(Toronto, May 22, 2014): Dave Ireland, the Royal Ontario Museum’s Managing Director of Biodiversity, is the winner of this year’s Environmental Studies Association of Canada's ECO-Award. This national award recognizes individuals, teams, or organizations who have positively contributed to the field of environmental studies in Canada through community-building and research. The award will be presented at this year’s Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences on May 27th 2014 where Dave will deliver the keynote address.
Dave joined the ROM in 2011 and leads the public interface for the ROM’s Biodiversity Centre of Discovery including promoting its scholarly research and publications, strategic acquisitions and permanent galleries including the Life in Crisis: Schad Gallery of Biodiversity, the Patrick and Barbara Keenan Family Gallery of Hands-on Biodiversity and the Gallery of Birds and facilitates biodiversity exhibitions including the recent Wildlife Photographer of the Year show at the ROM.
“The ROM is proud that one of our world-class experts has been recognized with this prestigious environmental industry accolade,” said Dr. Mark D. Engstrom, Deputy Director, Collections & Research. “This award recognizes Dave’s leadership, commitment and enthusiasm for developing innovative programs and partnerships that inspire our visitors to understand and appreciate conservation and biodiversity and their impact on our world.”
Dave will represent the ROM at the 2014 Ontario BioBlitz, an annual weekend event that includes activities to educate people about art and nature, at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection on May 24, and 25, 2014.