Joe Shorthouse fell in love with biology at age 12 after joining a basement science club run by a local researcher. That spark led to a lifelong fascination with nature - especially insects. By 20, he was already part of an Arctic expedition to Ellesmere Island, just 750 km from the North Pole, studying butterflies. He went on to earn his BSc and MSc at the University of Alberta and a PhD at the University of Saskatchewan, all centered on insects feeding on wild roses.

After a National Research Council Fellowship researching insect-based weed control, he joined Laurentian University in 1975 as professor of entomology. Over the next 37 years, he became a beloved teacher and pioneering researcher. His work ranged from gall-forming insects on roses and blueberries to land rehabilitation around Sudbury’s smelters. He even led an innovative project growing crops 1,200 metres underground in a mine, harnessing geothermal heat.

Throughout his career, Joe published over 100 scientific papers, two edited books, a dozen book chapters, and hundreds of popular articles. He gave hundreds of talks across Canada and internationally, speaking in Europe, Japan, Turkey, Israel, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, and the U.S. His scientific curiosity was matched by his love of photography, which took him across Canada capturing the country’s flora and fauna.

Honored as Professor Emeritus in 2013, Joe remains as active as ever - writing, photographing, and sharing the wonders of natural history with both scientific and general audiences.

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