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Jean-Marie De Koninck

Date of birth: Québec, April 29th, 1948
Occupation: Professor emeritus of mathematics at Université Laval
 

 

 

  • Bachelors of Science, Université Laval, 1970
  • Master Degree in Mathematics, Temple University, 1972
  • Ph.D. in Mathematics, Temple University, 1973
  • 1972 - 1977: Assistant Professor at the Mathematics Department;
  • 1976 - 1980: Assistant Director at the Mathematics Department and Department's Graduate Studies Chair Member;
  • 1977 - 1982: Associate Professor at the Mathematics Department;
  • 1982- Present: Professor in the Mathematics and Statistics Department;
  • 1988 - 2002: Responsible person for the collaboration between Université Laval and colleges;
  • 1999 - 2003: Deputy Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics;
  • 2005 - Present: Director of Science and Mathematics in Action program (SMAC);
  • 2007 - 2015: Director of Mitacs outreach program;
  • 2012 – 2015: Special Advisor to the CEO for Mitacs;
  • 2013 - 2015: Board Member of the Centre de développement de la relève scientifique et technologique (CDRST);
  • 2013 - 2015: Member of National Advisory Committee for girls and STEM (for the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation);
  • 2014 - Present: Chair of the Committee for the Research Chair in Science Journalism at Université Laval;
  • 2016-2019: Member of the Killam Prizes and Research Grants Jury for the Canada Council for the Arts
  • December 2016: Named Professor Emeritus
  • Author of 17 books;
  • Author of 177 publications in scientific peer reviewed journals;
  • Author of the SMAC chronicle in the "Découvrir" journal, which mandates 5 publications per year;
  • Guest Speaker in several Canadian and American universities, as well as in France, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, South Africa, Australia, Ghana and Mexico;
  • Co-president of the organizing committee of the International Number Theory Conference held at the Université Laval from July 5 to July 18, 1987;
  • Co-president of the organizing committee for the 33rd Mathematical Sciences of Quebec Seminar, held at the Université Laval on April 21, 1990;
  • Member of the FQRNT's Board of Directors from 2001 to 2008;
  • President of the 70th ACFAS Conference held at the Université Laval from May 13 to May 17, 2002;
  • Research Director of 9 Ph.D students and 12 Masters students;
  • President of the Association mathématique du Québec (AMQ) from 2005 to 2007.
  • Board Member of ACFAS from 2005 to 2007.
  • NSERC (Discovery Grants Program): $18,000 per year until 2025.
  • NSERC (PromoScience): $82,100 per year until 20240.
  • Member of CICMA.
  • Since 1990, has given interviews on mathematics related subjects for several television and radio networks.
  • Coordinator of the AMQ summer camp (1991, 1992 and 1993), which is an annual summer event that brings together the 25 best mathematics college students.
  • Event Organizer of "La Quinzaine des Sciences" held in October 1996 at Université Laval: a series of popular science lectures intended for a general audience.
  • Event Organizer of "Popular Lectures on current mathematics”, which were a series of lectures given on three consecutive days in April 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. These lectures were a series of presentations by students graduating in mathematics and intended for students and professors from colleges and universities.
  • Researcher and Host of the Canadian television series C'est mathématique! ("Mathematics is Everywhere!") broadcasted on Z Network and produced by "Téléfiction." The initial telecasts were 30 minutes in length and broadcast in Winter 2000. In the following year, the broadcasts were extended to one hour episodes. In 2001, both series were purchased by the TFO Network (Télévision française de l'Ontario/Ontario French Television) and continue to air each Fall. They are broadcast as well on the "Canal Savoir." The aim of the television series C'est mathématique! is to demonstrate to the general public that mathematics are present in almost all areas of human activity, and in parts of our daily lives. It deals with the presence of mathematics in finance, weather forecast, medical treatments, aviation, lotteries, sports, cryptography, nutrition, etc.
  • Since 2000, guest speaker at several Quebec Colleges, namely CEGEP Ste-Foy, CEGEP F.X. Garneau, CEGEP d'Ahuntsic, CEGEP Édouard Montpetit, Collège Brébeuf and Chibougamau CEGEP, of as part of lectures organized by the Institut des sciences mathématiques (ISM).
  • Guest speaker at the Ontario French Association for “Mathematics Education Conference” on November 16, 2000. The lecture was entitled: "Des équations et des hommes" ("Of Equations and Men"), and discussed the presenter’s belief that behind most of the important mathematical discoveries, one can find a passionate and profoundly human person.
  • May 2000, guest speaker at the “Mathematics for the World Conference”, which was a gathering of various organizations involved in mathematics education at all levels.
  • May 2002, invited to deliver the Opening Remarks at the GRMS (Groupe de recherche sur les mathématiques au secondaire/Research group on high school mathematics) Conference.
  • June 2002, delivered the general audience lecture at the Canadian Mathematical Society Conference.
  • May 2003, delivered the general audience lecture at the Canadian Mathematical Society, at the Canadian Forum on Mathematics Education Conference.
  • Since 2009, hosts a featured scientific segment on CBC’s radio broadcast: "Ca me dit de prendre le temps", hosted by Catherine Lachaussée.
  • Chair of the Scientific Committee of the exhibition “Live Science” held at the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City in 2011-2012.
  • Hosts a featured segment on the science of sports on CBC’s radio broadcast: "Culture physique", hosted by Robert Frosi.
  • President and founder of Operation Red Nose; a nationwide road safety initiative which held each year in December since 1984, which brings together over 50,000 volunteers annually. Operation Red Nose has offered over one million rides since its beginning and provides annually to amateur sports organizations more than 1,500,000$ in donations.
  • Honorary President of several fundraising events including: Mira Foundation, Canadian Red Cross blood campaigns, Adaptavie, Laval Hospital, Ste-Monique Hospital, the Ignatia House, the Trois-Saumons Summer Camp, the Association des Diplômés de l'Université Laval (Alumi Association of Université Laval), the Fernand-Séguin School Foundation and the Association pour l’intégration sociale.
  • President of the Table québécoise de la sécurité routière from December 2005 to April 2015.
  • May 2015 to May 2018 : Member of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada.
  • April 2015 – Present: Board Member of the SAAQ.
  • 1975: Named “Coach of the Year” in the province of Quebec by the Société des Sports du Québec;
  • 1979: Named “Varsity Swim Coach of the Year” in Canada;
  • 1984: Named “Coach of the Year” for the Quebec region;
  • 1985: Recipient of the Solicitor General of Quebec Award for "its support for crime prevention in the region 03 for the Operation Red Nose initiative";
  • 1985: Recipient of an "Official Congratulations" from the House of Commons for the Operation Red Nose initiative;
  • 1987: The Quebec National Assembly declares Friday, December 18 the “National Day of Operation Red Nose” and officially congratulates Jean-Marie De Koninck for his initiative in creating the Operation Red Nose program;
  • 1988: Recipient of the Alphonse-Desjardins Award, as President and Founder of Operation Red Nose, thus acknowledging his positive action in the community;
  • 1988: La Presse newspaper's "Personality of the Week";
  • 1989: Named "Volunteer Administrator" of the Year by the Quebec Society for Sports in Quebec for his help in the development of amateur sport;
  • 1989: Operation Red Nose is awarded the Special Jury Award at the Carcassone (France) Film Festival on Road Safety;
  • 1990: Guest speaker at the First International Congress on road safety (Edmonton, Alberta);
  • 1990: Named "Sports Personality of the Year" for the Quebec Region;
  • 1990: As acting President and Founder of Operation Red Nose, Jean-Marie De Koninck receives the Solicitor General of Quebec Award in "recognition of his outstanding contribution to crime prevention in Canada;"
  • 1992: Named to Quebec Swimming Hall of Fame;
  • 1994: Audace Award, Fidéides Gala, for his exceptional realizations and his contribution to the influence of the region of Quebec;
  • 1994: Member of the Order of Canada;
  • 1995: Recipient of the Adrien-Pouliot Award from the Mathematical Association of Quebec, in recognition of his book: "Introduction à la théorie des nombres";
  • 1996: Named "Personnalité Richelieu International";
  • 1998: Awarded the 50th Anniversary Medal by the Association des diplômés de l'Université Laval;
  • 1999: Knight of the National Order of Quebec;
  • 2001: Special mention at the Mathematical Association of Quebec annual awards gala, for his popular publication: "Those Fascinating Numbers;"
  • 2002: Recipient of the Abel-Gauthier Award, which is presented annually by the Mathematical Association of Quebec to the "Quebec Mathematical Personality;"
  • 2003: Honored at the National Assembly for his contribution to road safety in Quebec;
  • 2004: Recipient of the Adrien-Pouliot Award, which is chosen by the Canadian Mathematical Society for his "continuing and significant contributions to mathematics education in Canada; "
  • 2005: Honorary president of IMAGINE, the Innovation happening in the Quebec region;
  • 2006: Named to the "Académie des Grands Québécois" by the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Quebec.
  • 2006: Named Scientist of the Year by Radio-Canada for his "exemplary role in the promotion and development of mathematics in Canada;"
  • 2006: Recipient of the Lester B. Pearson Award, given every year by Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) for his "contribution to the development of university sport in Canada";
  • Since 2007: The Jean-Marie De Koninck's Award has been awarded, by the CIS, to a coach for his/her exceptional contribution to the development of university sport in Canada;
  • Since 2007: The Jean-Marie De Koninck's Award has been awarded, annually by the Rouge et Or of Université Laval to a student-athlete that combines outstanding academic achievement and athletic performances;
  • 2010: Recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Human Relations from the University of Moncton (New Brunswick);
  • 2012: Recipient of the Prix Hommage of the Société québécoise des professionnels en relations publiques awarded annually to a personnality “which embodies remarkably well a good public relations practice- in the utmost respect of the general interest- and recognizes that as a function of strategic management”;
  • 2014: Named Officer of the Order of Canada;
  • 2014: Named “Lauréat le Soleil/Radio-Canada” for the year 2014;
  • 2015: Recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Sciences from the University of Ottawa.
  • February 2016: Recipient of the Margaret Sinclair Memorial Award recognizing “Recognizing Innovation and Excellence in Mathematics Education” (prize awarded every year by the Fields Institute of Toronto.
  • June 2016: Recipient of the Thérèse-Casgrain Award, for lifelong commitment awarded by the Federal Government.
  • December 2016: Named Professor Emeritus.
  • November 2017: Recipients of the Medal of Honour of the Quebec National Assembly.
  • May 2018: Recipient of the NSERC Award for Science Promotion
  • May 23rd to 26th 2019: Honorary President of the 20th Salon Culture et Jeux mathématiques of Paris.
  • 1974 - 1985: President of the Quebec Swimming Coaches Association;
  • 1978 - 1990: Coach of the Rouge et Or Swimming Club at the Université Laval;
  • 1976 - Present: Sport analyst for the Société Radio-Canada for international swimming competitions, among others the Summer Olympic Games of 1976, 1984,1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2016;
  • 1988 - 1995: President of the Club des Amis de la Natation du Québec (Friends and Family of the Quebec Swimming Club);
  • 1988 - 1998: Member of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Swimming Federation.
  • 1999 - Present: President of the Rouge et Or Swimming Club of Université Laval;
  • Author of Systeme 2001 (1992), a software that allows swim coaches to better prepare their training plan and monitor the physiologically evolution of their athletes throughout the season.
  • 2005 - 2007: Member of the Board of Directors of Swimming Canada;
  • 2005 - 2010: Coaching Association of Canada Board of Directors President.