Spring 2026 Honorary Degree Recipients
Shawn Ah-up-wa-eek Atleo
A Hereditary Chief of the Ahousaht First Nation, Shawn Ah-up-wa-eek Atleo has devoted his life to strengthening Indigenous governance, education, and cultural renewal. As National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations from 2009 to 2014, he championed nation-to-nation relationships and advanced constructive dialogue between Indigenous communities and governments.
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa to be presented on May 22, 2026 at 11:00 am.
Ryan Beedie, O.B.C.
UBC alumnus Ryan Beedie is an influential business leader and a role model for next-generation philanthropic entrepreneurs. He founded Beedie Luminaries in 2018 with a mission to provide scholarships and wraparound support to students facing socio-economic challenges as they pursue post-secondary education. Since 2010, Ryan’s community contributions of $195 million have made significant impact to charitable organizations in B.C. and beyond.
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa to be presented on May 25, 2026 at 11:00 am.
Dr. Robert Gentleman
Professor Gentleman is internationally recognized for his contributions to
the fields of statistics, computational biology and open-source software for scientific applications. A UBC alumnus (B.Sc. Mathematics), he completed his PhD in Statistics at the University of Washington. He was later appointed to faculty at the University of Auckland where he co-created the programming language R, now a standard for data analysis and graphics world-wide.
Doctor of Science, honoris causa to be presented on May 26, 2026 at 4:00 pm.
Dr. Peter & Dr. Rosemary Grant
UBC alumni Peter and Rosemary Grant have made groundbreaking contributions in the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology. Their landmark 40-year study of Darwin’s finches on the Galapagos Islands is widely regarded as the most successful study of adaptive evolution. Their findings have led to a better understanding of how and why natural selection occurs and how it leads to evolutionary change over time.
Doctor of Science, honoris causa to be presented on May 26, 2026 at 8:30 am.
Dr. Alika Lafontaine
Dr. Alika Lafontaine is an accomplished physician, academic, author and transformative leader in Canadian healthcare. As the first Indigenous and first racialized President of the Canadian Medical Association, he advanced a national agenda for equity, reconciliation, and patient-centered care, reshaping the priorities of Canada’s foremost medical body and pioneering new approaches to culturally safe and effective health care.
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa to be presented on May 26, 2026 at 1:30 pm.
Sir David W. C. MacMillan
Sir David W. C. MacMillan is one of the most influential chemists of the 21st century, whose pioneering work has transformed the landscape of modern synthetic chemistry. Awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, he is best known for co-developing organocatalysis, a revolutionary approach to chemical synthesis that uses small organic molecules to accelerate chemical reactions. His research has profoundly influenced pharmaceutical development, materials science, and green chemistry worldwide.
Doctor of Science, honoris causa to be presented on May 27, 2026 at 8:30 am.
Daphne Marlatt, C.M.
Poet, novelist, editor, and cultural innovator, Daphne Marlatt stands among Canada’s most influential literary voices. For more than five decades she has expanded the boundaries of Canadian writing, crafting a body of work that is deeply attentive to language, place, and the interwoven histories of inhabitants. Her groundbreaking poetry collections and prose works have reshaped the possibilities of feminist and experimental writing in Canada.
Doctor of Letters, honoris causa to be presented on May 20, 2026 at 1:30 pm.
Diana Schutz
For more than four decades, Diana Schutz has been one of the most influential editors and advocates in the world of comics and graphic storytelling. As a writer, teacher, and mentor, she has elevated the art form and expanded the literary possibilities of the medium. Known for her meticulous eye and deep respect for artistic voice, she helped bring graphic storytelling to new levels of sophistication and cultural legitimacy.
Doctor of Letters, honoris causa to be presented on May 20, 2026 at 4:00 pm.
Warren Spitz
UBC alumnus Warren Spitz is a distinguished Canadian entrepreneur, philanthropist, and leader with a lifelong dedication to education and community advancement. Through innovative philanthropic initiatives, including the Spitz Centre for Indigenous Business Education and the Spitz Fellows Program, Warren continues to strengthen UBC’s legacy by fostering learning, leadership, and growth opportunities for future generations.
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa to be presented on May 25, 2026 at 1:30 pm.