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Robert Charles Wallace (1881-1955) was born in Scotland. He studied geology and earned his PhD from the University of Edinburgh. He moved to Canada to take the position as head of Geology and Mineralogy at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. He held this position until 1928 before moving to the University of Alberta to become president.

Wallace presided over the university in the first half of the Great Depression. These years were a great challenge for both Canada and the institution, and despite the massive financial restrictions placed on him, Wallace managed to maintain the integrity, momentum and visibility of the university. Under Wallace’s guidance, the School of Nursing became autonomous and degree granting.

In 1936, Wallace moved on to become the principal of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. In 1945, Wallace was one of three Canadians chosen to represent Canada at the United Nations Conference in London, England that saw the creation of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Educational Organization (UNESCO). Wallace received 20 honorary degrees and established and directed The Arctic Institute of North America (AINA) in 1951, a multidisciplinary research institute at the University of Calgary where his tenure ended with his death in 1955.