E.M. Culliton, University Chancellor, making presentation of an honourary Doctor of Laws degree to Léo Marion at fall Convocation held at Centennial Auditorium.

Bio/Historical Note: Léo Edmond Marion was born in 1899 in Ottawa, received his university education at Queen’s and McGill, where he obtained a PhD degree 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 up his present position at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Marion’s scientific work was mainly in the field of alkaloid chemistry. He published approximately two hundred scientific papers, and written chapters in books. During many of his 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 seventeen years Dr. Marion was Editor-in-Chief of all the Canadian Journals of Research and for twelve years Editor of the Canadian Journal of Chemistry. Dr. Marion was a Companion of the Order of Canada, a fellow of an impressive number of prestigious societies, the recipient of many medals, prizes and honourary degrees from Universities in Canada, France and Poland. Dr. Marion died in Ottawa in 1979.