News Release: Trio inducted into Royal Society college

Royal Society of Canada’s Seal

University of Manitoba professors Esyllt Jones, Kiera Ladner and Laura Loewen have been elected to the Royal Society of Canada’s (RSC) College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

The College is Canada’s first national multidisciplinary recognition system, which honours emerging and productive academics for their contributions to society, with an emphasis on those who take interdisciplinary approaches to their research.

Election to the RSC is considered the highest honour an academic can achieve in the arts, humanities and sciences; and the University of Manitoba is proud to have three professors be part of the first cohort to be inducted into the new College.

“These professors have made outstanding contributions to not only the University of Manitoba but also to the broader international community,” says Digvir Jayas, vice-president (research and international) of the University of Manitoba.

The newest members

Esyllt Jones (history) is an innovative scholar whose groundbreaking research makes new connections between medical history and social history. Her publications, including Influenza 1918, have won numerous awards. Her work opens up new avenues for research into social responses to illness and disease, and shows how history can inform contemporary debates around inequality, epidemics, and public health policy. Jones has a rare ability to connect her scholarship with the wider community, and an exceptional commitment to public engagement, from projects on local and community history to the collaborative People’s Citizenship Guide project.

Kiera Ladner (political studies and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Politics and Governance) is an established researcher focusing on Indigenous law and politics.  In just 12 years she received over $4.2M in funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to study treaties and Indigenous politics and analyze their relationship to Canada. Two current SSHRC projects include an Indigenous constitutional politics project in New Zealand and Australia, and a community-based digital archive with Shawn Ferris (women’s and gender studies). Her research spans numerous genres, and her ability to present her ideas in a clear and captivating way has brought people together to discuss leadership and visions for Canada’s future.

Laura Loewen (Desautels Faculty of Music) is head of collaborative piano and vocal coach at the Contemporary Opera Lab. She is an extraordinary musician who excels at piano and collaboration with all types of music. She has worked with leading international artists across the world, and performs regularly at universities, festivals and conferences. Loewen is known for her challenging repertoire and careful preparation that have led to multiple prestigious grants and awards.

The inaugural cohort of the College will be officially inducted at the RSC Annual General Meeting November 20-23, 2014, in Quebec City, Quebec.

Meet the new inductees

Founded in 1882, the Royal Society’s 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 and with other national academies around the world.

For more information contact Janine Harasymchuk, Marketing Communications Office, University of Manitoba, at 204-474-7300.