Congratulation Dr. Antony (Tony) Puddephatt
Lakehead University held its Research and Innovation Awards of Excellence reception on Thursday, March 5 to celebrate the exceptional achievements of professors and students.
Lakehead named Dr. Antony Puddephatt the 2020 Distinguished Researcher for his work in social science.
The Distinguished Researcher Award is the highest honour conferred by Lakehead for research and scholarly activity.
Dr. Puddephatt, a Sociology professor who is the department’s chair, also started at Lakehead 12 years ago.
His research contributions are wide ranging, and his work contributes both to ongoing theoretical debates in the discipline as well as to innovative research strategies.
Most centrally, he has studied the work of George Herbert Mead, a central Sociological theorist, and has applied his pragmatist philosophy to deal with a range of problems in contemporary theory.
Such topics include the nature of knowledge, science and technology studies, language, meaning and social action, the nature of power and domination, and environmental sociology.
He has done qualitative research on topics that have ranged from the social organization of amateur chess, to open-access publishing, to the culture of higher education. He has also weighed in on disciplinary debates about the future of Sociology in Canada.
He is currently working with Dr. Chris Sanders on a SSHRC-funded project about post-diagnostic identity issues among adults with high functioning autism.
Dr. Puddephatt has generously shared his research insights and advice with junior faculty to help further their projects.
He has also been able to publish with a number of Lakehead’s graduate students in the past few years, including Lisa Alaimo, Rebecca Collins-Nelsen, Taylor Price, and Bailey Tuffin. This has given students the opportunity for professional development, while affording Dr. Puddephatt a chance to learn about new research areas and topics.
“I am really delighted and humbled to win this prestigious award,” he said.
“The faculty, staff, and students at Lakehead have provided so many great opportunities over the years to foster my research, and I couldn't have done this without them.
“Lakehead continues to be a small university that punches over its weight in terms of internationally recognized research, and I am a small part of a really great group of bright scholars here.”
Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation, said the University’s researchers make him proud.
“Congratulations to both of our Distinguished Researchers and to all Lakehead University researchers,” Dr. Dean said. “Whether they are students or professors, everyone in attendance should be proud of their work and this pride should fuel them to excellence and even greater achievements.”
