Lorne Trottier

Lorne M. Trottier, OC (born 15 June 1948) is a Canadian engineer, businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded Matrox, a computer corporation that specializes in computer graphics.[1] Trottier sits as an advisor to Canada's Ecofiscal Commission.

Lorne Trottier
Lorne Trottier at the 2018 Trottier Public Science Symposium
Born
Lorne Trottier

(1948-06-15) 15 June 1948
Montreal, Quebec
NationalityCanadian
EducationMasters of Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering, Electrical Engineering (1970)
Alma materMcGill University
RelativesJustin Trottier (nephew)

Personal

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Trottier graduated from Baron Byng High School and thereafter received a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering in 1970 and a Masters of Engineering in the same field in 1973 both from McGill University.[2]

He has had a lifelong interest in science:[3]

When I was about 11 years old, a new friend introduced me to the world of electronics. I went to the library and started reading every introductory book I could find, not only on electronics, but also on science in general. That bug to understand what's going on, from the point of view of what science teaches us about nature, has stayed with me all my life.

Philanthropy

Trottier has repeatedly made significant donations to his alma mater McGill. In 2000 his gift of $10 million funded construction of the Lorne M. Trottier Building, home to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the School of Computer Science. In 2006 his second gift of $12 million created two Lorne Trottier Chairs at the school, one in Aerospace Engineering and the other in Astrophysics and Cosmology.[2] In 2012 he donated $15 million to the university to create both the Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design and endow the Trottier Institute for Science and Public Policy.[4] Trottier is believed to be the largest donor to the Faculty of Science at McGill.[5]

Beginning in 2005 the Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium[6] has been held in the fall of each year, featuring eminent scientists from throughout the world speaking on topics of interest to the public. The first one was held 24 November 2005 and focused on climate change.[7] In November 2011 Trottier gave $5.5 million to make the Symposium permanent and to fund Joseph A. Schwarcz's McGill's Office for Science and Society to educate the public about quackery and to "battle against charlatans." It is believed to be the largest single gift for science promotion in Canada.[8]

He has also supported Polytechnique Montréal,[9] Montréal Science Centre,[10] John Abbott College,[3] the Lakeshore General Hospital[11] and the West Island Palliative Care Residence[12] with donations.

He is a member of the board of directors of the National Center for Science Education.[13] From 2010 to 2011 he was also on the board of directors of CFI Canada.[14][15]

The Trottier Observatory at Simon Fraser University, open April 2015, is primarily funded by a $2.7 million gift from The Trottier Family Foundation.[16]

On 21 November 2022, the Trottier Family Foundation donated Can$26 million to fund space research at McGill University and the Université de Montréal. In recognition, the McGill Space Institute was renamed the Trottier Space Institute at McGill University.[17]

Awards

References
  1. Curran, Peggy (15 November 2006), "McGill benefactor intrigued by how the world works", The Montreal Gazette, archived from the original on 25 October 2012, retrieved 8 December 2011
  2. "Lorne Trottier", Campaign McGill – History in the Making, McGill University, 2007, retrieved 8 December 2011
  3. "The Trottier Family Foundation: Lorne Trottier – Sharing his Passion for Science for Generations to Come", The JAC Foundation, John Abbott College, archived from the original on 3 April 2012, retrieved 9 December 2011
  4. Chris Chipello (6 November 2012). "Philanthropist Lorne Trottier makes transformative gift" (Press release). McGill University. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  5. "New gift says so long to spurious "science"", headway, McGill University, 29 November 2011, archived from the original on 12 October 2012, retrieved 8 December 2011
  6. The Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium Series, McGill University Faculty of Science, 7 November 2011, retrieved 8 December 2011
  7. McDonagh, Patrick (8 December 2005), "The great climate debate: How can we address climate change?", McGill Reporter, McGill University, vol. 38, no. 8, retrieved 8 December 2011
  8. Seidman, Karen (16 November 2011), "Dr. Joe serves notice to quacks: $5.5-million gift for Office for Science", The Montreal Gazette, archived from the original on 19 January 2012, retrieved 8 December 2011
  9. "École Polytechnique de Montréal inaugurates its Lassonde buildings, the first "sustainable buildings" erected by an educational institution in Québec – A$104.9-million investment", Carrefour de l'Actu@lite, École Polytechnique de Montréal, 3 October 2005, retrieved 9 December 2011
  10. Order of Canada – Lorne Trottier, C.M., PhD(h.c.), Governor General of Canada, 5 October 2006, retrieved 8 December 2011
  11. Kramberger, Albert (19 November 2008), "LGH high on new drug dispenser", Westmount Examiner, retrieved 8 December 2011
  12. "West Island Palliative Care Residence receives historic donation", The Montreal Gazette, 7 May 2014, retrieved 27 January 2015
  13. NCSE's Board of Directors, National Center for Science Education, 7 October 2010, retrieved 9 December 2011
  14. CFI Canada Board of Directors, Advisory Fellows & National Executive Council, Centre for Inquiry, 2011, archived from the original on 13 April 2012, retrieved 19 March 2017{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. "CFI Canada Board of Directors & Leadership Team – Centre for Inquiry Canada".
  16. Yuliya Talmazan (14 April 2015). "New observatory to open at SFU". Global News.
  17. SEMENIUK, IVAN. "Donation of $26-million boosts cosmic research in Montreal". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  18. Les grands bâtisseurs des TIC du Québec honorés en mai 2003 par le Réseau Action TI (in French), Réseau Action TI, May 2003, retrieved 9 December 2011
  19. Borde, Valérie (18 November 2003), Les Prix du Québec – le lauréat Lorne Trottier (in French), Prix du Québec, retrieved 8 December 2011
  20. "Governor General Announces 100 New Appointments to the Order of Canada as Canada Turns 150". The Governor General of Canada His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  21. Collation des grades – Honoris Causa Lorne M. Trottier (in French), École Polytechnique de Montréal, 2011, retrieved 9 December 2011
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