Current Position and Title:
In 2004, John retired from the NRC Institute for Marine Biosciences in Halifax, Canada; Currently, he is President of the Pan-American Marine Biotechnology Association.
Education and Past Positions:
B.Sc. 1966 (Botany) University of Western Ontario
Ph.D. 1971 (Genetics) Cornell University
Research Officer, NRC Institute for Marine Bioscienes
Director of Marine Biology, NRC Institute for Marine Bioscienes
Director of Research, NRC Institute for Marine Bioscienes
Professional Interests:
Genetics, Phycology, Aquaculture, Marine Biotechnology
Most Satisfying Achievements and Awards to Date:
John discovered the sexual life cycle of Palmaria palmata (a marine red alga), which had been a puzzle in phycology for more than a century. He discovered that females of this species become fertile in just a few days, when they are still microscopic plants. Following fertilization, the zygote develops directly into the diploid tetrasporophyte, which quickly overgrows the tiny female. This type of life history was unknown for the Rhodophyta until this discovery.
John was President of the Phycological Society of America for one term.
He worked at the NRC Institute for Marine Biosciences for more than 30 years; as Director for the last 15 years before his retirement.
Awards
UWO Board of Governors Gold Medal for highest standing in Botany 1966
NRC Outstanding Achievement Award, as member of the team that created the Canadian Bioinformatics Resource (CBR) Family and Personal Interests/Activities:
John has been happily married to his wife Nellie for more than 40 years.
He has two married children, Lawrence and Deborah and a grandson Adrian.
He corresponds regularly through email with several friends and pen pals throughout the world.
John enjoys traveling, birding, fishing, gardening, reading (science fiction, mostly), rug hooking and a few computer games. Currently, he is trying to learn a little Spanish. He suffers from too many interests and too little time. |
