Organizing Team 2023
Em Lim
(They/Them)
I am a PhD student in the Earth to Oceans group at SFU studying animal-mediated nutrient cycling under the supervision of Dr. Isabelle Côté. Animal excretions fertilize primary producers, but this ecosystem function is poorly described in nutrient-rich, temperate waters. My research investigates the importance of scale and context in understanding the impact of nutrient provisioning by animals in Barkley Sound.
Alyssa Allchurch
(She/her)
I am a Masters student in the School of Resource and Environmental Management at SFU, supervised by Dr. Anne Salomon. I'm studying the ecological impacts of kelp mariculture through a large scale kelp harvest experiment in collaboration with the Kwakiutl Nation and the government of BC. I love the ocean so when I'm not spending my time studying it you can find me either scuba diving, swimming or paddling through it.
Beth Oishi
(She/her)
I am a Masters student with the Earth to Oceans Lab at Simon Fraser University supervised by Dr. Isabelle Côté. My research interests focus on incorporating complexity into density-dependent predictive approaches and experiments and how they can be used to determine the impact of an invasive marine species. I am excited to be part of this team and I cannot wait to help other people experience this amazing and inclusive conference!
Julian Gan
(He/him)
I am a MSc student supervised by Dr. Jonathan Moore in the Salmon Watersheds Lab, which is part of the Earth to Ocean Research Group at Simon Fraser University. I study the estuarine ecology of juvenile coho and chinook salmon. Specifically, I'm investigating how human disturbance to estuaries may affect their nursery function for these fish by examining patterns of habitat association, growth, and diet across eight different estuaries on Vancouver Island. This research is part of a broader partnership with the Nature Trust of British Columbia to assess and monitor estuarine resilience to climate change and sea-level rise.
Katie Philip
(She/her)
Ever since childhood, I have always been fascinated by the complex web of interaction between flora and fauna. As such, prior to a career change from a professional contemporary dancer to a BSc in Biology, specializing in Ecology, I wanted to help protect ecosystems suffering from habitat degradation and biodiversity loss as a result of invasive species and human activity. Throughout my undergraduate career, I discovered this was no easy task requiring adaptive management and continuous monitoring. This is what inspired me to continue my studies and begin a Masters in Restoration Ecology with SFU and BCIT.
Kelly Scott
(She/her)
Hello, my name is Kelly and I am a second year MSc student in the Ecological Restoration program with SFU and BCIT. My research is on how to effectively use mycofiltration to remove contaminants from urban runoff before it enters a waterway. The goal of this project is to improve water quality in urban streams and Boundary Bay. I am very passionate about restoring aquatic ecosystems as well as educating others on how we can protect them. I am so excited to help out with PEEC 2023!
Kiara Kattler
(She/her)
I am a research assistant in Dr. Isabelle Côté's lab within the E2O research group working on invasive species specifically in marine ecosystems.
Miranda Dennis
(She/her)
I am an MSc candidate in the biology department at SFU co-supervised by Dr. Mike Hart and Dr. Arne Mooers. My thesis focusses on phylogeography of West Coast sea slugs. Using genetic data, my research traces the evolutionary history of nudibranchs in the genus Hermissenda to uncover when and why these species diverged.
Phoebe Gross
(She/Her)
I am an MSc student in the Salmon Watersheds Lab led by Dr. Jon Moore at SFU. My research aims to build an understanding of climate change impacts on juvenile salmonid estuary use. I combine field work across eight estuaries on Vancouver Island with sea-level rise and water temperature modeling to predict juvenile salmon abundance and habitat use under climate change scenarios.
Raven Barbera
(She/Her)
I am a first-year MSc student in the Centre for Wildlife Ecology at Simon Fraser University in Dr. Tony Williams' lab. I study European starlings and am focused on understanding their egg size variation and how it covaries with other life-history traits. I'm from Washington state and did my undergrad at University of California, Davis where I studied white sturgeon. I'm excited to help host PEEC 2023!
Sherry Young
(She/Her)
I am a third-year French PhD student at SFU working on monitoring both vegetation and mammal phenology in high mountains of Kyrgyzstan using camera traps! PEEC has always had the reputation to be focused on marine ecology, so I am very hopeful to see more terrestrial-related topics this year! I am also a freelance photographer and videographer focusing on science communication.
Claire Attridge
(She/Her)
I am a second year MSc student with Dr. Isabelle Cote at SFU, studying kelp forest communities in BC. My work explores how biogenic structure relates to fish and invertebrate species, and I aim to find out whether structural attributes of kelp forests can help predict the composition of marine communities. I'm big on sci-comm and collaboration, so am excited to play a role in supporting PEEC 2023! See you then!
Sarah Gutzmann
(She/Her)
I am a Masters of Resource Management (MRM) student in the Coastal Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab (led by Dr. Anne Salomon) at SFU. In partnership with the Kwakiutl Nation, my research focuses on kelp mariculture (farming) and wild harvest. It aims to aid Kwakiutl Nation leaders in making management decisions about developing kelp mariculture and/or burgeoning kelp harvest in their territories which are grounded in Indigenous knowledge and community values, and which consider risks due to climate change
Rachel Fairfield Checko
(She/Her)
I have my bachelor of science in marine and freshwater biology from the university of Guelph. I worked for 10 years for the ministry of the environment, conservation, and parks in Ontario and am now pursuing a masters in ecological restoration through SFU.
I enjoy diving, hiking, skiing, biking, spending time with my dog and, canoeing and kayaking. Anytime on or near the water is time well spent.