‘Together, you represent McGill’s drive to address global challenges with creativity and determination, and the enduring excellence of our university’ : President Deep Saini
On March 27, McGill honoured 141 laureates at the 20th annual Bravo Gala, celebrating researchers who received prestigious provincial, national or international awards in 2024.
They included 19 recipients of King Charles III Coronation Medals; winners of two Guggenheim Fellowships, 10 Royal Society of Canada Fellowships, an E.W.R. Steacie Award and a Gairdner Early Career Investigator Award; and eight appointees to the Order of Canada. Those appointees include five new members, two new officers and a distinguished new Companion: McGill University’s Chancellor, Pierre Boivin.
In his opening remarks, McGill President and Vice-Chancellor, Deep Saini, applauded the honourees for their efforts, underlining the importance of McGill’s research contributions.
“Together, you represent McGill’s drive to address global challenges with creativity and determination, and the enduring excellence of our university,” he said. “It is vital that we share the amazing discoveries and innovations generated by McGill’s researchers with the world.” Saini was among those celebrated at this year’s Bravo for winning the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Dr. Nada Jabado inspires with a message of hope, and a call for global collaboration
Dr. Nada Jabado, a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and an internationally renowned expert in the study and treatment of pediatric cancers, delivered the keynote address. She spoke of the beauty of sharing knowledge and imagination with diverse researchers around the globe.
“I’m a citizen of the world,” she said. “Research is what I love because it has no borders, no countries, only imagination. Imagination is infinite and it is what pushes boundaries and brings us even more knowledge and even better answers.”
In 2024, Jabado was named the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Laureate for North America, joining a community of 4,100 female researchers, seven of whom have won a Nobel Prize. Additionally, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Remembering Professor Jonathan Sterne
Bravo emcee Dominique Bérubé, who became Vice-President, Research and Innovation in July 2024, and is herself a winner of the King Charles III Coronation Medal paid tribute to the honourees.
“Thank you for your commitment to research and scholarship, and for your dedication to mentoring the next generation of scientists, scholars, and innovators at McGill,” she said.
Bérubé took a moment to acknowledge the recent death of Jonathan Sterne, James McGill Professor of Culture and Technology in the Department of Art History and Communication Studies, and those present paused to reflect on his incredible contributions and lasting impact. Sterne was honoured as the recipient of the 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship and the Microsoft Research AI & Society Fellowship.
Click here to view the full list of the 2025 Bravo laureates