Research

I study aquatic invasive species with a focus on the role community engagement and social factors play in the invasion’s success. I have an interdisciplinary approach to research and collaboration, engaging with the public, government, and industry to work towards more sustainable communities.

While completing a degree in marine biology with a minor in psychology at Dalhousie University, I gained valuable research experience in literature analysis, biological and ecological sampling, and animal husbandry. During and after my bachelor’s degree, I worked in various positions focused on scientific outreach and education for youth and the public. After working as an at-sea fisheries observer in Nova Scotia’s groundfish fishery, I yearned to explore the nexus between my main three interests: aquatic ecology, the efficacy of scientific outreach, and the under-researched perspectives and roles of resource users on natural resources. I continued my journey at the University of Alberta’s Green Lab, under Dr. Stephanie Green.

Prussian carp are an aquatic invasive species (AIS) invading Southern Alberta’s waterways, but their hardiness and rate of spread are posing a challenge to Alberta’s conservation organisations. Traditional biological sampling methods and fish removal, typically carried out by professionals and biologists, are expensive and time-consuming, yet there are over 270,000 anglers in Alberta who may have the knowledge and distribution to help with these efforts. However, managers have a poor understanding of the social, psychological, and economic factors that affect an angler’s willingness to participate in conservation activities, making the creation of efficient outreach efforts difficult.

My research aimed to: 1) determine whether Prussian carp distributions can be determined by anglers’ reports, 2) identify the factors that affect an angler’s willingness to report and remove AIS, and 3) find out how and if outreach tools about AIS can affect anglers’ reporting. By exploring alternatives to traditional biological sampling methods and informing the creation of AIS outreach materials, conservation organisations can more effectively use their limited resources.