About me: |
I am a field biologist and plant ecologist with a passion for understanding drivers of plant community composition, plant distributional changes, and effects of climate change on northern plant communities. My focus throughout my career has been on Canada's northern boreal forest, and I have spent 15 years bushwhacking, collecting data, and swatting away insects in the boreal regions of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories. Recently, my doctoral thesis work has allowed me to explore more of Canada's boreal shield region, with an emphasis on cold-adapted plant communities on the bedrock outcrops of Lake Superior, Canada.
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Conducting field work in a variety of habitats, including Alberta's boreal forest, above treeline in the Rocky Mountains, and on the exposed bedrock shoreline of Lake Superior
I started my academic journey by completing a Bachelor's of Science with Specialization in Animal Biology at the University of Alberta, fully intending to study wildlife. While working various field technician jobs in my undergrad, I learned to identify plants in the field and slowly plants took over my life. After a few years away from academia, I returned to complete a second Bachelor's of Science in Environmental and Conservation Sciences, also from the University of Alberta. During this degree and in the years after, I was able to put my field botany skills to use in various technician jobs, ranging from NGO's to consulting and finally landing back at the University of Alberta as a research assistant for the Applied Conservation Ecology Lab. This position really fuelled my passion for research, and I was able to head several of my own independent research projects before pursuing my PhD in Conservation Biology.
Outside of research, I greatly enjoy teaching. I try to bring humour and a casual atmosphere when I teach, and try to spread my passion for learning about the natural world. Giving students a greater appreciation of plant diversity and ecology is one of my main goals, and I have been able to engage with students in both academic and non-academic settings to foster an interest in plants as a foundation for ecosystem processes. Throughout my doctoral work I have taught labs on plant identification, wildlife identification, and conservation planning, and now have the opportunity to engage with students on a larger scale by teaching a course on northern ecology, with an emphasis on Canada's boreal forest and tundra ecosystems.
I have also been able to mentor many undergraduate field assistants as they complete their studies and start their career, and it has been a joy to watch them experience field work for the first time and to watch their careers succeed!
In my personal life, I am usually outside. I enjoy backpacking, paddling, and cycling, and try to get out into the backcountry as often as possible. I can usually be found slowing down a hiking trip to stop and look at every plant along the way!
Outside of research, I greatly enjoy teaching. I try to bring humour and a casual atmosphere when I teach, and try to spread my passion for learning about the natural world. Giving students a greater appreciation of plant diversity and ecology is one of my main goals, and I have been able to engage with students in both academic and non-academic settings to foster an interest in plants as a foundation for ecosystem processes. Throughout my doctoral work I have taught labs on plant identification, wildlife identification, and conservation planning, and now have the opportunity to engage with students on a larger scale by teaching a course on northern ecology, with an emphasis on Canada's boreal forest and tundra ecosystems.
I have also been able to mentor many undergraduate field assistants as they complete their studies and start their career, and it has been a joy to watch them experience field work for the first time and to watch their careers succeed!
In my personal life, I am usually outside. I enjoy backpacking, paddling, and cycling, and try to get out into the backcountry as often as possible. I can usually be found slowing down a hiking trip to stop and look at every plant along the way!
