Diane Bastien awarded prestigious Prix Acfas in natural resources 2011

Two other Concordia PhDs receive related prizes

Montréal, September 30, 2011-  The Association francophone pour le savoir (Acfas)  awarded its Prix Acfas – Ressources naturelles 2011 to  Diane Bastien, a PhD candidate in building engineering with a specialization in solar energy at Concordia University. The award was announced at the association’s annual benefit gala event, held last night. Since 1944, Acfas has been rewarding exceptional scientific contributions made by local researchers and supporting promising scientific researchers through various initiatives.

At the gala, Suzanne Hood, who received a PhD in psychology from Concordia’s Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, received the Association des doyens des études de cycles supérieurs du Québec (ADÉSAQ)’s prize, awarded annually for the best doctoral thesis in the province. Myriam Suchet, of France, who recently completed her PhD in Humanities at Concordia, was also honoured and received the Prix de thèse en cotutelle Québec-France, sponsored by the Consulat général de France and Québec’s Ministère des Relations internationales (MRI).

About the Winners:

Diane Bastien
Co-author of the report The Potential of Solar Energy in Quebec, published in September 2011, Bastien is convinced Quebec possesses an important potential for solar energy in spite of its harsh climate. Bastien is currently working to introduce new policies facilitating the integration of solar energy in buildings across the province.  
For more information : Acfas.

Suzanne Hood
Suzanne Hood’s thesis identified a new regulator of the circadian clock. Her research has demonstrated how the brain chemical dopamine regulates these cycles by altering the activity of the "clock-protein" PER2.  Published in the Journal of Neuroscience , these findings may have implications for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease who have disrupted 24-hour rhythms of activity and sleep. For more information: Doctoral Thesis - Suzanne Hood.

Myriam Suchet
Suchet explores the challenges that emerge from translating “Hétérolingual” texts; texts written simultaneously in different languages, through her doctoral thesis, “Textes hétérolingues et textes traduits: de "la langue" aux figures de l’énonciation”. Myriam Suchet currently holds a limited term appointment as lecturer at l’École nationale supérieure de Lyon. This award comes in addition to the Governor General’s award Suchet received earlier this year for her thesis. For more information: Consulat général de France.

About Acfas
Funded in 1923, the Association francophone pour le savoir (Acfas) promotes scientific activity, stimulates research and encourages the broader dissemination of knowledge. Based in Quebec, the association is composed of approximately six thousand researchers from every academic sector

About ADÉSAQ
The Association des doyens des études de cycles supérieurs du Québec promotes the development, quality and effective organisation of graduate studies at Quebec universities.

About the Pris de thèse en cotutelle
The Prix de thèse en cotutelle rewards the best thesis written under an academic collaboration agreement between France and Quebec. The prize – accompanied by an award worth fifteen hundred dollars - is given annually to one student from France and one student from Quebec.