Awards
Past winners of the Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research Excellence
2021 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Taleana Huff – University of Alberta Dr. Taleana Huff was awarded the 2021 Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research Excellence. For her Master’s degree and her PhD, Huff focused on “Atomic White-Out,” an error correction method for fabricating and patterning quantum dots. The technique gave Huff and the team the ability to successfully build
2020 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Kyle Briggs – University of Ottawa Dr. Briggs co-invented the controlled breakdown method of fabricating solid-state nanopores. These tiny holes are approximately the same size as DNA or typical protein molecules, and allow scientists to study single biomolecules, one at a time. This innovation allows nanopores to be fabricated for a fraction of the cost
2018 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Alphonsus Ng – Univeristy of Toronto Recognized for groundbreaking advancements in the development of digital microfluidics. Dr. Ng’s work has resulted in significant contributions to both boundary-breaking research methods and to infectious disease diagnostics.
2017 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Marc-André Tétrault – Université de Sherbrooke Recognized for his development of a novel, integrated 3D digital detector leading to a new generation of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners.
2016 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Reza Nosrati – Queen’s University Recognized for his development of novel microfluidics and nanotechnologies leading to more effective fertility treatments.
2015 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Amir Sanati-Nezhad – University of Calgary Recognized for his development of tiny, in-vivo-like laboratories-on-a-chip leading to better understanding of diseases, wound healing and cell regeneration.
2014 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Neil Sarkar – University of Waterloo Achievement: Discovery and development of the world’s first single-chip Atomic Force Microscope.
2013 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Muhammad Alam – University of Toronto Recognized for contributions to the development of hybrid plasmonic waveguides and related technologies.
2012 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Xinyu Liu – McGill University Recognized for his development of innovative microbotic and bio MEMS technologies that enable high-throughput, automated manipulation and characterization of single cells for biological and medical applications.
2011 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Leyla Soleymani – University of Toronto Recognized for her development of novel microelectrode arrays for bio-sensing applications that include medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring.
2010 Colton Award Winner
Dr. Adam Kinsman – McMaster University Recognized for his development of new computer-aided methods that enable the design of reliable, cost-effective and high-performance embedded systems.