Nine guest speakers with connections to Queen’s University will participate in this spring’s convocation ceremonies. All were selected due to their exemplary work in their respective fields and the group includes business leaders, scientists, researchers, lawyers and biologists.

In addition to the guest speakers, 11 alumni will return to the university to accept honorary degrees. This year, Queen’s honorary degrees are reserved for alumni in celebration of the university’s 175th anniversary.

The guest speakers include:

Justice Gloria Epstein (Com’72) – Designated a Queen’s Counsel in 1992, Justice Epstein was appointed to the Superior Court of Justice in 1993 and to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2007. In June 1998, the Premier of Ontario appointed her to review the government’s involvement in the lives of the Dionne Quintuplets. Friday, May 27 at 10 am.

Valerie Mann (Com’86) – Ms. Mann is a senior partner at Lawson Lundell LLP, a western Canadian corporate law firm. In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Mann has been actively involved in a number of boards and committees, including Smith School of Business advisory board. She was named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 in 2011. Friday, May 27 at 2:30 pm.

Robert Marsh (Com’07) – Mr. Marsh is a D&R Sobey Atlantic Scholar and National Millennium Scholar and currently a member of Liberty Canada’s senior executive team as vice-president, casualty division. He is also a member of the global shapers community, an initiative under the World Economic Forum. The community is a network of 450 hubs around the world that are developed and led by young people who are exceptional in their potential, their achievements and their drive to make contributions to their communities. Monday, May 30 at 2:30 pm.

Richard McCreary (Sc’85, MSc’90) – Mr. McCreary is currently deputy chair, TD Securities Corporate and Investment Banking, focused on senior client relationship development with C-suite executives and board of directors. In 2011, Mr. McCreary received the "TopGun Banker" designation from Brendan Wood International. Wednesday, June 1 at 10 am and 6:30 pm.

Stephen Lougheed – Dr. Lougheed began his tenure-track position in biology at Queen’s in 2000. His core research, funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Genome Canada, investigates the origins of biodiversity from single landscapes, through entire species distributions spanning continents, to entire assemblages of species. Thursday, June 2 at 10 am.

Steven Smith – Dr. Smith joined Queen’s University as an assistant professor in 2001 and is currently a professor in the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, cross-appointed in the Department of Chemistry. He is currently serving as chair of the undergraduate biochemistry program, and as associate head of the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences. Thursday, June 2 at 2:30 pm.

Audrey Kobayashi – Dr. Kobayashi is a professor in the Queen’s Department of Geography and Planning and a Queen’s Research Chair. She has received awards from the Canadian Association of Geographers, the American Association of Geographers, the Canadian Association of University Teachers, as well as the Queen’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching. Thursday, June 9 at 10 am.

Pamela Dickey Young – Dr. Dickey Young is a professor of religious studies in the Queen’s School of Religion. She has been teaching and working in various administrative roles at Queen’s since 1985, including as dean of women and as department head. Her research interests concern the intersections of religion, sex, gender and public policy. Thursday, June 9 at 2:30 pm.

Amy Latimer-Cheung – Dr. Latimer-Cheung is an associate professor and a Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity Promotion and Disability in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University. Her research focuses on promoting participation in physical activity, particularly among people with a disability. Through this research, she aims to increase access to and engagement in quality physical activity opportunities for the millions of Canadians with a disability. Friday, June 10 at 2:30 pm.

For more information visit the Spring 2016 convocation website.