The Sandford Fleming Medal for
Excellence in Science Communication

Since 1982, RCIScience has awarded the Sandford Fleming Medal and Citation annually to an individual working in Canada who has made outstanding contributions to science communication.

Nominations for the Sandford Fleming Medal should be submitted by June 30 2024.

The nomination (2 pages maximum) should include a description of the nominee’s work and how it has impacted the public's understanding of science across Canada. Outreach should communicate science broadly and reach a wide audience. Where possible, please provide at least two letters supporting the nomination.

Nominations or questions can be emailed to: information@rciscience.ca.

More Details

Eligibility

• Any individual working in a registered non-profit organization, post-secondary institution, museum, science centre or company, or freelance science communication professional within Canada may be nominated for the award. 

• Nominees will have made a successful and sustained effort to communicate science to the public to increase understanding of the broader area of natural sciences, social science, multi-disciplinary sciences, medicine, engineering, math and technology [“science”] outside of their specific area of expertise. 

• Consideration will be given to those nominees who have demonstrated their ability to speak about a broad range of scientific topics, not just their own research.

• The individual must be able to speak to a general adult population (not K-12). 

• Posthumous or self-nominations will not be accepted. 

• Current RCIScience Board members are not eligible for nomination.

• Past winners of a Fleming Medal are not eligible to be nominated a second time. 

• In order to qualify, the achievements of any nominee must be distinct from the organization as a whole.

Nomination Process and Selection Criteria

• Anyone with direct knowledge of an individual’s contribution to science communication may nominate that candidate for the Fleming Medal. 

• Nominators may be colleagues or people who have benefited from the nominee’s contributions, such as teachers, parents, community members or administrators.

• Such nominations may be supported by a letter from the organization confirming the distinct nature of the activities. Furthermore, no consideration will be given to any aspect of the organization or its activities during the review process.

The nomination package must include:

• A completed, signed Science Communication Nomination Form submitted to the Executive Director, RCIScience, by the nomination deadline.

• A letter or document (two pages maximum) that describes, or summarizes, the nominee’s:

  • efforts and involvement in inspiring public understanding of science; 

  • the content, originality and scope of the nominee’s activities;  

  • approach to science communication, including creativity in public engagement; 

  • recent successful science communication or engagement activities demonstrating a diversity of audiences including, if possible, the impact and duration of the nominee’s activities (Note: Nominators are encouraged to include specific measures of impact).

• Two signed letters of recommendation (no more than two pages each), or as deemed appropriate by the Awards Committee.

• Supporting documentation (such as promotional material, participant feedback, media coverage, publications, awards) (no more than five pages).

Selection Process

• Nominations are reviewed by the Awards Committee of the RCIScience Board of Trustees.  

• The Chair of the RCIScience Board of Trustees is the Chair of the Awards Committee, or a member nominated by the Chair of the Board of Trustees.

• It is recognized that occasionally members of the Awards Committee will know applicants or have other conflicts of interest. They will be expected to declare all such knowledge and conflicts of interests.

• In the case of knowing an applicant the Chair of the selection panel will rule if this is significant enough for the Committee member to stand down for that applicant. 

• The Committee will not enter into any correspondence concerning its deliberations. All inquiries should be directed to the RCIScience Executive Director. Note that information on matters such as ranking, or names of unsuccessful nominees, will not be disclosed.

• Nominations will be kept active for two years following submission to the RCIScience.

• In any year, the Awards Committee will reserve the right to encourage submissions and award early and mid-career nominees, or honour someone late in their career.

• If no nominations are deemed suitable, no award will be made.

Award Process

• The award recipient will be expected to make themselves available without fee to give a public presentation about their achievements in science communication at which the Fleming Medal will be publicly awarded by the Vice-Patron of RCIScience or designate.

• If the venue is at a significant distance from the award recipient’s home, the RCIScience will compensate for reasonable travel expenses. Alternatively, a virtual event may be held.

Medal and Citation Recipients

2023: Terry Collins

A knowledge translator for over 27 years, Terry Collins’ reporting has been picked up by journalists in Canada and worldwide, awakening public interest in and deepening understanding of diverse sciences, fostering political will, and mobilizing resources for change. 

He has interpreted and explained the essence and importance of research findings from scores of scientific institutions, including ten UN bodies. His work has benefitted critical global causes and advanced many scientific careers. Most notably, Terry’s behind-the-scenes efforts made an impactful contribution to the UN’s historic Global Biodiversity Framework agreement in 2022.

Terry’s early career began in newsrooms, with four years in the Canadian and Ontario Parliamentary Press Galleries. He then spent a decade in public service, working with the Environment Canada Minister’s Office, the House of Commons Speaker’s Office, and the UN Environment Programme’s Regional Office in New York City. In 1996, Terry resumed his journalism career in Toronto and has since become a veteran science writer with an extensive national and international network of fellow journalists. He works diligently behind the scenes to interpret and synthesize for fellow reporters the significance and newsworthiness of science research papers and developments.

It is Terry’s reliable news judgement, talent for creative, plain-language writing, his unconventional long-form spot news reporting, and his collegial relationships at many of the most influential news outlets in Canada and worldwide, that has advanced public knowledge of several critical health and environmental issues. 

His polished and compelling treatments of sometimes difficult scientific topics are distinguished by their eloquent prose, their accessibility, and, perhaps most importantly, their creative framing. His writing makes it easy for reporters to formulate their own version of a story or simply extract one, with one Reuters science reporter remarking, “I sometimes thought that he should have shared the byline on my stories.”

The trust journalists have in Terry’s news judgement and accuracy has been the genesis of more than 110,000 online mainstream news articles in the past decade alone, generating more than 200 billion potential public impressions, over 2 billion of which were the result of 4,300 articles at 750 different Canadian online sites.

For all of these great achievements and contributions to science reporting behind the scenes, RCIScience recognizes Terry Collins with the 2023 Fleming Medal for Excellence in Science Communication by an individual working in Canada.

2022: Dr. Dawn Bazely

For more than 30 years, Dr. Dawn Bazely has been an advocate of science in Canada, a champion for women, marginalized and low-income students in STEM, and a promoter of Indigenous knowledge and wisdom.

An award-winning Professor in York University’s Faculty of Science, Dr. Bazely has an international reputation for excellence in teaching, research and science outreach. She is a mentor for early career scientists, co-founder of the Seneca College Science Communication Summer Institute and advocate for improved policy to make science more inclusive. 

She has organized and participated in countless public science events, media interviews and documentaries, speaking about her ecological research and as an expert commentator on a wide range of science and science-policy issues. She is often consulted by policy makers from diverse sectors ranging from conservation biology to ecotourism and climate change adaptation.  Her leadership, advocacy, and expertise make her a champion of access to science knowledge and a fierce leader in evidence-informed policy making.

2021: André Picard

For over 30 years, André Picard has contributed to the national public conversation on health and medicine. In addition to being a staff writer at The Globe and Mail, he is the author of six bestselling books, including his most recent Neglected No More: The Urgent Need to Improve the Lives of Canada's Elders in the Wake of a Pandemic. Without his contributions, Canadians today would undoubtedly be less knowledgeable, less healthy and policymakers less accountable in their actions on a range of medical and social issues.

From the AIDS epidemic and blood crisis of the mid-80s to addiction, abortion, assisted death, mental health and today’s global COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Picard’s writing consistently puts a human face on medical science and health policy, marrying scientific precision with sincere and principled compassion.

2020: Timothy Caulfield

Professor Timothy Caulfield has become synonymous with the fight against misinformation. As one of Canada’s most prominent voices on the subject, he works tirelessly against the tide of mis- and dis-information, in particular relating to health advice.

Timothy Caulfield’s outstanding contributions to science communication in Canada include the popular books, The Cure for Everything, The Science of Celebrity or Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything, The Vaccination Picture and the recently published Relax Dammit! He created and hosted the television program, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, has given an uncountable number of public talks and radio appearances, as well as engaging with tens of thousands on social media. 

Timothy also uses the platform he has created to encourage scientists and science communicators to take up the fight against misinformation. By providing information and inspiration, he is working to grow the field of evidence-based science communication in Canada. The global pandemic of 2020 has revealed this work to be not just important, but absolutely critical. 

2019: Dan Falk

Dan Falk is one of Canada’s most active science writers and communicators. With three books, countless articles, and more than a dozen radio documentaries, Dan has worked tirelessly in this field, creating a lasting body of work as well as teaching and mentoring others. His first book, The Universe on a T-Shirt won the Science in Society Journalism Award from the Canadian Science Writers’ Association, one of several accolades for his written work. His work can also be found in both popular and scientific publications. Many of his longer radio works have been broadcast on CBC’s Ideas – several of those documentaries have won major international awards – and he’s also been a regular contributor to Quirks & Quarks and several other CBC Radio programs. Dan’s work has appeared beyond North America: He’s been a frequent contributor to The Science Show and The Philosopher’s Zone, on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. His books have been translated into French, Portuguese, Hebrew, and Chinese. 

2018: John Smol

Professor John Smol is an internationally acclaimed scientist. From acid rain to exotic species, he has pioneered many approaches now used worldwide to study long-term ecological changes in lakes and rivers. This has helped revolutionize the field.

John Smol’s excellence in teaching has been recognized both at Queen’s University and elsewhere. He is a vocal supporter of teaching and research working hand-in-hand. Despite a busy academic schedule, both at home and abroad, he works equally hard on science outreach, presenting to local city councils, judging science fairs, giving countless interviews and presentations for television and radio. He speaks to school-aged students in person or via video link, does talks for seniors’ groups and helps organize events such as Love your Lake Day.

Much of John’s research occurs in the north. He and his students actively engage with northern peoples, holding town halls, giving lectures and visiting schools to discuss scientific issues in all three territories.

Further, he engages with policy makers, making presentations to politicians and government staff at all levels, and writing opinion pieces for many news outlets across the country. He urges his fellow academic scientists to do the same. John’s influence reaches the highest level of government.

Professor Smol is successful in communicating his work because he describes it in straight-forward terms, demonstrating his obvious passion for the environment. He is a true international ambassador for science, emphasizing by example and action the value of research and education.

2017: Pierre Chastenay

Dr. Chastenay's career has taken him from live presentations at the Planétarium de Montréal, to television, with Téléscience, Le Code Chastenay and Electrons libres. He was written award-winning books and countless articles. Perhaps most importantly, he works tirelessly and efficiently to ensure science is taught well in schools. Together, these accomplishments form an impressive list of achievements. Though the impact of Dr. Chastenay's work is greatest in Quebec and the Francophone world, through his publications, presentations and his work in professional institutions and organizations, he is known and respected elsewhere in North America and beyond.

2016: Ivan Semeniuk

Ivan’s career has touched many different means and media, starting at the Ontario Science Centre, then moving on to the Discovery Channel Canada, and as a senior correspondent with two of the highest-impact science publications in the world (Nature and New Scientist). He has been a writer and host of the TV series Cosmic Vistas, and, for the last three years, a science reporter for the Globe and Mail. Ivan’s voice is a strong one in science communication, not just in Canada, but around the world.

2015: Molly Shoichet

Dr. Molly Shoichet holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Tissue Engineering and is an expert in the study of polymers for drug delivery & regeneration which are materials that promote healing in the body. In addition to publishing many paper, patents and abstracts, she has given over 250 lectures worldwide, leads a laboratory of 25 researchers and has graduated 75 researchers over the past 15 years. Throughout her career, Dr. Shoichet has put a priority on communicating the excitement of scientific discoveries to the public through lectures and public events. With her recent appointment as the senior science advisor to the President, University of Toronto, she will to continue to co-ordinate a wide range of science communication activities. Dr. Shoichet, who says she has been fascinated by science since she was six years old, hopes to motivate the next generation to pursue science, technology, engineering and math. “It is the ‘geeks’ who change the world,” saidDr. Shoichet, when speaking with young people. “Embrace the geek in you, make a difference, and tell people about it.” Since 1849, the Royal Canadian Institute for Science has pursued a vision of an informed public that embraces science to build a stronger Canada.  Molly Shoichet is a powerful advocate this important pursuit and outstanding scientist.

2014: Penny Park

Penny Park is involved in some way with most of the science news stories in Canada’s popular media. After receiving a BA in linguistics at the University of New Brunswick and a BSc in biology at the University of Guelph, Penny became senior producer of the CBC radio program, Quirks and Quarks, helping bring this award-winning program to the world for 15 years. In 1995, Penny moved to Discovery Channel Canada, shaping that network’s ground-breaking presentation of science news. In 2010, Penny became the Executive Director of the Science Media Centre of Canada. One of a global network of centres that connect journalists and scientists, the Centre provides “heads-up” communications about upcoming scientific announcements and works to connect the media to experts who bring a scientific viewpoint to current events. To quote Penny, “Media abhors a vacuum, and when experts are not readily available, that vacuum can be filled with unreliable information.” In this work, and throughout her career, Penny Park has helped fill that information vacuum. She has ensured that the traditional media outlets of print, radio and television can bring accurate and fascinating scientific information to the Canadian public.

2013: Chris Hadfield

Chris Hadfield launched as Flight Engineer 1 aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2012 to take part in Canada’s second long-duration mission to the ISS. During the second portion of his stay in space, Hadfield became its Canadian Commander. During the mission he set new precedents as an astronaut and communicator of science. During his mission, through prolific use of social media (more than 730,000 followers on Twitter), photos, videos and songs he gave the world the daily experience of living in space. His passion for his work endeared him to people worldwide and inspired an enthusiasm for space exploration. He was awarded the RCI Fleming Medal on May 3, 2013 while still in space. In a pre-recorded acceptance from the space station he said “It’s so important to communicate the leading edge work that’s being done on the frontier, and bring it into the mainstream fabric of the Canadian public”.

2012: Robert Thirsk

Bob Thirsk flew aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 1996 with six international crewmates as part of the Life and Microgravity Spacelab mission. This 17-day mission was devoted to the study of life and materials sciences.
In 2009 he became the first Canadian astronaut to fly a long-duration expedition aboard the International Space Station. Bob and his five international crewmates performed interdisciplinary research, robotic operations, and maintenance and repaid work on station systems. By the end of the flight, he had lived and worked in space for another 188 days.
Bob is a strong promoter of a Canadian economy based on exploration and innovation. He encourages Canadians to build their dreams upon a solid educational foundation and advanced skills. He works with educational specialists in Canada to develop space-related curricula for grade school and post-secondary students. Initiatives such as Canolab, Space for Species, and Tomatosphere have allowed millions of young Canadians to experience the thrill of scientific discovery.

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