NSERC unveils this year's award winners

Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering ($1 million in research funding over five years.) - Geoffrey Hinton, computer scientist, Univ of Toronto computer scientist and a world leader in machine learning.

Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering ($250,000 team research grant) - Electrical engineer Guy Dumont and anesthesiologist Mark Ansermino, both from Univ of British Columbia.

John C. Polanyi Award ($250,000 research grant) - McGill Univ astrophysicist Victoria Kaspi.

NSERC EWR Steacie Memorial Fellowships ($250,000 research grant over two years) - Andrea Damascelli, Univ of British Columbia; Alexander Litvak, Univ of Alberta.; Roberto Morandotti, Institut national de la recherche scientifique; Ruth Signorell, Univ of British Columbia; David Vocadlo, Simon Fraser Univ; Boris Worm of Dalhousie Univ.

Synergy Awards for Innovation (university receives a $200,000 research grant)

Category 1: Small- and Medium-Sized Companies - Brahim Benmokrane, Univ of Sherbrooke, Pultrall Inc.

Category 2: Large Companies - Ahmet T. Alpas, Univ of Windsor, General Motors of Canada Ltd.

Category 3: Two or More Companies - Donald S. Mavinic, Univ of British Columbia, Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc, Stantec Consulting Ltd, Metro Vancouver, Epcor Water Services Inc and Clean Water Services.

Leo Derikx Award - Roderick Guthrie and Mihaiela Isac, McGill Metals Processing Centre (MMPC).

Howard Alper Postdoctoral Prize ($20,000) - Rowan Barrett, postdoctoral researcher (genetic basis of adaptation), Harvard Univ.

NSERC André Hamer Postgraduate Prizes ($10,000) - Audrey Kertesz , Univ of Toronto; Haley Sapers, Univ of Western Ontario.