Top prize awarded to trailblazer revolutionizing how we detect and treat diseases
OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 30, 2025 /CNW/ - Science and engineering research is vital to driving innovation, economic growth and sustainable development, thus fueling progress in Canada. From advancing clean technologies to improving health care and infrastructure, Canadian scientists and engineers develop solutions that address national and global challenges. Their work not only enhances our quality of life, but also positions Canada as a leader in science, technology and innovation on the world stage.
Today, Professor Alejandro Adem, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), unveiled the 2025 recipients of the NSERC Prizes. This year's honours recognize 19 of Canada's top scientists and engineers, along with 9 industry partners, for their outstanding accomplishments and lasting contributions to research, innovation and training across a wide range of disciplines. From the innovative development of nano-biomaterials that will support women's health to the creation of sensor technologies that bolster infrastructure safety, the impact of prize winners' research is driving progress across critical sectors and shaping a healthier, more sustainable future for all.
Dr. David Wishart, a pioneer in metabolomics research, has been awarded Canada's highest science honour: the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, valued at up to $1 million. After dedicating his career to making science more open, accessible and understandable, Dr. Wishart is helping to usher in a new era of personalized medicine, precision nutrition and sustainable environmental health. His breakthroughs promise a future where diseases are caught earlier, treatments are more precise, and the invisible world of chemicals becomes more visible and meaningful to all of us.
Dr. Jeremy Quastel, a mathematician advancing our understanding of randomness in nature, has been honoured with the John C. Polanyi Award in recognition of his pioneering work in probability theory that reveals universal patterns in complex systems.
Two renowned Canadian researchers have each been awarded an NSERC Donna Strickland Prize for Societal Impact of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research. Dr. Beth Parker has revolutionized how we protect Canada's most vital freshwater resource--groundwater--by probing deep into the earth to research contaminant movement in fractured bedrock aquifers. Dr. Xiaoyi Bao's innovations, including distributed acoustic sensing technology and low-noise lasers, have reshaped how we monitor the condition of structures such as bridges and pipelines.
Six promising, early-career academic researchers have been honoured with prestigious Arthur B. McDonald Fellowships, empowering them to expand their research capabilities and emerge as leaders who will inspire the next generation.
NSERC also celebrated four outstanding research collaborations with the Synergy Awards for Innovation, highlighting exemplary partnerships between academic institutions and partner organizations that are driving discovery and innovation forward.
Quotes
"These awards celebrate the remarkable achievements of Canada's scientists and researchers who are at the heart of groundbreaking discoveries and cutting-edge innovations that strengthen our society, build our economy and spark new opportunities for Canadians. Our government is strengthening Canada's position as a global leader by investing in world-class talent and fuelling a thriving science and innovation ecosystem."
- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
"Each year, the NSERC Prizes highlight the remarkable people behind discoveries, technologies and innovations that profoundly and often quietly affect our lives. Canada boasts a wide range of research talent, and NSERC proudly celebrates these outstanding individuals for their pioneering achievements, societal impacts, and visions for a better future."
- Professor Alejandro Adem, FRSC, President of NSERC
"To receive this year's Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Herzberg Gold Medal is both humbling and inspiring. This honour is not simply a recognition of past work, but a beacon guiding the path forward. It affirms the value of curiosity, persistence, and collaboration. For me, it opens new horizons at the frontiers of computational chemistry--where molecules, mathematics, and imagination converge. With NSERC's support, I hope to push further into the unknown, transforming abstract computations into discoveries that can truly touch lives."
- Dr. David Wishart, University of Alberta
Quick facts
- The NSERC Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, named in honour of Canadian Nobel laureate Gerhard Herzberg, is the highest distinction awarded by NSERC, offering up to $1 million in research funding over five years.
- This year's NSERC prizes recognize the outstanding research contributions of 28 individuals (19 researchers and 9 industry partners) with prizes totalling $4.05 million.
- Each year, NSERC celebrates researchers from Canadian universities and colleges whose work demonstrates exceptional talent and innovation.
Associated link
Full list of NSERC prizes, this year's winners, and their profiles
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SOURCE Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
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