Chris Barnes is Chair, ITU-WMO-UNESCO IOC Joint Task Force on SMART submarine telecommunications cables for ocean climate monitoring and disaster warning. He is Professor Emeritus, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences (SEOS), University of Victoria, Canada. A B.Sc. (University of Birmingham, UK) and Ph.D. (University of Ottawa) preceded a NATO Research Fellowship (University of Wales) and appointments at University of Waterloo, Ontario, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and Director General at Geological Survey of Canada. At UVic, Chris was Director, Centre of Earth and Ocean Research, and founding Director of both SEOS and NEPTUNE, the world’s first regional cabled ocean observatory.
Chris served as President of Geological Association of Canada, Canadian Geoscience Council, and Academy of Science of Royal Society of Canada, and as member of Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, International Ocean Drilling Program, and International Commission on Stratigraphy. He serves on Science Advisory Committees of Canadian Ocean Tracking Network and Canary Islands Ocean Observatory.
Chris’ research focuses on understanding Early Paleozoic oceans, climate and life, with nearly 200 publications. He has received many awards, an Honorary D.Sc., was elected Fellow of Royal Society of Canada and National Academy of Sciences, Cordoba, Argentina, and was appointed to the Order of Canada.
