Media

OTTAWA, November 30, 2010  —  The University of Ottawa is proud to announce that two of its outstanding researchers are among the five recipients of this year’s Polanyi Prizes.

Anna Lewis of the Department of English was recognized for her work in literature. Her research focuses on religious reformations during late medieval times and explores the connections between reading, social control and the fight against individualism.

Alex Wong, post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Biology, was recognized for his work in physiology and medicine. His research explores how a fatal bacterium can resist antibiotics that are used to treat infections.

The $20,000 prizes will allow Anna Lewis and Alex Wong to pursue their research and achieve excellence, while contributing to Canada’s leadership around the world.

The Polanyi Prize was established in 1987 in honour of John Charles Polanyi, who had received the Nobel Prize in chemistry one year earlier. The prize is awarded annually to five outstanding young researchers in the early stages of their careers at Ontario universities. Researchers are recognized in the areas of economics, literature, chemistry, physiology/medicine and physics.

The University of Ottawa, one of Canada’s top research-intensive universities, is dedicated to preparing the next generation of Canadian researchers and scientists. We are committed to excellence and encourage an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge creation that attracts the best academic talent from across Canada and around the world.