Killam Research Fellows for 2004
Montreal, February 24, 2004 — Two of the nine Killam Research Fellowship awards for 2004 have gone to McGill professors — one a historian of the social and political cultures of Quebec from the British conquest to World War I, the other an expert in an exciting new area of physics which promises to significantly alter our lives in the not-too-distant future.
Hong Guo, James McGill Professor of Physics, was named for his work on Multi-Scale Modeling for Nanoelectronic Devices. Nanotechnology is advancing at an incredibly rapid rate and Professor Guo is on the leading edge of this extremely important field, one which is expected to have major implications in areas as diverse as health, electronics and computer technology. Professor Guo's research lies at the heart of the physics that govern properties of nanometric electro-mechanical systems, and addresses questions such as: How can we predict electric current flowing through a molecule connected to the outside world by metallic electrodes or by other molecules? How can we find the best operational principles of molecular scale field effect on transistors? What is the physics behind these principles? How can we predict the response of a molecular scale circuit?
"I am delighted to hear of this well-deserved recognition of Hong's work," said Professor Martin Grant, Chair of McGill's Physics department. "Hong was into nanoelectronics before it became fashionable, and is one of the McGill people putting us on the map in this area. As a Killam Fellow, he will develop a theoretical approach to the modeling of nanoelectronics on multiple length scales — an essential part of the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology."
The award to Brian Young, James McGill Professor of History, will allow him to carry out a research project called Patrician Families in Lower Canada/Quebec, 1760-1840. The study will examine the ideological, institutional and social influence of a particular Quebec elite after the British conquest. It focuses on two patrician families, the Taschereau family of Quebec City and the McCord family of Montreal, and shows how much they are representative of the francophone and anglophone communities which shaped the face of contemporary Quebec. The rank of the men and women of these two families, their professional visibility and 514 generations of family experience in matters concerning landed property, law, religion, philanthropy and identity gave them a strong voice in the building of social institutions, in the positioning of the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in industrial Quebec, in the dismantling of Quebec's feudal landholding system, in codification of its civil law, and in debates over nationalism and identity.
Professor Young has dedicated his career in history to the study of Quebec's past. He has significantly contributed to our understanding of the Montreal bourgeoisie, its institutions and culture, revealing the mechanisms by which it has imposed its power in the ruling of business, political and cultural institutions. Last year, he won the Gérard Parizeau prize for his significant contribution to our understanding of Quebec history.
"The Killam Research Fellowships are among the highest honours that Canada bestows on its researchers," said McGill Principal Heather Munroe-Blum. "We are immensely proud of the achievement of Professors Guo and Young for this recognition. Their work in Physics and History, respectively, are wonderful examples of the quality that makes McGill University the internationally respected university it is today, attracting excellent scholars and students from across Quebec and the world."
The Canada Council for the Arts Killam Research Fellowships are made possible by a bequest of Mrs. Dorothy J. Killam and a gift she made before her death in 1965. The awards honour and support eminent scholars engaged in research projects of outstanding merit in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, engineering, and interdisciplinary studies within these fields.
