Prof. Timothy Caulfield honoured with 2020 Sandford Fleming Medal

University of Alberta Faculty of Law professor Timothy Caulfield has been awarded the 2020 Sandford Fleming Medal by the Royal Canadian Institute of Science for his dedication to the public understanding of science.

The medal recognizes outstanding contributions to the communication of science by a member of the scientific community in Canada.

Caulfied joins a prestigious list of recipients of this accolade, including Ursula Franklin, David Suzuki and Chris Hadfield.

As the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy and the research director of the University of Alberta's Health Law Institute, Caulfield is internationally renowned for his efforts to dispel scientific misinformation.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Caulfield’s work has been dedicated to combating the infodemic and debunking junk science. His public campaign, “Check First. Share After,” was launched in May and encourages Canadians to fact check social media posts before sharing.

Caulfield has also tirelessly advocated for scientists to focus on the public’s relationships with science and how research is communicated.

He will be presented the medal during a virtual event, hosted by the Royal Canadian Institute of Science, on November 24, 2020.