Verena Tunnicliffe

OC
Verena Tunnicliffe in 2018
Born
Verena Tunnicliffe

Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Alma mater
[2]
Known for
  • Hydrothermal Vents
  • Deep Sea Exploration
  • Hypoxic Habitats
Awards
  • Canada Research Chair in Deep Ocean Research (2002-present)
  • Murray Newman Award for Excellence in Aquatic Science and Conservation (2014), David H. Turpin Gold Medal (2016)
Scientific career
Fields
  • Marine Science and Ocean Studies
Institutions
Thesis (1980)

Verena Julia Tunnicliffe OC is a Canadian Marine Biologist and Professor of the University of Victoria. Since 2002, she has held the position of Canada Research Chair in Deep Ocean Research. Her research on hydrothermal systems helped establish Canada's first Endeavor Hot Vents Marine Protected Area. Her research has also led to the discovery of over 80 new species of marine life.

Early life

Tunnicliffe grew up in Deep River, Ontario. Her fascination with the ocean started at a young age, though she never glimpsed the sea until she was nineteen. It was her mother who introduced her, at age seven, to the ocean. A small wooden box encrusted with seashells, brought back to her from Florida was all it took to begin a lifelong obsession with the sea. Tunnicliffe decided then to become a marine biologist and dedicate her time to learning the name and origin of all the creatures that created those shells.[3] She realised part of that dream during a PhD programme to study coral reefs in Jamaica.

The early 80s proved fruitful for the young researcher. During a post-doctoral fellowship at the Institute of Ocean Sciences, Tunnicliffe instead became the first woman on the West Coast to lead deep-sea research expeditions from Vancouver Island. She only meant to stay in British Columbia for two years, but by 1983 Tunnicliffe helped to discover hydrothermal vent systems off the coast, explored previously unknown sections of the deep sea, and was part of the discovery of over 80 new marine species.[4]

Career

Tunnicliffe has been a professor at the University of Victoria in the Departments of Biology and School of Earth and Ocean Sciences since 1982.[5] She is a marine biologist who held a Canada Research Chair in Deep Ocean Research until retirement in 2020. As a research chair, her work mainly focuses on the use of submersibles and deep sea observatories to research and discover deep sea ecosystems, including hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean.[6] Her lab has been working for over 30 years on animals that live near hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean, mainly focusing work in the Juan de Fuca Plate.[7] Her research on hydrothermal systems helped establish Canada's first Marine Protected Area: the Endeavour Hot Vents MPA. In her career thus far, she has discovered over 80 new species of life including ten that are named after her.[8]

Tunnicliffe worked with the Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility to raise funds to equip, run and operate ROPOS, a remotely operated submersible that can go 5000 m depth and currently works throughout the world's oceans. She was the principal lead in the developing and directing operations (for ten years) of the cabled subsea observing network, VENUS, the world's first subsea research system delivering on-line data in 2006. Tunnicliffe is a collaborator with the Canadian Healthy Ocean Strategic Network of researchers who work in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Her main work in the network is discovering ways to conserve the Canadian marine ecosystems in an ocean environment that is changing rapidly.[3]

Personal life

Much of Tunnicliffe's personal life revolves around her career. Her father had a strong influence on her interest in science. He was a nuclear physicist at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories in Ontario, Canada.[3] He treated Verena and her older brother as equals, making sure they knew skills such as constructing a telescope and tinkering with electronics. Although her father was hesitant to employ women, due to the views of society at the time, he encouraged her to pursue her interests.

Tunncliffe is married to Dr. John Garrett, a marine policy consultant and has a daughter plus three step-children.[3] Tunnicliffe told her daughter to "follow her passion" and to "address your own happiness and health". Her daughter has an MSc degree in botany.

Publications

Samples include:

Honors and awards

  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (1992)[9]
  • Steacie Prize (1993) [10]
  • Canada Research Chair in Deep Ocean Research (2002)[11]
  • Murray Newman Award for Excellence in Aquatic Science and Conservation. - Received for her achievement in aquatic research and conservation (2014)[12]
  • David H. Turpin Gold Medal for Career Achievement in Research (2016)[13]
  • Harald Sverdrup Lecture, American Geophysical Union (2021)[14]
  • Order of Canada (2021)

References

  1. ↑ Tunnicliffe, Verena J (1975). Factors influencing the distribution of the bivalve Macoma balthica of the intertidal mudflats of Cobequid Bay, Nova Scotia. OCLC 181779591. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  2. ↑ Tunnicliffe, Verena Julia (1981). Biological and phisical [sic] processes affecting the survival of a stony coral, Acropora cervicornis. OCLC 7797587. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Scott, Marianne (2003). Naturally Salty: Coastal Characters of the Pacific Northwest. TouchWood Editions. ISBN 9781894898034.
  4. ↑ "Deep-sea explorer Verena Tunnicliffe wins Murray Newman Award". The Vancouver Observer. Retrieved 2017-10-09.
  5. ↑ "Dr. Verena Tunnicliffe - University of Victoria". web.uvic.ca. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  6. ↑ Government of Canada, Industry Canada (2012-11-29). "Canada Research Chairs". Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  7. ↑ "Verena Tunnicliffe | Canadian Healthy Oceans Network". Canadian Healthy Oceans Network. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  8. ↑ "Verena Tunnicliffe - Schmidt Ocean Institute". Schmidt Ocean Institute. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  9. ↑ "Find an RSC Member".
  10. ↑ "Steacie Prize Recipient List".
  11. ↑ Government of Canada, Industry Canada (2012-11-29). "Canada Research Chairs". www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  12. ↑ Huva, Amy (February 20, 2014). "Deep-sea explorer Verena Tunnicliffe wins Murray Newman Award". The Vancouver Observer. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  13. ↑ "Verena - University of Victoria". UVic.ca. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  14. ↑ "2021 AGU Section Awardees and Named Lecturers". Eos. 2021-09-10. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
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