Professor receives Governor General’s International Award for Canadian Studies

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York University Professor Colin Coates, who teaches at Glendon College, has received the Governor General’s International Award for Canadian Studies from the International Council for Canadian Studies (ICCS) in recognition of his work in the field.

Colin Coates
Colin Coates

The award is among the top honours given out by the ICCS, which looks to promote the worldwide scholarly study, research, teaching and publication about Canada in all disciplines worldwide.

“I am honoured to receive this award,” Coates says. “I am extremely flattered to be in the same company as so many people who have made such important contributions to Canadian studies within and outside Canada.”

Coates receiving the organization’s Governor General’s Award is a recognition of his extensive work in the field. Specializing in environmental history, early French Canada, Francophone communities, Indigenous Peoples and more, he has been involved in the publishing of over 10 books, and written over two dozen book chapters.

During the time span of 2010 to 2015, he served as president of the Canadian Studies Network-Réseau d’études canadiennes and director of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies.

The ICCS award is the latest honour Coates has received, having earned Glendon’s Principal’s Teaching Excellence Award in 2019 and a Certificate of Merit from the ICCS in 2018. He also received several Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada grants and was Canada Research Chair in Canadian Cultural Landscapes from 2003 to 2013.

“While I was delighted to receive the Certificate of Merit a few years ago, this award reflects even broader career achievements,” Coates says. “In both cases, I am incredibly grateful for the recognition provided by my peers.”

For more information about Coates’s work, visit his faculty page.