Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: November 19, 2015
• Invested on: November 17, 2016

Mary Anne White, O.C.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Officer of the Order of Canada

For her contributions to chemistry, which have advanced our understanding of the thermal properties of materials, and for her leadership in science outreach initiatives.

Mary Anne White has made critical advances to materials chemistry and to science outreach in Canada. A professor of chemistry at Dalhousie University for over three decades, she is Canada’s leading expert on how various materials physically react to heat. Notably, she contributed to the understanding of materials that change colour based on their temperature, a breakthrough that is now used in commercial products. Passionate about fostering a love of science in the next generation, she has played a leadership role in coordinating National Chemistry Week and in the creation of a science discovery centre in Halifax.