Dr. Bob Church awarded honorary doctor of science degree

Dr. Robert (Bob) Church has been awarded an honorary doctor of science degree by the University of Alberta.  

A founding member of the University of Calgary medical school, Dr. Church is professor emeritus and founding head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University of Calgary. Church’s research in developmental genetics, genome organization, gene expression and embryo manipulation has resulted in more than 200 publications and hundreds of invited presentations to medical science, biotechnology and animal production meetings.

Church is also a founding member of the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI). He is also founding chair of the Alberta Science and Research Authority and founding co-chairman of the Premier's Council on Science and Technology of Alberta. Church was president of the Calgary Stampede. He was inducted into the Canadian and Alberta Agriculture Halls of Fame and the Alberta Bioindustry Hall of Fame. In 1993, Church received the Alberta Order of Excellence.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2000, the highest civilian honour in Canada. Church was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Medal in 2002 and the Growing Alberta Distinguished Leadership award in 2003. In 2012, Church was among 100 Outstanding Albertans to receive the Western Legacy Award.

Dr.  Church was presented with his honorary degree at the University of Alberta’s spring convocation on June 2nd, 2015.