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Concordia to recognize three honorary doctorates at its fall convocation

The honorands made their mark in the fields of clean-tech, synthetic biology and the preservation and promotion of Indigenous languages and culture
October 12, 2022
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Image of flowers in colours of yellow, red and orange.

Concordia will award honorary doctorates to three exceptional individuals whose work has had a significant impact on their respective fields of synthetic biology, innovative clean technologies and Indigenous languages promotion.

Two of the recipients were previously announced but all three will receive their honours during Concordia’s fall 2022 convocation ceremonies taking place in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Montreal’s Place des Arts, 175 Ste. Catherine St. W., on October 24.

The honorands will join more than 1,000 students from Concordia’s Faculty of Arts and Science, Gina Cody School of Engineering of Computer Science, John Molson School of Business and School of Graduate Studies who will be receiving their diplomas.

Concordia’s 2022 fall convocation: the honorands 

Smiling Indigenous woman with red-rimmed glasses and wearing an outdoor jacket.

Fibbie Tatti

For preserving and promoting Indigenous languages and culture

Born to the Sahtúgot’ı̨ne First Nation on Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Tatti is a fluent speaker, writer and storyteller of the North Slavey Language.

During her 23 years at the NWT Department of Education, Tatti brought together Dene Elders, teachers and language specialists. Collectively, they developed and published Dene-language children’s books and the first Dene languages curriculum, called Dene Kede, a legislated document that became a model for Indigenous language curricula. For her master’s degree in Indigenous Language Revitalization from the University of Victoria, Tatti wrote her thesis on Sahtúgot’ı̨nę spirituality.

Tatti was also involved in organizing the Dene Nation, which led to both the Sahtu People’s land claim settlement with the Government of Canada in 1993 and the community of Deline’s 2016 self-government agreement with the governments of Canada and the NWT.

Tatti hosted a CBC North TV current affairs program, becoming one of the first Indigenous people to work with NWT media. In recognition of her knowledge and experience, she was an official delegate in the Governor General of Canada’s 2003 state visit to Russia.

Fibbie Tatti will address the Faculty of Arts and Science on Monday, October 24, at 10 a.m.

Woman with long dark hair standing in a lab.

Reshma Shetty

For expanding the role of synthetic biology in our world

Reshma Shetty is a model of success in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. In 2008 Shetty, three fellow biological engineering PhD students and their faculty supervisor at MIT founded the microorganism design company Ginkgo BioWorks.

Since then, Boston-based Ginkgo has grown exponentially. It now engages more than 600 employees and has become a world leader in synthetic biology, the process of engineering living cells. The company went public in 2021.

Ginkgo teams with strategic partners, including Fortune 500 companies and governments, to design microbes that are used in such diverse areas as nutrition, health, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. It runs several biofoundries and has launched side ventures in food tech and in programming cells to fight diseases, among other uses.

One goal Shetty has for her company is to leverage biology to make a positive impact on the environment, for example, by reducing the use of fertilizers. Ginkgo has also committed its resources to support the fight against COVID-19 through the United States’ Federal COVID-19 Testing Program.

In 2022 Shetty placed in the top 100 in the Forbes list of the U.S.’s most successful women entrepreneurs, executives and entertainers.

Reshma Shetty will address the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science on Monday, October 24, at 3 p.m.

David Fung

For developing sustainable industries around the globe

Hong Kong-born David Fung is a technology integrator and serial entrepreneur who has founded or co-founded more than 25 business ventures in North America, Europe and Asia.

Trained as a chemical engineer, Fung has held key research and operational positions at global chemical and engineering companies and has spent much of his career developing sustainable industry and energy solutions.

These include the world’s largest smelter sulphuric acid recycling system, waste-water recycling in Israel, a Sino-Canadian waste-powered plant in Shanghai, and a packaging-recycling partnership in Europe, Asia and North America. Fung is a co-inventor of 27 patents with 39 patent applications pending.

A highly sought-after advisor, Fung has served as a member of the Canada Foundation for Innovation and on the boards of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, Canadian Standards Association Group, Canada China Business Council, National Zero Waste Council of Canada and many others. He has been a strategic advisor to Cycle Capital Management Inc., one of Canada’s largest clean-tech venture funds, and has represented Canada as an investment champion on trade missions around the world.

In 2009, Asia Network Canada named Fung Canadian Asian of the Year in the Business and Public Service category. In 2012, the Governor General of Canada awarded Fung the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his extraordinary leadership, volunteerism and outstanding contributions to Canada.

David Fung will address the John Molson School of Business on Monday, October 24, at 8 p.m.

 

For more information, visit Concordia’s Graduation and Convocation website.

 



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