Gavin J. Andrews, a professor in McMaster’s Department of Health, Aging and Society, has been named a Fellow of the UK’s Royal Society of Arts (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).

The Royal Society of Arts is made up of a global network of fellows – 28,000 admitted since its inception in 1754 – who have a broad mission to enrich society through ideas and action and research. Other fellows include, or have included, Charles Dickens, Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Stephen Hawking and Judi Dench.

Andrews, the Graduate Chair of the Department of Health, Aging & Society, is a leading health geographer. His wide-ranging research explores the dynamics between space, place and aging, holistic medicine, health care work, phobias, sports and fitness, health histories and popular music.

Most notably, his work has been influential in promoting an era of research in Health Geography that explores the physical and conscious unfolding of the environment. This opens up the possibility that energies and atmospheres are involved in health and well-being.

“I am proud to be awarded the RSA fellowship,” says Andrews. “It is an honour to be recognized on an international level for the research I’ve been doing.”