John Smol will undertake a lecture tour of several institutes and other universities when he visits China during the Fall term of 2012.

John Smol has received a prestigious visiting professorship from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

“I am honoured to be included in such a distinguished group of scientists and engineers from some of the top universities around the world,” says Dr. Smol, a professor in the Department of Biology and the Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change. “It’s also gratifying that my field of research and the approaches we have helped develop here at Queen’s are of great interest in China and the rest of Asia.”

Dr. Smol is the only Canadian among this year’s 20 Einstein Professors. CAS created the program in 2004 to encourage co-operation and exchange between its scientists and leading international researchers.

During his two-week visiting professorship in Fall 2012, Dr. Smol will undertake a lecture tour of several CAS institutes and other universities, with presentations focusing on the use of lake sediments to study the environmental effects of multiple stressors. He will also undertake in-depth academic discussions with researchers and graduate students.

Dr. Smol, co-director of the Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory (PEARL), will welcome young CAS researchers to Queen’s in the near future. The visits, fully funded by CAS, will allow Chinese graduate students and professors to learn more about the research methods used at PEARL, a group that includes over 30 scientists who study environmental change, especially as it relates to lake ecosystems.