Dear colleagues,

Dr. Catherine Hood passed away on June 21st at the age of 86. She was an inspiration to hundreds of students as she taught the Biology of Marine Mammals field course for over 20 years through both Memorial University at the Bonny Bay Marine Station and McGill University at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre.

Catherine raised four children and had a career in nursing before following her dream of becoming a dedicated steward to the ocean and its marine life, including the whales. She studied under Dr. Jon Lien for her PhD on harbour porpoise bycatch and worked with the fishers on Grand Manan Island toward solutions that would benefit both the fishers and the porpoise. You can read her full obituary here:
https://www.whitakerfuneralhome.com/obituaries/catherine-hood

In Catherine's honour, please join me in donating to the Whale Release & Strandings group in Newfoundland (non-profit but not charitable; https://newfoundlandlabradorwhales.net/) and/or the Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station in New Brunswick (charitable; https://gmwsrs.ca/; https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/grand-manan-whale-and-seabird-research-station-inc/?mprompt=1)