Three University of Victoria faculty members have received the countryB次元官网网址檚 highest academic honour, named 2018 fellows of the Royal Society of Canada.

Benjamin Butterfield, one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 finest tenors; Eike-Henner Kluge, a leading ethicist and philosopher whose scholarship and theoretical analysis have influenced CanadaB次元官网网址檚 right-to-die legislation and the legalities of abortion; and Tim Stockwell, who has pioneered research in substance abuse and public health policy, were elected to the societyB次元官网网址檚 distinguished ranks in an announcement made today.

The title has been bestowed on more than 2,000 Canadians in the 134-year history of the RSC and has just one criterion: excellence. The peer-elected fellows of the society are chosen for making B次元官网网址渞emarkable contributionsB次元官网网址� in the arts, humanities and sciences, and Canadian public life.

While Butterfield has won international plaudits as one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 best operatic tenors, he is equally passionate about his role as head of voice for UVicB次元官网网址檚 School of Music.

B次元官网网址淲ith a performance career, the more youB次元官网网址檙e in the game, the more youB次元官网网址檒l be asked to be in the game,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淏ut my obligation is really to teaching B次元官网网址� for me, itB次元官网网址檚 less about pursuing my B次元官网网址榗areerB次元官网网址� and more about being here for students who sing, and who want to learn to singB次元官网网址攖hatB次元官网网址檚 my day job, thatB次元官网网址檚 my real life, thatB次元官网网址檚 whatB次元官网网址檚 most important.B次元官网网址�

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Having performed throughout North America and Europe, as well as in Ukraine, the Middle East and Asia, ButterfieldB次元官网网址檚 repertoire ranges from the Renaissance to present day, singing in English, French, Latin, Italian, German, Polish, Czech, Russian and Ukrainian. Over the past three decades, he has performed in many of the worldB次元官网网址檚 most historic venues with the finest ensembles, has been featured on over 30 recordings and even gave Rick Mercer a 10-minute opera lesson at UVic last year.

In opera, Butterfield made his debut in 1994 as Tamino in MozartB次元官网网址檚 Magic Flute with the New York City Opera while in the midst of an exciting tenure with CanadaB次元官网网址檚 baroque opera company, Opera Atelier. At this same time, he joined the rosters of IMG Artists in New York City, Organisation Internationale Artistique in Paris and later Athole Still in London.

Kluge has been at the forefront of some of todayB次元官网网址檚 most important medical debates, from access to abortion to the ethics of deliberate death. Kluge, a professor in UVicB次元官网网址檚 Department of Philosophy, has written 13 books and authored 90 journal articles.

KlugeB次元官网网址檚 current work focuses on biomedical health information ethics, which includes electronic patient records. He is the author of the International Medical Informatics AssociationB次元官网网址檚 Code of Ethics. Kluge says he sees his scholarly research as groundwork for larger issues.

B次元官网网址淭here has to be a social return somewhere,B次元官网网址� he says.

In 1989, Kluge helped establish the Canadian Medical AssociationB次元官网网址檚 department of ethics and legal affairs. As its first director, he was asked in 1991 to draft an analysis for a Senate committee about Bill C-43, a proposed new law that would have restricted womenB次元官网网址檚 access to abortion. The legislation was ultimately defeated in the Senate, in part due to KlugeB次元官网网址檚 work.

Kluge is also known for his work on the ethics of deliberate death, often referred to as medically assisted dying. His books The Practice of Death and The Ethics of Deliberate Death compelled North Saanich resident Sue Rodriguez to contact Kluge. He became an ethics adviser to Rodriquez, whose Supreme Court case in 1993 was the first to challenge section 241(b) of the Criminal Code.

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Stockwell is a knowledge translator and advocate for strong public health policies to prevent illness, injuries and death from alcohol and drug misuse. He has made key contributions that have shaped substance use policies in several countries, including Canada, Scotland, Ireland and Australia.

B次元官网网址淚t is very gratifying to see that some of the ideas arising from my work and that of my close colleagues are being used in Canada and other countries to reduce substance use,B次元官网网址� says Stockwell, director of UVicB次元官网网址檚 Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) and professor of psychology at UVic.

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Stockwell has pioneered the use of more accurate measures of alcohol consumption and related harms and currently he is working with governments in Canada and overseas to estimate the impact of alternative alcohol policies on health and safety.

As director of CISUR for 15 years, Stockwell continues to engage in groundbreaking research related to the impact of substance use on health and safety.

The RSC was established in 1883 as CanadaB次元官网网址檚 national academy for distinguished scholars, artists and scientists. Its primary objective is to promote learning and research in the arts, humanities, and natural and social sciences. The society has named 75 current, former and adjunct UVic faculty members as fellows over the years.