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Fahlman, world renowned astrophysicist, to receive honorary degree

The University of Lethbridge Senate is pleased to announce the third of its 2015 Honorary Degree recipients – world leading astrophysicist, researcher and educator
Dr. Gregory Fahlman.

Fahlman is an accomplished scientific researcher, university educator and astronomy facilities manager.

“We are extremely pleased that Dr. Fahlman has accepted our offer of an honorary degree,” says University of Lethbridge Chancellor Janice Varzari. “His work as a university educator, scientific researcher and manager of Canada’s foremost astronomy centres has played a major role in keeping our country at the forefront of astronomical discovery.”

The U of L will present Dr. Gregory Fahlman with the degree of Doctor of Science, honouris causa, at the Spring 2015 Convocation Ceremony III on Friday, May 29, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness.

Dr. Gregory Fahlman

Gregory Gaylord Fahlman is an accomplished scientific researcher, university educator and astronomy facilities manager who has helped maintain Canada’s status as a top astronomy nation.

Since 2003, Fahlman has been a leader at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics, Canada’s top centre for astronomy and astrophysics. First as its director general, and now as general manager of astronomy and astrophysics, he has helped strengthen the NRC’s reputation as a world-class facility for ground- and space-based astronomical observatories.

Fahlman performs cutting-edge research on star clusters, galaxy clusters, white dwarfs and stellar populations. His research has helped shed light on the age of our universe. He has published nearly 130 refereed papers that have been cited some 5,300 times.

For decades, Fahlman taught astronomy and astrophysics at the University of British Columbia. During part of that time, he was also executive director of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.

Fahlman has volunteered for astronomy organizations such as the Gemini Observatory, the Canadian Space Agency and the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy. In 2013, he was made a member of the Order of British Columbia.