In a posh and auspicious ceremony at Massey College on November 14, the Ontario Government awarded the 2001 Polanyi Prizes to five Ontario university researchers.
The $15,000 awards, named in honor of U of T chemistry superstar and Nobel Laureate John Polanyi, are doled out annually to “celebrate excellence in academic achievement.” Most of the young academics who claimed the awards work in science or technology-related fields, but two of the prizes were reserved for young leaders in economic science and literature.
Three of the five recipients were U of T researchers: Daniel Lidar, at the Department of Chemistry, is working to develop feasible quantum computers; Joanne Roberts, who won in the economic science division, has developed theoretical models demonstrating that egalitarian distribution of knowledge fosters economic growth; Nina Jones, who works at Sunnybrook and Women’s hospital, identified a genetic system that allows cancerous tumors to hijack blood vessels and grow out of control—she won the prize in the physiology/medicine category.
Many of the prizewinners were quick to mention that U of T and its affiliated institutions were instrumental in fostering their successes. “Toronto is an internationally recognized centre for scientific excellence,” Jones said.
