Introducing º£½ÇÉçÇøapp's honorary degree recipients for Spring Convocation 2026

Convocation is º£½ÇÉçÇøapp's moment to celebrate all that graduates have achieved in completing their studies.

But the celebration doesn't stop with students.

Each year, º£½ÇÉçÇøapp presents honorary degrees to worthy individuals who've demonstrated inspirational leadership in, or in service to, society, outstanding contribution to a field or discipline, and/or outstanding contributions to the university.

Read more: Learn how honourary degree recipients are nominated and chosen

Five such individuals will be honoured at Spring Convocation 2026, which takes place across 21 ceremonies from Friday, May 29 to Tuesday, June 9. From research and business to service and philanthrophy, this year's recipients of º£½ÇÉçÇøapp's highest honour represent an impressive and inspiring cohort whose achievements speak to the values and character that a university like º£½ÇÉçÇøapp strives to represent.

Dr. Noni MacDonald

Trailblazer in medical research and addressing global challenges
Friday, May 29, 10 a.m. ceremony

Dr. Noni MacDonald, Professor Emerita of Pediatrics at º£½ÇÉçÇøapp University and IWK Health, is a pioneering force in pediatric infectious diseases, global immunization, and socially accountable medical education. After several years as a professor, teacher, clinician and researcher in Ottawa, including leading the University of Ottawa's infectious diseases program, she joined º£½ÇÉçÇøapp in 1999 as the first woman to serve as dean of a Canadian medical school and continued thereafter as a faculty member at º£½ÇÉçÇøapp and IWK Health. She has advanced care for cystic fibrosis patients, worked on the front lines of emerging infectious diseases, founded the journal Paediatrics & Child Health, and played a key role with the World Health Organization’s immunization advisory group during the COVID‑19 pandemic. She also co‑founded MicroResearch in Eastern Africa, an initiative empowering more than 800 local health‑care providers to address community health challenges using an approach she has since brought to communities in Nova Scotia. She is a member of both the Order of Nova Scotia and the Order of Canada and is a laureate of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

Clare Hutchinson

International advocate for women in peace and security
Monday, June 1, 4 p.m. ceremony

For over 25 years, Clare Hutchinson has been helping international institutions, national governments, and NGOs reshape how they think about and prioritize human security and gender equality in conflict-affected settings. Her career has centred around the core beliefs that how institutions behave during conflict matters — and that lasting security is best achieved when individuals impacted by violence, particularly women, help shape outcomes. Her work at senior levels in the United Nations, NATO, and through her own consultancy has led to critical changes on the ground in some of the world’s most complex and delicate security environments, including Kosovo, Lebanon, and Ukraine. Many of the innovative practices and guidelines introduced under her leadership at the UN, including mandatory gender training for peacekeepers, are still used across peacekeeping missions today. In 2022, Hutchinson was named to the Order of the Grand Golden Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria and has been a Distinguished Fellow at York University's Glendon College and an Associate Fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in Switzerland.

Denise Pothier

A community champion for representation and inclusion
Tuesday, June 2, 9 a.m. ceremony

Denise Pothier is a distinguished engineer, executive leader, and community champion who has guided complex national and global initiatives while advancing excellence in professional practice, sustainability, and organizational culture. A graduate of º£½ÇÉçÇøapp’s Chemical Engineering program, she has held senior leadership roles with Stantec Consulting and now serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business, helping forge stronger relationships between Indigenous entrepreneurs and Canadian enterprises. Widely respected for her inclusive and collaborative leadership, Pothier has served on numerous local and national boards, including Engineers Canada, Efficiency One, and IWK Health, and has been a tireless advocate for women, Indigenous peoples, and historically excluded communities in STEM. She is a recipient of a º£½ÇÉçÇøapp University Aurum Award and is a Fellow of Engineers Canada. She has frequently recognized as one of the leading female business executives in Canada and is an alum of the 2022 Governor General’s Leadership Conference.

Roslyn Bern

Committed to the cause of education for women and children
Monday, June 8, 9 a.m. ceremony

When Roslyn Bern noticed a consistent lack of female teachers, professors, and mentors in her own education and work, she dedicated her professional and volunteer careers to change it. Today, Bern is president of the Leacross Foundation, an organization whose mission is to educate women and children in society. At º£½ÇÉçÇøapp, the foundation supports key initiatives in the Faculty of Computer Science such as the WeAreAllCS Women in Technology Entrance Scholarship and the Leacross Leadership Program. The foundation has created additional programs at universities supporting women in electrical engineering technology, management development, and pursuing research in biochemistry and engineering. Bern also coordinates work opportunities, internships, as well as scientific expeditions. Outside the foundation, Bern has served on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Women’s Foundation and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, the Ottawa Food Bank and Shelter from the Storm/Move for Hope.

Jamal Shirley

Leader in northern research, discovery and engagement
Tuesday, June 9, 12:30 p.m. ceremony

As Director of Innovation and Research at Nunavut Arctic College, based at the Nunavut Research Institute, Jamal Shirley is a leader in promoting northern discovery and innovation, and for Indigenous representation in research. A graduate of º£½ÇÉçÇøapp’s Master of Environmental Studies program, Shirley provides leadership in applied research, training, and knowledge mobilization across Nunavut. He has been pivotal in supporting scientific studies on climate change, sustainable resource management, and wildlife protection, and he oversees the regulatory and ethics review process for any scientist looking to undertake research in the territory—more than 160 projects annually. Shirley works to ensure that research undertaken in the North is ethical, inclusive, does no harm to the natural or social environment, and that research results are returned to the people of Nunavut. He served on Canada’s National Committee for International Polar Year (2007–2008) and is currently a member of the Government of Nunavut’s Sustainable Development Advisory Group.