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OTTAWA, July 5, 2010  —  Gilles G. Patry, University of Ottawa professor and president emeritus, will be appointed Member of the Order of Canada by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada. Professor Patry will be receiving his insignia at a ceremony to be held later this year.

Newly appointed President and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Gilles G. Patry is a professor of civil engineering at the University of Ottawa with a joint appointment in the School of Information Technology and Engineering. He was president and vice-chancellor of the University of Ottawa from 2001 to 2008; vice-president, Academic, from 1997 to 2001; and dean of the Faculty of Engineering from 1993 to 1997. Not only was he the first locally born and educated president of the University, he was also the first to have extensive private-sector experience. That experience proved significant throughout Prof. Patry’s tenure as uOttawa president.

Prof. Patry holds a BASc and MASc from the University of Ottawa and a PhD from the University of California at Davis in environmental engineering. Prior to joining the University of Ottawa, Gilles Patry was a consultant in water resources and environmental engineering (1971-78) and a professor of civil engineering at the École Polytechnique de Montréal (1978-83) and McMaster University (1983-93).

Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Order of Canada is the centrepiece of Canada’s honours system and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country.