UBC announces 2025 honorary degree recipients

Eleven remarkable individuals will receive honorary degrees this year from the University of British Columbia.

UBC grants honorary degrees—the highest honours conferred by the university—to deserving individuals who have made substantial contributions to society. Honorary degrees are conferred honoris causa, meaning “for the sake of honour,” and are awarded as one of three types: Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, and Doctor of Science.

“At UBC, we believe in the power of ideas and action to change the world,” says UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon. “The individuals we are honouring this year have each, in their own unique way, made profound contributions to their communities, their fields, and to society. It’s a privilege to celebrate their incredible achievements with our graduating students this year.”

“While a university’s primary role is to teach our students and conduct research, we also hope our university helps to inspire people—just as we have been inspired by this year’s honorary degree recipients and the immense impact they have collectively made through their leadership in aviation, law, public service and advocacy,” adds UBC Okanagan Principal Dr. Lesley Cormack. “It will be wonderful for our students to hear directly from those individuals receiving their honorary degrees at this year’s graduation.”  

Five honorary degrees will be conferred by UBC Vancouver while four will be conferred by UBC Okanagan during spring graduation ceremonies in May. Another two honorary degrees will be conferred by UBC Vancouver during this fall’s graduation ceremonies.

At UBC Vancouver’s spring graduation ceremonies, recipients will include Marjorie Violet Birdstone, a Ktunaxa linguist and language activist dedicated to Indigenous language revitalization; Erik Lindholm, a UBC alumnus and visionary inventor behind the GPU, or graphics processing unit, that is powering the AI revolution; Alex Nelson ‘Ok’wilagame’, a champion for Indigenous sport and wellness; Mary-Woo Sims, former Chief Human Rights Commissioner for B.C. and a lifelong advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights; and Dr. David Turpin, a biological scientist and post-secondary leader whose contributions have shaped research and higher education in Canada.

UBC Okanagan will confer honorary degrees this spring upon Barry Lapointe, an accomplished aviation entrepreneur and community philanthropist; Nancy McKenzie, a financial leader and former chair of the UBC Board of Governors; the Honourable Justice Malcolm Rowe, Supreme Court of Canada Justice and legal scholar; and Wilbur Turner, a national 2SLGBTQIA+ rights advocate and founder of Advocacy Canada.

Later this year during fall graduation in November, UBC Vancouver will also honour Dr. Philippe Cury, a global leader in ocean and fisheries science, and Kenneth Edzerza, a Tahltan Nation leader and youth advocate working to dismantle barriers and promote Indigenous community empowerment.

Below is more information about this year’s honorary degree recipients:

UBC Vancouver’s Spring Graduation Recipients

Marjorie Violet Birdstone – Doctor of Letters  

Marjorie Violet Birdstone is a Ktunaxa linguist, language consultant, scholar-educator, and language activist. A survivor of the residential school system, she has dedicated her adult life to maintaining Ktunaxa language and culture and to the reclamation and resurgence of Indigenous sovereignty through land, language, and learning. As a legal researcher for the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, she has made significant contributions to advancing land and environmental claims of BC First Nations communities. 

Erik Lindholm – Doctor of Science 

Erik Lindholm is a visionary inventor whose innovations have reshaped the landscape of technology. With 128 US patents, he held the titles of Senior Distinguished Architect and Master Inventor at NVIDIA, widely regarded as one of the world’s most innovative companies. He has made key contributions to the invention and evolution of the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) that is now powering the AI revolution. His remarkable career began with undergraduate and graduate studies in Electrical Engineering at UBC, and he remains an engaged and committed alumnus, steadfast in his dedication to both innovation and education. 

Alex Nelson ‘Ok’wilagame’ – Doctor of Laws 

Alex Nelson ‘Ok’wilagame’, a member of the Musgamaqw-Dzawada’enuxw First Nation, has dedicated his life to transforming access to sport and recreation for Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Born in 1946 in Kingcome Inlet, British Columbia, Alex endured seven years in the Alert Bay residential school system where soccer became his outlet for reclaiming a sense of personal freedom and making strong connections with peers. This formative experience led to a lifelong commitment to overcoming barriers to sport for Indigenous communities across Canada. 

Mary-Woo Sims, 沈明麗  – Doctor of Laws

Mary-Woo Sims is the former Chief Human Rights Commissioner for British Columbia. She has been a lifelong advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and social justice, especially advancing same-sex spousal and transgender rights. She has contributed to legislative changes in both Ontario and British Columbia, which extended equal rights to same-sex couples in family law and adoption. Throughout her career, she has championed human rights through her involvement with various organizations and initiatives and regularly challenges racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. 

David Turpin – Doctor of Laws 

David Turpin is an eminent academic, biological scientist and senior university administrator. In the span of a 40-year career, he has led major research teams in the areas of biological oceanography, physiology and biochemistry. He has served as an academic leader at a number of Canada’s most distinguished universities, including Professor and Head of the Department of Botany at UBC, Dean of Arts and Science and VP Academic at Queen’s University, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Victoria, and President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Alberta. 

UBC Okanagan’s Spring Graduation Recipients

Barry Lapointe – Doctor of Laws

Barry Lapointe is an accomplished leader in the Canadian aviation industry and the founder and chairman of KF Aerospace, Canada’s largest commercial aircraft maintenance provider and the largest private employer in the Okanagan. Since establishing KF in Kelowna in 1970, he has also been a dedicated philanthropist and community servant, lending vital support to healthcare and education, including serving as a member of the UBC Board of Governors. The Barry Lapointe Foundation, founded in 2003, has contributed to numerous causes, including the United Way, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and Kelowna General Hospital Foundation. 

Nancy McKenzie – Doctor of Laws

Nancy McKenzie is an accomplished, collaborative and visionary leader in both public and private sectors. Her numerous volunteer leadership positions have included service to UBC as a director of UBC Investment Management, The UBC Foundation, and as a member and chair of the Board of Governors. She is equally distinguished in the BC business community as a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant. As CFO of Seaspan ULC, a global leader in marine services and shipbuilding, she oversaw complex financial and strategic initiatives, including securing a multi-billion-dollar non-combat shipbuilding program for British Columbia.

Hon. Justice Malcolm Rowe – Doctor of Laws

Justice Malcolm Rowe has a long and diverse record of distinguished achievement in law, public service, and academia. His 25 years of judicial experience includes his current role as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Since his appointment to that court in 2016 he has written more than 100 judgements, as well as numerous influential academic papers that provide historically informed theoretical frameworks for addressing some the most complex and contested legal questions facing Canadian courts, government and citizens today.

Wilbur Turner – Doctor of Laws

A trailblazing advocate in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, Wilbur Turner’s 30 years of leadership and activism have profoundly impacted inclusivity and equity both locally and nationally. He is the founder and chair of Advocacy Canada, and the visionary behind You Belong, a national campaign that promotes inclusivity through Indigenous art and language. As president of the Kelowna Pride Society, he transformed the Kelowna Pride Festival into an annual signature event. He also represents the 2SLGBTQIA+ sector as a member of the Community Advisory Board on Homelessness, an initiative aimed at reducing homelessness across Canada.

UBC Vancouver’s Fall Graduation Recipients

Dr. Philippe Cury – Doctor of Science  

Dr. Philippe Cury is an eminent scholar renowned in many parts of the world for his contributions across multiple fields and within key international agencies and research initiatives. He is currently a senior scientist at the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement in France and a leading interdisciplinary researcher in the fields of fisheries science, management and policy. For many years he has maintained a strong connection to the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at UBC. 

Kenneth Edzerza – Doctor of Laws 

Kenneth Edzerza is a community leader and advocate committed to Indigenous community empowerment, education, and sport. A member of the Tahltan Nation, he has dedicated his professional life to dismantling systemic barriers and uplifting Indigenous communities. His role as a youth advocate, particularly working with at-risk youth, combined with his pioneering work in Indigenous sports, have enabled him to develop unique and culturally sensitive programs to promote social change.