Five scientists at the Institute of Ocean Sciences (IOS) in Sidney were awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
The medal, created to mark the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III on May 6, 2023, was handed out during a Dec. 17 ceremony to the recipients by Andrew Thomson, regional director of science at the Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) Pacific Region.
Each of the recipients was recognized for their unique contribution to oceanography.
With more than 40 years of groundbreaking work, ocean research leader Dr. Michael Foreman created tidal analysis programs that are used all over the world. A recognized expert in ocean modeling, especially for Canada's intricate tidal regions, his contributions to oceanography, aquaculture and climate change have had a long-lasting effect.
Dr. R. Ian Perry was also awarded the Coronation Medal for his expertise and leadership in ecosystem management and fisheries oceanography. Better management practices have resulted from his creative modeling and contributions to fisheries science, especially in the Strait of Georgia, where he developed the first statistically based indicator toolkit.
Denny Sinnott is also acknowledged for his leadership role in tsunami response and tidal analysis that has guaranteed public safety and helped Canada fulfill its obligations under the United Nations Decade of the Ocean. Sinnott has worked for the Canadian Hydrographic Service for more than 35 years.
Dr. Richard Thomson is renowned for his ability to anticipate important scientific gaps, which has influenced important research for more than 50 years, ranging from forecasts of Fraser River sockeye salmon to tsunami models. Global ocean science has advanced thanks to Dr. Thomson's seminal books and more than 200 co-authored publications. His contributions to oceanography continue to inspire and in 1995 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
A Coronation Medal was given to Dr. Howard Freeland in recognition of his innovative Project Argo. Under his direction, a fleet of 3,000 self-governing ocean profiling floats or robots was launched and maintained, revolutionizing the process of gathering ocean data.
B次元官网网址淲e've certainly transformed the way oceanography is done,B次元官网网址� Freeland told Peninsula B次元官网网址 Review. B次元官网网址淚t's good to know that what I spent quite a lot of time doing when I was at the Institute of Ocean Sciences is going to last for a while.
Over 4,000 floats are now part of this fleet, and 90 per cent of observations are made public within 24 hours. Our knowledge of ocean science has greatly increased as a result of Dr. Freeland's work on "the Blob," marine heatwaves, climate change and fjord physical oceanography.
B次元官网网址淚t hasn't really sunk in yet, but itB次元官网网址檚 certainly wonderful to be recognized,B次元官网网址� Freeland said of his award.
