Liette Vasseur works in her lab at Brock.

A Brock researcher who studies climate change around the world has been named the 2011 recipient of the A. D. Latornell Conservation Pioneer Award.

Liette Vasseur, a Biological Sciences professor, will receive the honour during the A. D. Latornell Symposium, one of Ontario’s largest annual conferences focusing on environmental and conservation issues. The conference will take place Nov. 16 to 18 in Alliston, Ont.

The award, given annually by the Nickel District Conservation Authority (NDCA), was announced today in Sudbury, a city with an integrated network of partners committed to climate-friendly and sustainable initiatives.

“Climate change and environmental degradation are serious issues that require and will continue to require both basic and applied research, along with the translation of the results into language and action that can help those impacted by them find solutions,” Vasseur said.

The greater Sudbury area, she said, is a great model of a community that has the strength and cohesion to move ahead applying the lessons learned from climate change research.

“Dr. Vasseur exemplifies the important traits of a Latornell Pioneer Award recipient,” said Bob Rogers, NDCA chair. “Her significant contribution to science and community development is an inspiration to the women and men of science and the next generation of citizen science advocates.”

Vasseur has been recognized over the years in Ontario, across Canada and around the world for her work associated with climate change adaptation, capacity building and developing sustainable communities. In the past year, she was named a Minjiang Scholar at the Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University, and has been appointed the Secretary General of the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists. She has mentored and trained students at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate level.