Language selection

Search

Terms of Reference (TOR)

Timothy R. Parsons Medal for Excellence in Multidisciplinary Ocean Science

1.0 Purpose

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has established an award for excellence in Canadian ocean sciences. The award is named in honour of the late Dr. Timothy R. Parsons (1932-2022), in recognition of his distinguished career as a biological oceanographer and fisheries researcher, university professor and broadly read author.

2.0 Background

Throughout his career, Dr. Parsons devoted himself to obtaining a holistic understanding of ecology. He was always a proponent of ensuring close links between fisheries science and oceanography, and repeatedly pointed out how the ever-changing environment of the oceans impacts fisheries. His lifetime achievement was to establish a new ecosystem approach for the management of fisheries based on the measurement of oceanographic information and the dynamic relationships between fish and their physical, chemical and biological environment.

Dr. Parsons was the founding editor of the journal "Fisheries Oceanography" and he also made major contributions to the development of Biological Oceanography. Dr. Parsons also worked to encourage a holistic approach to the evaluation of human impacts on the environment using his experience in biological oceanography. He is personally responsible for many of the standard analytical methods used in his field.

Dr. Parsons was the recipient of the 17th Japan Prize for Marine Biology, awarded by the Emperor of Japan and received the Order of Canada in 2005. His memoirs, published in 2004, are entitled "The Sea's Enthrall".

3.0 Criteria

The Timothy R. Parsons Medal is:

Candidates will be evaluated on their qualifications in at least several of the following five categories:

Note: Impact on Canadian Marine Science. This category needs to make an assessment of the candidate's impact on Canadian marine Science as follows:

The category shall be described through (i) Peer reviewed publications; (ii) Technical reports; and (iii) Advice to managers.

4.0 Nominations

Nominations for the Timothy R. Parsons Medal may be made by any Canadian. No posthumous nominations are considered.

The Nomination package shall include:

All nominations shall be received no later than April 15, 2024.

Note: The selection of a candidate as award recipient shall be based upon the information presented in the nomination package.

Nominations shall be sent to: DFO.NAT.ScienceOutreach-PromotiondesSciences.NAT.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Nominations which did not result in an award will be considered in subsequent years with the nominator's consent, unless disqualified. The nominator is encouraged to update the nomination package.

Candidates disqualified for not meeting the criteria will not be considered in subsequent years, unless:

5.0 Parsons Medal Adjudication Committee (Parsons Committee)

5.1 Composition of the Parsons Committee
5.2 The Desirable Qualifications and Objectives for the Three Term Positions
5.3 Rotation of the Three Term Positions
5.4 Annual Parsons Committee Meeting

6.0 Announcement of the Medalist and Presentation of the Parsons Medal

Date modified: