William S. Fyfe is a legend not only within the Earth Sciences department but around the globe.
Regarded by many as the father of modern geochemistry and global change, Fyfe has served Western as a professor since 1972 and as Dean of the Faculty of Science from 1986-1990. During this time he established a leading Canadian research facility Interface Science Western.
Fyfe remains deeply connected to the Department as a leading researcher, mentor and Professor Emeritus.
The W.S. Fyfe Distinguished Scientist-in-Residence is a new position created as a tribute to Fyfe’s exceptional contributions to the Department and his students.
The position builds upon Fyfe’s legacy of teaching and research and enhances the tradition of educational leadership in the area of Earth Sciences at Western.
The general theme of the new role is “Natural Resources and Environmentally Sustainable Development”. The annual position will support on-campus activities of distinguished scholars with a demonstrated vision aligned with this theme.
The fundamental focus will be engaging in the study and implementation of proactive solutions to issues in natural resources and sustainability. Truly fitting, as Dr. Fyfe has extensively researched the environmental implications of human energy consumption. Fyfe also led the establishment of the Global Change program focused on international investigation of the Earth’s life-support systems.
W.S. Fyfe Distinguished Scientists will spend all or part of the year on campus engaging with faculty and students. They will also facilitate dialogues between academics, industry leaders and government representatives.
The role will also compliment several new positions created within the Department-The Bill Bell Chair in Petroleum Geology, The Robert W. Hodder Chair in Economic Geology and The Richard W. Hutchinson Visiting Industry Professor. Together, these four positions go far in meeting the goals within the Department’s Initiative to Enhance Economic and Energy Resource Geology.
The first W.S. Fyfe Scientist-in-Residence is expected to be named by year’s end.
