2011 Richard C. Tees Distinguished Leadership Award Winner: Dr. Julien Doyon

Dr. Doyon has, for many years, worked relentlessly to advance scientific psychology in Canada and most particularly the field of neuroimaging. Julien was one of the original applicants for a CFI grant that enabled the purchase of an MRI scanner, along with other imaging technologies at Université de Montreal. Since, Julien has been a major force in creating and administering the imaging facility. Julien’s work lead to the creation of the Unite de Neuroimagerie Fonctionelle (UNF) at Université de Montreal, a 3T Siemens scanner. Julien has continued to serve and lead the scientific community by acting as Scientific Director of this facility. He was also pivotal in the creation of the MEG laboratory at Université de Montreal. This facility is based on the first 275 channel whole-head magnetometer put in place in Canada and is still, to this day, the only operational MEG laboratory in Quebec. As Scientific Director of the UNF, Julien has also been a leader in the creation of an international laboratory for neuroimaging, in collaboration with colleagues in Paris. He has led the development of fMRI and other types of cerebral imaging through the organization of training workshops, scientific meetings, and the creation of scientific networks promoting scientific exchange and knowledge transfer. The most recent such network is the Quebec Bio-Imaging Network, funded by the Fonds de la Recherche en Sante du Quebec (FRSQ). This networking grant, under the direction of Julien, has provided funding for several neuroimaging pilot projects, specialized workshops, and training opportunities for students. Julien’s leadership in these networking initiatives benefits all neuroimaging scientists in Quebec. Julien has recently been selected to be the local organizer of the annual meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (HBM), which will be held in Quebec City in 2011. It is clear that Julien’s leadership has had, and continues to have, a major impact on the development of neuroimaging in Montreal, Quebec, and Canada.

Through his sustained work in the creation of neuroimaging infrastructure, student training, scientific output, and knowledge transfer, involvement in scientific societies such as BBCS, OHBM, and others, Julien has been the very embodiment of the leadership qualities exhibited by Richard Tees, who led by example in all spheres of our discipline.