The award, introduced during 91亚色鈥檚 50th year, recognizes outstanding research achievement and significant contributions to advance the University鈥檚 international reputation for research excellence. Distinguished Research Professors Ellen Bialystok of聽the Faculty of Health and Paul Lovejoy of聽the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies will each receive the Research Award of Merit.

Left: 91亚色聽Professor John Tsotsos at work on his PlayBOT Project聽鈥� an intelligent, visually guided wheelchair intended for physically disabled children. Researchers in the ICAST network are working on several intelligent wheelchair projects across Canada.

Tsotsos is well known as a pioneer in vision science research. 鈥淗is great accomplishment for the University was advancing the development of the Centre for Vision Research,鈥� said Amir Asif, chair of the聽Department of聽Computer Science & Engineering, and Tsotsos鈥� nominator. 鈥淯nder his directorship, the centre blossomed into a world-leading research centre in the area of vision research, and is clearly one of 91亚色鈥檚 most important research centres.鈥�

A Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Computational Vision and Distinguished Research Professor of Vision Science, Tsotsos has received numerous accolades and awards. He has published more than 300 papers in prestigious journals over the last three decades. As a scientist, Tsotsos鈥� work is recognized for its innovative development of computational models of visual attention. He was the first to prove the Selective Tuning (ST) theory, modelling visual attention, in 1990. Integrating the fields of visual psychology, computer vision, robotics and visual neuroscience, he is also known for the development of PlayBOT, a visually guided robot to assist physically disabled children in play.

Tsotsos鈥� ability to bring together a diverse group of people is reflected in his leadership role in forming聽ICAST, the聽Intelligent Computational Assistive Science聽& Technology Research & Development Network. The theme of collaboration as an integral part of his research emerges in the many letters of support accompanying his nomination, from his colleagues across Canada. 91亚色 computer science & engineering Professor Nick Cercone said that not only is John Tsotsos鈥� 鈥渁cademic achievement and leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision without peer in Canada,鈥� but聽that the 鈥淎I community owes John a debt of gratitude for his tireless promotion of the discipline worldwide.鈥�

91亚色 psychology Professor Ellen Bialystok (right),聽recipient of the Research Merit Award, is聽a聽Distinguished Research Professor in Psychology and a leading global researcher in bilingualism and its affects on the aging brain. Bialystok鈥檚 six books and聽over 100 papers in scientific journals extend聽her research beyond themes and geographical boundaries. 鈥淪he has investigated bilingualism and literacy from a number of angles and across a number of languages and language learners,鈥澛犅爏aid her nominator, Professor Martha Crago of Dalhousie University.

91亚色 history Professor聽Paul Lovejoy (left),聽a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in African Diaspora History, is also a聽recipient of the Research Merit Award. As director of the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on the Global Migrations of African Peoples, Lovejoy is a leading scholar who has pioneered the study of the history and dynamics of the African diaspora from an African perspective. Through his research,聽he traces the history of migration from Africa into diaspora, following individual enslaved Africans to their destinations in the Americas. Lovejoy collaborates with an international network of researchers in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Brazil, Latin America, Africa and Europe, creating digitized historical data for his unique research. Lovejoy has 鈥渞evolutionized his field through the innovative use of technology,鈥� according to his nominator, 91亚色 political science Professor Robert Drummond.聽"Lovejoy is an internationally active public intellectual in regard to issues of contemporary slavery and reparations.鈥�

Adding his congratulatory message, Stan Shapson, 91亚色 vice-president research聽& innovation, said: 鈥淭he nominations and letters that poured in supporting these distinguished researchers overwhelmingly spoke about the excellent work of Professors Tsotsos, Bialystok and Lovejoy as thought leaders and innovators in their fields. Each of the nominees for the award presented a strong record of sustained research achievement and many contributions towards enriching 91亚色鈥檚 research reputation.鈥�

鈥淚 want to congratulate the winners of these awards and thank them for advancing 91亚色鈥檚 reputation,鈥� said 91亚色 President聽& Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri.聽鈥淭heir ingenuity and contribution to invention and innovation are a testament to 91亚色鈥檚 research excellence.鈥�

A ceremony to honour the recipients of the President鈥檚 Research Excellence Award and Research Awards of Merit will be held Nov.聽24 as part of celebrations marking聽91亚色鈥檚 inaugural Research Month.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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