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If Boris Worm鈥檚 contribution to oceans research and conservation started and finished with his much-publicized Science article in 2006, it would still be quite the legacy.
That article, among the most famous to ever have come out of Dalhousie, exploded through both the scientific community and the general public, with its attention-grabbing finding that if current trends continued, the global seafood supply would collapse by 2048. The debate, discussion and news coverage it inspired was unparalleled.
Dr. Worm鈥檚 name continues to be associated with some of the world鈥檚 most important oceans research, in newspapers and scientific journals alike. For example, though less of a media phenomenon, his 2009 article with fisheries scientist Ray Hilborn鈥攌nown as the 鈥渃onsensus paper鈥� for how it brought fisheries researchers and biologists together鈥攈as proven incredibly influential in scientific and policy circles.
And now, Dr. Worm adds an NSERC Steacie Fellowship to his accomplishments, one of only six awarded in Canada each year. Its purpose is to enhance the career development of outstanding and highly promising university faculty who are earning a strong international reputation for original research.
鈥淲hat it means mostly to me is freedom鈥攁cademic freedom to pursue my interests and to ask new questions and devote all my time to research,鈥� says Dr. Worm. The award is worth $250,000, which will support his work in ecosystem oceanography: understanding how the global oceans are changing from top to bottom. It also relieves him of his teaching and administrative duties for two years to focus on research.
Deeply fascinated by nature
Listening to Dr. Worm describe his research illustrates what makes him such a compelling scientist. For all the complex challenges the global oceans face, he approaches his quest to understand them with a youthful enthusiasm, one still deeply fascinated by the role nature plays in our lives.
鈥淢y most prevalent character trait is curiosity. I think I just have a fascination with life in general: how it鈥檚 organized, the colourfulness of it.鈥� He points to a map on his office wall that he helped produce last year that charts global ocean biodiversity in vibrant colour; it was published in National Geographic. 鈥淭o me, those patterns are beautiful and fascinating, because they encapsulate a lot about life on earth and how it鈥檚 changing.鈥�
Another one of Dr. Worm鈥檚 main character traits: optimism, which may seem in sharp contrast with some of the harsh warnings presented by his work.
鈥淎nyone who knows me would say that I鈥檓 a very optimistic person, so it鈥檚 kind of ironic that I鈥檓 the person pointing out the dramatic declines we see in many marine ecosystems. It鈥檚 just that when you look at the data, it鈥檚 not very rosy. You have to say that loud and clear, then devise science-based strategies to turn that around. And that鈥檚 where most of my interest lies now.鈥�
Responding to the reaction
He pursues that interest with an eye not just to research publications and his fellow scientists, but to reaching as far beyond the scientific community as possible. Dr. Worm鈥檚 acute sense of language helps him translate his work鈥檚 message to a wide range of people, from policy-makers to journalists and the general public. Admittedly, sometimes this isn鈥檛 always a perfect translation鈥攗pon reflection, he feels that the sensationalist reaction to the 2048 number overshadowed many of the other findings of his famous Science article鈥攂ut he feels it鈥檚 important to influence a broader discussion about the state of our oceans and the critical role they play in our lives.
鈥淭he oceans, by law, are a public resource. It鈥檚 written right into international law: 鈥榯he common heritage of all mankind.鈥� So all mankind should, on some level, be aware of it and invested in ensuring that common heritage remains productive, healthy and something that supports us and life on the planet as a whole.鈥�
As for whether he鈥檒l ever lose that trademark curiosity, Dr. Worm laughs and points out that when it comes to the oceans鈥攁nd science in general鈥攖he potential for discovery far outpaces our existing knowledge.
鈥淧eople have this misconception that science is filling in the few blank spots on a map of understanding that鈥檚 fairly complete. It鈥檚 the exact opposite: we鈥檙e filling in the few spots of understanding in a sea of ignorance. Particularly in the oceans, there is so much to be learned still.鈥�