For me, the study of these laws is inseparable from a love of Nature in all its manifestations. The beauty of the basic laws of natural science, as revealed in the study of particles and of the cosmos, is allied to the litheness of a merganser diving in a pure Swedish lake, or the grace of a dolphin leaving shining trails at night in the Gulf of California.
Murray Gell-Mann – American theoretical physicist
Who or What is a Gord Leathers?
That would be me, identified by my Scottish moniker bolted to an olde English trade name. I’m a graduate of the University of Winnipeg, where I earned a science degree with a double major in biology and physical geography. This gives me a decent environmental science background so, with an additional diploma in journalism, I've been working as a science journalist, principally in agriculture.
I'm also a professional musician. I play bass guitar in pickup bands and in a traveling roadshow.
When I was in university I spent two of my summers as an interpretive naturalist in the Whiteshell Provincial Park along the border between Manitoba and Ontario. It's shield country with some of the oldest rock in the world.
I’ve always been intrigued by the natural world and how it works. I find mechanisms fascinating whether it’s the workings of a steam locomotive or the interplay between species in a grassland ecosystem. I think this led me to my degree in natural science and the cross over with biology and geography is a good fit.
This would be me when I was working on a geological survey crew in eastern Manitoba/
I really enjoy writing about and talking about the natural sciences. As a journalist this led to an odd specialty in science communication and most of my experience has been in the agricultural trade press. I have dabbled in medical writing as well as research profiles for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.
When I was in university I played bass in The Ministers of Soul, a six piece R&B band. I’m still playing with various pick-up rock bands and with Wanted Man, a Johnny Cash tribute.
My brother Graham and I worked together as a sketch comedy duo and we toured the western Canadian Fringe Festival circuit four summers running. We’ve been featured on CBC Radio and Newsworld’s Live From Gazebo Park in Edmonton.