INRS professor Roberto Morandotti receives the Prix du Québec's Marie-Victorin Award
The physicist is recognized for his outstanding research career in the field of nanotechnology in photonics.
QUÉBEC, Nov. 2, 2022 /CNW/ - Roberto Morandotti, physicist at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), is the 2022 recipient of one of the highest distinctions awarded by the Quebec government in science, the Prix du Québec Marie-Victorin Award.https://inrs.ca/en/research/professors/roberto-morandotti/ This award has been recognizing outstanding research careers in the natural sciences (except the biomedical field) and engineering for 45 years.
"Over the course of my career, I have been fortunate to meet and collaborate with fantastic students and postdoctoral fellows, outstanding mentors, and remarkable colleagues and support staff at all levels. The main lesson I have learned is that, in science as in life, it is often more important to ask the right question, rather than to seek a generic or unhelpful answer," says Professor Roberto Morandotti.
His phenomenal career is marked by outstanding contributions in nonlinear optics and his work has significant ramifications. His fields of expertise are numerous: telecommunications, quantum computing, spectroscopy (optical and THz), and artificial intelligence.
"Mr. Morandotti is a formidable scientist and has a great impact in his field. He contributes massively to INRS's research capacity and outreach. Through his work in photonics, he is positioning Quebec as a world leader in the field," says Luc-Alain Giraldeau, Chief Executive Officer of INRS.
Soon after arriving at the INRS Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre in 2003, Roberto Morandotti set up a world-class research program. Its constantly innovative work helps further knowledge in the field. The prominent researcher even has more than 20 patent applications under his belt.
Professor Morandotti is a pioneer in nonlinear, quantum, and terahertz (THz) optics—three distinct areas of research that describe the behaviour of light. His ability to pave the way for innovative ideas has often revolutionized the field and its technological applications.
Professor Morandotti is frequently cited throughout the world, as his work has concrete applications in the field of applied physics. He is one of the most cited scientists at INRS and in the Université du Québec network and has been published in prestigious journals such as Science, Nature, and Physical Review Letters. He twice made the cover of Optics & Photonics News, and was featured in one of the magazine's "Optics of the Year" special issues. His work on integrated quantum microcombs was also featured on the cover of Nature Photonics in 2019.
Roberto Morandotti holds the Canada Research Chair in Smart Photonics, is the scientific leader of the Ultrahigh Speed Light Manipulation Laboratory, and is a member of the joint implementation committee of the INRS-UQO Joint Research Unit in Cybersecurity. He is known for his extensive scientific involvement, both in Quebec and on the international scene.
The professor is involved in several international initiatives, with experts from the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, among others. For these contributions, he has been recognized as a fellow by several scholar societies, including the Royal Society of Canada, the American Physical Society (APS), the Optical Society (OSA), the Institute of Physics London (IOP), the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE).
He was awarded the very prestigious E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Scholarship in 2011, the Synergy Award for Innovation in 2019 for outstanding collaboration with industry, and, along with fellow INRS professor José Azaña, the Brockhouse Award for Interdisciplinary Research in 2020, all from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Roberto Morandotti is the only scientist in the history of Canada to have received these high honours simultaneously.
"His collaborations with scientists extend far beyond our walls. He is a very productive—but above all very innovative—researcher. In fact, his students frequently stand out both nationally and internationally," says Marc A. Gauthier, acting director of the Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre.
Despite all the awards he has received, Professor Roberto Morandotti's greatest pride comes from training. Over the years, more than 165 students and postdoctoral fellows have passed through his laboratory, some 20 of whom are now professors everywhere from Quebec and Canada to the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, and France. Many of them now hold prestigious research chairs of their own and are recognized by their peers.
"Diversity within my team allows us to showcase excellence in research, but also support the values of tomorrow's science, as one," says professor Morandotti.
The past and present members of Professor Morandotti's team are particularly well known; in his laboratory, the prestigious Banting, Vanier, and Marie-Curie grants, as well as grants from the Fonds de recherche du Québec and Mitacs, are not uncommon.
Roberto Morandotti is aware of the benefits that personalized coaching, tailored to different personalities, can offer up-and-coming researchers. Networking opportunities and contact with industry and scientists on the international scene can be another tool for success.
Researcher, professor, and mentor who exemplifies the fundamental values of science: this is how we would describe the 2022 winner of the Marie-Victorin Award. Roberto Morandotti is the second INRS researcher to receive this award, following Federico Rosei in 2021.
INRS is an academic institution dedicated exclusively to research and graduate training. Since its creation in 1969, it has actively contributed to the economic, social and cultural development of Quebec. INRS is the leading research-intensive centre in Quebec. It is composed of four interdisciplinary research and training centres located in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval and Varennes, which focus their activities on strategic sectors: Eau Terre Environnement, Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Urbanisation Culture Société et Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie. Its community includes over 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and staff.
SOURCE Institut National de la recherche scientifique (INRS)
Julie Robert, Communications and Public Affairs, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), C: 514 971-4747, julie.robert@inrs.ca
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