Highlights
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Shining Bright: NRC Cluster, Researcher and Spin-Off Company Earn Awards
On April 19, 2006, Ottawa's economic development agency, the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI) honoured the city's best and brightest during the 11th annual OCRI Awards gala. Three of the twelve categories were scooped by people or groups with strong NRC connections – the Technology Partnership Award, Best Financial Deal Award and the NCIT "Under 40" Award.
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| NRC's Drs. Charbonneau and Coulombe during the awards gala (Credit: Colin Rowe Photography) |
NRC was recognized for its leadership role in spearheading the NRC Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre for the Technology Partnership of the Year award, out of a field of very strong contenders. NRC President, Dr. Pierre Coulombe and Dr. Sylvain Charbonneau (Director, Application Technologies at NRC-IMS) accepted the award on behalf of NRC, the Government of Canada, Carleton University and the Government of Ontario. Drs. Coulombe and Charbonneau, as well as NRC VP, Physical Sciences, Dr. Richard Normandin and Dr. Marie D'Iorio, Director General, NRC-IMS, had an opportunity to spend an evening with NRC-CPFC partners from the provincial government, Carleton University and the private sector. Kudos are extended to all the NRC employees and the many instrumental groups who have been involved in the photonics cluster.
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| NRC's James Gupta with his award for best young photonics researcher (Credit: Colin Rowe Photography) |
James Gupta, an associate research officer at NRC-IMS, was also in the spotlight during the awards gala. He won the NCIT "'Under 40" Award as the best young researcher in the field of photonics. His DG, Dr. Marie D'Iorio was thrilled to see James "recognized for his development of quintary alloy quantum well structures leading to the first demonstrations of room temperature continuous wave operation of GaAs-based laser diodes and GaAs-based Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers at 1550 nm."
"The winners exemplify the very best leadership qualities that Ottawa has to offer," said Jeffrey Dale, OCRI's President and CEO. "These are first-rate businesses and executives that offer outstanding value to shareholders and the community and demonstrate true dynamism, vision and innovation in their sectors."
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| NRC alumnus, Dr. Paul Morley (Zelos Therapeutics) |
A third award category also had a connection to our organization. NRC spin-off company, Zelos Therapeutics, was the co-recipient of the Best Financial Deal Award for completing a series of private financing which helped the company to make significant progress in the clinical development of its osteoporosis and psoriasis therapeutics. For more information about Zelos and its Chief Technical Officer, former NRC-IBS researcher Paul Morley, consult Zelos Therapeutics Inc. Raises Record Levels of Investment for its Bone Building Osteoporosis Treatment.
This year's OCRI awards attracted more than 70 nominations from Ottawa's high tech sector. The awards honoured individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the Ottawa region and celebrated excellence in research, technology, entrepreneurship, partnership development, educational leadership, technology journalism and community-mindedness.
Congratulations to everyone involved in NRC's photonics cluster activities, to James Gupta at NRC-IMS, and to the alumni and entrepreneurs at Zelos!
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