Laurentian University alumnus awarded Governor General’s gold medal

Xuyang Meng, a post-doctoral researcher and Laurentian University alumni, has received the Governor General’s gold medal award for academic excellence at the graduate level. (Supplied)

Xuyang Meng, a post-doctoral researcher and Laurentian University alumnus, has received the Governor General’s gold medal award for academic excellence at the graduate level.

Meng’s doctorate in economic geology, belonging to the mineral deposits and precambrian geology program at Laurentian, focused on understanding the formation of porphyry copper deposits in the early Precambrian eon.

Nominated for this achievement by the Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Meng said he was honoured and humbled to be a recipient.

“I am grateful for the encouragement, advice and help from my supervisors and colleagues at Laurentian, advisers on my Ph.D. committee, and collaborators from around the world," Meng is quoted as saying in a news release.

"I treasure this award for recognizing our efforts."

Established in 1873, Governor General Academic Medals are awarded annually to students graduating with the highest academic standing in four distinct levels of education: secondary, post-secondary collegiate, undergraduate, and graduate.

Meng's post-secondary studies began in Beijing, China, where he obtained his B.Sc. in Geology (2013), followed by M.Sc in Mineralogy, Petrology, and Mineral Deposit Geology (2016).

He then moved to Canada to begin his Ph.D. in economic geology at the University of Alberta where he began to work closely with his faculty supervisor, Dr. Jeremy Richards.

Richards passed away in 2019 after a battle with cancer.

“I wanted to continue the projects that we’d started, and achieve our goals," Meng said in the release.

"I am grateful for the research opportunities that my supervisor brought me… He was a brilliant scientist and knew almost everything regarding porphyry copper deposits.”

Meng said he has high aspirations for his future and his passion for scientific discovery is ongoing.

“Having met many eminent geologists since coming to Canada such as Jeremy, Dan, Adam, Pedro, Ross, and others, as well as having obtained my Ph.D. degree and now the Governor General’s Gold Medal, I have strengthened my confidence in my field,” he said.

“I hope to continue to be able to make more significant academic contributions to our society.”