplary work in education and outreach.
"Receiving the Kirkby Memorial Medal is an honour and a humbling experience. I especially value how this recognition reinforces that the physics community in Canada includes people working in both high school and post-secondary contexts." view the press release
Industrial
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Michel L. Trudeau , Hydro-Quebec ,
in recognition of his innovative work in new materials development and detailed materials characterization which has resulted in advances in materials synthesis and analytical techniques. His creative and important contributions to industrial and applied physics will benefit the entire community, through the application of this knowledge to the development and understanding of industrial materials.
"I am extremely honoured to receive the 2023 CAP Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Industrial and Applied Physics. I believe it highlights the strong relation that exists between basic science, materials development and characterization and industrial applications. It is my hope that this recognition will inspire others to pursue research that bridges fundamental understanding with practical innovations. Lastly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have supported me throughout my career, with a special recognition to my wife whose unwavering belief in my abilities has consistently motivated me to surpass my own limitations." view the press release
Brockhouse
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Hae-Young Kee , University of Toronto ,
in recognition of her theoretical work in a variety of strongly correlated electron systems, particularly those in which spin-orbit coupling is important. Her work has emphasized identifying appropriate model Hamiltonians that have led to new insights and predictions. Her work on α-RuCl3 and novel phases arising from spin-orbit coupling in iridates has been particularly impactful.
"I am deeply honoured to receive the 2023 CAP Brockhouse medal, a remarkable recognition from the Canadian physics community. I am extremely grateful for the invaluable contributions of my talented students, postdoctoral fellows, collaborators, and colleagues, as well as the unwavering support of my friends and family." view the press release
Teaching
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Jason Harlow , University of Toronto ,
in recognition of his influence on undergraduate education in his department and involvement in Physics Education Research. Prof. Harlow is known as an inspiring instructor who encourages students to think independently, critically, and analytically.
"I’m extremely happy and honoured to receive this award. I wish to share the recognition with my talented teaching colleagues at the University of Toronto, a dedicated support staff, and so many amazing Graduate Teaching Assistants who are in the trenches every day, really connecting with the students." view the press release
Herzberg
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Joseph Maciejko , University of Alberta ,
in recognition of his leadership role and ground-breaking research on topological phases of matter.
"I am deeply honoured to receive the 2023 CAP Herzberg Medal. Topological and other exotic quantum materials are a striking example of how the physical world unexpectedly conceals beautiful mathematics. I feel privileged to contribute to this exciting field. I sincerely thank my nominators, my colleagues at Alberta, and my family for their support." view the press release
Achievement
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Robert Myers , Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics ,
in recognition of his ground-breaking research in quantum field theory and quantum gravity, and his central role in the founding of the Perimeter Institute.
"I’ve been lucky in my career to be able to follow my passion exploring fundamental physics and to work with great colleagues, postdocs and students. I’ve been doubly lucky to have the opportunity to help build the Perimeter Institute. I am honoured to be recognized by the CAP in this manner." view the press release
Vogt
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Paul Garrett , University of Guelph ,
in recognition of his recent demonstration that the collective excitations of nuclei in the cadmium region, previously understood to be text book examples of vibrations about a spherical shape, are better described as rotations of coexisting deformed shapes, and hence that spherical vibrational nuclei are either very rare or do not exist.
"I am incredibly honoured to have been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Vogt medal considering the strength of the Canadian subatomic physics community. I am especially grateful to my collaborators and talented team of students and post-doctoral researchers for their work and tireless efforts in our studies." view the press release
