PAUL CORKUM is one of Canada’s now also Canada Research Chair at the University of Ottawa) has been developing and advancing concepts needed to understand how intense laser light pulses can be used to study the structure of matter. He is known as the father of the attosecond pulse, which is so rapid that it has allowed him to capture the first image of an electron orbiting an atom. Recognized for his innovative research and for his contribution to physics, he is the recipient of the 2006 Killam Prize for natural sciences, the 2007 NSERC Polyani Prize (see page 54 for more details) and is a member of both the Royal Society of London and the Royal Society of Canada.

An eminent scientist and administrator, ARTHUR MCDONALD has greatly contributed to the physics community and to Canada’s reputation for excellence. A former professor at Princeton University, he joined Queen’s University in 1989, and was instrumental in spearheading an international research project studying tiny particles emitted from the sun. At the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, where he is director, researchers found that neutrinos changed into different varieties on their way to earth. Hailed as one of the world’s top scientific breakthroughs in recent years, the finding has changed the laws of physics and provided remarkable insight into the  structure of the universe. Over the years, several scientific institutions and organizations have benefited from his valuable guidance.