Honorary degree citation - K.G. Terry Hollands
By: Andreas Athienitis, June 2015
Mr. Chancellor, it is my honour to present to you K.G. Terry Hollands, distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo.
Few Canadians have contributed more to the art and science of solar energy than Dr. Hollands. A pioneer in his field, Dr. Hollands has both refined the technology surrounding solar energy and advocated for its feasibility and adoption both in Canada and abroad.
After obtaining degrees in Engineering Physics and Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto and McGill, Dr. Hollands began his career working for the Australian Government in thermal energy research during the 1960s. From 1969 to 2001, he inspired generations of students as a professor at the University of Waterloo. He excelled in training graduate students; many of his former students went on to make important contributions to solar energy utilization andenergy efficiency. His lasting influence is felt among students today thanks to his efforts to transform the university curriculum to include sustainability, energy efficiency, energy security, greenhouse gases and numerous other environmental issues.
Dr. Hollands’ scholarly work has been prolific. He has authored or co-authored 120 journal articles, 100 articles in conference proceedings and several books. He also served as the Editor-in-Chief of the influential international journal Solar Energy.
Dr. Hollands’ research has had a direct and practical impact on Canadian industry and the design of solar products. Among his innovations, Dr. Hollands pioneered new technologies for windows that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They have been widely adopted by the building industry.
Dr. Hollands served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the NSERC Solar Buildings Research Network. He is currently Chair of the Board of the Smart Net-Zero Energy Buildings Strategic Research Network. Headquartered at Concordia, the network is a pan-Canadian, multi-university group that specializes in eco-friendly building research and solar energy.
A Fellow of both the American and Canadian Societies of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Hollands has received numerous accolades during his career. His many awards include the Weeks Achievement through Action Award, the Special Service Award of the International Solar Energy Society, and the Chandrashekar Lifetime Service Award of the Solar Energy Society of Canada.
Mr. Chancellor, on behalf of the Senate and the Board of Governors, it is my great privilege and honour to present to you K.G. Terry Hollands, so that you may confer upon him the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa.
