[cmath] DR. RICHARD KANE NAMED THE RECIPIENT OF THE TWO CMS AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEMENTS

[Graham Wright]

For release: IMMEDIATE (September 19, 2006)

DR. RICHARD KANE NAMED THE RECIPIENT OF THE TWO CMS AWARDS FOR
OUTSTANDING ACHIEMENTS

OTTAWA, Ontario -- Dr. Richard Kane, of the University of Western
Ontario, is the winner of inaugural David Borwein Distinguished Career
Award. At the same time, the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) has
named Dr. Kane the recipient of the 2006 CMS Distinguished Service Award.

The Distinguished Service Award is given annually in recognition of
outstanding service to the CMS. The David Borwein Distinguished Career
Award is a new CMS award, recognizing the career of an individual who
has made an exceptional, broad, and continued contribution to
mathematics. The award is named for David Borwein, a former President of
the CMS and an eminent Canadian mathematician.

Dr. Richard Kane has profoundly influenced the course of mathematics in
Canada through his long service to the profession, to his university,
and to the CMS. He is a distinguished researcher and a dedicated
teacher. His exemplary career, taken as a whole, is eminently deserving
of recognition through the receipt of the inaugural Borwein award.

Dr. Kane received his BA from the University of Toronto in 1967 and his
PhD from the University of Waterloo in 1973. He has been a member of the
Department of Mathematics at the University of Western Ontario since
1980 and a full professor there since 1983, serving twice as Chair of
the Department. Prior to coming to Western he taught at the University
of Alberta, and held postdoctoral fellowships at Oxford and MIT. He has
held visiting positions at the Institute for Advanced Study,
(Princeton), the Centre de Recerca Matematica (Barcelona), the
Max-Planck-Institut für Mathematik (Bonn), the University of Aberdeen,
the University of California at San Diego, and the University of Sydney.

His research is in the area of algebraic topology, particularly the
homology theory of Lie groups, an area in which he has authored four
monographs and numerous journal articles.  He has supervised four PhD
theses. He was a lead organizer of the 1996 Fields Institute thematic
program in homotopy theory, and has organized several other workshops
and conferences. His research contributions were recognized by his
election to the Royal Society of Canada in 1988. Other honours include
being named a Fields Institute Fellow in 2002 and receiving a University
of Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics Alumni Achievement Medal in 2003.

Dr. Kane has served the CMS in a number of roles, most notably as
President (1998-2000), but also as Vice President, and as chair of the
research, finance, and international affairs committees. He has served
his university, the Royal Society, the Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council (NSERC), and the Fields Institute in a number of roles.
But his most singular contribution has been his leadership on the
national stage, and in particular his contributions to building a strong
research infrastructure for Canadian mathematics. He was the scientific
convener of the 1996 NSERC Review of Canadian mathematics, a review
prompted by a prior negative evaluation. In response, Dr. Kane led the
efforts to examine the strengths and weaknesses of mathematics in
Canada. Following an international evaluation this led to government
recognition of the excellence of Canadian research in mathematics and of
its importance to Canada, as well as to a concrete plan to build the
infrastructure needed to raise this research to new heights. Continuing
these efforts, Dr. Kane served as Chair of the Mathematics Steering
Committee for the NSERC reallocations exercises in 1997 and 2001, and
Chaired the NSERC Liaison Committee for the mathematical sciences in
2005.  The direct impact of these efforts was secure and enhanced
funding for mathematical research in Canada. This benefited both
individual researchers, and also helped to build or enhance the
infrastructure that is enabling Canada to play an increasingly
significant role on the world stage -- the three Canadian mathematics
research institutes, the Banff International Research Station, the
MITACS National Centre of Excellence (NCE), the NSERC leadership support
program, and other initiatives. The success of these efforts stems from
the collaborative and unified vision established by the Canadian
mathematical community, a vision made possible in large part by the
diplomacy, integrity, wisdom, and leadership of Dr. Richard Kane.

Dr. Kane will receive the 2006 David Borwein Distinguished Career Award
and the 2006 CMS Distinguished Service Award at the CMS Winter Meeting
in Toronto (December 2006).

For more information, contact:

Dr. Graham P. Wright                	Dr.Thomas Salisbury
Executive Director			President
Canadian Mathematical Society           Canadian Mathematical Society
Tel: (613) 562-5702			Tel: 416-736-2100 ext 33921
director at cms.math.ca			president at cms.math.ca