Humber Polytechnic conferred two honorary degrees to deserving recipients as part of the Spring 2025 Convocation ceremonies.
The recipients are inspiring Canadians who have made their mark in the fields of sport, community development and public service. The degrees recognize and honour exceptional individuals whose accomplishments serve as an inspiration to graduates.
They are:
KIRSTY DUNCAN
The Honourable Kirsty Duncan’s career has bridged science, public service and advocacy with her work making an impact both in Canada and on the global stage. She served five terms as a federal Member of Parliament and held senior cabinet roles as Canada’s Minister of Science, Minister of Sport and Minister of Persons with Disabilities.
Before entering politics, Duncan was an associate professor of Health Studies at the University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus and an associate professor of Geography and Earth Sciences at the University of Windsor.
Duncan is an accomplished academic and scientist who led an expedition to the Arctic to help uncover the cause of the 1918 influenza pandemic that she chronicled in her first book, Hunting the 1918 Flu, which was a finalist for the Canadian Science Writers’ Award. She also served as a lead author for North America on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was jointly awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.
Duncan has worked to improve access and equity in science, most recently through her latest book, The Exclusion Effect, which examines the systemic barriers that discourage girls and women from entering the sciences and how to break them down.
Duncan is a lifelong athlete.
TED NOLAN
Ted Nolan is a member of the Garden River First Nation in northern Ontario who grew up in a large Ojibwe family and went on to have a successful career in hockey – first as a National Hockey League (NHL) player, then as an award-winning coach. He was the Jack Adams Award winner in 1996-97, which is given to the NHL’s coach of the year, and also coached the Latvian national men’s hockey team at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Nolan’s impact extends far beyond the rink as he’s the founder of the Ted Nolan Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting the educational aspirations of female First Nations students across Canada through the Rose Nolan Memorial Scholarship. Through his work, Nolan has opened doors for others while promoting reconciliation, empowerment and Indigenous excellence.
Nolan is also the co-founder and president of 3Nolans, an organization he leads alongside his sons that promotes hockey development and life skills for Indigenous youth across the country.
He’s the bestselling author of Life in Two Worlds, a memoir that reflects on his experiences navigating life as both a professional in mainstream sport and a proud First Nations leader.
This fall, Nolan will be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Find out more about Humber’s Honorary Degrees, along with a list of past recipients, by visiting the Convocation webpage.