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Christiane Ayotte, the first woman to receive the highest distinction of Ordre des chimistes du Québec

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Retired INRS professor named member of Société honorifique des Compagnons de Lavoisier

LAVAL, QC, Nov. 1, 2024 /CNW/ – A leading figure in the fight against doping in sport, Christiane Ayotte, retired professor at Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), has recently been recognized by Ordre des chimistes du Québec (OCQ) with the honorary title of Compagnon de Lavoisier.

Professor Ayotte thus becomes the first woman in Québec to receive this eminent distinction and joins the 25 other emeritus members who collectively form Société honorifique des Compagnons de Lavoisier.

This distinction, the highest bestowed by the Order, is awarded on an ad hoc basis to recognize a member’s valuable contribution to society and their notable involvement in promoting the discipline of chemistry during their career.

This nomination echoes Professor Ayotte’s exceptional career path, as she has previously confided that she pursued a career in science out of a desire for emancipation, in a sector where women were still under-represented.

“I am delighted and honoured to receive this distinction from my peers, and to highlight the essential contribution of Ordre des chimistes to Québec. Before guillotining Antoine Lavoisier, the court declared that the ‘republic has no need of scientists or chemists.’ Today, 230 years later and at a time when every opinion, no matter how unfounded, carries equal weight and spreads throughout society, the voice of chemists and biochemists must be heard. I’ve always been very proud to be a woman and a chemist. I hope that by speaking out, I’ve inspired young Quebecers to take an interest in science and make it their career,” says Christiane Ayotte, retired INRS professor, world expert in doping control.

“The contributions of Ms. Christiane Ayotte extend far beyond the world of sports. Her work and research have had positive impacts in several other health-related professions. Her ability to simplify complex concepts has helped educate the public on the risks associated with doping, as well as the importance of ethical rules in all areas of life. Ms. Ayotte is an ambassador for the profession, but also for the entire professional system,” proudly emphasizes Mr. Michel Alsayegh, president of the Ordre des chimistes du Québec.

The awards ceremony took place at the Gala de reconnaissance des membres émérites as part of the Grand RDV des chimistes et des biochimistes 2024, held on October 17.

A world-class career

Throughout her career, Professor Ayotte has distinguished herself as a world expert in doping control. Her dedication to the integrity of sport, the protection of athletes, and the advancement of scientific knowledge in this ever-evolving field has been applauded the world over.

For more than 30 years, Professor Ayotte headed the INRS Doping Control Laboratory based at the INRS Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre in Laval and served as a scientific expert on the International Olympic Committee’s Medical Commission at the Salt Lake City, Beijing, London, Sochi, and Rio Olympic Games. Under her leadership, the laboratory team achieved international recognition, carrying out analyses for several major competitions such as the Pan-American Games, the Central American Games, the Vancouver Olympics, and other Olympic Games.

She has also served on a number of World Anti-Doping Agency committees and working groups, contributing to the drafting of standards and technical documents governing analyses carried out in accredited laboratories. She has not hesitated to defend the science of doping control when challenged in international courts.

Her scientific expertise and vast experience have made her a key figure in the sports media landscape, with several thousand interviews to her credit. She is called upon by national and international media as an authority in the field when cases of doping in sport occur.

“Professor Ayotte’s contribution to our establishment is invaluable: thanks to the immense scope of her work, our laboratories are now among the most recognized infrastructures in the fight against doping in Quebec and around the world. This distinction is a magnificent recognition of all that she has accomplished for her profession and her field of research, but also for society and for the next generation of scientists,” adds Luc-Alain Giraldeau, Executive Director of INRS.

Regularly recognized for her research work, Professor Ayotte has received numerous awards and distinctions. In 2018, she was awarded the insignia of Officer of the Order of Canada “for her relentless fight against doping in sport,” as well as a 50th Anniversary Tribute Medal from Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie. She was also the first chemist to receive the Prix René Dussault 2024, awarded by Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec (CIQ), for her prestigious career.

About INRS 

INRS is an academic institution dedicated exclusively to graduate research and training in strategic sectors in Quebec. For the past 55 years, it has actively contributed to Quebec’s economic, social, and cultural development. INRS is first in Canada in research intensity. It is made up of four interdisciplinary research and training centres located in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval, and Varennes, which focus their efforts on strategic sectors: water, earth, and environment (Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre); energy, materials, and telecommunications (Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre); urbanization, culture, and society (Urbanisation Culture Société Research Centre); and health and biotechnology (Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre). The INRS community includes over 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty and staff members. inrs.ca

SOURCE Institut National de la recherche scientifique (INRS)

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H3C takes a deep dive into the challenges – and opportunities – AI brings

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BEIJING, Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Nothing carries quite the gravitas of the Nobel Prizes, the five awards that were founded in Switzerland back in 1901 to recognize developments that have been of the “greatest benefit to humankind” in the fields of in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and in the promotion of peace.

These awards have traditionally noted people who have helped alter the course of human history and so it was telling when they were handed out by The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences at the start of October that, for the first time, the work of people developing Artificial Intelligence was recognized.

This year’s winners in the sections both for physics (John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hianton) and chemistry (David Baker and joint-winners Demis Hassabis and John Jumper) have been expanding the use of AI software into science and their recognition has again shown how far this new technology’s reach has now spread, so quickly.

That’s a conversation that was carried on to GITEX Global 2024 in Dubai from October 14-18 – an event which brands itself as the “biggest tech & startup show in the world” – with the scope of the impact AI is having around the world once again on show.

At the center-point of displays and discussions were the very latest in AI advances as were the issues of where these developments are going to take the world as the digital economy continues to evolve.

On hand in Dubai was Ray Xu, senior vice-president of H3C, as well as president of the Chinese business innovation and digital transformation group’s cloud, compute, and storage product line. Based out of the eastern Chinese tech hub of Hangzhou, H3C officially launched two new H3C UniServer systems in Dubai (R5500 G7 and R5300 G7) – servers which can support more than 70 kinds of AI.

A week later, Xu sat down to reflect on that experience and on how an AI-led digital transformation, and technological innovation, are reshaping our world.

“These AI technologies are changing our lives and present a lot of new opportunities,” said Xu. “That has sparked a lot of imagination about what the future will be. On the other hand, AI applications also face some challenges in areas such as data privacy and algorithm bias. In the end, though, I’m an optimist. I think the opportunities far outweigh the challenges.”

Through its global commercial partnerships, H3C has helped expand AI technology usage across sectors including “AIGC [Artificial Intelligence Generated Content], autonomous driving in the new energy vehicle industry, and data-driven decision-making and personalized services in finance and enterprise sectors, as well as large-scale computing centers established by governments and operators.”

AIGC is one development that has had a major impact on the way work is done all over the globe. Innovations such as ChatGPT are driving new growth across industries as those industries adapt to generative technology and explore ways to expand AI’s uses.

Xu said there were a number of important challenges ahead, including developing the necessary infrastructure to support the power needed to drive this new technology, the development of more efficient power sources and servers, the building of data centers and learning how to deal with issues of privacy when it comes to data.

“At H3C we are committed to partnering with our customers when it comes to dealing with the challenges of business innovation and digital transformation,” said Xu. “With our comprehensive product line, we have solutions for cloud, computing, networking, security, and terminal issues as well as Information and Communication Technologies [ICT] solutions. With these solutions, we help a lot of our customers in their new journey of digital information transformation.”

The development of arithmetic power was another issue Xu identified, especially in terms of the Chinese market.

“I think there are four key challenges,” he said. “The first thing is computing power. We need huge amounts of computing power, so how to scale up this computing power quickly is very important. Second, how to use this arithmetic power efficiently? How to schedule this power is critical. The third challenge is about storage. We need data so how do we make this data transfer very efficiently, very quickly? 

“More computing means more data, more energy. So, how do we leverage this energy more efficiently? Making data centers more green will be the fourth challenge but in order to address these challenges, the first thing we need to do is scale up computing power more quickly.”

H3C has addressed these issues by focusing on “the upgrade and evolution of digital infrastructure to meet the needs of the AI era.” 

The company has also launched “diverse heterogeneous computing platforms for intelligent computing centers, high-performance AI servers, advanced data center network architectures, and AI storage solutions to provide strong, stable, and scalable digital infrastructure support.”

There has also been a focus on a green strategy when it comes to data center design and across the H3C production line, in keeping with the requirements of the industry. This includes such innovations as liquid cooling and box immersion, which are helping drive new growth on a global scale.

Overall, H3C has identified a “multifaceted” approach that has focused on increased investment in and construction of “computing infrastructure to rapidly scale up computing power,” the company said. 

Other focuses include “the development of more efficient and intelligent computing power allocation and data storage technologies to enhance resource utilization and ensure data security and stability”, while the company continues to explore “the promotion of innovation and application of energy-efficient technologies to reduce energy consumption during computing operations.”

That’s why, Xu said, the company is “open to different kinds of vendors.”

“We have the service capability to help customers build their ecosystem in anticipation of AI development, so they can actively embrace them,” he said. “We can always find ways to solve challenges and deliver more and more opportunities, backed by the belief that AI will bring us a bright and a smart future.”

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/h3c-takes-a-deep-dive-into-the-challenges–and-opportunities–ai-brings-302313932.html

SOURCE H3C

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IMMOTION WINS BEST VR AWARD FOR THE GREAT MIGRATION AT WCFF 2024

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MONTERREY, Mexico, Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — IMMOTION, the global leader in immersive edutainment, received the Best Virtual Reality Award at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival (WCFF) last month for The Great Migration, its groundbreaking 360º VR film experience.

“What their team accomplished with their intricate and non-intrusive camerawork was previously unseen by our judges.”

The WCFF annually awards the best in conservation filmmaking that spotlight global conservation advocacy.

In The Great Migration, IMMOTION immerses viewers into the incredible journey of over 2 million animals traveling between Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserves as part of an annual phenomenon known as the Great Migration of East Africa. This journey is filled with predators preying on vulnerable herds that instinctually cross the treacherous Mara River each year.

IMMOTION’s team of VR filmmakers, led by Creative Director Ken Musen, captured breathtaking, immersive footage of the migration using custom-built 360º VR cameras within “rock-cams,” “croc-cams,” drones, and hot air balloons.

“We placed special VR cameras in places along the migration’s paths that no one has ever tried before,” said Musen. “The footage we captured was spectacular; for the first time in VR, you can see inside a herd of wildebeest as they struggle across the river or even come face-to-face with a hippo in the Mara.”

When up for consideration, the film’s production quality and craftsmanship were apparent from start to finish.

“After watching The Great Migration, the decision to award IMMOTION was instantly unanimous,” said Mauricio De La Maza, Interim CEO at the WCFF. “What their team accomplished with their intricate and non-intrusive camerawork was previously unseen by our judges.”

This award adds to the acclaim the film has received since debuting at the Association of Zoos and Aqaurium’s Mid-Year conference in March.

“The reaction from our partners and viewers has been astounding,” said Rod Findley, President and CEO of IMMOTION. “We are honored to receive this award from the WCFF as our missions align on advocating for global wildlife conservation education.”

The Great Migration is the most powerful film in IMMOTION’s growing library, including new immersive content slated for next year.

About IMMOTION

IMMOTION offers dynamic, motion-based virtual reality experiences, featuring live-action and animated educational content guided by marine biologists, wildlife experts, and conservation organizations such as the Marine Megafauna Foundation, Bimini Shark Lab, and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. With over 100 locations worldwide and more than 2M unique annual users, IMMOTION helps leading zoos, aquariums, museums, and science centers generate ancillary revenue through award-winning, on-mission immersive attractions while reinforcing the impact of their education and conservation programs.

About WCFF

The Wildlife Conservation Film Festival aims to inform, engage, and inspire audiences about the utmost need and importance of protecting global biodiversity through its annual film festivals in New York, Los Angeles, and Monterrey, Mexico.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/immotion-wins-best-vr-award-for-the-great-migration-at-wcff-2024-302313936.html

SOURCE Immotion

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CCTV+: Embarking on a Renewed Dialogue at Liangzhu Between Global Civilizations–The ‘Liangzhu: A Dialogue across World Civilizations’ Promotional Video and Documentary to Premier

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BEIJING, Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Exchanges make civilizations colorful, and mutual learning makes them prosper. A documentary on the recently-concluded Portugal and Greece stops of the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ ‘Liangzhu: A Dialogue across World Civilizations’ cultural exchanges is about to be aired. A representation of cultural exchanges between the land of divine emblems and inscriptions of Liangzhu and the realm of Athena and navigational compasses, it presents Liangzhu culture’s popularity abroad and appreciation by local youth, media outlets, as well as cultural and academic communities.

The documentary, filled with exciting moments at the Events, could serve as a preview to the upcoming second Liangzhu Forum, building up the anticipation for an even more splendid future of human civilization. Also, it features further explorations into the stories and significance behind the Events.

This event was organized by the Information Office of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, the Foreign Affairs Office of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, and Zhejiang Media Group. It was hosted by the Overseas Center, or ZTV-World, of Zhejiang Media Group and was supported by the Chinese Embassy in Portuga, the Chinese Embassy in Greece, University of Lisbon, Portugal, and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, among other institutions.

Video – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2565121/2024.mp4

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cctv-embarking-on-a-renewed-dialogue-at-liangzhu-between-global-civilizationsthe-liangzhu-a-dialogue-across-world-civilizations-promotional-video-and-documentary-to-premier-302313937.html

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