Sally Otto, the 2007 Steacie Prize recipient, will donate the $15,000 in prize money that goes with the award to UBC's new Beaty Biodiversity Museum. The museum, set to open in 2009 on the Point Grey Campus, will be the first of its kind in Canada--a public education centre that focuses entirely on biodiversity.
"The Beaty Biodiversity Museum is a fantastic addition to Vancouver’s cultural landscape," says Otto. "It will be a place where young children can learn about the tremendous diversity of life on our planet, where the public can see, perhaps for the first time, plants and animals from throughout BC and the world. I'm very pleased to help support such an important addition to our community."
Otto's gift will support educational programming and public outreach efforts at the museum.
The Museum, set to open in Fall 2009 on the Point Grey Campus, will be the first of its kind in Canada – a public education centre that focuses entirely on biodiversity. It will showcase UBC’s collection of more than two million natural history specimens including shells, fossils, birds, mammals, fish, insects, and plants. The premier exhibit will be an 85-foot blue whale skeleton. Otto’s gift will be earmarked to support educational programming and public outreach efforts of the Museum.
Otto, known for her work in applying mathematical models to understanding how species evolve, will be receiving her Prize tonight at the Celebrate Research Gala. The Steacie Prize recognizes exceptional contributions from young scientists and engineers in Canada.
