The Massey Lectures are co-sponsored by CBC Radio, House of Anansi Press, and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The series was created in honour of the Right Honourable Vincent Massey, former governor general of Canada, and was inaugurated in 1961 to provide a forum on radio where major contemporary thinkers could address important issues of our time.
This book comprises the 1989 Massey Lectures, “The Real World of Technology,” broadcast in November 1989 as part of CBC Radio’s Ideas series. The producer of the series was Max Allen; the executive producer was Bernie Lucht. The author included a new Preface, four new chapters, and a Coda for this 1999 edition of the book.
Ursula M. Franklin
In 1948 Ursula M. Franklin received her PhD in experimental physics in Berlin. She came to Canada the following year and began a distinguished scientific career. She joined the University of Toronto’s Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, becoming a full professor in 1973. Dr. Franklin is a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. She has received honorary degrees from many Canadian universities. In 1984 she became the first woman to be honoured with the title of University Professor by the University of Toronto. In 1987 Dr. Franklin was awarded the Elsie Gregory McGill memorial award for her contributions to education, science, and technology. In 1989 she received the Wiegand Award, and in 1990 was awarded the Order of Ontario.
As a Quaker, she has been actively involved in work for peace and justice, international understanding, and women’s issues. In 1995 the Toronto Board of Education named a new public school in her honour. In recognition for her humanitarian efforts, Franklin was awarded the Pearson Peace Medal in 2001.