Dr. Ernest Small received a doctorate from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1969. He has since been employed with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the country’s national department of agriculture, where he presently holds the status of Principal Research Scientist. He specializes on the evolution and classification of economically important plants, dealing particularly with food, forage, biodiversity, and medicinal species. The species Trigonella smallii (Small’s sweetclover) was named in his honor, and he himself has named dozens of new species. He is the author of 16 previous books, six of which received or were nominated for major awards. He has also authored over 400 scientific publications, mostly on economically important plants. Dr. Small’s career has included dozens of appearances as an expert witness in court cases, acting as an adviser to national governments, presenting numerous invited university and professional association lectures, participating in international societies and committees, journal editing, and media interviews. He has been an adjunct professor at numerous universities, and continues to supervise doctoral candidates. Dr. Small has received several professional honors, including: election as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London; the G.M. Cooley Prize of the American Association of Plant Taxonomists for work on the marijuana plant; the Agcellence Award for distinguished contributions to agriculture; the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for contributions to science; the George Lawson Medal, the most prestigious award of the Canadian Botanical Association, for lifetime contributions to botany; the Lane Anderson Award, a $10,000.00 prize for science popularization; the Industry Leadership Award of the Canadian Hemp Trade Association (subsequently renamed in his honor); the Outstanding Paper in Plant Genetic Resources Award of the Crop Science Society of America; and appointment to the Order of Canada, the nation’s highest recognition of achievements.
Brenda Brookes received a Master of Science degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada in 1992. She recently retired from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, after more than 44 years as a botanist. She has authored three previous books and dozens of scientific publications, mostly on economically important plants. Ms. Brookes is also a professional dog breeder, specializing in Keeshonds and Pomeranians, and has also bred Pleasure Horses. She is well known in the canine world, her dogs having been awarded numerous championships and international awards. She has acted as a judge in many dog shows, taught aspiring dog breeders and show dog handlers, and lectured extensively on the subject. Not least among her many talents, Ms. Brookes is a professional artist, computer graphics expert, and web designer. She is an admirer of the great ecological conservationist Sir David Attenborough, with whom she has exchanged correspondence for years, and has long been a supporter of environmental protection.
