The University of Waterloo is proud to award nine honorary doctorates at Spring 2026 Convocation, the highest honour conferred by the University.
Honorary doctorates recognize individuals whose outstanding achievements and contributions have had a meaningful impact on the University, their communities, their fields and the world. Recipients are celebrated for excellence across disciplines including research, scholarship, the arts, professional achievement and voluntary service.
The honorary doctorate recipients recognized this year have made remarkable contributions in mathematics, physics, archaeology, business, engineering and science.
“This year’s honorary doctorate recipients exemplify the impact that comes from curiosity, collaboration and excellence,” says Dr. Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “We are proud to recognize their achievements and celebrate the meaningful contributions they have made to society.”
Learn more about this year’s honorary doctorate recipients and their extraordinary accomplishments:
Gilles Brassard
Doctor of Mathematics, honoris causa
Gilles Brassard is widely recognized as the first in the world to have delved into the field of quantum information science. He is Professor at the Université de Montréal since 19 79 and was Canada Research Chair in Quantum Information Science. An Officer of the Order of Canada and of the Ordre national du Québec, Brassard has received numerous honors including the Wolf Prize in Physics, the Micius Quantum Prize, the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Basic Sciences, the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics and most recently the A. M. Turing Award. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and an International Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
Photo credit: Hatim Kaghat.
Peter E. Caines
Doctor of Mathematics, honoris causa
Dr. Peter E. Caines is an internationally recognized leader in systems and control theory whose research has advanced the understanding of complex, dynamic systems and their applications across engineering, economics and the natural sciences. A Distinguished James McGill Professor and Macdonald Chair in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at McGill University, he is renowned for foundational contributions to stochastic systems, adaptive control and mean field game theory. His work has influenced generations of researchers and practitioners worldwide. Caines has received numerous distinctions, including the IEEE Control Systems Society Bode Lecture Prize and election to the Royal Society of Canada.
Ronald F. Williamson
Doctor of Letters, honoris causa
Dr. Ronald F. Williamson is a leading expert in Ontario archaeology and the founder of Archaeological Services Inc. (ASI), one of Canada’s largest cultural resource management firms. Over a 40-year career, Williamson directed over one thousand archaeological assessments across Ontario, preserving important Indigenous and Euro-Canadian sites. A prolific scholar, he has authored or co-authored 17 books, more than 70 articles and book chapters, and thousands of technical reports. Together with his work in popular media and documentaries, he has brought Ontario’s rich archaeological past to a broad audience. His enduring legacy includes deep collaboration with Indigenous communities, mentoring generations of students and working as a tireless advocate for improved heritage policies.
Gerard Meijer
Doctor of Science, honoris causa
Dr. Gerard Meijer is one of the world’s most distinguished molecular physicists, renowned for pioneering advances that have transformed the experimental study of molecules. Meijer has reshaped molecular physics through the development of groundbreaking techniques for the manipulation, control and spectroscopic investigation of molecules. His work has enabled scientists to probe molecular structure, dynamics and interactions with unprecedented precision, establishing experimental foundations that continue to shape modern molecular science, precision measurement and emerging quantum technologies. A leader of international distinction, Meijer has been recognized through numerous honours and awards, and has held major leadership roles including Director at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society in Berlin and President of the Executive Board of Radboud University.
Karen Nelson
Doctor of Science, honoris causa
Dr. Karen E. Nelson is a Jamaican-born microbiologist and a world-leading authority in microbial genomics and metagenomics. A Fellow of the American Academy for Microbiology and elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, she co-authored the landmark 2006 first human microbiome study and helped lead the NIH Human Microbiome Project. She served as President of the J. Craig Venter Institute from 2012 to 2021 and is now Chief Scientific Officer at Thermo Fisher Scientific. She holds a PhD from Cornell University and a BSc from the University of the West Indies.
Allan Cain
Doctor of Engineering, honoris causa
Allan Cain is an architect and one of the world’s foremost experts in urban planning in the developing world. A member of the University of Waterloo School of Architecture’s first graduating class in 19 71, he is the founding director of Development Workshop, a UN-Habitat award winning non-profit that has improved the lives of millions in Angola and across the continent of Africa for more than 50 years. His work encompasses housing, sanitation, microfinance, peacebuilding and climate resilience. An Officer of the Order of Canada, Cain has served as Canada’s Honorary Consul to Angola since 1990.
Michael Joachim Stork
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Mike Stork is a business leader, angel investor and community builder who has shaped the Waterloo Region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem for three decades. As President and CEO of Unitron Hearing Canada and co-founder of Dspfactory, he led and managed the acquisition of two successful technology companies. Stork has invested in and mentored the founders of prominent Waterloo startups, including Miovision, Bonfire and Clearpath Robotics. He has also given generously to both Wilfrid Laurier University, his alma mater, and the University of Waterloo as a donor and volunteer, playing a leadership role in the creation of Velocity’s new home, the Innovation Arena in downtown Kitchener. In 2013, he received the Angel of the Year award for his contributions to the region’s startup ecosystem.
Paul Desmarais, Jr. and Hélène Desmarais
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
