John P. Smol

Biosketch

John P. Smol, OC OOnt PhD FRSC FRS is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Biology (cross-appointed with the School of Environmental Studies) at Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario), where he also held the Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change for the maximum three 7-year terms (2001 – 2021). Smol was the founding Editor of the J. Paleolimnology (1987-2007) and is current Editor (since 2024) of Environmental Reviews. Since 1990 he has received 7 honorary doctorates and has been awarded >100 research and teaching awards and fellowships, including the NSERC Herzberg Gold Medal as Canada’s top scientist or engineer, the Vega Medal from the King of Sweden, the International Ecology Institute Prize, 4 medals from the Royal Society of Canada, fellowship in the Royal Society (London), and named an Officer of the Order of Canada. From 2019-2022, he was President of the Academy of Science, Royal Society of Canada.

Research Interests

John P. Smol founded and now co-directs the Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Lab (PEARL), a group of ~35 students and other scientists dedicated to the study of long-term global environmental change, and especially as it relates to lake ecosystems. Key research topics include the effects of climate change, habitat destruction, eutrophication, acidification, mining, and other types of contaminants on aquatic ecosystems.