You are encouraged to attend the defence. The details of the defence and attendance information is included below:  

Date:  October 23, 2025

Time:  1:30 PM to 3:30 PM (PT)

Defence mode: Hybrid 

In-Person Attendance: 10-4072, UNBC Prince George Campus  

Virtual Attendance: via Zoom

Please contact the Office of Graduate Administration for information regarding remote attendance for online defences. 

To ensure the defence proceeds with no interruptions, please mute your audio and video on entry and do not inadvertently share your screen. The meeting will be locked to entry 5 minutes after it begins: please ensure you are on time.  

Thesis/Dissertation entitled:   “UNAVOIDABLE REALITIES JUSTIFIED BY A SHARED PASSION FOR THE WORK”: A CASE STUDY EXAMINATION OF COMMUNITY SCIENCE AND PROVINCIAL STAFF EXPERIENCES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, ALBERTA, AND ONTARIO, CANADA

Abstract: Biodiversity in Canada is under threat, with thousands of species at risk of disappearing. Public engagement is essential to strengthening both global and provincial biodiversity frameworks. One promising avenue is community science, which not only offers meaningful environmental experiences for participants and staff, but also actively involves the public in biodiversity conservation efforts. This study focuses on two under-researched areas: (1) the roles and motivations of community science staff, and (2) how community science is integrated into provincial government efforts in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Treating community science as a distinct case, the research involved semi-structured interviews with 16 community science staff and 11 provincial government employees engaged in biodiversity and community science initiatives. A bottom-up thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed key emerging themes. Findings show that community science staff often juggle multiple responsibilities simultaneously, frequently facing burnout as they adapt to program demands. Meanwhile, provincial government staff operate in decentralized systems marked by knowledge silos and limited interdepartmental communication, often resulting in duplicated efforts. Despite these challenges, positive initiatives are underway in some provinces to enhance support for and engagement with community science. The study highlights the need for intentional support mechanisms such as increased funding, structured frameworks for community science, and the establishment of communities of practice led by provincial governments. These steps are critical for staff retention and the longevity of community science programs. The results are relevant to biodiversity conservation practitioners, environmental non-profits, government agencies, and community science organizations.

Defence Committee:  

Chair: Dr. Greg Halseth, University of Northern British Columbia 

Supervisor: Dr. Mark Groulx, University of Northern British Columbia 

Co- Supervisor: Dr. Annie Booth, University of Northern British Columbia

Committee Member: Dr. Chris Lemieux, Wilfrid Laurier University

External Examiner: Dr. Chris Johnson, University of Northern British Columbia