The award in question is the 2003 Howard Alper Postdoctoral Prize,
presented by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of
Canada
(NSERC) to the top postdoctoral fellow (i.e., someone who finishes
his/her PhD and applies for postdoctoral funding from NSERC) in Canada
each year. It was established by Dr. Howard Alper, who was the
first recipient of the NSERC Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for
Science and Engineering (our country's top scientific honour).
Gerhard Herzberg was a Nobel
Prize-winning Canadian chemist. The Alper Prize was one of
several
prestigious awards (including the Herzberg Medal) presented at the
awards gala in Ottawa on Nov. 25th.
Ryan and the Alper Prize (already
covered in fingerprint smudges!).
To read the various articles about the
award, see the following links:
Awards
gala at the National Gallery of Canada (Nov. 25):
The gala itself was a very fancy
affair,
with a live harpist during the reception and a live quartet during
dinner. The food was great, and the setting (the Great Hall of
the National Gallery) was amazing. I think it's fair to say that
everyone had a very good time!
Who are these people, you
ask? From left to right:
Bob "Daddy-o" Gregory (father), Marilyn "Marlin" Gregory
(step-mother),
Kevin "Kev" Baigent (cousin), Ryan, Frank "Fred" Brewster (step-father),
Michele "Marum" Davis (mother), Sean "Bean" Gregory (brother).
Ryan gets
his prize from Dr. Alper:
The citation read by Dr. Thomas A. Brzustowski, president of NSERC:
"... presented to Dr. T. Ryan Gregory from the University of Guelph for
his work that established him as a world leader in the study of the
evolutionary significance of genome size diversity. He also
compiled the world's largest database of animal genome sizes. Le
gagnant, T. Ryan Gregory."
Introduction
"Fostering a tradition of excellence -- Canada has an international
reputation for excellence in science and engineering research, and
encouraging and supporting progress in this research is essential to
Canada's competitiveness and the quality of of life of Canadians.
Each year, NSERC honours Canadian researchers for outstanding
achievement in their field of expertise. The Gerhard Herzberg
Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, the NSERC Awards of
Excellence, the NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Fellowships, the NSERC Howard
Alper Postdoctoral Prize, and the NSERC Doctoral Prizes are Canada's
most prestigious awards for scientists and engineers. The
contributions of this year's winners are a source of pride for all
Canadians."
Message from Adrienne Clarkson
"Message from the Governor General -- I am pleased to join with all of
you in applauding the marvellous work of the scientists and engineers
being honoured this evening. Their talent, energy and persistence
are a source of wonder, and their accomplishments a source of pride for
Canada. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of
Canada (NSERC) is celebrating 25 years of leadership in the scientific
community. Tonight, it recognizes and invests in the careers of
outstanding men and women. I have the privilege, in much of my
work, of paying tribute to Canadian excellence across a wide
spectrum. Simply reading the profiles of the past winners of
these NSERC awards is both enlightening and encouraging. It is
evident that Canada is promoting and producing scientific and technical
research of a remarkable standard. Canada's first Nobel Laureate
in Chemistry, Gerhard Herzberg, is remembered in the granting of the
Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering to a brilliant scholar
and researcher. The NSERC Awards of Excellence are given to other
extraordinary contributors to the advancement of knowledge.
Meanwhile, the E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowships, the Howard Alper
Postdoctoral Prize and the NSERC Doctoral Prizes nourish the future of
Canadian innovation and discovery, and of the young scientists and
professors who are helping to create it. My heartiest
congratulations to all the recipients of these pretisgious
awards. May these honours inspire you and other fine Canadian
minds to continue the quest for understanding and human
progress. Adrienne Clarkson, Ottawa, November 2003"
Message from Jean Chretien
"Message from the Prime Minister -- It is with great pleasure that I
extend my warmest greetings to everyone attending the Natural Sciences
and Engineering Research Council's awards ceremony for 2003. It
is fitting that so many have gathered here to honour this outstanding
group of individuals -- the winners of the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold
Medal for Science and Engineering, the NSERC Awards of Excellence, the
NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowships, the NSERC Howard Alper
Postdoctoral Prize, and the NSERC Doctoral Prizes. This tribute
is a clear expression of the admiration and respect that the work of
tonight's awards recipients has elicited, and I would like to join with
everyone in attendance in wishing them every success in their future
endeavours. Please accept my best wishes for a most enjoyable
awards ceremony. Jean Chretien, Ottawa, November 2003"
(Note: The keynote speaker also read a letter from Paul Martin, but I
don't have the text to transcribe here).
Ryan's page
"NSERC Howard Alper Postdoctoral Prize -- The NSERC Howard Alper
Postdoctoral Prize, named for Professor Howard Alper, the first winner
of the Council's prestigious Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for
Science and Engineering, recognizes the achievements of the top
candidate in NSERC's postdoctoral fellowships competition. Dr.
Gregory's Ph.D. work established him as a world leader in the study of
the evolutionary significance of genome size diversity. During
doctoral work at the University of Guelph with Dr. Paul Hebert, Dr.
Gregory drew together previously published research to compile the
world's largest database of animal genome sizes. This online
collection (www.genomesize.com)
includes approximately 3,000 animal
genomes and has become a critical resource for researchers worldwide,
receiving 25-50 hits a day. Using the database, Dr. Gregory did
the first statistical analysis of large data sets of animal genome
size. At present, he's an NSERC postdoctoral fellow at the
American Museum of Natural History's Comparative Genomics Institute."
