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David Suzuki to receive Honorary Doctor of Science

David Suzuki

David Suzuki

WINNIPEG, MB – The University of Winnipeg is pleased to announce that Dr. David Suzuki, influential environmentalist and broadcaster, will receive an Honorary Doctor of Science at Fall Convocation on Friday, October 16, 2015. Convocation begins at 9:30 am in the Duckworth Centre.

Dr. Suzuki is a household name and Canadian icon who has dedicated his life and talents to protecting our planet and sharing that passion in an accessible way with a broad audience. He is familiar to us as host of the longest-running CBC TV series The Nature of Things, as the original host of CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks, and as co-founder of The David Suzuki Foundation, which is one of Canada’s leading environmental organizations. After earning his PhD in Zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, Suzuki gained worldwide recognition for his research on fruit flies and spent 39 years at the University of British Columbia, in the Zoology Department and then the Sustainable Development Research Institute, before becoming Professor Emeritus.

“Dr. Suzuki is an environmental champion who understood much earlier than most that our planet is a fragile and interconnected place,” said Dr. Annette Trimbee, UWinnipeg President and Vice-Chancellor. “He has used his deep understanding of science to remind us all that we have a responsibility to act, and most especially, he continues to inspire the next generation of environmental advocates.”

On Thursday, October 15, the public is invited to attend A Conversation with David Suzuki. Through film and conversation, this event will celebrate Suzuki’s life and impact, and explore the pressing issues and opportunities of our time. UWinnipeg Associate Professor and renowned filmmaker Dr. Ian Mauro will preview his upcoming film on climate change in British Columbia during the evening.

Poster_Suzuki(BC)_(11x15)-smallA Conversation with David Suzuki is a fundraiser for the local chapter of the BlueDot Movement and the Harvest Moon Society, organizations engaged in sustainability and social change. It takes place at the Metropolitan Theatre at 7 pm, and tickets are $25. Tickets are available at EventBrite.

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UWinnipeg is noted for academic excellence, Indigenous scholarship, environmental commitment, small class sizes and campus diversity. UWinnipeg is committed to improving access to post-secondary education for all individuals, especially those from non-traditional communities. Find out more at uwinnipeg.ca. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.