Statement
Queen鈥檚 biology students and professor return safely to Canada
March 10, 2026
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A group of 16 biology students and their professor, Stephen Lougheed, safely returned to Canada on Monday, March 9, following several days of travel from Doha, Qatar. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for arranging ground transportation from Doha to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which enabled the group to depart from there.
While the group was sheltering in place in Doha, they remained in contact with consular officials and Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The university was also in communication with representatives from the GAC Emergency Operations Centre. We appreciate their coordination, assistance, and ongoing communication during that time.
We are especially thankful to Dr. Lougheed for his leadership and support of the students. He went above and beyond his role as supervisor, fostering a sense of kinship and creating a supportive, open environment that helped students navigate this challenging experience. We also commend the students for the resilience and positivity they demonstrated during a stressful and uncertain situation. Queen's is organizing counselling and ongoing support for the group.
We look forward to welcoming Dr. Lougheed and our students back to Queen鈥檚.