Dr. Danièle Moore receives Knighthood in Ordre des Palmes académiques

SFU professor Danièle Moore’s passionate involvement in the global education community has been recognized with her investiture as a Knight (Chevalier) in the Order des Palmes académiques (Order of Academic Palms). The French Republic bestows this honour on those who make significant contributions to education and culture.

Moore is a professor of educational sociolinguistics in SFU’s Faculty of Education, a research director at the Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris, and a former co-editor of The Canadian Modern Language Review/La revue canadienne des langues vivantes. 

A leading expert on how we learn and use multiple languages, her extensive research has focused on government language policies, the study of language contacts in multilingual contexts, language revitalization of endangered languages, bilingual development and teacher training in minority contexts.

Moore received news of the award from Karen Rispal, the French Ambassador to Canada, while she was in Japan as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies.

“I am touched and humbled to join the esteemed company of members of the Order in France, in Canada and around the world,” says Moore.

“I feel very fortunate to work alongside a passionate team of educators in Vancouver and across the province of British Columbia. I am truly grateful to my colleagues and students in Canada, France and abroad, and to my friends and my family. Merci à tous! Huy chexw a.”

Susan O’Neill, dean of the Faculty of Education, says Moore’s latest recognition is well deserved.

“This is a prestigious honour and an important recognition of Dr. Moore’s international reputation as an educator and a scholar,” says O’Neill. “We are very proud of her accomplishments.”

O’Neill’s comments were echoed by then SFU President and Vice-Chancellor, Andrew Petter, who described the award as an “extraordinary achievement.”

The Ordre des Palmes académiques is one of the oldest civilian orders of the French Republic. Created in 1808 by an imperial decree of Napoleon Bonaparte, it was once a decoration to honour eminent members of the University of Paris. 

Today, the national order is bestowed on distinguished members (national and foreign) of the educational community who have rendered valuable service to universities, education and science while actively promoting French education.