Marc Parent, Doctor honoris causa
Marc Parent earned his mechanical engineering degree from Polytechnique (1984) and is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School Executive Education program. He has over 25 years' experience in the aerospace industry in the fields of engineering, management and product development. Mr. Parent began his career with Bombardier Aerospace in 1984 as an engineer working on the Challenger and Canadair regional jet programs. He rapidly rose through the company's ranks, becoming head of the Challenger 604 development team in 1993, head of the Q400 bi-turbo propeller development program in 1995, and Vice-President, Program Management, for all Bombardier's aircraft development programs in 1998. From 2000 to 2004, he held various executive positions with Bombardier Aerospace, and was responsible for several plants and product ranges. He started as Vice-President, Operations, for the de Havilland site in Toronto, and in 2001 was promoted to Vice-President and General Manager of Operations of the Toronto facility before becoming, in 2003, Vice-President and General Manager, U.S. Operations. The following year, he returned to Montréal as Vice-President and General Manager of the Challenger 300, 604 and 850/870 programs, as well as for the CRJ-200 regional aircraft. He joined CAE in 2005 as Group President, Simulation Products. As such, he was responsible for the simulation product design and manufacture divisions working for the civil and military sectors. His role was expanded in 2006, when he was appointed Group President, Simulation Products and Military Training and Services. In November 2008, he was named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for all four of CAE's business segments and new growth initiatives. In 2009, Marc Parent was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of CAE. 

In recognition of his major contribution to the aerospace sector in Montréal and internationally, Polytechnique is proud to award an honorary doctorate to this great engineer and manager. Marc Parent is a role model whom Polytechnique students, researchers and graduates can look up to, as so many of them share his interest in aerospace. 

Éric Mazur, Doctor honoris causa
Éric Mazur is internationally recognized for his work in physics and his contribution to education science. Since 2007, he has been the Area Dean of Applied Physics in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. Born November 14, 1954, in Amsterdam, he earned his bachelor's and his master's degrees in physics and astronomy from Leiden  University in the Netherlands.  In 1981, he received his doctorate in experimental physics from the same institution. In 1982, he undertook postdoctoral studies at Harvard University. Two years later, he joined the prestigious university as a professor. Since 1990, he has presided over an ambitious optical physics research program at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He is particularly well known in the academic and industrial worlds for his research on light conduction, the application of ultrashort laser pulses measured in femtoseconds, spectroscopy and nanostructures. Author or co-author of more than 200 publications, he also holds 12 patents. In 1998, his research led to the creation of a new form of silicon, known as black silicon because of its low level of light reflectivity. Eight years later, he founded SiOnyx, a business that sells this product. NB:  manqué le “s” dans Amsterdam en français.
Éric Mazur is an eminent scientist who has built a solid reputation over the years as well as considerable influence. In recognition of his career as a whole, Université de Montréal, on Polytechnique Montréal's recommendation, awarded him an honorary doctorate at the doctoral convocation held on May 25.

Innovate, risk, forge ahead...
Nearly 2,000 people attended the Polytechnique Montréal convocation on June 16, where more than 500 students received their diplomas in the presence of Chief Executive Officer Christophe Guy. “You now hold one of the best passports for the future,” he told the graduates.

More than 1,000 diplomas awarded in 2012 by Polytechnique
Polytechnique awarded 1,123 diplomas In 2011–2012, including 678 bachelor's of engineering degrees, five bachelor's of science, 193 master's of applied science, 106 master's of engineering, 62 advanced graduate diplomas, and 79 doctorates. Polytechnique also awarded diplomas to the first-ever Québec cohort of aerospace engineers and the first Canadian cohort of biomedical engineers.

Governor General's Academic Medal and Lieutenant-Governor's Youth Medal
The ceremony also provided an occasion to mark the awarding of prestigious prizes to several graduating students. Liang Han, electrical engineering doctoral student, earned the Governor General's Academic Gold Medal (graduate studies), which recognizes exceptional university student success. Fannie L. Côté (chemical engineering), Stéphanie Déjoie (biomedical engineering), Thomas Guilbert (computer engineering), Anne-Marie Lanouette (master's in mechanical engineering), Hugues P. Marceau (electrical engineering) and Zishaan-Abbas Moledina (mechanical engineering) each earned the Lieutenant-Governor's Youth Medal (bronze), which is given in recognition of the commitment, determination and achievement of Québec youth who have had a positive influence in their community.

Left to right: Liang Han, Fannie L. Côté, Stéphanie Déjoie and Thomas Guilbert.

Left to right: Anne-Marie Lanouette, Hugues P. Marceau and Zishaan-Abbas Moledina

Award for excellence in teaching
The ceremonies provided an occasion to honour a professor who greatly contributed to Polytechnique's renown and to the engineering profession. Daniel Therriault, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, received the 2012 Prix d'excellence en enseignement (award for excellence in teaching) thanks to his passion for teaching, his breakthroughs in research on advanced materials, his intellectual rigour, and his availability to students and colleagues alike, to say nothing of his contribution to the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Professor Therriault undertook his university studies at Polytechnique Montréal, where he earned his bachelor's in mechanical engineering (1998) and his master's in aerospace (1999). He received his doctorate in aerospace engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2003. The following year, he began his career at Polytechnique Montréal as an adjunct professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and was promoted to associate professor in 2008. 

Honourable mention for Robert Pellerin
Because of the high quality of his teaching dossier, an honourable mention was also awarded to Robert Pellerin, full professor in the Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering, who is recognized for developing a teaching simulation tool that is used all over the world.

Homage to Bernard Lamarre, Chair of Polytechnique's Board of DirectorsAfter devoting 10 years to paving the way for future generations of engineers, at the end of 2012 Bernard Lamarre will finish his term at the helm of Polytechnique's Board of Directors. This seasoned professional, gifted with incomparable generosity and warmth, is recognized for his great respect for others. Polytechnique is deeply thankful to him for the profound and ongoing commitment that he has always demonstrated toward his alma mater. He is a model, an emblematic figure, among his peers as well as among professors and students. Everyone agrees that Bernard Lamarre is a—perhaps even the—pillar of Québec engineering. Thank you, Bernard Lamarre!

Congratulations to our graduates and to all those who were honoured!

The photos and video of the ceremony will be available shortly on the convocation portal.