In Memoriam: Peter G. C. Campbell
Claude Fortin, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS); Graeme Batley, Environmental Contaminants Research; Alain Boudou, Bordeaux University; Beverley Hale, University of Guelph; Séverine Le Faucheur, Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour; Mike McLaughlin, Adelaide University; and Kevin Wilkinson, University of Montreal
On 30 January 2025, Peter Gerald Cadogan Campbell passed away, surrounded by his loved ones. Peter was internationally renowned for his vast expertise in metal geochemistry and ecotoxicology. We will always remember him as an inspiring mentor and accomplished scientist, with a rare capacity to bring colleagues with different backgrounds to work together towards a common goal. He was humble, approachable and inclusive of all, decades before it was expected. His legacy to the environmental science community is remarkable.
Peter Campbell completed his Ph.D. in chemistry at Queen’s University, Ontario, Canada, in 1968. He was among the first scientists to dedicate their careers to interdisciplinary research in environmental sciences. At the time (1970), the University of Quebec had just created a brand-new interdisciplinary research institute, the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), focusing on water sciences and recruited Peter to initiate a research program on environmental stressors. Among the environmental issues that were at the forefront of concerns at the time was the acidification of surface waters due to acid rain. This led him to develop expertise on metal biogeochemistry that has made him one of the most renowned biogeochemists in the world. His work revolved at the interface of chemistry (aquatic metal speciation) and biology (bioavailability, uptake, toxicity) and later on to the emerging field of metallomics.
Peter was the subject of a tribute issue in the journal Environmental Chemistry in 2016 to mark his “retirement.” He remained highly active with theses, advisory committees as well as consulting work with government agencies, international mining companies and Quebec's aboriginal communities. Peter has an enviable publication record (more than 460 papers, book chapters, books and reports), with no less than 50 papers published since his “retirement.”
Peter was extremely dedicated to his students. He was never judgmental and always supervised his students with kindness and benevolence, and a touch of humor. He always made time to meet with them despite his busy schedule. One of the many values that he passed on to his students is that, in science, quality comes first. It’s not surprising that many of his students have won prizes such as the SETAC/ICA Chris Lee Award for Metals Research (Kraemer 2005, Crémazy 2015, Rosabal 2017) or the Environmental Toxicology & ChemistryBest Student Paper Award (Lavoie et al. 2012; DOI: 10.1002/etc.1855), to name a few. His dedication to training was inspiring. At SETAC conferences, Peter was always to be seen scouring the poster sessions for interesting findings and quizzing student authors about their work, showing a genuine interest in the next generation of scientists. He was an outstanding scientist and an extraordinary mentor, working with him made one a better scientist!
His career was rich with success. Peter Campbell held the Canada Research Chair in Metals Ecotoxicology from 2001 to 2015. Elected to the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada in 2002, he was instrumental in setting up the pan-Canadian MITE (Metals in the Environment) network, among other remarkable achievements. In 2010, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bordeaux. In 2016, after his official retirement, he was granted the title of Emeritus Professor in recognition of his exceptional accomplishments. In 2019, he received the Outstanding Contribution Award from the Canadian Ecotoxicity Workshop. The same year, he received the Founders Award from SETAC, the highest distinction awarded to an individual for outstanding contributions to the environmental sciences.
Peter believed that sabbatical years were highly beneficial to develop new collaborations – and friendships, too! On these occasions, he visited colleagues around the world: UK (1976), USA (1982) and France (1998). He had a particular attraction for Australia, having completed a postdoctoral fellowship from 1968 to 70, with sabbatical years in Sydney (1990, 1997) and Adelaide (2004, 2011). During these stays, friendships were forged as some of the co-authors of this note can testify. To many, Peter was not just a colleague, he was a friend. He will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with his family.
A giant has passed away.
Author’s contact: [email protected]