Faculty of Science recognizes three remarkable leaders
The contributions and achievements of three remarkable leaders – Catherine McKenna, Marcy MacCall McBain and Louise Burke – will be recognized with honorary degrees from the Faculty of Science during spring convocation ceremonies.
CATHERINE MCKENNA
Faculty of Science | Wednesday, June 12, 2:30 p.m.
Catherine McKenna is the former federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change and currently serves as the chair of the United Nations’ High-Level Expert Group on the Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities.
Originally from Hamilton, Catherine attended St. Mary Catholic Secondary School when it was located on the McMaster campus.
Catherine co-founded Canadian Lawyers Abroad — also known as Level Justice — a charitable organization whose mission is to change lives through the law. For a decade, Catherine led its work in providing pro-bono legal services in developing nations. She also served as executive director of the Banff Forum and taught at the Munk School of Global Affairs. She served as a board member of the Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies and was a legal adviser for the UN in East Timor and Indonesia.
Catherine was her Ottawa riding’s first female MP. She created the Run Like A Girl campaign to support girls and young women with aspirations in politics and other fields. During her four years as environment minister, Catherine was a lead negotiator of the Paris Agreement and negotiated and implemented Canada’s first comprehensive climate plan. As Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Catherine saw more than $100 billion invested in infrastructure across the country.
A passionate advocate for climate action, Catherine founded and became the principal of Climate and Nature Solutions and Women Leading on Climate.
MARCY MCCALL MACBAIN
Faculty of Science | Thursday, June 13, 9:30 a.m
2000 BSc graduate Marcy McCall MacBain is an accomplished health professional, scholar and co-leader of one of the world’s most visionary private charitable foundations.
A lifelong champion of evidence-based practices in medicine and health care, Marcy and her husband, John, turned an ambitious vision into a global philanthropic program. Since its creation in 2007, the McCall MacBain Foundation has committed more than $400 million to international organizations and projects focused on education, the environment and health. These include the $200-million donation to McGill University to create the McCall MacBain Scholarships for outstanding graduate students. Marcy signed the Giving Pledge in 2019, committing to give more than half her wealth to philanthropic causes.
Marcy was inducted into McMaster’s Alumni Gallery in 2017.
LOUISE BURKE
Faculty of Science | Thursday, June 13, 2:30 p.m.
A sports dietitian with more than four decades of supporting and educating athletes, Louise Burke perfectly balances research, teaching and the application of her research to real-world settings.
The world’s leading global sports nutrition researcher, practitioner and ambassador, Louise has delivered more than 500 professional and public presentations worldwide. She is an accomplished scholar and a seasoned practitioner whose scientific reputation, publications and record of achievement are unmatched in sports science and athlete performance.
Louise has also helped found and support significant initiatives in sport nutrition. The research and education model she established at the Australian Institute for Sport has been followed by the rest of the world. She helped found the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Diploma in Sports Nutrition program, where she is program director. She has also served on the American College of Sports Medicine board, and is a founding member of PINES (Professionals in Nutrition and Exercise Science), an international organization whose goal is to help support sound nutrition and exercise science worldwide.
An exceptional communicator and leader, Louise is known for her generosity when it comes to sharing evidence-based information and insights with athletes and the public, and for her leadership of wide-ranging nutritional support programs and projects.
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