Philosophy

Two Western faculty members have received prestigious honours from the Royal Society of Canada. Philosophy professor and chair Carolyn McLeod has been named a fellow of the society, and Earth Sciences professor Catherine Neish, a member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. “Western is proud to see professors McLeod and Neish recognized by the Royal Society of Canada,” Western’s vice-president of research, Lesley Rigg said. “Their outstanding work reflects Western University’s excellence in research across many disciplines. We congratulate them on this honour and look forward to their continued contributions to advance knowledge that has tangible benefits for the citizens of London, Canada and the world.” Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) are distinguishable Canadians from all branches of learning, who have made remarkable contributions in the arts, humanities and the sciences, as well as in Canadian public life. There are currently more than 2,000 active fellows of the RSC. They are elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding scholarly, scientific, and artistic achievements. The College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists, a branch of the RSC, is Canada’s first national system of multidisciplinary recognition for the emerging generation of Canadian intellectual leadership. Members of the College have demonstrated a level of achievement at an early stage of their career. Carolyn McLeod, Philosophy Carolyn McLeod is a leading Canadian scholar in bioethics and feminist philosophy. She is known worldwide for her research on ethical issues in reproductive health care, and her work on the ethics of parenthood and adoption, and key concepts in moral philosophy such as trust and autonomy. She has contributed directly to the creation of public policies affecting prospective parents in Canada. “Receiving this honour is a pleasure for me and for those close to me who’ve supported me throughout my career, including my mother, who is thrilled,” McLeod said. “I am grateful to colleagues from around the world who wrote in favour of my nomination.” Catherine Neish, Earth Sciences Catherine Neish is a planetary scientist who studies the geologic processes that shape the worlds in our solar system. She is the leading expert in impact cratering on Saturn’s moon Titan. Her work on the production of biological molecules on Titan’s surface was one of the driving motivations for NASA’s newly selected Dragonfly mission. As a co-investigator on that mission, she will use a quadcopter to investigate prebiotic chemistry on Titan. “I’m excited to work with other scholars from across Canada, from a range of different fields,” Neish said. “I’m convinced the most groundbreaking work comes from interdisciplinary efforts like this one.” Founded in 1882, the RSC comprises the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada. Its mission is to recognize scholarly research and artistic excellence, to advise governments and organizations, and to promote a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada with other national academies around the world. The 2021 RCS Fellows and Scholars will be celebrated during the induction and awards ceremony on Friday, November 19. Western is among nine Canadian universities supporting the event.