EOAS remembers Professor Stephen Pond, who passed away on March 23, 2026, and extends our sincere condolences to his family and friends. Steve was a distinguished physical oceanographer and long-time member of the UBC and EOAS community, serving as a professor from 1971 to 1996. He began with the Institute of Oceanography, later the Department of Oceanography, and continued as Professor Emeritus following the merger that formed EOAS. He earned his B.Sc. (Honours, Physics–Mathematics, 1962) and Ph.D. (1965) from UBC.

Over the course of his career, Steve made foundational contributions to physical oceanography, particularly in air–sea interaction and coastal ocean processes. His achievements were recognized with numerous honours, including a UBC Killam Senior Fellowship at Princeton’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (1987), the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society President’s Prize (1991), and the Tully Medal (2003). His research significantly advanced understanding of circulation, dynamics, and mixing in British Columbia’s coastal waters. Through long-term observations and innovative numerical modelling, he helped elucidate the complex interactions among wind, runoff, and tidal forcing in systems such as the Strait of Georgia, Knight Inlet, and Sechelt Inlet, laying important groundwork for modern studies of coastal circulation and environmental processes. He was equally well known for his book "Introductory Dynamical Oceanography" written with his friend and mentor, George Pickard, which is still a standard textbook used today.

He will be remembered for his scientific leadership, his dedication to research and education, and his lasting impact on generations of students and colleagues. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.