INVITED SPEAKERS (2026)

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  The Robert J. Le Roy Lecturer Robert J. Le Roy (1943-2018)
  Robert J. LeRoy, one of Canada’s foremost theoretical chemists, followed his father into academia and became a learned giant within a highly specialized field. His work focused on the behaviour of molecules and atoms, particularly the forces occurring among them. When asked to explain the complexities of his profession to laypeople he was known to say: “I study the sex life of molecules.”
  Mischievously good humoured, the University of Waterloo professor inspired and mentored thousands of young scientists. His work on predictive computer modelling resulted in many honours and awards including the Rutherford Memorial Medal in Chemistry by the Royal Society of Canada (1984) and the J. Heyrovsky Honorary Medal for Merit in the Chemical Sciences by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (1995). He always said, “Don’t choose something because it’s easy – choose it because it’s challenging and worthwhile.”
  In his 40s, Mr. LeRoy was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a relatively rare cancer in someone so young. When chemotherapy caused his hair to fall out, he decided to adopt a new look – shaving his head and piercing his ear. University of Waterloo colleagues and students got together to present him with an earring made out of a bolt. He wore it with pride. Bob was a truly inspiring person and scientist.
  Anne B. McCoy
  University of Washington, USA

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  The Roger E. Miller Lecturer Roger E. Miller (1952-2005)
  The Roger E. Miller Lectureship in Chemical Physics has being established by the friends and admirers of the late Roger E. Miller to honour him and perpetuate his memory. Roger grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, was a B.Sc., M.Sc. and PhD. graduate of the University of Waterloo, and his professional appointments culminated in the John B. Carrol Professorship at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. His remarkable scientific talent was complemented by his exemplary personal character, and he was greatly admired and respected by all who knew him.
  The Lectureship is intended to attract an individual who is internationally recognized for excellence in experimental or theoretical chemical physics, who will be the Plenary Lecturer at the annual Symposium on Chemical Physics held at the University of Waterloo. In addition to his Waterloo roots, Roger was a frequent participant who spoke several times at the Symposium over the 22 year history preceeding his untimely death, so this seems a particularly appropriate way to remember him.
  
  Jennifer Ogilvie
  University of Ottawa, Canada
  

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  The Josef Paldus Lecturer Josef Paldus (1935-2023)
  Josef Paldus joined the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Waterloo in 1968 and was a highly regarded participant in the symposium for many years. A pioneer in Coupled Cluster theory and its generalizations to multi-reference problems and excited states, Joe made seminal contributions to the Unitary Group approach to spin-adaptation—a method widely used in quantum chemistry software packages today.
  To celebrate his life and accomplishments, and to honour his memory, we established the "Josef Paldus Lectureship" for the Symposium on Chemical Physics.
  
  Martin Head-Gordon
  University of California Berkeley, USA
  

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  Martin Certurion
  University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
  
  
  

  
  
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  Conrard G. Tetsassi Feugmo
  University of Waterloo, Canada
  

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  Miriam L. Cane
  Solution InnHub, Canada