Carleton University
Professor and Canada Research Chair, Department of Environmental Science and Biology
Integrative Biology, Conservation Science
Steven J. Cooke is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Conservation Physiology and a full professor and Canada Research Chair in Environmental Science and Biology for Carleton University. He earned a bachelor of environmental studies and a master’s of biology from the University of Waterloo before earning his doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is best known for his work studying fish physiology, ecology, conservation physiology, fish behavior, and human dimensions of complex environmental problems.
Cooke has published over 800 peer-reviewed scientific papers regarding his research findings. He has researched reproduction in centrarchid fish, migration of sockeye salmon and Pacific salmon and conservation management techniques. He has been influential in policy making and consultation for recreational and commercial fisheries, with an eye towards protecting biodiversity and preventing overfishing. His work has provided helpful context for legislators seeking to promote ecological restoration projects and critical insights into the impacts of fishing on fish.
He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Award of Excellence from the Fisheries Management Section of the American Fisheries Society, the FSBI Medal from the Fisheries Society of the British Isles and the Distinguished Service Award from the AFS. Most recently, he was named the Robin Welcomme Fellow in Inland Fisheries for Michigan State University.