Home
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 ecological 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; wildlife and contaminants; and developing new technical applications.
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.
