Our Presenter:

Steven Cooke is a Professor of Biology and Environmental Science and the Canada Research Chair in Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology at Carleton University. His specialty is ecology and conservation physiology of fish, and he is best known for researching physiological responses in fish in regard to natural and human impacts. Dr. Cooke attained a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and a Master’s in Biology at the University of Waterloo, and a PhD in Biology at the University of Illinois.

The Presentation:

Fish live in dynamic environments and respond accordingly by moving at various spatial and temporal scales.  For centuries these movements have been the basis of folk lore but only in the last few decades have we had the tools necessary to study fish across ocean basins, between the Laurentian Great Lakes, and up/down thousand kilometer river systems.  In this presentation, Dr. Cooke will describe the biotelemetry toolbox which has provided a window on the elusive and cryptic underwater world.

Biography:

Steven Cooke is a Professor of Biology and Environmental Science and the Canada Research Chair in Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology at Carleton University.  He attained a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and a Master’s in Biology at the University of Waterloo, and a PhD in Biology at the University of Illinois.

Dr. Cooke studies the ecology, behaviour, and physiology of wild fish in an effort to understand fundamental biological phenomena and to inform conservation and resource management.  Research in the Cooke Lab spans marine and freshwater systems and occurs locally (e.g., the Ottawa River, Kenauk Nature Reserve, the Rideau Canal), across Canada (from the Fraser River in BC to the marine waters of PEI), and the globe (e.g., active research projects in Norway, Denmark, India, Australia, The Bahamas, and more).  See www.fecpl.ca for more details on the Cooke Lab.