Print
Elop, Patry Engineering Honorary Degree Recipients
April 15, 2009
Two engineering leaders with ties to McMaster will be awarded honorary degrees at the Faculty of Engineering’s spring convocation the afternoon of Friday, June 12 at Hamilton Place.
Stephen Elop, president of Microsoft’s Business Division, will be presented with an honorary Doctor of Science degree, and Gilles Patry, former president of the University of Ottawa, will be presented with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Dr. Patry will also provide the convocation address.
Mr. Elop graduated from McMaster in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in computer engineering and management. He was appointed President, Microsoft Business Division in January, 2008 where he is responsible for the Information Worker, Microsoft Business Solutions and Unified Communications Groups. Before joining Microsoft, he held the positions of chief operating officer with Juniper Networks, president of worldwide field operations with Adobe Systems Inc., and chief operating officer with Macromedia Inc.
Mr. Elop was presented with the L.W. Shemilt Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award by the Faculty of Engineering in 2007 in recognition of his contributions to the field of information technology.
Dr. Patry was a professor of civil engineering at McMaster from 1983 to1993. Most recently, he was president and vice-chancellor of the University of Ottawa (2001 to 2008), where one of his key initiatives was the establishment of the School of Information Technology and Engineering. He has also held the positions of Vice-President, Academic (1997) and Dean, Faculty of Engineering (1993 to 1997) at the University of Ottawa.
Dr. Patry earned his BASc and MASc degrees in civil engineering from the University of Ottawa in 1971 and 1973, respectively. He earned his PhD in civil engineering from the University of California, Davis in 1983. His area of study is the modelling, simulation and control of environmental systems, in general, and of wastewater treatment plants, in particular. In 1985, he founded Hydromantis Inc., an international consulting firm specializing in the modelling and simulation of water and wastewater treatment facilities.
