Peter, Dr. Richard E.

1998 Winner: Outstanding Leadership In Alberta Science

Dr. Richard Peter, Professor of Biological Sciences and Dean of Science at University of Alberta, was the first person to develop a stereotaxic map of the brain of the fish. This groundbreaking achievement was the cornerstone of many advances in fish endocrinology, including his own work on the hormonal regulation of fish reproduction and growth.

His “spawning on command” treatment is currently marketed under the trade name OVAPRIM and is successfully being used internationally to maximize the harvest from fish farms. As the global population expands, protein from fish will become one of the most reliable resources for sustaining human nutrition. Given this, technologies that improve fishery management will have a direct impact on international socio-economic development. Dr. Peter’s successful research career has produced over 280 original publications, books and review articles. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada at the young age of 42. Now as Dean of Science at the University of Alberta, he is sharing his leadership in science and education with the rest of the province.