The
Royal Society of Canada (
Société royale du Canada), now known as the
RSC: Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada (
SRC: Académies des Arts, des Lettres et des Sciences du Canada), is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The RSC is dedicated to encouraging education and the advancement of knowledge in the
naturalIn Science, the term natural science refers to a naturalistic approach to the study of the universe, which is understood as obeying rules or laws of natural origin...
and
social sciencesThe social sciences are the fields of scientific knowledge and academic scholarship that study social groups and, more generally, human society. The social sciences initially were constituted of five fields: Jurisprudence and Amendment of the Law; Education; Health; Economy and Trade; Art...
and the
humanitiesThe humanities are academic disciplines which study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytic, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural and social sciences....
. It holds an annual conference together with other scholarly groups as part of the Congress of the
Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social SciencesThe Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences , known as the Federation, is a member based organization and the voice for the humanities and social science researchers in Canada...
(the "Learneds").
The Society was founded in 1882 by the
Marquis of LorneJohn George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll KG, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC , usually better known by the courtesy title Marquess of Lorne, by which he was known before 1900, was a British nobleman and was Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883...
, who was then
Governor General of CanadaThe Governor General of Canada is the viceregal representative in the federal jurisdiction of the Canadian monarch and head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, who is equally shared with 15 other sovereign nations in a form of personal union, but resides predominantly in her oldest realm,...
.
The
Royal Society of Canada (
Société royale du Canada), now known as the
RSC: Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada (
SRC: Académies des Arts, des Lettres et des Sciences du Canada), is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The RSC is dedicated to encouraging education and the advancement of knowledge in the
naturalIn Science, the term natural science refers to a naturalistic approach to the study of the universe, which is understood as obeying rules or laws of natural origin...
and
social sciencesThe social sciences are the fields of scientific knowledge and academic scholarship that study social groups and, more generally, human society. The social sciences initially were constituted of five fields: Jurisprudence and Amendment of the Law; Education; Health; Economy and Trade; Art...
and the
humanitiesThe humanities are academic disciplines which study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytic, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural and social sciences....
. It holds an annual conference together with other scholarly groups as part of the Congress of the
Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social SciencesThe Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences , known as the Federation, is a member based organization and the voice for the humanities and social science researchers in Canada...
(the "Learneds").
History
The Society was founded in 1882 by the
Marquis of LorneJohn George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll KG, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC , usually better known by the courtesy title Marquess of Lorne, by which he was known before 1900, was a British nobleman and was Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883...
, who was then
Governor General of CanadaThe Governor General of Canada is the viceregal representative in the federal jurisdiction of the Canadian monarch and head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, who is equally shared with 15 other sovereign nations in a form of personal union, but resides predominantly in her oldest realm,...
. Succeeding governors general have served as patrons of the Society. The founding members included Sir
Sandford FlemingSir Sandford Fleming was a Scottish-born Canadian engineer and inventor, known for proposing worldwide standard time zones, Canada's postage stamp, a huge body of surveying and map making, engineering much of the Intercolonial Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway, and being a founding member...
, the originator of the world system of
Standard TimeUniversal Time is a timescale based on the rotation of the Earth. It is a modern continuation of Greenwich Mean Time , i.e., the mean solar time on the meridian of Greenwich, and GMT is sometimes used loosely as a synonym for UTC. In fact the expression "Universal Time" is ambiguous, as there are...
, and Sir
William OslerSir William Osler, M.D.,C.M., 1st Baronet was a Canadian physician.He has been called one of the greatest icons of modern medicine and described as the Father of Modern Medicine...
, one of the great physicians of the century. The original Society was subsequently incorporated by an act of Parliament and granted its Royal Charter in 1883.
Organization and purpose
The
Royal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, or even the Royal, is a learned society for science that was founded in 1660 and is considered by most to be the oldest such society still in existence...
of
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
and the
Institut de FranceThe Institut de France is a French learned society, grouping five académies, the most famous of which is the Académie française....
were the models for the Society. The Society today consists of approximately 1,800 Fellows: men and women from across
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
who are selected by their peers on account of their outstanding contributions to the arts and sciences. The President of the Society serves on the Governor General's advisory council on appointments to the
Order of CanadaThe Order of Canada is an honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the highest such order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada. Created in 1967, to coincide with the centennial of Canadian...
.
The Society is composed of three Academies:
- The Academy of Arts and Humanities (Academy I)
- The Academy of Social Sciences (Academy II)
- The Academy of Science (Academy III).
The Society is dedicated to making its members' broad and varied knowledge available to the public and to evaluate and advise on social, cultural, economic and scientific issues for the benefit of Canada. The members are available to assess issues of value to Canadians and provide independent expert advice, notably to government, on matters of public policy through its program of Expert Panel reports. Its purpose also includes fostering the highest levels of learning and research in all areas of scholarship and recognizing outstanding achievements in research and innovation by electing new Fellows and by awarding medals and prizes. The Society actively promotes international collaboration with other national academies. Discussion and consideration of important topics are carried out by the organization of annual symposia.
Awards
The Society awards twenty different awards on an annual or biennial basis. Some of these include:
- Bancroft Award
The Bancroft Award is an award of the Royal Society of Canada "given for publication, instruction, and research in the earth sciences that have conspicuously contributed to public understanding and appreciation of the subject". It is named in honour of Joseph Austin Bancroft . It is awarded...
, for publication, instruction, and research in the earth sciences
- Pierre Chauveau Medal
The Pierre Chauveau Medal is an award of the Royal Society of Canada "for a distinguished contribution to knowledge in the humanities other than Canadian literature and Canadian history". It is named in honour of Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau and is awarded bi-annually...
, for a distinguished contribution to knowledge in the humanities
- Sir John William Dawson Medal
The Sir John William Dawson Medal is an award of the Royal Society of Canada, established in 1985 for "important and sustained contributions by one individual in at least two different domains". It is named in honour of John William Dawson and is awarded bi-annually. The award consists of a silver...
, for important and sustained contributions in at least two different domains
- Thomas W. Eadie Medal
The Thomas W. Eadie Medal is an award of the Royal Society of Canada "for contributions in engineering and applied science". It is named in honour of Thomas Wardrope Eadie and is awarded annually. The award consists of a bronze medal and a cash award of CAD $3,000.-Recipients:* 2006 - Alberto...
, for contributions in engineering and applied science
- Flavelle Medal
The Flavelle Medal is an award of the Royal Society of Canada "for an outstanding contribution to biological science during the preceding ten years or for significant additions to a previous outstanding contribution to biological science". It is named in honour of Joseph Wesley Flavelle and is...
, for an outstanding contribution to biological science
- Willet G. Miller Medal
The Miller Medal is an award of the Royal Society of Canada given for outstanding research in any branch of the earth sciences.In 1941, twelve friends of Willet Green Miller, FRSC , a distinguished geologist, and a guiding force in the development of the Ontario mining industry, subscribed funds to...
, for outstanding research in any branch of earth sciences
- Lorne Pierce Medal
The Lorne Pierce Medal is awarded every two years by the Royal Society of Canada to recognize achievement of special significance and conspicuous merit in imaginative or critical literature written in either English or French...
, for an achievement in critical or imaginative literature
- Henry Marshall Tory Medal
The Henry Marshall Tory Medal is an award of the Royal Society of Canada "for outstanding research in a branch of astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, or an allied science". It is named in honour of Henry Marshall Tory and is awarded bi-annually. The award consists of a gold plated silver...
, for outstanding research in a branch of astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, or an allied science
- J.B. Tyrrell Historical Medal, for outstanding work in the history of Canada
Fellowship
Election to Fellowship in the Society is the highest academic accolade available to scientists and scholars in Canada. After their induction in the Society, Fellows may use the postnomial
FRSC for Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Francophone Fellows use
MSRC for Membre de la Société royale du Canada. The postnomial is usually not translated but is kept in the language of the Fellow.
See also
External links