After he changed the world with the BlackBerry, Mike Lazaridis set his sights on the secrets of the universe, and the institute he founded in Waterloo wants to honour his legacy.
As part of this week’s 25th anniversary at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Lazaridis will be honoured at a special gala on Thursday evening.
Mark Healy, director of communications & public engagement at Perimeter, said the institute began with a $100 million donation from Lazaridis.
Healey said that the donation was remarkably more than any other in the history of Canadian science up to that time.
He added, it is “really important that we have Mike back to say thank-you, and to acknowledge the tremendous impact that he’s had, not just really on Perimeter, but on this region, on Quantum Valley, and across Canada.”
Healy said there’s a famous story that Lazaridis knew the various bits and pieces of the BlackBerry were all based on different moments and breakthroughs in physics, and wanted to give back.
Lazaridis also made donations to found the Institute for Quantum Computing.
Healy said 25 years later, Canada’s lead and contributions in the quantum sphere can be traced back to Lazaridis’ initial contribution.
Lazaridis is Perimeter’s Founding Chair Emeritus.
