Dean, Faculty of Science
André Lalonde was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Science July 1, 2007.
Biography:
André Lalonde was born in Ottawa in 1955; however, he went to school across the river in Quebec’s Outaouais region. Dr. Lalonde has been interested in natural sciences and mineralogy ever since he can remember. In 1978, he completed a BSc Honours in Geology at the University of Ottawa and continued his studies at McGill University in Montreal, where he received his MSc in 1981 and his PhD in 1986.
He started working as a geologist for various governmental agencies, where he took part in geological field mapping projects throughout Northern Canada. In fact, the Geological Survey of Canada supported his PhD thesis on the igneous rocks of Wopmay Orogen in the Northwest Territories.
Dr. Lalonde’s enthusiasm for teaching is equal to his dedication to research, both of which he has done with skill and devotion for more than 23 years. He joined the University’s Faculty of Science in 1985 as a lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences and was promoted to assistant professor, in 1986, after receiving his PhD. In 1990, he was granted tenure, promoted to associate professor in 1992 and then to full professor in 2001. In August 2006, Dr. Lalonde became the acting dean of the Faculty of Science, a post he held until July 2007 when he was appointed dean for a five-year term. He currently teaches Mineralogy and Geology in the Department of Earth Sciences.
The Faculty of Science acknowledged the quality of his teaching by granting him the Award for Excellence in teaching in 1991 and 1993. In 1999, the Maclean’s Guide to Canadian Universities referred to him as a “Popular Professor.” In 2001, as a researcher, he was invited to Akita University in Japan. As well as receiving multiple awards for his teaching, the mineral lalondeite was named after him.
Dr. Lalonde is an active member of various external committees in his field of study and also takes part in activities that promote science and the University of Ottawa.
His research focuses on the mineralogy of phyllosilicates and the other main silicate minerals, and their use as indicators to understand the petrogenic evolution of the rocks and soils in which they are found. His current projects include a mineralogical and petrological study of syenites in the alkaline intrusion on Mont Saint-Hilaire and the Archaean syenites of the Canadian Shield and their associated mineral deposits. He is also interested in the post-magmatic evolution of anorthositic massifs as recorded in the composition of plagioclase in these rocks and everything relating to the toxicology of mineral dusts, especially chrysotile and vermiculite.
