The Doris Huestis Speirs Award


The Doris Huestis Speirs Award is the most prestigious award given by the SCO-SOC. The award is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding lifetime contributions in Canadian ornithology. Past awardees include professionals who work at museums, government agencies, private companies and universities, as well as amateur ornithologists and people who have contributed to ornithological infrastructure of Canada.

Doris Huestis Speirs was born on 27 October 1894 in Toronto, Ontario and passed away in Ajax, Ontario on 24 October 1989. Doris was highly prominent in art, literary, and ornithological circles.   She founded the Margaret Morse Nice Ornithological Club, which was the only such group specifically for women, and she was also a founding member of the Pickering Naturalists’ Club. In her lifetime, Doris made several prominent contributions to the ornithological literature on Evening Grosbeaks and Lincoln’s Sparrows (the latter with her husband, J. Murray Speirs).

The award consists of a plaque bearing the logo of the Society, as well as the name of the award, the recipient, year and purpose of the award. The award is generally presented at the Society’s annual meeting.

To nominate a candidate for the Speirs award, preferably with supporting data, contact the Chair of the award committee:
 
Dr. Greg Robertson
Wildlife Research Division
Environment Canada
Mount Pearl, NL   A1N 4T3
Tel: 709-772-2778
Fax: 709-772-5097
email: greg.robertson@ec.gc.ca

PAST RECIPIENTS

(click on highlighted names for citations from Picoides in the year the recipient was presented the Doris H. Speirs award - thanks to Andrea Pomeroy for compiling many of these, and we are working to complete the list for all Speirs' recipients)

• 2012 - Peter Arcese, Professor, Centre for Applied Conservation Research, University of British Columbia
• 2011 - Keith Hobson, Senior Research Scientist, Environment Canada
• 2010 - Susan Hannon, Professor Emeritus, University of Alberta
• 2009 - Clive Goodwin, Naturalist and educator
• 2008 - Kathy Martin, Research Scientist, Environment Canada, and Professor, Centre for Applied Conservation Research, University of British Columbia
• 2007 - Anthony Gaston, Senior Research Scientist, Environment Canada
• 2006 - Allan Baker, Senior Curator of Ornithology and Head of Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, and Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Toronto
• 2005 - John A. Crosby, Ornithological Illustrator
• 2004 - Spencer G. Sealy, Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Manitoba
• 2003 - Raleigh J. Robertson, Professor, Baillie Family Chair in Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Queen's University; and Director, Queen's University Biological Station at Lake Opinicon
• 2002 - Normand David, Director, Association québécoise des groupes d'ornithologues
• 2001 - Erica H. Dunn Research Scientist, Canadian Wildlife Service, and David J. T. Hussell, Research Scientist, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
• 2000 - James (Jamie) N. M. Smith, Professor, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia. (see also Jamie Smith Memorial Award for Mentoring)
• 1999 - Henri R. Ouellet, Curator, Canadian Museum of Nature (obituary)
• 1998 - Ian McTaggart Cowan, Dean Emeritus (Graduate Studies) and Professor of Zoology (retired), University of British Columbia.
• 1997 - Hugh J. Boyd, Research Scientist, Canadian Wildlife Service
• 1996 - J. Murray Speirs, Naturalist and Teacher, University of Toronto
• 1995 - Robert W. Nero, Ecologist, Manitoba Natural Resources
• 1994 - Anthony J. Erskine, Research Scientist, Canadian Wildlife Service
• 1993 - Fred Cooke, Professor and CWS/NSERC Wildlife Ecology Senior Chair, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University
• 1992 - Thomas H. Manning, Arctic explorer and natural historian
• 1991 - Louise de K. Lawrence, Nurse and natural historian
• 1990 - J. Bruce Falls, Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Toronto
• 1989 - C. Stuart Houston, Radiologist and natural historian
• 1988 - H. Albert Hochbaum, Director, Delta Waterfowl Research Station
• 1987 - F. Graham Cooch, Wildlife Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service
• 1986 - W. Earl Godfrey, Curator Emeritus, Canadian Museum of Nature