Geoffrey Fong and Rick Haldenby included among 135 new appointments
An acclaimed psychologist and an accomplished architect at the University of Waterloo have been appointed to the Order of Canada.
Geoffrey Fong, a professor in the Department of Psychology cross-appointed to the School of Public Health Sciences at Waterloo, was appointed to be an officer of the Order of Canada. Fong is the founder and chief principal investigator of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITC project), leading a team of more than 150 researchers across 31 countries covering more than half of the world’s population.
Rick Haldenby is a professor in Waterloo’s School of Architecture. He was appointed to be a member of the Order of Canada. He is a Waterloo graduate and served as director of the School of Architecture from 1988 to 2013. The founder of Waterloo’s highly successful Rome program, Haldenby has conducted archaeological work in Italy, Malta and Tunisia. He is an expert in Mediterranean archaeology and the design and management of historic landscapes and sites.
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced 135 new appointments to the Order of Canada, which has three levels: companion, officer and member. Officers of the Order of Canada are recognized specifically for service to Canada or to humanity at large, and members of the Order of Canada are honoured for distinguished service in or to a community, group or field of activity.
Fong was named an officer of the Order of Canada for his work examining the effectiveness of tobacco control policies of the first-ever WHO treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which calls upon Canada and 180 other countries to implement measures such as large graphic warnings, smoke-free laws, higher tobacco taxes, anti-smoking campaigns, and limits on advertising and packaging. The official announcement indicates Fong was recognized for his research into improved risk messaging on tobacco products and for his role in reducing the global tobacco epidemic.
"I am humbled and honoured to receive this recognition, which I think of more as a tribute to our extraordinary research team at the University of Waterloo and our global research team, who have worked tirelessly to use our research to combat the number one preventable cause of death in Canada and the world,” Fong said.
As the official release indicates, Haldenby was recognized for his contributions to the advancement of architectural education in Canada, and for his efforts to preserve industrial and mid-century buildings.
“I am overwhelmed by this tremendous honour and deeply grateful to those who made it possible,” Haldenby said. “I think of it as recognition for the students with whom I have had the pleasure of sharing my love of architecture, for the School I have dedicated my life to building and for the cities in Waterloo region whose histories are so rich and whose futures are so bright.”
“Through his important work in the community and in architecture education, Rick Haldenby shapes our landscape in ways that both honour history and that will benefit society for generations to come. Geoffrey Fong’s work has resulted in many lives being saved around the world by demonstrating the significant role government policies play in reducing health risks,” said Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo, who is also a member of the Order of Canada. “I wish to thank them for their dedication and extend my sincere congratulations to all of the honourees for their achievements.”
Fong is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the Association for Psychological Science. He recently received the Governor General’s Innovation Award, and he has distinctions from the Canadian Cancer Society, the American Cancer Society, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the World Health Organization. Fong is a Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher and recipient of Waterloo’s Distinguished Teaching Award.
Haldenby is a fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. He is a former chair of the Council of Canadian University Schools of Architecture and received its lifetime achievement award. He chaired the juries for the Dundas Square and Nathan Philips Square design competitions in Toronto. He received the Special Jury Award from Arts Awards Waterloo Region and the Dr. Jean Steckle Award for excellence in heritage education from the Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation. Haldenby was also recognized for excellence in teaching with Waterloo’s Distinguished Teaching Award.
Fong and Haldenby will receive their insignias at a ceremony at Rideau Hall. The Order of Canada recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society for outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the country.
