Gilles G. Patry Student Engagement Fund (for students outside Ontario)

Funds raised from donations and matching funds in support of the Gilles G. Patry Student Engagement Fund (for students outside Ontario) will be used to provide financial assistance to students who wish to improve their university experience by helping them take part in community initiatives such as the Community Service Learning program, while maintaining good academic standing.

The Gilles G. Patry Student Engagement Fund was established in 2008 to honour the many achievements of former president Gilles G. Patry and his deep commitment to the University of Ottawa community — students, professors and support staff.

In August 2001, Gilles G. Patry became the fourth rector (as the position was then called) since the 1965 reorganization that allowed uOttawa to join the ranks of Ontario’s provincially-funded universities. Not only was he the first rector of this venerable 160-year-old institution who was born and studied in the National Capital Region, but he was also the first with extensive private sector experience. 

This experience turned out to be invaluable when Patry spearheaded the efforts leading to the establishment of the School of Information Engineering and Technology, an interdisciplinary initiative aimed at carving the University of Ottawa a niche in cutting edge IT research. 

Gilles G. Patry is a proud alumnus of the University of Ottawa, where he received a BASc and MASc (civil engineering), in 1971 and 1973, respectively. In 1971, Dr. Patry began his professional life as a consulting engineer, prior to becoming a civil engineering professor at the École polytechnique de Montréal (1978) and McMaster University (1983-1993). In 1983, after further study, he received a PhD in civil engineering from the University of California (Davis). 

In 1985, Dr. Patry founded Hydromantis Inc., an international consulting firm specializing in modelling and simulation of water and wastewater treatment facilities. In 1993, he returned to the University of Ottawa, as the dean of the Faculty of Engineering. 

Four years later, in 1997, he was appointed vice-president, academic, and, in August 2001, rector and vicechancellor. In 2002, he was elected a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. From 2001 to 2005, Dr. Patry was associate editor of the Journal of Environmental Engineering and Science. 

As a researcher, Gilles Patry has specialized in the field of modelling, simulation and control of environmental systems, in particular, wastewater treatment plants. He is the author of more than 125 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. 

A strong advocate of bilingualism, the ultimate defining characteristic of the University of Ottawa, he was at the forefront of efforts in the francophone community leading to the establishment of the Institute of Official Languages and Bilingualism and a language immersion program unique in Canada. 

In addition to serving as president and vice-chancellor, Dr. Patry has sat on the boards of several key organizations, including the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation, Terms of Reference Gilles G. Patry Student Engagement Fund (for students outside Ontario) the Ontario Centres of Excellence, the Ontario Research Innovation Council and the National Research Council of Canada. 

The donor thanks the Government of Ontario for having helped create this fund through matching contributions from the OTSS. 

The University would like to thank all donors who have contributed to the Gilles G. Patry Student Engagement Fund, a unique initiative that has been extraordinarily successful. Thank you to the professors, students, staff, alumni and friends of the University of Ottawa for your generosity. This fund has had a lasting impact on the lives of recipients and on the community in general. The University wishes to thank Dr. David Staines for a substantial donation in honour of Gilles Patry