Luc Vinet
Encyclopedia
Luc Vinet is a Canadian physicist
and former rector
of the Université de Montréal
.
, Vinet holds a doctorate (3rd cycle) from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie and a PhD from the Université de Montréal
, both in theoretical physics
. After two years as Research Associate at MIT, he was appointed in the early 1980’s as faculty member in the Physics Department at the Université de Montréal. He has held a number of visiting professorships at various universities. He is the author or co-author of ten books and more than one hundred scientific papers. His research areas include gauge field theories, supersymmetry
,
quantum algebra
, integrable systems and combinatorics.
At the Université de Montréal
, Vinet held the position of director of the Centre de recherches mathématiques
(CRM) from 1993 to 1999. During his term as director, the CRM succeeded in rallying the forces of quantitative research by forming a network of centers of excellence in computing from the association of seven major Montreal research centers (CERCA, CIRANO, CRIM, CRM, CRI, GERAD and INRS–Télécom) under the banner of the Network for Computing and Mathematical Modeling (NCM2). The research network provides “one-stop” access to expertise calculation and modeling for more than 20 partner enterprises.
As president of NCM2 from 1996 to 1999, he was at the origin of two important research initiatives: the Bell University Laboratory, of which he became the first president and chief executive officer, and the Réseau québécois de calcul de haute performance (RQCHP), a high performance computing organization for which he presented the first grant application to the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Vinet is also one of the founding members of and the MITACS Network of Centers of Excellence, which received an initial funding of 14 million dollars.
In 1999, Vinet joined the ranks of McGill University where he held the positions of Vice-Principal (academic) and Provost. As McGill’s Chief Academic Officer, he developed a renewal scheme of the professoriate and supervised the development of numerous campus infrastructures. It was at his initiative that the Government of Quebec and Quebec universities set up the Génome Québec organization.
In June 2005, Vinet was appointed rector of the Université de Montréal
. As rector, he set an inspired vision for this great institution, developing and executing an integrated strategic plan for the University. Among the many initiatives he realized are the development of a new campus and science pavilion project at the Outremont rail yards acquired in 2006, the creation of the School of Public Health, the establishment of the Cité du Savoir in Laval and the founding of the International Forum of Public Universities. During his tenure, the institution’s international profile has made marked progress in the world's most reputable international rankings. For example, the Times Higher Education Supplement, which ranked the Université de Montréal in 132nd place worldwide in 2005, was ranking the University in 91st place in 2008.
Vinet sits on or has sat on the boards of organizations including the Institut de finance mathématique de Montréal, the Canadian Institute for Telecommunications Research, and the Ouranos Consortium. He has also participated in the research of a number of committees within organizations, among them Montréal International, the Chambre de commerce de Montréal, the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec and the Association of American Universities. Honorary member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, he is also member of the Canadian Applied and Industrial Mathematics Society, the Canadian Association of Physicists
, the Canadian Mathematical Society
, the American Physical Society
, the American Mathematical Society
, the Association mathématique du Québec and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and former rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
.
Biography
Born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Vinet holds a doctorate (3rd cycle) from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie and a PhD from the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
, both in theoretical physics
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
. After two years as Research Associate at MIT, he was appointed in the early 1980’s as faculty member in the Physics Department at the Université de Montréal. He has held a number of visiting professorships at various universities. He is the author or co-author of ten books and more than one hundred scientific papers. His research areas include gauge field theories, supersymmetry
Supersymmetry
In particle physics, supersymmetry is a symmetry that relates elementary particles of one spin to other particles that differ by half a unit of spin and are known as superpartners...
,
quantum algebra
Quantum algebra
Quantum algebra is one of the top-level mathematics categories used by the arXiv.Subjects include:*Quantum groups*Skein theories*Operadic algebra*Diagrammatic algebra*Quantum field theory-External links:**R. Jagannathan,...
, integrable systems and combinatorics.
At the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
, Vinet held the position of director of the Centre de recherches mathématiques
Centre de Recherches Mathématiques
The Centre de Recherches Mathématiques is the first mathematical research institute in Canada. It was founded in 1969, and was recognized as a national research center for the mathematical sciences in 1984....
(CRM) from 1993 to 1999. During his term as director, the CRM succeeded in rallying the forces of quantitative research by forming a network of centers of excellence in computing from the association of seven major Montreal research centers (CERCA, CIRANO, CRIM, CRM, CRI, GERAD and INRS–Télécom) under the banner of the Network for Computing and Mathematical Modeling (NCM2). The research network provides “one-stop” access to expertise calculation and modeling for more than 20 partner enterprises.
As president of NCM2 from 1996 to 1999, he was at the origin of two important research initiatives: the Bell University Laboratory, of which he became the first president and chief executive officer, and the Réseau québécois de calcul de haute performance (RQCHP), a high performance computing organization for which he presented the first grant application to the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Vinet is also one of the founding members of and the MITACS Network of Centers of Excellence, which received an initial funding of 14 million dollars.
In 1999, Vinet joined the ranks of McGill University where he held the positions of Vice-Principal (academic) and Provost. As McGill’s Chief Academic Officer, he developed a renewal scheme of the professoriate and supervised the development of numerous campus infrastructures. It was at his initiative that the Government of Quebec and Quebec universities set up the Génome Québec organization.
In June 2005, Vinet was appointed rector of the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
. As rector, he set an inspired vision for this great institution, developing and executing an integrated strategic plan for the University. Among the many initiatives he realized are the development of a new campus and science pavilion project at the Outremont rail yards acquired in 2006, the creation of the School of Public Health, the establishment of the Cité du Savoir in Laval and the founding of the International Forum of Public Universities. During his tenure, the institution’s international profile has made marked progress in the world's most reputable international rankings. For example, the Times Higher Education Supplement, which ranked the Université de Montréal in 132nd place worldwide in 2005, was ranking the University in 91st place in 2008.
Vinet sits on or has sat on the boards of organizations including the Institut de finance mathématique de Montréal, the Canadian Institute for Telecommunications Research, and the Ouranos Consortium. He has also participated in the research of a number of committees within organizations, among them Montréal International, the Chambre de commerce de Montréal, the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec and the Association of American Universities. Honorary member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, he is also member of the Canadian Applied and Industrial Mathematics Society, the Canadian Association of Physicists
Canadian Association of Physicists
The Canadian Association of Physicists , or in French Association canadienne des physiciens et physiciennes is a Canadian professional society that focuses on creating awareness amongst Canadians and Canadian legislators of physics issues, sponsoring physics related events, and publishes Physics...
, the Canadian Mathematical Society
Canadian Mathematical Society
The Canadian Mathematical Society is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and education in Canada.It was originally conceived in June 1945 as the Canadian Mathematical Congress...
, the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
, the American Mathematical Society
American Mathematical Society
The American Mathematical Society is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, which it does with various publications and conferences as well as annual monetary awards and prizes to mathematicians.The society is one of the...
, the Association mathématique du Québec and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics was founded by a small group of mathematicians from academia and industry who met in Philadelphia in 1951 to start an organization whose members would meet periodically to exchange ideas about the uses of mathematics in industry. This meeting led...
.
Distinctions
- Invited Professor at Université catholique de LouvainUniversité catholique de LouvainThe Université catholique de Louvain, sometimes known, especially in Belgium, as UCL, is Belgium's largest French-speaking university. It is located in Louvain-la-Neuve and in Brussels...
(1980-1982) - Invited researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1987)
- Invited Professor at University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los AngelesThe University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA) (1989-1990) - Honorary member of Golden Key International Honour SocietyGolden Key International Honour SocietyThe Golden Key International Honour Society is an Atlanta, Georgia-based non-profit organization founded in 1977 to recognise academic achievement among college and university students in all disciplines....
http://www.goldenkeymcgill.org/leadership.html(2002) - Doctorat honorifique from l’Université Claude Bernard de Lyon (2006)
- Officier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques de France (2009)
- Prix du QuébecPrix du QuébecThe Prix du Québec are awards given by the Government of Quebec to individuals for cultural and scientific achievements. Founded in 1977, the government annually awards six awards in the cultural field and five in the scientific field.- Cultural awards :...
Armand-Frappierhttp://www.prixduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/recherche/desclaureat.asp?noLaureat=397 (2009)