Louis Bernatchez is director of the Institute of integrative biology and systems at the Université Laval as well as of the Canada Research Chair in Genetic Conservation ofAquatic Resources. He is globally recognized for his pioneering role and his influential contributions to molecular ecology. He is also recognized worldwide for the importance of his work in several other fields including the study of the origin of species, phylogeography, applied evolution, adaptation to human activities, environmental protection, and study of environmental DNA. His international leadership was recognized by publisher Wiley who requested his services to found two journals; Evolutionary Applications, in 2008, and Environmental DNA, in 2018, of which he is still editor-in-chief.
A prolific researcher, he has published nearly 500 articles, often in the most influential journals including Nature, Science and PNAS. He has written two books on Quebec fish that have been widely used in college education, in addition to being the author of 160 research reports. The importance of his contributions has been underlined by the awarding of prestigious prizes and distinctions. He was named chevalier de l’Ordre national du Québec in 2021. Internationally, we note: the Molecular Ecology Prize in 2016; Elected Fellow of the Hall of Excellence, American Fisheries Society in 2016; Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science. At the national level, we note: Elected member, Royal Society of Canada in 2011 and Laureate, Prix du Québec Marie-Victorin in 2012, Michel-Jurdant Prize in Environment from ACFAS in 2001 and the Georges-Préfontaine Prize from the Association des biologistes du Québec in 2002.