Fieldus, Michael

Michael Stewart Fieldus (11 October 1962 – 4 July 1992) was a Ph.D. student at the University of Toronto’s Department of Astronomy. His doctoral research focused on the line profile variations in the spectra of B stars.

Michael Fieldus was born in Toronto, Ontario to Paul and Beryl Fieldus. He began his undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto in the early 1980s. During this time, Fieldus became acquainted with Dr. Tom Bolton, who eventually became a friend and mentor. The two first met in 1982 when Fieldus enrolled in Bolton’s course, AST 323: Spherical Astronomy and Celestial Mechanics, and again the next year in Bolton’s AST 321: Solar System Astrophysics. In his final year, Fieldus completed an undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Dr. Bolton which analyzed the accuracy of PROCOR, a radial velocity correlation program, at the David Dunlap Observatory (DDO). Fieldus received his B.Sc. in 1986 and continued at the University of Toronto to pursue a graduate degree under the supervision of John Lester and Chris Rogers. He received his MSc (1989) in Astronomy for his thesis, A Program for Spherically Extended Line Blanketed Model Atmospheres, which Dr. Bolton has described as, “one of the pioneering works in its field.”

Remaining at U of T, Fieldus began his Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Bolton in 1989. His doctoral thesis, A Survey of Line Profile Variability in Non-Emission Lined B0-B5, V-III Star, sought to determine the incidence and properties of line profile variations of slowly pulsating B stars as a function of fundamental stellar parameters.

Fieldus died by suicide on July 4, 1992. Only a couple of months away from completing his doctoral work, Bolton and Fieldus’ family requested that the University grant the degree posthumously. The request was ultimately refused despite Bolton’s efforts to complete the thesis. Fieldus’ friends and family later established the Michael S. Fieldus Memorial Award in his honor.

Prior to his death, Fieldus published several abstracts, conference papers, and reviewed academic articles published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Astrophysics Journal, and The Astrophysics Journal Letters. He was honoured with several fellowships and awards to support his work including the Frank S. Hogg Fellowship (1986 – 1987), Carl Reinhardt Fellowship (1987 – 1988), C.A. Chant Fellowship (1988 - 1989), U of T Open Doctoral Fellowship (1998 – 1991), Department of Astronomy Scholarship (1991), Ontario Graduate Scholarship (1991 – 1992), and an NSERC postdoctoral fellowship (1992).

Outside his research and education, Fieldus was an active member of the U of T community. During his undergrad he joined the men’s swim team and later became the team captain and the swimming representative of the Men’s T-Holder’s Association.

While a student, Fieldus was involved in the Graduate Astronomy Students Association (GASA) serving as President (1989 – 1990) and student representative at faculty meetings (1989 – 1992). Fieldus was also a humor and gossip columnist for the “GASA Gossip” segment of the Department of Astronomy’s quarterly newsletter, The David Dunlap Doings from 1986 until his death. Additionally, he dedicated his time to the DDO where he worked as a research assistant and summer tour guide.

The way archival record creators identify themselves and are identified by others is key to understanding the perspectives and content of their records. Michael Fieldus was socially understood as white. Information was gathered by the archivist from photographic records. No additional information was provided by the creator or family members.

• Bolton, C. T. (1994). Obituary: Michael Stewart Fieldus. Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 26, 1601 – 1692.
• Dahlin, K. (1992, May 11). A Starring Role: Heavenly Prose or Earthly Sentiments. The University of Toronto Bulletin, 45(19), 10.
• In Memoriam: Fieldus was Astronomy Columnist. (1992, July 27). The University of Toronto Bulletin, 46(1),
• The Best of GASA Gossip by Mike Fieldus (1992, September 30). The David Dunlap Doings, 25(4), 2.