2013 Recipients
Honorary Doctor of Laws
Sylvain Voyer
On Friday, June 7, 2013, an honorary Doctor of Laws was conferred on Sylvain Voyer in recognition of his contributions to the arts in Alberta. Having painted Alberta for more than 50 years, Voyer is best known for his plein aire paintings of sweeping skies, vibrant fields, valleys and meadows, and autumn poplars. He has shown Albertans how to see their province. In 1973, he was a co-founder of the alternative Edmonton gallery Latitude 53. He helped establish the Canadian Artists' Representation and was influential in forming the Alberta Art Foundation during Peter Lougheed's time, serving as a member of its first Board of Directors. In 2000, he was voted one of Alberta's top 10 artists of the twentieth century by an independent panel of art historians and artists from across the province.
Honorary Doctor of Science
Robert (Bob) McDonald
On Saturday, June 8, 2013, an honorary Doctor of Science was conferred on Robert (Bob) McDonald in recognition of his ongoing contributions to public awareness of science in Canada. One of Canada's best known science journalists, McDonald is the host of CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks, a regular science commentator on CBC News Network and a science correspondent for CBC TV's The National. His work has been recognized by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal Canadian Institute, and he has received honorary degrees from six Canadian universities. In 2010, McDonald became the first Canadian to be named an honorary life member of the Sigma XI Society, the oldest scientific body in the United States.
Updated May 12, 2021 by Digital & Web Operations, University Relations (web_services@athabascau.ca)