Royal Canadian Institute

Royal Canadian Institute for Science
Abbreviation RCIS
Formation June 20, 1849
Type Organizations based in Canada with royal patronage
Legal status Active
Purpose encouragement and general advancement of the physical sciences, the arts and the manufactures
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Region served
Canada
Official language
English, French
President
 Peter F. Love
Website Royal Canadian Institute

The Royal Canadian Institute for Science, also known as the Royal Canadian Institute is an organization dedicated to the advancement of science.

History

The Canadian Institute was first formed in Toronto on June 20, 1849, by Sir Sandford Fleming and Kivas Tully. It was originally conceived of as an organization for surveyors, civil engineers, and architects practising in and about Toronto, Ontario.[1] It quickly became more general in its scientific interests. A royal charter was granted Nov. 4, 1851 in which the objects of the society are declared to be "the encouragement and general advancement of the physical sciences, the arts and the manufactures." It is today the oldest scientific society in Canada.

Presidents

Notable past presidents include John Charles Fields (1919-1925; founder of the Fields Medal), William Edmond Logan, Sir Daniel Wilson, Sir John Henry Lefroy, Sir John Beverley Robinson, George William Allan, William Henry Draper, Sir Oliver Mowat and Henry Holmes Croft.[1]

Museum

Its first museum collection mostly consisted of archaeological and ethnographic items from Native groups in Canada. Its first curator was David Boyle. In 1896, needing more room for the museum, the collection was transferred to the Toronto Normal School (or Ontario Provincial Museum) under Boyle's care until his death in 1911. Its collection was later transferred to the Royal Ontario Museum.[2]

Journal

The Institute regularly published a journal, 'the Canadian Journal', 1852-1878 under various titles, as Proceedings, 1879-1890 Transactions 1890-, etc., to the present time. 'Early Days of the Canadian Institute' by Sir Sandford Fleming was published in 1899.[1]

Lectures

Every year they host two series of lectures, fall and winter, hosted at the University of Toronto.

Awards

Every year since 1982, the RCI has awarded the Sandford Fleming Award to a Canadian who has made outstanding contributions to the public understanding of science.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History, by Various 2010
  2. ↑ Michelle A Hamilton, Collections and Objections: Aboriginal Material Culture in Southern Ontario, Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2010; Gerald Killan, David Boyle: From Artisan to Archaeologist, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1983.
Professional and academic associations
Preceded by
John Charles Fields		 President of the Royal Canadian Institute
1919-1925 		Succeeded by
William Edmond Logan


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