The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) has announced its 2025 cohort of Fellows and College members, an honour that recognizes the country's most accomplished scholars, artists, and scientists. Induction ceremonies will be held in Montréal (QC) at the RSC's national conference, the RSC Celebration of Excellence and Engagement, from November 12 to 16, 2025, formally welcoming Dr. Linda Ambrose as Fellow to the RSC, and Dr. Nadia Mykytczuk to the College of New Scholars.
From left to right: Dr. Nadia Mykytczuk and Dr. Linda Ambrose.
Founded in 1882, the RSC is the country's national academy, dedicated to recognizing and celebrating distinguished scholars, artists, and scientists. Election to the RSC is the highest honour an individual can achieve in Canadian intellectual life, with new Fellows and Scholars selected by their peers for making remarkable contributions to knowledge and to public life. While the distinction of Fellow is a lifetime honour for those who have reached the pinnacle of their career, the College recognizes the emerging generation of scholarly leaders, researchers, and artists within 15 years of their doctoral studies or equivalent, for a seven-year term.
Dr. Linda Ambrose's election as Fellow to the RSC is a distinction she describes as "a remarkable honour." Ambrose, a Full Professor within the School of Liberal Arts, recently retired after having dedicated more than thirty years to Laurentian University's department of History and to her students. An award-winning historian, she has earned an international reputation for her work on rural women and women's religious history. Her research focuses on gender studies and the history of Canadian women, particularly within contexts like the Women's Institutes and the Canadian Pentecostal movement. Ambrose's publications, including For Home and Country: The Centennial History of the Women's Institutes in Ontario (Boston Mills Press, 1996) and A Great Rural Sisterhood: Madge Robertson Watt and the Associated Country Women of the World (University of Toronto Press, 2015) have provided significant insights into grassroots feminism and the roles women have navigated within rural settings. More recently, Ambrose's work has focused on women's resistance within patriarchal religious institutions. Her book Pentecostal Preacher Woman: The Faith and Feminism of Bernice Gerard (UBC Press, 2024) earned the 2024 Lieutenant Governor's Medal for Historical Writing (BC Historical Foundation), and the 2025 Canadian Historical Association's Clio Prize (British Columbia). In recognition of her exceptional contributions, she was a recipient of the Laurentian University Teaching Excellence Award in 2005 and the Research Excellence Award in 2024. Ambrose is also the co-author of Laurentian University: A History (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2010) a testament to her connection to the institution and her commitment to historical scholarship.
"I feel incredibly honoured and proud to be named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. This distinction is a tremendous honour, and it's deeply rewarding because it takes into account several decades of my scholarship," said Dr. Ambrose. "To have my work recognized by this auspicious body is a wonderful reward and, in a way, feels like the culmination of my scholarly career. My time at Laurentian has been a privilege in all its aspects: teaching, administration, and research. In my scholarly work, I have been intrigued to shed light on the powerful and often unseen contributions of women, exploring feminism in the most unlikely places. This fellowship gives me immense satisfaction and will bring greater exposure to the historical scholarship that has been the basis of my research career."
Dr. Nadia Mykytczuk election to the RSC's College of New Scholars is an honour she said she is "thrilled" about. An innovator in the field of environmental microbiology with over two decades of experience, she is the President and CEO of MIRARCO (Mining Innovation, Rehabilitation, and Applied Research Corporation) and serves as Executive Director of the Goodman School of Mines at Laurentian University. Her work focuses on developing microbial solutions for mining-related challenges, with a particular emphasis on biomining and bioremediation. Mykytczuk's research is centered on how microorganisms can be used to recover critical minerals and remediate mine waste sites, transforming legacy environmental issues into sustainable opportunities. She currently holds the NOHFC Industrial Research Chair in Biomining and Bioremediation and has been recognized for her leadership in promoting women in mining and fostering community engagement. In March 2025, she was honored with the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her dedication to community and service to Canada.
"I am deeply humbled to join the College of New Scholars of the Royal Society of Canada," said Dr. Mykytczuk. "This honour provides an extraordinary platform to advance the College's goals of fostering collaboration across disciplines, amplifying Canadian scholarship globally, and ensuring that research and innovation are harnessed to address the most pressing challenges of our time."
"Dr. Ambrose and Dr. Mykytczuk are outstanding examples of the innovative and impactful research happening at Laurentian. Dr. Ambrose's election as a Fellow recognizes a lifetime of profound contributions to Canadian history, while Dr. Mykytczuk's induction into the College of New Scholars highlights her forward-thinking research in environmental microbiology. Both of these distinctions showcase how our faculty are providing solutions and new perspectives that are critically important to our society. We are thrilled to see their dedication and intellectual curiosity recognized at this national level." Dr. Tammy Eger, Vice-President, Research, Laurentian University
"This is a moment of immense pride for Laurentian University. The induction of Dr. Linda Ambrose and Dr. Nadia Mykytczuk to the Royal Society of Canada is a testament to their exceptional scholarship and the global impact of their work. These two remarkable community members embody our institution's commitment to academic excellence and intellectual leadership. Their achievements inspire the next generation of scholars and researchers. We are honoured to celebrate this highest of academic distinctions with them." Dr. Lynn Wells, President and Vice-Chancellor, Laurentian University
A public celebration will take place on the Laurentian University campus after the official induction ceremonies in Montreal in November.
