Seven Queen’s researchers elected to the Royal Society of Canada

Each year, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) awards field-leading Canadian researchers across the arts and humanities, social sciences, and sciences with one of the most prestigious academic honours in the country: the RSC fellowship. Seven Queen’s researchers have been elected fellows of the RSC’s distinguished 2022 cohort. Their research spans multiple disciplines – from political philosophy and computer-assisted medicine to the influence of policy making on social inequalities.

As Canada’s national academy, the role of the RSC is to promote research and learning, recognize academic and artistic excellence, and to advise government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on matters of importance to Canadians. Fellows are selected through a rigorous application and peer-review evaluation process. The honour recognizes the impact and influence of the recipients’ research on their fields and on global citizens.

“To have seven RSC fellows inducted in one year is an exceptional achievement for Queen’s and its research community,” says Nancy Ross, Vice-Principal (Research). “It’s also impressive to see the range of fields and cross-disciplinary research represented in our new fellows, who are well-deserving of this prestigious honour.”

Learn more about Queen’s 2022 RSC fellows:

Virginia Walker (Biology and School of Environmental Studies) investigates stress genes and the molecular basis of resistance. She uses the principles of genetics, molecular biology, chemistry, and engineering to answer questions central to understanding how humans adapt to environmental stress, creating foundational research for the next generation.

Gabor Fichtinger (Computing) has been working in the field of computer-assisted medical interventions and surgery for nearly three decades, and is the Canada Research Chair in Computer-Integrated Surgery at Queen’s. His novel research about image-guided robotics and real-time surgical navigation has paved the way for several modern diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. Dr. Fichtinger is recognized as a pioneer of his field, and a provider of free open-source research software resources that are used globally.

Guojun Liu (Chemistry), the Canada Research Chair in Materials Science at Queen’s, is widely acknowledged as a world leader in his field. He has led the development of nano- and micro- structured materials. Through this research, he has made critical fundamental and applied scientific contributions, including the development of nanoscale coatings that can be used to improve handheld electronic devices and functional textiles.

Susanne Soederberg (Global Development Studies) is internationally recognized for her trailblazing research on how policymaking influences social inequalities at overlapping scales from local to global. With a focus on producing societal knowledge based on principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion, she has become one of the most influential political economists studying contemporary capitalism across the global North/South divide.

Ian Moore (Civil Engineering) uses a combination of numerical and physical modelling to advance fundamental understandings of strength and other performance limits of the buried pipes used for municipal water supply, sewers, and highway construction. His research is transforming soil-pipe interaction theory and practice, and is used in many North American and international design codes and guidelines.

Christine Sypnowich (Philosophy) draws on law, politics, urban planning, and local history to consider the centrality of human flourishing in our conception of equality, and the role of place and heritage in the remedy of disadvantage. A significant theme of her path-breaking research is that political philosophy should not just illuminate questions of justice, but also enhance self-understanding and further human wellbeing.

Stephen Scott (Biomedical and Molecular Sciences) is a world leader in the computational, neural, mechanical and behavioural aspects of voluntary motor control. Dr. Scott is most recognized for his invention of Kinarm, an interactive robotic technology that provides unprecedented experimental control over arm motor function. Furthering our understanding of the link between cortical circuits and limb biomechanics, Kinarm robots are used widely to quantify brain function.

New faculty inducted to RSC College

The RSC is also welcoming today 54 new members of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists, including Julia Christensen. Moving from Memorial University, she joined Queen's Department of Geography and Planning in the summer.

Dr. Christensen is an expert in housing, home and health in the circumpolar North. Her scholarship aims to understand the northern housing crisis and dismantle it through community-led solutions. Her collaborations with Indigenous and regional governments have informed a series of policy initiatives that respond to the unique cultures and contexts of northern communities.

The College is formed by mid-career leaders who provide the RSC with a multigenerational capacity to help Canada and the world address major challenges and seize new opportunities.

Since 1964, Queen’s has seen 118 of its faculty members elected as fellows of the RSC and 16 as members of the College of New Artists, Scholars, and Scientists. For more information, visit the Royal Society of Canada website.

Note: This article originally appeared in the Queen's Gazette.