Dr. Alex Mihailidis

Dr. Alex Mihailidis has been appointed a Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre des Palmes académiques by the French Republic, in recognition of his research and contributions to academic partnerships.

One of the oldest civil honours awarded by the French government, the Ordre des Palmes académiques was established by Napoleon in 1808 and today recognizes individuals worldwide for their outstanding academic contributions.

Dr. Mihailidis is the founding Scientific Director of AGE-WELL, Canada’s technology and aging network, and currently serves as Vice-Chair, Research, on the AGE-WELL Board of Directors. At the University of Toronto, he is Associate Vice-President, International Partnerships, and a Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, and the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, with a cross-appointment in the Department of Computer Science.

“This prestigious award is a fitting tribute to Alex’s outstanding contributions to science. His leadership and groundbreaking work in technology and aging have made a lasting impact ─ improving lives and advancing the field in Canada and beyond,” said Bridgette Murphy, Acting CEO of AGE-WELL, and a long-time colleague of Dr. Mihailidis.

A world leader in the field of technology and aging, Dr. Mihailidis has conducted research for over 20 years on technologies to support older adults. He has published more than 250 journal papers, conference papers and abstracts. His work – particularly in the use of artificial intelligence, sensors and robotics – has led to new approaches that help older adults stay independent, healthy and active.

In 2022, Dr. Mihailidis was recognized through the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing as one of the Healthy Ageing 50 – 50 leaders working to transform the world to be a better place to grow older. He was elected in 2021 as a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) for his contributions to the health and well-being of older Canadians.

Dr. Mihailidis is also active in the rehabilitation engineering profession, currently serving as Immediate Past-President of the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA).