Carleton’s Steven Cooke Elected Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society
Carleton University Prof. Steven Cooke has been elected as a member of the College of Fellows of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS), which recognizes people who have made extraordinary contributions to understanding the diverse and vast geographical and natural heritage of Canada.
Cooke is the Canada Research Chair of Environmental Science and Biology in the field of fish ecology and conservation physiology. His most significant contributions are in the realm of aquatic science and conservation, with a specific focus on freshwater fish. He is also an advocate for evidence-based decision making and launched the Canadian Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation and Environmental Management in 2015.
“The RCGS is all about sharing knowledge about Canada and the natural world with others,’’ said Cooke. “As an RCGS Fellow, I look forward to continuing my efforts to conduct effective science communication and engage diverse stakeholders.’’
When he received the E.W.R. Steacie Award in 2015, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada called him “one of the key thinkers in fish conservation and one of the most prolific and creative conservation scientists of his generation.’’
Cooke is well known for driving innovations in the use of electronic tags for tracking wild fish. He currently serves as president of the International Fisheries Section of the American Fisheries Society.
“Understanding the aquatic world is the focus of my research, which takes me to all corners of Canada and beyond to study wild fish,’’ he said. “I am passionate about rivers, lakes and oceans and the organisms that live in them.”
About The Royal Canadian Geographical Society
The RCGS, founded in 1929, is one of the largest non-profit educational organizations in Canada with a mandate to make “Canada better known to Canadians and to the world.” RCGS works to increase public knowledge of Canada’s geography while developing a greater appreciation for its natural, cultural and social heritage. The RCGS supplies educational materials to nearly 20,000 teachers across Canada through its educational committee, Canadian Geographic Education.
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