Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced Dr. Paul Snelgrove, a professor with the Department of Ocean Sciences and Department of Biology, and former Canada Research Chair in Boreal and Cold Ocean Systems, has received the 2013 Timothy R. Parsons Medal.

The award, which was established to recognize achievement in ocean sciences, was announced at the annual general meeting of Canadian Meteorological and Oceanography Society in Saskatoon, Sask., on May 26.

“One of the nicest aspects of winning this award is to see the list of people who have previously received it,” said Dr. Snelgrove. “They are people who have been real movers and shakers in Canada. It's an outstanding group of scientists. I was also delighted my colleagues thought it appropriate to nominate me.”

The Parsons Medal is awarded to researchers for distinguished accomplishments in multidisciplinary facets of ocean sciences while working for Canadian institutions or for the benefit of Canadian science. Candidates are evaluated on their impact on Canadian marine science through scientific accomplishment and for their leadership through teaching and mentoring.

Dr. Snelgrove was chosen based on his work with the Census of Marine Life, a global network of researchers engaged in a 10-year initiative to assess and explain the diversity, and abundance of marine life in the oceans in the past, present and future and with the Canadian Health Oceans Network (CHONe), a strategic network focused on biodiversity science for the sustainability of Canada’s three oceans.

“They said my work on the Census of Marine Life, on CHONe, and my general research contributions impressed them as really helping in interdisciplinary science and bringing the Canadian science community together,” he said. “I was quite surprised, and pleased to receive the award.”