Science Awards

DFO scientists from the Pacific, Maritimes, and Central & Arctic regions are among those recognized for their contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007. The Nobel Committee announced the award on October 12, 2007, to be jointly shared by the IPCC and Al Gore, former Vice- President of the United States, for "efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change."

Two teams of DFO Science researchers - one from the Maurice Lamontagne Institute and the other from the Canadian Hydrographic Service - received Federal Partners in Technology Transfer awards in June 2008 for the successful transfer of technology from a federal laboratory to the private sector.

The commercial launch of Autonomous Underwater Recorder for Acoustic Listening (AURAL) was the result of collaboration between research scientists Yvan Simard and Yves Samson of the Maurice Lamontagne Institute in Mont-Joli, Quebec, Université du Québec at Rimouski and Multi-Électronique Inc.of Rimouski. AURAL records high-fidelity acoustic data to monitor ambient ocean sounds, noise pollution, sounds of human origin such as from maritime shipping, as well as natural sounds such as earthquakes or whale songs. Sales of AURAL, launched in 2005, exceeded the initial investment tenfold in the first two years.

Gerard Costello and Michael Lamplugh of the CHS, a division of DFO Science, and Bob Courtney, Vladimir Kostylev, Dick Pickrill and Brian Todd of the Earth Sciences Sector of Natural Resources Canada, were also honoured for the successful development, transfer and commercialization of multibeam seafloor imaging applications. The researchers, who work together at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, developed software that converts existing multibeam sonar data into digital maps that capture the contours and detailed composition of seafloors. In the fishing industry, the software can be used to more effectively target key species to sharply reduce operating costs and the area of seafloor trawled. As a result, a previously inaccessible fishery was opened off Nova Scotia in 2001, adding $29 million to the economy in the first five years.

Dr. Gérald Chaput of the Gulf Region was honoured for "Outstanding achievement in research and scientific writing on North Atlantic salmon populations, as well as invaluable work to strengthen relations between different levels of government and concerned communities in support of fisheries sustainability."

Dr. William G. Franzin of the Central and Arctic Region, was honoured "For outstanding work in support of the Habitat Management program, including his expertise on instream flow needs; valuable contributions to various technical teams, subcommittee and workshops; and exceptional administrative and management skills."

Left to right: Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner George DaPont, Dr. Franzin, Deputy Minister Michelle d'Auray and Associate Deputy Minister, Claire Dansereau.

Stratis Gavaris of the Maritimes Region was recognized for, "Development of widely accepted, innovative methods for making an ecosystem approach to fisheries management viable, and the development of innovative stock assessment approaches and software. Also for his dedication to scientific excellence and the economic and social well being of thousands of people who depend on the Atlantic groundfish fisheries."

Drs Richard Beamish, James Christian, Allyn Clarke, Kenneth Denman, Howard Freeland, Robie Macdonald, Humfrey Melling, Ken Minns, Angelica Peña, R. Ian Perry, Trevor Platt, Jim Reist, Igor Yashayaev and David Welch of the Central and Arctic, Pacific and Maritimes regions were honoured for, " Contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was co-awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2007. Fourteen DFO scientists participated in IPCC Working Groups over the past 20 years in a variety of roles. Their contributions demonstrate the international calibre of these researchers and their commitment to global sharing of knowledge."

Front row: Dr. Igor Yashayaev; Dr. Ken Minns; Dr. Richard Beamish; Dr. Humfrey Melling; Assistant Deputy Minister, Science, Dr. Wendy Watson-Wright; Dr. Jim Reist; Dr. Howard Freeland; Dr. Trevor Platt. Back row: Director General, Science Renewal, Serge Labonte; Associate Deputy Minister, Claire Dansereau; Deputy Minister, Michelle d'Auray; Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner, George DaPont; Director General, Ecosystem Science, Sylvain Paradis. Missing: Dr. James Christian, Dr. Allyn Clarke, Dr. Kenneth Denman, Dr. Angelica Peña, Dr. Robie Macdonald, Dr. R. Ian Perry, and David Welch

From the Gulf region, Matthew Hardy, Thomas Landry and Marc Ouellette were honoured for, "Exemplary work as members of DFO's New Brunswick Aquaculture Project Team, which helped establish a sustainable development plan for off bottom oyster aquaculture in eastern New Brunswick."

Bottom, left to right: Rheal Boucher, Matthew Hardy, Fernand Savoie, Sophie Daigle, Roland Cormier, Brad Firth. Top: Left to right: Wade Landsburg, Stephen Lanteigne, Guy Robichaud, Deputy Minister Michelle D'Auray, Associate Deputy Minister Claire Dansereau, Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner George DaPont, Ernest Ferguson, Marc Ouellette, Thomas Landry.

Rod McDonald, Fraser Neave, Brian Stephens, Randy Stewart, William Paul Sullivan, and Dr. Rob Young from the Central and Artic Region, were recognized for, "Outstanding leadership as members of DFO's Sea Lamprey Control Centre Team, and expertise in achieving a significant reduction in predatory lamprey populations and the recovery of native fish stocks in Lake Ontario."

Left to right: Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner George DaPont, Rod McDonald, Fraser Neave, Paul Sullivan, Dr. Rob Young, Deputy Minister Michelle D'Auray, Associate Deputy Minister Claire Dansereau. Missing: Brian Stephens and Randy Stewart.

Dr. Robert E. A. Stewart, from the Central and Arctic region, was honoured for "Outstanding contributions to our understanding of the beluga whale and walrus, and for developing a breakthrough technique to test an hypothesis about the structure of beluga teeth. This has led to new knowledge about the beluga's age of maturation, longevity and population growth, which is now being incorporated into beluga management models."

Left to right: Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner George DaPont, Dr. Stewart, Deputy Minister Michelle D'Auray, Associate Deputy Minister Claire Dansereau.