Trent University is pleased to welcome Dr. Paul Frost as the inaugural holder of the David Schindler Endowed Professorship in Aquatic Science. As the holder of this professorship, Professor Frost will teach and conduct research on the ecology of lakes and streams as a member of Trent’s Biology Department.

“I am extremely honoured at being named the first David Schindler Professor and very excited about the opportunity to use this position to continue working in a field so profoundly influenced by Dr. Schindler through his accumulated research,” said Prof. Frost about the endowed professorship.

Prof. Frost has previously studied a diverse range of topics in aquatic science from zooplankton in Lake Erie to light penetration in forested streams. His doctoral research examined lake food webs at the Experimental Lakes Area in north-western Ontario. Upon completion of his Ph.D. at Arizona State University in 2001, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Notre Dame on nutrients in stream ecosystems.  Prof. Frost earned his Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from the University of Rochester and a M.S. at The Ohio State University.

Professor David W. Schindler began his career as a university professor at Trent University in 1966. Today, he is one of the world’s leading limnologists, specializing in the study of human effects on freshwater ecosystems. An internationally-recognized and distinguished scholar, Prof. Schindler also holds the prestigious Killam Memorial Chair in Ecology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

A public panel discussion led by Prof. Frost is being planned for March 2, 2011 at Bagnani Hall, Traill College. The inaugural David Schindler Professorship Lecture will be entitled, “For the Sake of Our Lakes: Global change and its effects on the Lakes of Ontario.” Event details, including information about the panellists, will be released previous to the event on March 2, 2100.

The David Schindler Endowed Professorship in Aquatic Science, the first-ever endowed professorship at the University and valued at $1 million, was announced in May 2008.

An endowed professorship is a philanthropic initiative established to enhance the academic mission of the University by facilitating the strategic recruitment and retention of excellent faculty. As an endowed fund, the David Schindler Professorship in Aquatic Science will exist at Trent in perpetuity, ensuring that the University is able to attract and retain the finest faculty for years to come.

The establishment of the David Schindler Professorship in Aquatic Science marked the first transformational gift to Trent University’s Centre of Knowledge in the Environment, a virtual centre designed to showcase Trent’s international reputation as a leader in environmental research and scholarship. For information on the David Schindler Endowed Professorship, please visit: trentu.ca/aquaticscience.