Mel Goodale elected Fellow of prestigious Royal Society

Western University neuroscience researcher Melvyn A. Goodale has been elected to the prestigious Royal Society, joining the likes of Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking. Goodale is a scientist at the Robarts Research Institute and holds a cross-appointment with the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. He also holds a Canada Research Chair in Visual Nueroscience.

Goodale is one of the world's leading visual neuroscientists best known for his research of the human brain as it performs different kinds of visual tasks and is a pioneer in the study of visuomotor control in neurological patients.

Over the last decade, Goodale has led much neuroimaging and psychophysical research that has had an enormous influence in the life sciences and medicine. His "two-visual-systems proposal" is now part of almost every textbook in vision, cognitive neuroscience, and psychology. In addition to his research activities, he has been instrumental in developing Western's graduate program in Neuroscience and The Brain and Mind Institute.

"Mel Goodale's body of work is widely respected by researchers around the world," said Western's President and Vice-Chancellor Amit Chakma. "He exemplifies Western's commitment to world-changing research and an educational experience second to none. We're very proud that he has received this esteemed recognition from the Royal Society."

Fellows of the Royal Society, the most eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from the UK and Commonwealth, are elected for life through a peer review process on the basis of excellence in science. Founded in 1660, there are approximately 1,450 Fellows and Foreign Members, including more than 80 Nobel Laureates.

The fundamental purpose of the Royal Society is to recognize, promote, and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity. The Society has played a part in some of the most fundamental, significant, and life-changing discoveries in scientific history and Royal Society scientists continue to make outstanding contributions to science in many research areas.

Melvyn Goodale has received numerous awards and recognitions for excellence in research and education. In 2001, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, which was established in 1882 as Canada's national academy of distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.