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Alan Ross Award

Established in 1976, the Alan Ross Award is the most prestigious honour given by the Canadian Paediatric Society. The award recognizes lifelong excellence in the fields of paediatric research, education, healthcare and advocacy.

The award is presented during the CPS Annual Conference. The recipient is awarded a commemorative plaque and a gift of $2,000 and complimentary CPS membership for one year. 

Current recipient(s): Dr. Robin Williams

Dr. Robin Williams

Dr. Robin Williams is receiving the Alan Ross Award to recognize her long and impactful career as a paediatrician and child health advocate. Her journey began with receiving a BSc and MD from the University of Toronto and completing her paediatric residency at McMaster and the Hospital for Sick Children. Early practice was in Niagara Falls, where Dr. Williams was a consultant paediatrician and advocate for children and youth while also working in medical education at McMaster University, where she became a full professor of paediatrics in 2002.

Dr. Williams retired from clinical practice in 1995 to work as the Medical Officer of Health for the Niagara Region, a position she held for 16 years. Her lifelong interest in child development led to work with Dr. Fraser Mustard on a series of reports that contributed to establishing parental leave and Early Years Centres in Ontario. During the SARS epidemic she participated on the Ontario Scientific SARS Panel whose report and recommendations eventually led to establishing Public Health Ontario. As a founding member of Ontario's Provincial Paediatric Coroners Review committee, she was involved in reviewing unusual child deaths and developing recommendations to improve systems and safety for children for more than 20 years. For her role in conceptualizing and implementing the “18-month well-child strategy” in Ontario, she received the Order of Canada in 2013.

Dr. Williams also championed child health causes as an Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health and Special Advisor for the Ministry of Health, focusing on Ontario’s vaccine strategy during the pandemic, working with SickKids (HSC) to support a public information campaign, and building collaboration with the Ontario College of Family Physicians and HSC to educate physicians on COVID-19 and vaccines.

Dr. Williams was president of the CPS in 2015 and has chaired the Early Years Task Force since 2008. Her passion for early child development found expression in recent CPS statements on positive parenting, adverse childhood experiences and early relational health, and early literacy. She has been a helpful, welcoming, and inspiring role model and mentor on preventive and public health issues for a generation.

About Dr. Alan Ross

Alan Ross was a distinguished and recognized leader in Montreal paediatrics for over 40 years. As Physician-in-Chief for 15 years at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Department of Paediatrics at McGill University, Dr. Ross earned an international reputation for his work in child health. His very special qualities along with his many talents made him an outstanding and well-respected physician, leader and teacher.

In 1968, Dr. Ross became the founding Professor of Paediatrics at the University College Medical School in Nairobi, Kenya. There, he encouraged a new approach to medical education, encouraging paediatricians from the western world to come to Africa and share their knowledge. As a result, many African paediatricians have stayed in their homeland to provide desperately needed medical care rather than move to more developed countries. To this day, many paediatricians inspired by Dr. Ross continue his important work the world over. 

Nominations

Nominees should be individuals who have made outstanding lifetime contributions in the field of child and youth health throughout their careers. The recipient must be a Canadian resident but need not be a member of the CPS.

The Awards Committee will evaluate candidates based on:

  • The extent of the candidate’s contribution to child and youth health.
  • The significance of the candidate’s contribution to the welfare of children and youth.
  • The candidate’s local, national and/or international influence on child and youth health matters.
  • The candidate’s sustained contribution to child and youth health through involvement in research, education, clinical care and advocacy (in at least three of the four areas) over a period of time.

Nominations must be formally resubmitted each year to be reconsidered. Current CPS board and Awards Committee members are not eligible for nomination and cannot nominate candidates while serving their terms.

Submissions

Submissions must include:

  • Letters from the nominator and seconder, both of whom are CPS members, describing how the candidate meets the criteria above. Please note that the committee relies heavily on the nomination letters to make their decision,
  • Updated, condensed curriculum vitae (maximum 20 pages)

Submit your nominations using the Submit Nomination button. 

Sponsored by an unrestricted grant from Abbott.

Past recipients

2023

Dr. Denis Leduc

2022

Dr. Joanne Embree

2021

Dr. Ian Mitchell

2020

Dr. Michael Moffatt

2019

Dr. Jean-Yves Frappier

2018

Dr. Denis Daneman

2017

Dr. Heather Dean

2016

Dr. Brent Scott

2015

Dr. Marie Gauthier

2014

Dr. Danielle Grenier

2013

Dr. Jacques Lacroix

2012

Dr. Peter Dent

2011

Dr. Noni MacDonald

2010

Dr. Roger Tonkin

2009

Dr. Victor Blanchette

2008

Dr. Harvey Guyda

2007

Dr. David Scheifele

2006

Dr. Robert Usher

2005

Dr. Graham Chance

2004

Dr. Frederick Andermann

2003

Dr. Robert Haslam

2002

Dr. Judith Hall

2001

Dr. Barry Pless

2000

Dr. Peter Rosenbaum

1999

Dr. Dan Offord

1998

Dr. Geoffrey Robinson

1997

Dr. Richard Goldbloom

1996

Dr. John Bowman

1995

Dr. Claude C. Roy

1994

Dr. Ross E. Petty

1993

Dr. Jack Sinclair

1992

Dr. Robert Salter

1991

Dr. André L’Archevêque

1990

Dr. Charles R. Scriver

1989

Drs. Donald & Elizabeth Hillman

1988

Dr. Henry G. Dunn

1987

Dr. Donald Fraser

1986

Dr. Alvin Zipursky

1985

Dr. John Gerrard

1984

Dr. Victor Marchessault

1983

Dr. Harry W. Bain

1982

Dr. Jessie Boyd Scriver

1981

Dr. Albert Royer

1980

Dr. Harry Medovy

1979

Dr. Bruce Chown

1978

Dr. Henri J. Breault

1977

Dr. Alan S. Ross

1976

Dr. John F. McCreary

Last updated: Nov 1, 2024