Dr. Shashi Kant: Awards

MScSM Program Director

Shashi Kant

Professor, Forest Economies and Management

Institute for Management and Innovation
University of Toronto Mississauga
Innovation Complex, 3359 Mississauga Road, Ontario, L5L1C6
Phone: 905-569-5739

Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto
33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario. M5S 3B3

Class of 2019

Phone: 416-978-6196  

E-mail: shashi.kant@utoronto.ca

Shashi's full CV can be found here

Research Excellence Awards and Other Recognitions

Shashi, Claire and Rose Mary

ISOL Research Award (2018). ISOL Foundation Prize / Award For sustainable development related research contributions and their impacts

Order of Ontario (2017). The Order of Ontario is the province's highest honour and is reserved for those whose contribution has left a lasting legacy in the province, Canada, and beyond. Members of the Order collectively create Ontario's most excellent citizens, whose contributions have shaped, and will continue to shape, the province's history and place in Canada. The Order was bequeathed by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario – Her Honour Elizabeth Dowdeswell - on February 27, 2018.

Nomination for the Order of Ontario (2017). In 2017, Shashi Kant has been nominated for the order of Ontario.

The Institute for Management and Innovation Team Collaboration Award (2016) The award was given for the launch of the Master of Science in Sustainability (MScSM) program at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

Best Forestry Academic, 2016, International Life Science Award (2016). The award was given by British-based Global Health & Pharma (GHP) Magazine. The GHP judging panel commented:

“The University of Toronto is one of the leading institutions for forestry education and research, and Mr. Kant’s work has been an integral part behind their success.”

“We looked across the number of works Shashi Kant has published this year and believe that he is a leading authority in the field of forestry, particularly in his work in sustainable forest management and challenging the traditional models of forestry economics.”

International Students Excellence Award, City of Toronto (2012). This is one of the six Toronto International Students Excellence Awards given by the City of Toronto to a person who came to Canada as an international student, stayed here on completion of study and achieved excellence in the chosen field of work.

The Queen’s Award for Forestry (2008). In 1987 the Patron of the Commonwealth Forestry Association, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, approved the Queen's Award for Forestry, to recognize outstanding contributions to forestry. The purpose of the Award is both to recognize the achievements and support the future work of an outstanding mid-career forester. The recipient is an individual who the Selection Committee considers combines exceptional contributions to forestry with an innovative approach to his or her work. In 2008, the Selection Committee unanimously awarded this award to Shashi Kant, the first Canadian to receive the award.

Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) Scientific Achievement Award (2007)
This award has the objective of encouraging innovation, exploration, application, and excellence in forest research. The CIF recognizes one scientist every year for innovative and outstanding achievements in forestry research in Canada. In the last 20 years, only two forest economists have received this award.

International Union of Forestry Research Organization’s (IUFRO) Scientific Achievement Award (2005). The purpose of the Scientific Achievement Award is to recognise distinguished individual scientific achievement within the fields of research covered by the Union. Kant received this award for his overall contributions to the field of economics of sustainable management of natural resources. The IUFRO Scientific Achievement Awards are given every five years, and about 6-8 people receive this award in each cycle. In the history of IUFRO, there are only two other forest economists who have received this award before Kant.

Premier’s Research Excellence Award (PREA) (2004). The PREA were created in 1998 to help Ontario's world-class researchers attract talented people to their research teams and to encourage innovation among the province's brightest young researchers at universities, colleges, hospitals and research institutes. In 2004, Shashi Kant received this award for his research on Economics of Sustainable Forest Management: Social Choice and Agent-Based Approach. At the time of the creation of PREA, the Premier of Ontario observed:

“We recognize the importance of science, technology and innovation. That’s why we are creating the Council, and that’s why we are here tonight celebrating the accomplishments of our province’s finest achievers, the Nobel Prize winners of the future. The Premier’s Research Excellence Awards encourage our world-class researchers to stay here in Ontario and they help ensure that Ontario continues to develop cutting-edge technologies that support a strong and competitive economy.”

Nomination to the Blue Planet Award (2006). In 2006, Shashi Kant was nominated for the Blue Planet Award, an international environmental award. The nominations are restricted and only selected people have the authority to nominate people for this award. The awards are given by The Asahi Glass Foundation annually to two individuals or organizations that have made outstanding scientific contributions to global environmental conservation.

Invitation to Speak to Standing Committee on General Government (Government of Ontario) – On Bill 151, Ontario Forest Tenure Modernization Act, 2011. In 2011, Shashi was invited to speak to the Standing Committee on General Government (Government of Ontario) – On Bill 151, Ontario Forest Tenure Modernization Act, 2011. Some of his observations in this talk became the key element of the Ontario Forest Tenure Modernization Act 2011

Member, Committee of Sören Wibe Prize in Forest Economics (2011-2016): This is the top prize in forest economics, and Shashi has received the honour to be a member of the first, second, and third selection committees of this prize.