Mentor Database

I study species and ecosystems in harsh environments. I am interested in how biodiversity colonises and adapts over time to extreme conditions, and how such ecosystems and species may now cope with rapid environmental change. I have worked in polar, alpine, marine and arid habitats including Patagonia, the Andes in South America and in Tierra del Fuego, and in the Canadian Arctic. I study these regions at all scales, from genes to landscapes, and I am interested in understanding the resilience of these systems, their conservation issues, and the linkages with human communities. I am also interested in studies of birds and in aquatic ecology (invertebrates). I am currently based at the Arctic Institute of North America (University of Calgary) in Alberta, Canada. Prior to moving to Alberta in 2014, I studied, worked as a researchers, and taught in Biology and Environmental Sciences at Queen’s University in Ontario, where I led and collaborated on projects for almost 20 years, and where I continue collaborative research with colleagues and students (as a research associate). I often work on collaborative projects with Environment Canada, particularly with the National Wildlife Research Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. I am also a member of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) Terrestrial Steering Group (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna, Arctic Council) and the Associate Director of the International Study of Arctic Change program (ISAC). I currently serve on the APECS Canada Board (Association of Polar Early Career Scientists) and have been a member of APECS (International) since 2009.