Cynthia Ross Friedman

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}

{{short description|Canadian botanist}}

{{Infobox academic

| name = Cynthia Ross Friedman

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSA|size=100%}}

| image = Cynthia Ross Friedman.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Ross Friedman in 2015

| birth_name = Cynthia Ross

| birth_date = 1970/1971

| birth_place = Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

| death_date = 24 December 2018 (age 47)

| death_place = Penticton, British Columbia, Canada

| other_names = Cindy Ross Friedman

| spouse = {{marriage|Tom Friedman|2007}}

| alma_mater = University of Manitoba

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| discipline = Biology

| sub_discipline = Botany

| workplaces = Thompson Rivers University

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| main_interests = Arceuthobium americanum

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}}

Cynthia "Cindy" Ross Friedman {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSA}} (1970 or 1971 – 24 December 2018) was a professor in biological sciences at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada.{{cite web|accessdate=2018-03-20|title=Cynthia Ross Friedman's Home Page|url=https://www.tru.ca/science/programs/biology/faculty/cross.html?PageMode=HTML|website=www.tru.ca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222053105/http://faculty.tru.ca/cross/|archive-date=December 22, 2017}} She was inducted into the inaugural cohort of the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists in 2014{{cite web|url=http://inside.tru.ca/2014/11/24/royal-society-names-ross-friedman-to-inaugural-group|title=Royal Society Names Ross Friedman To Inaugural Group - Newsroom|work=tru.ca|access-date=2015-09-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716031648/http://inside.tru.ca/2014/11/24/royal-society-names-ross-friedman-to-inaugural-group/|archive-date=2015-07-16|url-status=dead}} and as a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://inside.tru.ca/2016/06/21/ross-friedman-recognized-for-social-and-environmental-justice/|title=Ross Friedman recognized for social and environmental justice – InsideTRU|website=inside.tru.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106121914/https://inside.tru.ca/2016/06/21/ross-friedman-recognized-for-social-and-environmental-justice/ |archive-date=6 January 2018 |date=21 June 2016}}{{cite news|accessdate=2018-03-20|title=Ross Friedman recognized for social and environmental justice - Campus Life - Kamloops|url=https://www.castanet.net/news/Campus-Life-Kamloops/168828/Ross-Friedman-recognized-for-social-and-environmental-justice}}

Research

In a Nature Communications paper, her research group showed that the parasitic flowering plant Arceuthobium americanum (Lodegpole pine dwarf mistletoe) undergoes thermogenesis (internal heat generation) to explosively discharge its seeds.{{cite journal|url=http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150209/ncomms7262/full/ncomms7262.html|title=Thermogenesis-triggered seed dispersal in dwarf mistletoe|website=nature.com|date=2015 |doi=10.1038/ncomms7262 |last1=Debruyn |first1=Rolena A. J. |last2=Paetkau |first2=Mark |last3=Ross |first3=Kelly A. |last4=Godfrey |first4=David V. |last5=Church |first5=John S. |last6=Friedman |first6=Cynthia Ross |volume=6 |issue=1 |page=6262 |pmid=25662062 |pmc=4347025 |bibcode=2015NatCo...6.6262D }}

Media appearances and activism

She was on national radio and television in many instances not only to discuss her team's research{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/cell-phone-conversations-annoying-distracting-heat-triggers-dwarf-mistletoe-new-telescope-reveals-early-star-formation-rhino-beetle-is-a-freaky-flyer-penguins-can-get-colder-than-cold-how-sauropod-dinosaurs-held-their-heads-1.2843073|title=Cell-phone Conversations Annoying, Distracting * Heat Triggers Dwarf Mistletoe * New Telescope Reveals Early Star Formation * Rhino Beetle Is a Freaky Flyer * Penguins Can Get Colder Than Cold * How Sauropod Dinosaurs Held Their Heads|date=16 March 2013|work=cbc.ca}} but also to act as a spokesperson for a coalition of concerned community groups opposed to the proposed KGHM Ajax mine, a copper-gold open-pit mine project proposed to be located within 1 km of the Kamloops city boundary.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ajax-mine-kamloops-1.3210539|title=Kamloops' review of Ajax mine criticized by opponents|date=1 September 2015|work=cbc.ca}}

Music

Ross Friedman was also a keyboardist, singer, and songwriter who played in a Kamloops Latin ensemble called Caliente,{{cite web|url=http://www.lookkamloops.ca/musicians_caliente.htm|title=Caliente|work=lookkamloops.ca|access-date=12 September 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071751/http://www.lookkamloops.ca/musicians_caliente.htm|url-status=dead}} in rock bands and as a solo act.{{cite web|url=http://faculty.tru.ca/cross/caliente.html|title=Caliente: One Hot Band!|work=tru.ca |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412181145/http://faculty.tru.ca/cross/caliente.html |archive-date=12 April 2013}} Her music had been favorably reviewed in Winnipeg.{{cite news|title=Rats for Friends |work=Winnipeg Sun |date=17 September 1993 |first=John |last=Kendle}}{{cite news|title=Cindy Ross: Burning Fences |work=Winnipeg Sun |date=3 February 1995 |first=John |last=Kendle}}{{cite news|title=Cindy Ross with Lee Rosevere: "Fraxinus in Phoenix" |work=Winnipeg Sun |date=30 August 1996 |first=John |last=Kendle}}

Personal life

Ross Friedman died on 24 December 2018 at the age of 47 from an aortic dissection.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/news/cynthia-ross-friedman-dies-suddenly-at-age-47-1.23574481|title=Cynthia Ross Friedman dies suddenly at age 47|last=Potestio|first=Michael|date=3 January 2019|website=Kamloops This Week|access-date=2019-01-19}}

References

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