François Gagnon is among 52 Fellows elected into the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) this year. The announcement was made yesterday, Monday, June 14, 2021, during the Academy's Annual General Meeting. Professor Gagnon was recognized for his expertise in microelectronics and telecommunication, which he has acquired over the course of the past 30 years. Fellows of the CAE are nominated and elected by their peers, who are current Fellows of the CAE. This prestigious title is awarded in recognition of outstanding achievements and service to the Engineering profession throughout their careers.
François Gagnon earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1986 and a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering in 1991 from Polytechnique Montréal. He began his career as an instructor at Polytechnique Montréal in 1989, and joined École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) as an Assistant Professor in 1991. He was named an Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department in 1994, and then served as Director of the Department from 1999 to 2001.
In 2001, he became one of the first two professors at ÉTS to be awarded a research chair when he was named holder of the Ultra Electronics TCS Industrial Research Chair in Wireless Telecommunications, for which he was honoured with the 2008 Synergy Award - the highest distinction of partnership with the NSERC. In 2015, Professor Gagnon was also named holder of the Richard J. Marceau Chair on Wireless IP Technology for Developing Countries. In 2019, he had to step down from the duties of these two chairs to take on the position of CEO of ÉTS.
Professor Gagnon is a world-renowned cutting-edge Canadian Researcher who has made major contributions as both a Professor at ÉTS and as a Researcher working with industry. Over the past three decades, he has developed several technological advances and has created and overseen numerous initiatives, spin-offs and institutes. He has also contributed to a number of patents and helped his peers to obtain their own patents. Ranging from designing state-of-the-art radios to inventing a coding technique that has resulted in a billion dollars in economic impact in Canada, and from improving communications for rescue missions to providing remote villages with access to virtual books, his research is of inestimable value from a human, technological and financial perspective.
Professor Gagnon proudly states: "Receiving this title and being a part of the Canadian Academy of Engineering is a great honour for me. It represents a wonderful testament to the work that I have accomplished over these many years".
This recognition reiterates Professor Gagnon's desire to push the envelope with a view to innovation and enhancing technology to better serve society. Even in his role as CEO, he continues to stoke his ambition of giving back to society by promoting engineering for the betterment of industry and humanity.
For more information concerning the Canadian Academy of Engineering: https://cae-acg.ca/
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