Research Excellence
National recognition for Queen’s research
September 9, 2025
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Drs. Amir Fam (Civil Engineering), Stéfanie von Hlatky (Political Studies), and Tucker Carrington (Chemistry).
Each year, the (RSC), one of the country’s most prestigious academic institutions, recognizes Canadian researchers for their contributions across the arts and humanities, social sciences, and sciences. This year, three Queen’s researchers have earned this honour for their outstanding work in civil engineering, international security, and molecular dynamics. Amir Fam (Civil Engineering) has been elected as a Fellow of the RSC and Stéfanie von Hlatky (Political Studies) will join the College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists. While Tucker Carrington (Chemistry) has been awarded the Henry Marshall Tory Medal. These recognitions highlight their research impact and national leadership in their fields.
Established in 1882, the RSC is Canada’s national academy, dedicated to promoting research and learning, recognizing academic and artistic excellence, and advising governments, non-governmental organizations, and Canadians on important matters. Its mission is to serve Canada by recognizing Canada’s leading scholars, researchers, and artists, empowering them to address issues that are critical to Canadians.
The RSC comprises three academies—the , , and —as well as the , which was established in 2014. Fellows of the RSC are elected by their peers for outstanding career-long contributions, while College Members are early to mid-career scholars who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments within 15 years of completing their doctorate. Since 1964, Queen’s has had 123 faculty members elected as Fellows and 22 inducted into the College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists.
“Election to the Royal Society of Canada is among our country’s highest research honours. Congratulations to Drs. Fam, von Hlatky, and Carrington on recognition of their national leadership. Queen’s is proud to provide the conditions that enable transformational research with meaningful impact for Canadians and the world.”
– Dr. Nancy Ross, Vice-Principal (Research)
Learn more about Queen’s 2025 inductees and awardees:
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
is a Professor in the department of Civil Engineering, Vice-Dean (Research) at Smith Engineering and the Canada Research Chair in Climate Change Resilient Infrastructure. A leading expert in structural engineering, Dr. Fam’s research focuses on sustainable construction methods using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) and bio-based composite and ultra-high performance concrete materials to strengthen and retrofit aging infrastructure as well as developing energy-efficient buildings.
His research innovations, such as the use of stay-in-place FRP tubes, bars, or carbon-FRP prestressing cables, to eliminate steel corrosion in concrete, have revolutionized bridge construction across North America. His work has been applied in first-of-their-kind structures such as the Taylor Bridge in Manitoba, the Bombardier Transportation monorail test track in Ontario, and the Route 40 Bridge in Virginia.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Fam has supervised and trained more than 85 graduate and postdoctoral researchers. He has authored over 240 peer-reviewed journal articles and secured more than $15 million in research funding. His work has directly shaped engineering codes and guidelines used across Canada and the U.S., and his design and development for Canada’s first has helped engineers better assess bridge fatigue and performance.
Member of the College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists
Dr. Stéfanie von Hlatky is a Professor in the department of Political Studies and holds the Canada Research Chair in Gender, Security, and the Armed Forces. As a leading scholar in international security and defence, her research explores how diversity and inclusion can strengthen conflict prevention and resolution efforts. Alongside her team, she is investigating how military institutions are integrating gender-responsive frameworks with the goal of contributing to lasting policy change.
Dr. von Hlatky’s research has directly contributed to public discourse and policy making, most notably through expert testimony to the Arbour Review on sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. She has also developed gender integration training materials for NATO personnel and regularly provides strategic advice to Canadian and international defence organizations.
Dr. von Hlatky is the founder of Women in International Security–Canada as well as a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellow. She currently serves as Honorary Colonel of the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment and is the co-director of the (CDSN). Her research has shaped national defence policies and institutional practices in Canada and across NATO, advancing equity and accountability in military institutions.
“The Royal Society of Canada is delighted to welcome into its ranks a talented group of inspiring researchers, artists, and creators whose peers have recognized their exceptional contributions to the world of science and culture, as well as to the wellbeing of Canadians. Their research will continue to influence public policy for years to come, while improving the wellbeing of our society."
– Dr. Alain-G. Gagnon, FRSC, President of the RSC
Henry Marshall Tory Medal
In acknowledgement of his outstanding career achievements, (Chemistry) has been awarded the from the RSC. Previously made a Fellow of the RSC in 2023, the gold medal recognizes Dr. Carrington’s leading research in the field of chemical physics. The medal is awarded every two years for outstanding research in any branch of astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, or an allied science and is named after Henry Marshall, founder of the Universities of British Columbia and Alberta and former President of the RSC.
Dr. Carrington is the former Canada Research Chair in Quantum Molecular Dynamics. He develops and applies new methods for computing vibrational and ro-vibrational spectra, scattering cross sections and rate constants. The common theme of his research is understanding the motion of atoms. Many of the computational methods he has developed use iterative linear algebra techniques and exploit the structure of basis sets to make it possible to do calculations without storing or computing a Hamiltonian matrix.
Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize
![[Sierra Jones-McLeod]](/gazette/sites/gazettewww/files/2025-09/Capture.JPG)
The RSC has also announced the recipients of the . The award is presented to a graduating student from each of the 24 law schools in Canada. The prize recognizes the student who, upon graduation, is most likely to positively influence equity and social justice in Canada.
ֱ recipient is Sierra Jones-McLeod, a proud Oji-Cree woman from Garden River First Nation and a grandchild of Residential School Survivors. During law school, she served as a Co-Chair of the Indigenous Law Students’ Alliance and as a Student Caseworker with the Queen’s Prison Law Clinic and Advanced Prison Law Clinic. In her role as Student Caseworker, Sierra advocated for Indigenous offenders through federal human rights complaints, grievances, and parole hearings, ensuring their Indigenous rights were meaningfully recognized within Federal Correctional Institutions.
Sierra is deeply committed to social justice through criminal defence with a focus on addressing the over-incarceration of Indigenous people in Canada. Sierra is currently articling with Legal Aid Ontario in both criminal and family law, where she applies her heritage and education to support marginalized communities and advocates for access to justice.
The 2025 cohort of Royal Society of Canada Fellows, College members, and awardees will be officially recognized at the this November.
To learn more about this year’s inductees, visit the website.
