Dr. Ronan Pons received the Paris Bar Medal for 2024, which recognizes the best doctoral thesis in law written in French at a Faculty of Law. His thesis, La preuve en droit des systèmes d’intelligence artificielle, was supervised by Dr. Céline Castets-Renard, who is the Canada Research Chair in International and Comparative Law of Artificial Intelligence, a Faculty member at the Centre for Law, Technology and Society, and a Full Professor in the Faculty of Law, Civil Law Section at the University of Ottawa, and Dr. Jessica Eynard, Senior Lecturer at the Université Toulouse 1 Capitole.
Dr. Pons completed his doctorate at the University of Ottawa, where his research examined the legal framework of artificial intelligence technologies to safeguard individual rights and freedoms, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration with the technological sciences. Conducted under a co-tutelle agreement with the Université Toulouse 1 Capitole, his work contributes to the French government research chair Law, Accountability and Social Trust in AI at the Artificial and Natural Intelligence Toulouse Institute ().
“For me, the Paris Bar Award is recognition of the quality of my work. But beyond my thesis, this award also demonstrates the genuine interest of the legal community in interdisciplinary scientific research,” said Dr. Pons, who is now a research engineer in law at the University of Haute-Alsace in France.
Meanwhile, ܴé Schwindt, LL.M. graduate and incoming PhD candidate, was awarded the 2024–2025 Embassy of France Award for her thesis Les enjeux de protection des droits de marques dans le Métaverse, supervised by Dr. Florian Martin-Bariteau, who is the University Research Chair in Technology and Society at the University of Ottawa, where he is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law, Common Law Section as well as the Director of the AI + Society Initiative, and the Director of the Centre for Law, Technology and Society., This award is presented annually to the best master’s thesis or research paper written in French at the Faculty of Law.
By examining trademark protection in the metaverse—a network of immersive digital environments— ܴé Schwindt’s research highlights the concrete challenges that emerging digital spaces pose for existing legal frameworks. She will continue her work as a doctoral student at the Faculty of Law beginning in January 2026. She is also the incoming Coordinator for AI and Society at the University Research Chair in Technology and Society.
“Receiving the Embassy of France Award is an honour and represents strong encouragement for me to persevere in pursuing my academic journey,” said ܴé Schwindt.
Congratulations Dr. Ronan Pons and ܴé Schwindt !