Diana Beresford-Kroeger was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the 9:30 a.m. ceremony on Tuesday, June 11, “in recognition of her outstanding efforts towards preserving the Earth’s climate and forests through the use of ethical scientific and traditional concepts.
A world-renowned botanist, biochemist, lecturer and researcher, Beresford-Kroeger was raised in Ireland and resides outside Ottawa.
She completed both a bachelor’s and master’s degree at University College Cork in the fields of botany and medical biochemistry. Later, Beresford-Kroeger received a fellowship at the University of Connecticut, where she analyzed nuclear radiation in biological systems and organic chemistry. While studying at the University of Ottawa, she completed a diploma in experimental surgery and conducted extensive
cardiovascular research. She recently completed doctoral studies at Carleton University.
Beresford-Kroeger has been appointed a WINGS WorldQuest fellow and a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, where she was named one of 25 women explorers of Canada. She has worked as a research scientist at the University of Ottawa and the Canadian Department of Agriculture Electron Microscopy Centre. Additionally, she has conducted research with the Ottawa Heart Institute and worked as a scientific adviser for numerous organizations.
Her book, “To Speak for the Trees,” will be published in September 2019. She has frequently contributed to, written for, and hosted programs for radio, television and film worldwide. Her feature documentary, “Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees,” was nominated for the Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards. Her charitable work includes raising considerable funds for Médecins Sans Frontières, the Shepherds of Good Hope, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, and others.
Currently, Beresford-Kroeger is focused on Carrigliath, her private research garden and arboretum. She has published more than 300 articles referencing this topic, and five critically acclaimed books on the natural world. Her peer reviewed work, “Arboretum America: A Philosophy of the Forest,” won the prestigious National Arbor Day Foundation Media Award for an exceptional educational work on trees and forests.