Awarded annually to the top graduate student at each Canadian university, the Governor General’s Gold Medal honours exceptional academic achievement, research excellence and the potential to create meaningful societal impact.
At uOttawa’s Faculty of Engineering, King earned the medal in the Science and Engineering category for his doctoral research titled “Silicon Phthalocyanines: Development of Structure-Property Relationships and Integration into Organic Thin-Film Transistors and Sensors.”
His research advances the development of a group of materials called silicon phthalocyanines, a promising class of organic semiconductors used in flexible electronics including thin-film transistors, solar cells, and sensors.
By providing new insights into how molecular design and thin-film engineering affects their performance, his work is leading the design of more efficient and air-stable materials for transistors and sensors. These insights could enable the next generation of cost-effective and high-performance electronic devices, including highly sensitive gas sensors for air quality monitoring.
King completed his PhD under the supervision of Professor Benoit Lessard in the Department of Chemical Engineering.
Recognizing research excellence at the national level
First awarded in 1873, the Governor General’s Academic Medal is a longstanding symbol of scholarly distinction in Canada. Each year, graduate recipients are selected for the originality, rigour and impact of their research.
“This award is a proud moment for Benjamin, for his supervisor Professor Benoit Lessard, and for our entire research community,” says Professor Xudong Cao, interim chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering.
The Faculty of Engineering congratulates Dr. King on this exceptional recognition and applauds the curiosity, persistence and excellence that define his academic journey.
With this achievement, King joins a distinguished group of uOttawa graduates whose research continues to shape the future of science, innovation and engineering in Canada.