As one of SFU's most outstanding graduate students from the Faculty of Science, Dr. Sean Godwin is being recognized with the Dean of Graduate Studies Convocation Medal. On behalf of SFU, we congratulate Dr. Godwin on his outstanding achievements.

Dr. Sean Godwin's doctoral research featured a highly innovative series of experiments and field surveys designed to understand the impacts of parasitic sea lice on wild juvenile salmon. This research illustrates that parasites from salmon farms may indirectly reduce wild salmon survival. He also identified several key ways that we can improve policy to better manage parasites on salmon farms and help protect wild salmon, helping to protect the local ecologies, economies, and Indigenous cultures of the Pacific Northwest.

During his time at SFU, Dr. Godwin also mentored undergraduate students, and also engaged effectively with the government, the media, and the public to objectively navigate the major conservation and policy implications of his research. Dr. Godwin was invited to meet with the BC Minister of Agriculture to discuss his research which led to a panel of scientists calling for his results to influence aquaculture management in Canada.

Dr. Reynolds considers Godwin to be an incredible leader. “Throughout his time with me Sean has been a consistently excellent researcher, with impressive scientific communication skills, high aptitude for engaging the media and public, a knack for navigating large and diverse collaborations, and a mind for bold research ideas with major conservation and policy implications.”

Dr. Sean Godwin is currently working as a researcher and field lead for the Hakai Institute. He designs and leads field work for Hakai Institute’s multi-million-dollar Juvenile Salmon Program.