Fellows are persons who have:
(a) demonstrated an interest in being engaged in activities related to the mandate and programs of the Society;
(b) expressed a willingness to be involved in efforts to sustain and expand the capacity of the Society to achieve its objective of making Canada better known to Canadians and the world;
(c) agreed to serve as a Fellow, and to sit on Society committees, foster partnerships, provide opinions and expertise, organize events and contribute to fundraising efforts;
and (d) been nominated and elected to the College of Fellows
In assessing qualifications of prospective Fellows, the Fellows Committee looks for the following attributes:
Fellows are individuals who have distinguished themselves by directly contributing to scientific knowledge in the field of geography, geographical exploration or allied sciences (i.e., archaeology, atmospheric sciences, marine biology, zoology, etc.). Such accomplishments usually are evidenced by published books, scientific publications or major mainstream media coverage documenting fieldwork or exploration.
Fellows may also be individuals who have distinguished themselves in teaching, academia, community service and the arts and who have received major awards/official recognition, as well as individuals in the public sector, military, business and the professions who are seen as leaders in their respective fields.
Fellows may also be individuals who have provided extensive volunteer service to the RCGS, or major donors who have supported RCGS programs.
Honorary Fellows are individuals who have rendered eminently distinguished service to the country in relation to the mandate of the Society. Honorary Fellows do not have a voting role in the College of Fellows, however receive all other benefits of Fellowship.
Given the central objective of the RCGS is the advancement of geographical knowledge and in particular the general diffusion of information on Canadian geography, our Fellows have made Canada better know to Canadians and the international community.
Honorary Fellows also include all recipients of RCGS medals.
Responsibilities of a Fellow
Fellows are encouraged to volunteer time in either committee work, organizing local events, giving talks/presentations, fundraising, attending local RCGS events, etc.
As there is an expense to the RCGS maintaining the Fellowship all Fellows are requested to make an annual financial contribution to the RCGS based on their financial capabilities, and must maintain a current subscription to Canadian Geographic magazine. Additionally funding raised by Fellows contributes to the RCGS in developing and distributing free educational materials to 28,000 teachers across Canada.
Fellows are otherwise urged to do what they can, when they can, to advance the mandate of the RCGS, including helping to build the Society through the nomination of qualified Fellows.
Application Process
All questions on the Fellows Nomination Form must be answered in detail otherwise the application will not be reviewed. It is the responsibility of the sponsor to see that an application is complete with all fields being filled out, merely attaching a CV to this Nomination Form is insufficient. Only Fellows can submit nominations. Only one nomination application per nominee will be accepted.
Acceptance
If an applicant is elected as a Fellow, the RCGS will notify both the applicant and the sponsor. If an applicant is denied Fellowship, only the sponsor will be notified.
Fellows are elected to the Society’s College of Fellows and are entitled to attend and vote at any Annual General Meeting of the College. According to the Operating Bylaw of the Society, Fellows “are expected to promote the objectives and interests of the Society.” Thus, nomination and election to the College is intended to secure active support for the Society and is not solely a means to honour individuals.
The Fellows Committee invites nominations of worthy candidates with appropriate backgrounds who are willing and able to serve the Society. Please fill in the form below as completely as possible.
