Past SPR President Professor Archie Roy has died

We are sorry to announce the death of Professor Archie Roy, President of the SPR 1992-5.

Archibald Edminston Roy BSc PhD FRAS FRSE FBIS, who died on 27 December 2012, aged 88, was Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and honorary senior research fellow in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Glasgow.

Archie was born in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire.  He joined the SPR in 1973, served as President during 1992-1995, and afterwards was elected a Vice President.  He founded the Scottish Society for Psychical Research in 1987 and served as its President.  He was a frequent contributor to SPR publications and conferences, and also appeared regularly on BBC Scotland television and radio programmes discussing his many interests.

A prolific author, he produced twenty books, including six novels, in addition to many scientific papers and articles.  His books on psychical research include A Sense of Something Strange and The Archives of the Mind.  He was awarded the Myers Memorial Medal by the SPR in recognition of his outstanding contributions to psychical research in 2004.

Among his professional distinctions, he was a Fellow of The Royal Astronomical Society, of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and of the British Interplanetary Society.  He was a member of the International Astronomical Union (which named an asteroid after him).  He was a member of the European Academy of Arts, Sciences and the Humanities, as well as being a patron of the Churches Fellowship (Scotland) for Psychical and Spiritual Studies, and a member of the Scientific and Medical Network.