Honorary degree citation - Michel Normandin*
By: Paul Fazio, June 1995
Mr. Chancellor, I have the honour to present to you Michel Normandin, eminent educator and researcher who has made a major impact in the area of higher education and has played a pioneering role in establishing links between industry and academia, especially in the area of applied sciences. Since 1985, Professor Normandin has taught in the Department of Industrial Engineering at École Polytechnique de Montréal where he obtained his Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1954.
From 1954 to 1959, he assumed the role of professor in the Faculty of Science at the Université de Sherbrooke. During those five years, he taught a wide variety of courses ranging from his area of specialty in Fluid Mechanics, to Mathematics, Physics and Hydraulics.
En 1959, M. Michel Normandin est nommé vice-doyen et directeur des études de la Faculté des sciences; en 1963, ii accède au poste de doyen de la Faculté des sciences pures et appliquées. C'est au cours de ce mandat que le professeur Normandin introduit à l'Université de Sherbrooke le concept sinon révolutionnaire, à tout le moins audacieux de l'enseignement coopératif, qui est du reste devenu l'une des marques distinctives de cet établissement. Entre 1967 et 1970, en qualité d'adjoint au recteur, il joue un rôle clé dans l'expansion physique de l'Université de Sherbrooke et dans la restructuration des unités administratives et d'enseignement.
In 1970, he left Sherbrooke for what would be a 15 year hiatus. His skills and talents were now called upon by the provincial government in Québec City. The challenges, which he successfully faced there, were no less daunting.
Between 1970 and 1974, Professor Normandin served as the founding President and Director-General of the Centre de recherche industriel du Québec. Established to enhance the growth and technological advancement of small and medium-size industry. The Centre, owing to its successful start under Michel Normandin, has become a model for governments across the world interested in fostering technological innovation and technology transfer in industry. Subsequently, from 1974 to 1979, he served in various capacities at the Conseil des universités, most notably as President of the Comité du financement and President of the Commission de la recherche universitaire.
En 1979, le professeur Normandin est nommé président fondateur du Conseil de la politique scientifique ; on lui confie le mandat de mettre le Conseil sur pied et de participer à l'élaboration d'une politique scientifique pour le Québec. A ce titre et dans le cadre du programme Virage technologique, il a contribué à la création d'organismes engagés dans le transfert des technologies comme le CRIM, Centre de recherche informatique de Montréal, et la Société d'informatique et de recherche pour l'industrie de la construction, appelée SIRICON. SIRICON est le module de transfert de technologies du Centre d'études sur le bâtiment de l'Université Concordia.
Throughout his distinguished career, Professor Normandin has served on numerous boards and committees. Among others, he was the founding President of the CEGEP of Sherbrooke and has also served as a consultant for public organizations as well as major Canadian Industrial companies. Of particular note is his participation in the committee established in 1970 by the National Research Council to review Sir George Williams University's application for a negotiated development grant in building engineering. The recommendations of that committee resulted in the establishment in 1976 of what has become the well-renowned Centre for Building Studies.
En résumé, grâce à sa remarquable capacité d'harmoniser les objectifs du milieu de l'enseignement avec les besoins et les demandes de l'entreprise et de la société en général, Michel Normandin représente le paradigme parfait du professeur de génie tel que le définissent le Conseil canadien des ingénieurs professionnels, le Comité national des doyens d'ingénierie et des sciences appliquées, et l'Académie canadienne du génie.
Mr. Chancellor, for his pioneering and visionary contributions, and in particular for those made to the advancement of applied science, it is a privilege to present to you, on behalf of the Senate and by the authority of the Board of Governors, Michel Normandin, so that you may confer on him the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.
