Lionel Boulet

Lionel Boulet, OC OQ (July 29, 1919 – January 1, 1996) was a Canadian engineer, academic, and utilities executive.

Born in Quebec City, Boulet received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938 and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1942 from Université Laval. He received a Master of Science degree in 1947 from the University of Illinois. Later he received a Doctor of Science degree in 1968 from Sir George Williams University and a D.Gén. from the University of Ottawa. He was made a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada in 1973^[1] for leadership in the establishment and management of the Research Institute of Hydro-Quebec.^[2]

From 1950 to 1964, he taught at Université Laval and was chairman of the electrical engineering department. In 1964, he joined Hydro-Québec as a consultant and was appointed the first Director of the Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Québec (IREQ) in 1967, a position he occupied until 1982.^[1]

In 1975, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "in recognition of his contribution to the development of applied research in the field of electrical engineering and energy resources".^[3] He was posthumously made an Officer of the National Order of Quebec in June 1996. In 1993, he was the first recipient of the Prix Armand-Frappier. The Prix Lionel-Boulet is named in his honour. In 1968, he received an honorary doctorate from Sir George Williams University, which later became Concordia University.^[4] He was also awarded honorary degrees from Université Laval and McGill University.