Three Queen’s University professors were granted the honour today of being elected to the Royal Society of Canada (RSC), one of the highest honours for Canadian academics in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

The three fellows, Richard Bathurst, Anne Croy and Robert Morrison, have a wide range of research interests including civil engineering, reproductive sciences and literature, which demonstrative of the range of research expertise and excellence found across campus.

“The three newly elected fellows have made important contributions to their respective fields and represent a diverse mix of areas of study,” says Daniel Woolf, Principal and Vice-Chancellor. “Having the RSC recognize these three scholars is an honour and I join the university community in congratulating them.”

Richard Bathurst (Civil Engineering) – Professor Bathurst has made contributions to the advancement and understanding of modern civil engineering geosynthetic reinforced earth retaining structures and slopes. Cross-appointed to the Royal Military College of Canada, his work demonstrates a multi-disciplinary approach to the design, analysis and sustainability of these structures.

“We don’t work for awards so this is a true honour,” says Professor Bathurst. “It’s really a recognition for a lifetime of work in my field. I’m humbled.”

Anne Croy (Biomedical and Molecular Sciences) – Dr. Croy is a world-leader in reproductive sciences and has made seminal contributions with her descriptions of uterine Natural Killer (uNK) cells recruited to the uterus in early pregnancy. Most complications of human pregnancy are linked with incomplete remodeling of vessels called spiral arteries – a process initiated by the uNK cell.

“Only the very best get recognized and I was truly shocked to be nominated,” says Dr. Croy. “This type of award is the crown jewel for my career.”

Robert Morrison (English) – Dr. Morrison is a leading scholar of British Romantic literature, and the world’s foremost authority on the nineteenth-century English essayist and opium addict Thomas De Quincey (1785-1859).

“I was really gobsmacked to win this award,” says Dr. Morrison. “It’s really a type of validation for my work. I’ve won awards for teaching in the past but this is for research. Being named a Fellow gives me confidence to keep forging ahead.”

The Royal Society of Canada is the senior and most prestigious academic society in Canada. Members represent a wide range of academic fields, including the arts, social and natural sciences and humanities. Candidates can be nominated by existing members, seconded by at least two others, or by one of the society's member institutions. Existing members of the society then vote to elect the next cohort of fellows. Election to the society is considered one of the highest honours in Canadian academia.

For more information visit the RSC’s website.