Academy members are elected in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. The academy has about 1,800 members and 300 foreign associates, of whom 124 have won Nobel Prizes. Smith also recently received three more honorary degrees --from the Université de Montreal, the University of Alberta and Carleton University.
Meanwhile, Smith is preparing to close his lab at the Biotechnology Laboratory and spend a year's sabbatical at the University of Washington, where he will resume his research activities after several years of administrative duties at UBC.
Smith will continue his research when he returns to UBC the following year.