Next Ashley Fellow sees common ground between arts and science

An award-winning writer and documentary filmmaker will be Trent University's Ashley Fellow for the year 2001-02.

Richard Bocking, whose documentaries on science, the environment and the performing arts, garnered him many awards over his 30-year career, was formerly a cbc staff producer and more recently an independent writer-producer. His films have aired on the English and French networks of the cbc, and for television networks in the US and Europe. His nomination states that his visit will allow the university community "to celebrate and explore common ground between the arts and the sciences."

A number of Bocking's works have focused on water and he now lectures extensively on the subject. His first book, Canada's Water - For Sale? (1970) considered water export from Canada to the United States and was adapted from his film of the same name. His most recent book Mighty River: A Portrait of the Fraser (1997), describes the delicate ecosystems supported by the Fraser River. It was judged one of the three best works of non-fiction by British Columbia authors that year, awarded a certificate of merit by the B.C. Historical Federation, and awarded the Roderick Haig-Brown Prize for the year's best book contributing to an understanding and appreciation of B.C.

In his winter residence at Trent, Bocking will be asked to help Champlain College host a workshop and a series of talks on issues surrounding the science, politics, sociology, and culture of water. It is hoped that during the fall term he will host a documentary film festival and a workshop on classical music, which is another of his interests.

Bocking was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario and graduated from the University of Manitoba as an agricultural economist. He worked seven years in Alberta as a district agriculturist before beginning a broadcasting career. He now lives in Victoria, B.C.

The Ashley Fellow was established in 1976 with a bequest from the late C.A. Ashley, a professor, long-time friend of Trent and proponent of the value informal contacts can add to college and academic life at a university.