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philomath (ˈfɪləˌmæθ) n, a person who enjoys acquiring new knowledge
I earned a B.Sc. (Honours; 1997) and M.Sc. (Ecotoxicology; 2000) at Simon Fraser University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Saskatchewan (Avian Ecology; 2011). During my post-doctoral appointment (Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks), I conducted research on Arctic wetlands to evaluate potential impacts of climate change on biological communities in these systems.
In 2014, I joined the Science and Technology Branch of Environment and Climate Change Canada, as a Research Scientist in the Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division. I am also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biology, at the University of Saskatchewan.
I am grateful to have worked with several exceptional mentors during my journeys and aim to repay the benefits of this good fortune by contributing to the next generation of scientists. I currently co-lead a graduate-level course in Avian Conservation and Management and advise students at the graduate and under-graduate levels.
My learning continues daily, and when I am not working with students or getting dirty in the field, I enjoy swimming, snowshoeing, and watching The Princess Bride on repeat!
My research is primarily motivated by a strong sense of curiosity, a deep interest in better understanding the interplay between wildlife and the environments they depend on, and a desire to help conserve and protect nature.
I design and implement collaborative field and laboratory-based studies that evaluate effects of toxic substances and climate change – as well as the cumulative effects of these stressors – on biota. Through this work, I have developed expertise specifically related to wildlife and ecosystem health, as well as to applications of new technologies.
While continuing to build knowledge and skills in these areas through partnerships with universities and multiple government and non-government organizations, I also aim to actively support Indigenous-led conservation through co-developed, community-driven research.
