Marking its 175th anniversary, The Royal Canadian Institute for Science (RCIScience) celebrates science engagement by awarding the 2024 Sandford Fleming Medal for Excellence in Science Communication to independent science writer Alanna Mitchell, and the William Edmond Logan Award to the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC).
A special addition to this year’s awards, a selection of standout Canadian’s will be honoured with King Charles III Coronation Medals. Recipients include Professor Timothy Caulfield, science influencer Dr. Samantha Yammine (ScienceSam), YouTube stars AsapScience and hosts of CBC’s The Nature of Things, Dr. Sarika Cullis-Suzuki and Anthony Morgan.
For 175 years, RCIScience has been connecting people in Canada with science to foster dialogue, discovery and community, and build an engaging science culture for everyone. The charity awards the Sandford Fleming Medal and Citation annually to a Canadian who has made outstanding contributions to the public understanding of science. Previous recipients include David Suzuki, Ursula Franklin, Chris Hadfield and André Picard.
The William Edmond Logan Award recognizes organizations rather than individuals. Past winners include Celestica, IBM Canada, Toronto Metropolitan University’s SciXchange, and CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks. Together, the Fleming Medal and Logan Award fill a vital niche in celebrating outstanding science communication efforts in Canada.
As a Royal chartered organization, RCIScience was selected to honour a number of distinguished Canadians with King Charles III Coronation Medals for their significant contributions to Canada, and their communities. The Institute will award medals to those whose work furthers the charity’s mission of fostering science culture in Canada.
Carrie Boyce, Executive Director of RCIScience, remarks, “It’s a great honour to recognize this year’s award recipients. These influential partners work enthusiastically to advance the science community for everyone in Canada, reaching millions of people each year with the value of scientific knowledge and integrity.”
Speaking about the awards, Alanna Mitchell notes, “We are living in a time when the very foundations of science and truth are under attack globally. Propaganda, doubt and disinformation have taken up residence in the public discourse to a degree I find alarming. So receiving this award, this year, is a sweet validation that the task of democratizing science matters, and that we have to keep doing it!”
“Alanna has made a huge impact on science reporting and knowledge translation in Canada and beyond throughout her illustrious career,” says Carrie Boyce.
The Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC) is Canada’s largest network of science engagement organizations whose membership includes leading science centres, museums, zoos, aquariums and informal STEM learning organizations from coast to coast to coast. CASC members collectively reach more than 10 million people from multigenerational audiences every year.
“CASC is thrilled to accept this year’s William Edmond Logan Award. Our board of directors, our team of dedicated staff and volunteers, and our network at large work hard to advance Canada’s science and innovation culture. To be recognized for this hard work and for our impact on the lives of people across Canada and around the world is a true honour. We see this moment as a marker of great success, and we will use it to propel us forward as we continue to advocate for this vital sector in our society.”
Marianne Mader, CEO of CASC
Jock Fleming, Chair of RCIScience and great great grandson of the Institute’s founder, Sir Sandford Fleming, after whom the Fleming medal is named, reflects on CASC’s win, “Our collective missions often overlap and it’s always been a pleasure to partner with local science centres, museums, aquariums and beyond, not to mention ScienceUpFirst/LaSciencedAbord in the fight against mis and disinformation. The Awards Committee was unanimous in its decision to recognize the huge difference CASC makes to science communication in Canada and beyond.”
A private ceremony to celebrate all of the recipient’s contributions to the Canadian science landscape will be held at the Toronto Zoo (a CASC member organization) on December 4th, sponsored by Burgundy Asset Management Ltd.
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About RCIScience
The Royal Canadian Institute of Science (RCIScience) is Canada’s oldest scientific organization, established in 1849. Celebrating its 175th anniversary, RCIScience is a registered charity whose award-winning programming builds science culture in Canada, providing a platform for adult engagement with scientists to foster critical thinking, expand science dialogue and promote informed decision making. The Institute also trains scientists to be better communicators, so they can share their cutting-edge research with the public in creative, inspiring and thought-provoking ways.
Contact: Carrie Boyce, Executive Director, RCIScience
Email: cboyce@rciscience.ca; Tel: +1 416 977 2983