Head and shoulders image of Dr. Léo Marion, dean, Pure and Applied Science, University of Ottawa, and honourary Doctor of Laws recipient; likely taken near time of presentation.

Bio/Historical Note: Born in Ottawa in 1899, Dr. Léo Marion received his university education at Queen’s and McGill, where he obtained his PhD in 1929. He began his career at the National Research Council the same year, becoming successively research chemist, head of the Organic Chemistry section, director of the Division of Pure Chemistry, senior director of the National Research Council and finally vice-president (scientific) in 1963. He resigned this post in 1965 to take a position at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Marion’s scientific work was mainly in the field of alkaloid chemistry. He published about 200 scientific papers and written chapters in books. During many of Dr. Marion’s years at the National Research Council, he was responsible for administering the support program of research grants to university chemistry departments during a period of spectacular growth when wise control was vital. Furthermore, for 17 years Dr. Marion was editor-in-chief of all the Canadian Journals of Research and for 12 years editor of the Canadian Journal of Chemistry. His development of wise policies for the publication of Canadian scientific research at a time when such work was developing spectacularly has been of great and lasting importance. Dr. Marion received many honours, including Companion of the Order of Canada, a fellow of an impressive number of prestigious societies, and the recipient of many medals, prizes and honourary degrees from universities in Canada, France and Poland. Dr. Marion died in Ottawa in 1979.