Monique Cormier, a University of Montreal professor of linguistics and translation, was presented with CAUT’s 2011 Distinguished Academic Award at the association’s council meeting in Ottawa May 7.

Cormier is a recognized expert in translation and interpretation and is widely known as an excellent and innovative teacher. For the benefit of her linguistics learners, she introduced the concept of “learning through problem solving,” later demonstrated and adopted at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. She has trained hundreds of translators and language specialists, and at the graduate level, supervised 16 PhD students, two post-docs, and 57 master’s students.

“It is testimony to her thorough mentoring skills that seven of her former PhD students now teach in Canadian universities,” noted the award jury, writing on Cormier’s nomination.

She is a prolific researcher, and has published extensively in her field. Her co-edited book, Translation Terminology, has been translated in 11 languages. She regularly contributes to leading journals and has presented results of her work in 12 countries. Cormier has more than 100 publications and has authored 12 books and 71 refereed articles and book chapters. She is also on the editorial board of eight journals of national and international repute. She is a recipient of many provincial, national and international awards and honours, and in 2007 was elected to the Royal Society of Canada. In 2009, she was awarded the Prix Georges-Émile-Lapalme, the highest distinction attributed by the Quebec government.

An influential academic in the Quebec community over the last 34 years, Cormier has served on numerous professional committees and boards, including the Quebec Order of Translators and Interpreters, where she held positions as vice-president and president. She was also a pioneer in the area of participation by the public in the province’s cultural events surrounding the Quebec Day of Dictionaries, which she initiated in 2003, and later, the Week of Dictionaries.

“Dr. Cormier has been deeply engaged in her local community, as well as regionally and globally, and has repeatedly demonstrated excellence in teaching, scholarship and service,” said CAUT executive director James Turk. “We’re pleased to recognize her with our most prestigious award.”