Marc Vallée was just 24 years old when his life was cut short. The honours physics graduate was in the final stages of completing a Masters in Medical Physics at McMaster, and was set to begin his PhD at Dalhousie in the fall, when he succumbed to a brief and courageous battle with cancer this summer. Those who knew him best describe Marc as a gifted scientist — a hard-working and dedicated scholar who had a knack for software applications and could often be found in the physics lab, even late at night.
A mentor to visiting high school students and volunteer with the University’s new Gemini Observatory, Marc was always willing to lend a hand.
His friends, family, and former professors say that, given the chance, Marc would have made a meaningful and lasting impact in his community and his field. He certainly changed the lives of all who knew him.
As a way of honouring Marc’s life and encouraging others to enter the field of medical physics, Amirix/Vemco, which manufactures underwater acoustic telemetry equipment and where Marc worked for a couple of summers, has donated $25,000 to Mount Allison to establish the Marc E. Vallée Memorial Medical Physics Scholarship.
The University is raising funds to increase the value of the scholarship and create a legacy of academic excellence that will pay tribute to the memory of Marc, and perpetuate the values of hard work, dedication, and generosity that guided his life.
If you would like to contribute to the fund, please visit the Marc E. Vallée Memorial Medical Physics Scholarship page or contact Mount Allison’s manager of Annual Giving Susan Smith at (506) 364-2349, or ssmith@mta.ca.
