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Science Information By:
The Timothy R. Parsons Medal
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Call For Nominations
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The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) established the Timothy R.
Parsons Medal to recognize excellence in Canadian ocean sciences. The
Timothy R. Parsons medal will be awarded to a scientist for distinguished
accomplishments in multidisciplinary facets of ocean sciences either during
their lifetime or for a recent outstanding achievement, while working for
Canadian institutions for the benefit of Canadian science.
The award is named in honour of Dr. Tim Parsons. Dr. Parsons has had a
distinguished career in Canadian and international oceanography. Presently
he is a Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia and an
Honorary Research Scientist at the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney,
British Columbia. His lifetime work has been to establish a new ecosystem
approach for the management of fisheries using oceanographic information.
Throughout his research career, Dr. Parsons has devoted himself to
obtaining a holistic understanding of ecology, and in particular
understanding how pelagic organisms are interconnected in the oceanic
food-web. He has made major contributions to the development of Biological
Oceanography and is personally responsible for many of the standard
analysis methods used in his field. Dr. Parsons’ goal has been to present
an alternative method for the management of fisheries based on the
measurement of dynamic relationships between fish and their physical,
chemical and biological environment.
In most countries of the world, oceanography and fisheries research are
funded independently of each other. Dr. Parsons has always been a proponent
of ensuring close links between fisheries science and of oceanography and
has repeatedly pointed out how the ever-changing environment of the oceans
impacts fisheries. He was the founding editor of the journal “Fisheries
Oceanography”
Dr. Parsons has also worked to encourage a holistic approach to the
evaluation of human impacts on the environment using his experience in
biological oceanography. As such he has contributed to understanding the
impacts of the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the impacts of large oil
spills and has advised industry on countless occasions.
On April 27th, 2001, Dr Tim Parsons was the recipient of the 17th Japan
Prize, awarded by the Emperor of Japan.
Two Timothy R. Parsons awards were presented at the Canadian Meteorological
and Oceanographic Society (CMOS) Congress in June 2005 in Vancouver. Dr.
Timothy R. Parsons received the first award and the second award went to
Dr. Daniel Ware.
Dr. Daniel Ware
The second medal was awarded to Dr. Daniel Ware for his outstanding
contribution to the field of fisheries oceanography. Dr. Ware, who passed
away just months after receiving the medal, was a nationally and
internationally renowned fisheries scientist with a strong research and
publication record in ecology-based multidisciplinary studies. Dr. Ware
spent the first 10 years of his career at the Bedford Institute and the
next 20 years at the Pacific Biological Station. In 1990, he was selected
as the First Chair of the Science Board of the North Pacific Marine Science
Organization (PICES). Dr Ware was a pioneer in the investigation of the
inter-relationships between fish stocks and physical environmental factors.
He devoted himself to quantifying the effects of environmental variability
on fish communities through a combination of field and modeling research.
Throughout his career, Dr. Ware challenged conventional wisdom and produced
influential papers that changed the way fisheries scientists and managers
view the world.
Left to Right: Dr. Wendy Watson-Wright, Assistant Deputy Minister,
Science, presenting the plaque to Dr. Daniel Ware as Dr. Timothy Parsons
looks on.
Nomination instructions
The Timothy R. Parsons Medal is:
- awarded to a scientist for distinguished accomplishments in
multidisciplinary facets of ocean sciences.
- awarded for excellence during the lifetime of the recipient or for a
recent outstanding achievement, both being equally eligible. No posthumous
nominations are considered.
- awarded for accomplishments while working for Canadian institutions
for the benefit of Canadian science.
- awarded annually when, in the opinion of the Timothy R. Parsons Medal Committee, there is a meritorious candidate.
Nominations for the award may be made by any resident of Canada. Letters
of support from co-nominators are welcomed but are not necessary.
The nominations should be received no later than February 28, 2006.
Each nomination should be supported by a concise, comprehensive statement
indicating the merits and contributions made by the nominee to
multidisciplinary ocean science. The statement should be supported by
references to significant ideas, publications, teaching activities and
program leadership. The supporting information should include a summary of
the accomplishments of the individual and a statement indicating how these
accomplishments were connected with the progress of multidisciplinary ocean
science.
All communications should be addressed to:
Timothy R. Parsons Medal Committee
Strategic Science Outreach
Stn. 8W144 – 200 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0E6
Tel: (613) 991-1021
FAX: (613) 990-5113
ssopss@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
