The Early Career Researcher Award honours fledgling ornithologists - in academia, industry, non-government or government agencies – that show strong potential for future leadership in Canadian ornithology. The award will be presented to the recipient at the Society’s annual meeting where they will be invited to give a 30 minute keynote address, and travel to the meeting will be subsidized. The recipient will also be asked to provide a synopsis of their work to appear as a multi-page colour feature in the Society’s Picoides newsletter.

The Early Career Research Award is being temporarily renamed (2026-2030) in memoriam of Dr. Keith Hobson as a way to commemorate his outstanding contributions to the field of Canadian ornithology. Dr. Hobson was a world-renowned ornithologist and ecologist who was influential across multiple scientific fields including, mass spectrometry , forensics, geochemistry, marine biology, and paleoecology. Dr. Hobson was particularly renowned for his innovative applications of stable isotopes in ecological studies that transformed our understanding of trophic relationships, food webs, and tracking wildlife movements, globally. He was a research scientist with Environment & Climate Change Canada (1992–2024), professor at Western University (2015–2024) and adjunct professor at the University of Saskatchewan (1994 – 2024) and Dalhousie University (2017 – 2024). Keith was a long-standing member of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, was awarded the Doris Huestic Speirs Award in 2011 for outstanding lifetime contributions in Canadian ornithology, and served as Editor-in-Chief of SCO’s flagship journal, Avian Conservation and Ecology, from 2012 – 2020. He was also inducted as a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society (2004), the Royal Society of Canada (2013), and the International Ornithological Union (2018). His research crossed multiple disciplines, taxa, ecosystems and continents addressing questions related to declines of bird species including aerial insectivores, the extent of incidental take of bird nests by industrial sectors, ecology of boreal birds in dynamic landscapes, the conservation of many Species at Risk, and migration ecology of avian and non-avian taxa. Keith published over 650 scientific papers (and counting), numerous book chapters and a book titled “Tracking Animal Migration with Stable Isotopes”. He was an exceptional leader in the scientific community, having mentored 11 post-docs, 13 Ph.D. students, 29 M.Sc. students, numerous undergraduate students, served as an external examiner for numerous students and institutions, and taught both undergraduate and graduate courses at several institutions. Keith left an indelible mark on those he met—he was exceptionally engaging, entertaining, humorous, humble, genuine, passionate, and dedicated. His tireless work and mentorship affected countless students, collaborators, and researchers across Canada and the world through whom his pioneering work in ornithology continues to influence scientific innovation. A detailed biography on Dr. Keith Hobson can be found in the November 2024 issue of Picoides.

Contributions can be made in honour of Dr. Keith Hobson to the Early Career Research Fund. Donations will directly support the travel of the Early Career Research Award winner to the annual conference, where they will give a plenary address. You can support this initiative by making a donation by following the link or QR code at the bottom of this article