News
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Louise Filion nominated Emeritus CEN MemberJune 28, 2012
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Louise Filion (c) Laval University
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It is with great enthusiasm and admiration that Louise Filion was nominated Emeritus Member of CEN. This appointment underlines her scientific career in northern science, her exceptional dedication to the training of graduate students and her significant contribution to the administration and development of CEN.
Louise Filion joins the ranks of Emeritus members Louis Edmond Hamelin, Jean-Claude Dionne, Jean Huot and Branko Ladanyi.
An internationally renowned scientist, Louise Filion is a university professor and outstanding administrator. She is one of the first women in Canada to become a specialist in northern environments and also the first woman to be appointed professor of geography at Laval University. During her master's degree and doctorate, she spent long months in the field, collecting data on snow, plants and various geomorphic processes. As a student, she has published eight articles in renowned scientific journals such as Naturaliste canadien and Canadian Journal of Botany. Early in her career as a professor at Laval University in 1984, she published an article in the prestigious journal "Nature." This pioneering article, still frequently cited, examined the relationship between climate, fire and subarctic wind activity during the Holocene. Since then, her scientific achievements in the field of biogeography, widely supported by major funding agencies in Quebec and Canada, have continued to multiply and diversify. Louise Filion has, through her scientific credibility and organization skills, provided the Centre for Northern Studies a Tree-ring laboratory that has quickly established itself as one of the best in Canada. Louise Filion has published nearly one hundred articles / book chapters, has written nearly sixty research papers and presented (or co-presented) about 140 lectures in national and international scientific events.
In 2011, Louise Filion co-edited the book
La dendroécologie : Principe, méthodes et application. This book of 758 pages provides an update on the science of dendrochronology. It is a great educational tool and an indispensable reference for specialists.
In terms of education, Louise Filion has effectively conveyed her knowledge to thousands of students who show her great respect. Her contribution to higher education is especially remarkable, having successfully guided many graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, including students from abroad. The coaching offered by Louise Filion favours the transmission of conceptual science in a multidisciplinary and rigorous way that is receptive to the needs of society. Very demanding about the quality of fieldwork and laboratory analysis, she does not neglect the performance of written expression. Alongside her commitment to research and teaching, Louise Filion was awarded several senior positions requiring sustained mental and physical effort.
While based at Laval University, she was successively director of the Centre for Northern Studies, Director of the Research Commission, Vice-rector of Research, Director of the Department of Geography and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies. In addition to these positions, Louise Filion has held 26 other positions outside the university, including the chairmanship of the Advisory Committee of Kativik Environmental Committee, Chair of the Research Committee of Conference of Rectors and Principals of Quebec Universities and she participated as a member of the evaluation committee of grant applications for NSERC.
In summary, Louise Filion, now a retired professor and honorary member of CEN, is a doer who influenced her workplace and still influences Northern Research.
Monique Bernier, Associate Director of CEN
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