Federal Government announces
$1 million research prize
In honour of Nobel Prize winner Gerhard Herzberg
Montréal, November 25, 1999 -- Secretary of
State (Science, Research and Development) Dr. Gilbert Normand today
announced a $1 million science and engineering research prize in honour
of the late Gerhard Herzberg, winner of Canada's first Nobel Prize
for research in Chemistry. The annual award is a millennium project
of NSERC (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of
Canada).
In announcing the prize, Dr. Normand said, "This dramatic new award,
which guarantees the recipient $1 million in research funding, will
celebrate great Canadian achievements in research and move the best
Canadian researchers to a new level of research support. It will inspire
all Canadians, and especially young citizens, with the excitement of
science and engineering in Canada."
"Nobel laureate Gerhard Herzberg's lifetime of achievement in molecular
spectroscopy moved Canada to the international forefront of the field.
Thanks to his inspiring and innovative leadership, many young scientists
also had the opportunity to become internationally recognized researchers."
Among the participants who attended the announcement were Dr. Agnes
Herzberg, daughter of Gerhard Herzberg, Canadian Space Agency astronaut
Julie Payette, and NSERC President Tom Brzustowski.
"The Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering
is this country's premier research award," said Dr. Brzustowski. "Our
intent is not just to celebrate Canadian heroes, of whom Dr. Herzberg
was one of our greatest, we want to provide them with a new level of
research support that Canadian researchers have never enjoyed before."
"That NSERC has chosen to name the Gold Medal for Science and Engineering
after my father is a high honour, and by encouraging Canada's best
scientists to follow in his footsteps, he will not be forgotten," said
Dr. Agnes Herzberg.
"NSERC could not have come up with a better choice for recognizing
our star researchers in Canada, than to name its most prestigious scientific
prize after an astonishing man whose first love was, precisely, to
study the stars!" said Julie Payette, who has just been re-appointed
as a member of NSERC's Council.
The inaugural competition for the Herzberg Medal will be held in 2000.
The winner will be selected from three finalists. The others will receive
a one-time award of $50,000 of research support.
The new prize guarantees that the winner will have a million dollars
for his or her own research or to direct the use of in some related
way (e.g. scholarships or the establishment of a university chair)
over five years.
If the winner already has an NSERC Research Grant, his or her grant
for each of the five years will be brought up to $200,000. If the grant
is greater than $150,000, it will be topped up by $50,000.
A winner who is not an NSERC grant recipient may direct the full $200,000
to scholarships or the establishment of a chair.
Nomination kits for the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science
and Engineering will be available from NSERC in early January and will
also be available on the Web at http://www.nserc.ca/about/award_e.htm.
NSERC is the primary federal agency investing in people, discovery,
and innovation. The Council supports both basic university research
through research grants and project research through partnerships of
universities with industry. NSERC also supports the advanced training
of highly qualified people in both areas.
For more information, contact:
Robert Roy, NSERC (in Montreal), at (613) 725-7624 (cell phone),
Sonya-Kim St-Julien, Press Secretary, Dr. Gilbert Normand,
at (613) 943-0868,
Nadine Boyd, NSERC (in Ottawa), at (613) 992-8203.
Visit http://www.nserc.ca/media_e.htm for a backgrounder
on Dr. Herzberg's life and achievements.
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