Institute Members

Adesanya, Theresa
Email: theresa.adesanya@unbc.ca

Dr. Adesanya's research expertise includes various aspects of soil and environmental science such as soil fertility, soil physics and chemistry, land reclamation and remediation.  Her research interests include nutrient and contaminant fate and transport in seasonally frozen soils; phytoremediation of contaminated sites; the use of organic amendments to enhance reclamation success of reclaimed sites; and, managing agro-ecosystems for climate change mitigation.


Ali, Faran
Email: Faran.Ali@unbc.ca
Webpage: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/ali-dr-faran

Dr. Ali's research interests include: i) Sediment transport in large Himalayan, Chinese and North American rivers; ii) Spatially distributed modelling of surface runoff, erosion rates, and sediment yields; iii) Construction of sediment budgets in high mountainous environments; iv) Impacts of climate change and anthropogenic forest disturbance on flow patterns and sediment transport in BC; and v) Characterizing hyporheic exchange rates in gravelbed BC rivers using large-scale flume simulation.


Bartels, Samuel
Email: Samuel.Bartels@unbc.ca

Dr. Bartel's areas of expertise are forest ecology and silviculture. Samuel's research interests centre on forest ecological dynamics, particularly the impacts of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on biodiversity, productivity, and stand development processes. Specific areas of inquiry include, understanding how these disturbances interact to produce long-term patterns and dynamic changes in the forest ecosystem, particularly within the context of global climate change, identifying factors and mechanistic pathways toward their recovery, and investigating the nature and influence of hierarchical interactions among forest layers on species diversity, ecosystem function, and forest structural development.


Beckett, Douglas
Email: druid@pgweb.com
Email: Doug.Beckett@gov.bc.ca

As a timber supply analyst with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Doug provides support to statutory decisions, including:  the Province of BC Chief Forester’s Allowable Annual Cut (AAC) Determination;  the establishment of area based tenures such as Community Forests and First Nations Woodland Licences;  the establishment of Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs) and Ungulate Winter Ranges (UWRs).  Doug co-instructs the UNBC FSTY 408 Forestry Management and Practices course using insights gained from timber supply modeling as to how various objectives inter-relate over space and time.  Doug ensures the students realize that resource management is evolving and to understand that it is their responsibility to advocate to improve resource management.


Burton, Philip
Email:  Ph​il.Burton@unbc.ca
Webpage: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/burton-dr-phil

Dr. Burton is interested in disturbance ecology, vegetation dynamics, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable forest management. His research has explored aspects of forest regeneration, seed ecology, plant competition, vegetation succession, stand development modelling, old-growth attributes, forest stand edge effects, and the ecology of understory shrubs. His current work is exploring mechanisms of primary succession on volcanic, landslide and human disturbances, and he is synthesizing information on managing forests for resilience under changing conditions. 


Bryan, Heather
Email:  Heather.Bryan@unbc.ca
Webpage: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/bryan-heather

Dr. Bryan's research aims to elucidate the responses of wildlife to environmental change using bioindicators combined with landscape-level analyses. Specifically, she uses measures of individual health, such as parasites and hormones, to better understand the effects of potential stressors on wildlife. This approach provides understanding of the mechanisms by which wildlife respond to environmental change, which in turn can inform policy aimed at promoting wildlife health.

Child, Ken

email: Kchild@shaw.ca

Ken Child is a retired biologist having been employed as a Regional Wildlife Biologist with the Ministry of Environment for 18 years and as the Regional Environmental Co-ordinator with BC Hydro in Prince George for 13 years.  Ken’s main research interests include moose ecology and socio-biology and their application to moose management, associated harvest strategies and regulations.  He continues to investigate the mitigation of both train and vehicle collision mortality of moose in the central interior of BC.


Connell, David
Email: ​ david.connell@unbc.ca
Website: www.unbc.ca/people/connell-dr-david

Dr. Connell draws upon his varied experiences in community, economic, and business development to understand the world we live in. David’s research focuses on sustainable communities, with a particular interest in re-creating our food system as a foundation for societal change. He is leading a national study of farmland protection through agricultural land use planning.  Other areas of research include socio-economic benefits of farmers markets and protecting BC’s inland temperate rainforest (ancient cedars).


Connolly, Michelle
Email: ​

Michelle is the Director of Conservation North, and has a background in ecology and experience crafting and communicating conservation policy.


Costello, Allan
Email:  allan.b.costello@gmail.com

Dr. Costello's research interests lie in the application of science-based research to the management and conservation of native fishes in Canada, particularly as it relates to improving the understanding, appreciation, and preservation of wild populations and their habitats. The majority of Allan's research has focused on the area of molecular ecology and conservation genetics of cold-adapted fishes (trout, salmon, and related species).


Coxson, Darwyn
Email:  darwyn.coxson@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/coxson-dr-darwyn

Dr. Darwyn Coxson is a Professor in the Ecosystem Science and Management Program at the University of Northern British Columbia.  His research in plant ecology has focused on the role of lichen communities, and lichen associations such as biological soil crusts, in ecosystem function, measuring parameters such as carbon gain and nitrogen fixation.  Dr. Coxson was a co-author of the 2011 UBC Press book “British Columbia’s Inland Rainforest: Ecology, Conservation, and Management”.  The work of his research group in the Inland Temperate Rainforest was one of the major factors in the 2016 designation of the new Ancient Forest - Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park, protecting important Ancient Cedar stands and adjacent wetlands in the Robson Valley.


Crowley, Shannon
Email: shannon.crowley@unbc.ca
Website: http://jprf.ca/home

Most of Shannon's experience as well as his current research interests focus on the ecology of wildlife species with emphasis on the mesocarnivore community. These research interests include: habitat ecology and impacts of forest changes, the use of indicator guilds of wildlife species to monitor both landscape and stand-level impacts, the ecological basis of surveys used to assess and monitor wildlife populations, and the ecology and use of aquatic mammals as an indicator of aquatic health. 


Dawson, Russ
Email:  dawsonr@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/dawson-dr-russ

Dr. Dawson is an avian ecologist whose interests include determining the important proximate and ultimate factors influencing reproductive effort and success in birds. Specific areas of interest include mate choice, sexual selection, parasitology, and the mediating role that variation in environmental conditions has for the evolution of life-history traits. He holds a PhD from the University of Saskatchewan.


Daoust, Gabrielle
Email:  gabrielle.daoust@unbc.ca

Dr. Daoust's research focuses on the political economy of conflict, peace-building, and development (with a focus on education development); the relationships between environmental and climate change, water, and insecurity (including implications for conflict and migration); and experiences of violence in international intervention. Gabrielle's research focuses particularly on the Lake Chad region and Sudan and South Sudan. For the past 10 years, Gabrielle has been involved in numerous policy- and practice-focused research projects with international organizations such as UNICEF and with government bodies in the UK. 


Déry, Stephen
Ema​il:  sdery@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/dery-dr-stephen

Dr. Déry is investigating the consequences of climate change on the water cycle of northern and alpine regions, including on snow and ice. A major aspect of this research is to develop a better understanding of the water balance in the Fraser River basin based on field studies, remote sensing data and numerical simulations.


Dymond, Caren
Email: Caren.Dymond@gov.bc.ca
Website: www.cdymond.net

Caren investigates which forest management and wood product strategies are best suited to achieving the mutual goals of climate change mitigation and adaptation. 


Earley, Sinead
Email: sinead.earley@unbc.ca

Dr. Earley works at the intersection of environment and policy, primarily in the Canadian context. Sinead's research interests integrate the social and physical sciences, taking a critical approach to resource management, climate change, environmental policy, and (neo)colonial systems of governance.  Sinead's approach is highly interdisciplinary, integrating ideas from the fields of critical resource geography, environmental justice, political ecology, and postcolonial studies.


Egger, Keith (ret.)
Email:  Keith.egger@unbc.ca
Website​: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/egger-dr-keith

Dr. Keith Egger, who obtained his PhD from the University of Victoria, uses molecular approaches to study microbial ecology, biodiversity and phylogeny. His research focuses on the link between biodiversity and ecosystem function, particularly mycorrhizal fungi associated with forest trees. He has participated in numerous research projects on the impacts of disturbance on forest microbial community diversity and function. More recently he is involved in a collaboration to examine the potential of compounds isolated from BC fungi to be used as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents in the treatment of cancer.


Elkin, Che
Email: che.elkin@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/che-elkin

Dr. Elkin is a forest ecologist whose research focuses on how climate and landscape disturbances interact to influence forest dynamics, landscape connectivity, and the spatial distribution of forest ecosystem services.  His research is premised on the idea that by improving our understanding of the ecological processes that drive forest dynamics we will be better able to: predict how the systems will change in the future in response to shifting environmental, climatic and socioeconomic conditions, more accurately evaluate the uncertainty associated with future environmental conditions, and develop more robust forest management plans.


Erasmus, Daniel
Email:  erasmus@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/erasmus-dr-daniel

Dr. Erasmus'  research interest is in the genetic characterization of fish originally from the Pacific watershed that migrated through natural events into the Arctic watershed. Two such species are Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni). Rainbow trout are a culturally and recreationally important species for the interior of British Columbia. Due to the recreational importance of this species, however, several of the “preferred” strains have been reared in hatchery systems and stocked throughout the interior.


Fondahl, Gail
Email:  fondahlg@​unbc.ca
Websites:
People profile: http://www.unbc.ca/people/fondahl-dr-gail
Faculty page: http://www.unbc.ca/gail-fondahl
Research page: http://www.unbc.ca/gail-fondahl/research

Dr. Fondahl¹s research focuses on cultural and legal geographies of indigenous territorial rights in the Russian North, where she has carried out extensive field research. Gail also is interested more broadly in sustainability and sustainable development in the Circumpolar North.


Fredeen, Art
Email:  fredeena@un​bc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/fredeen-dr-art

Dr. Fredeen is a forest ecophysiologist. His primary research interests include the measurement of net CO2 and H2O vapour fluxes, as well as forest carbon and soil water stocks, in disturbed, managed and unmanaged forests of central British Columbia. Other forest research interests include the contributions of mycoheterotrophic understory plants and lichens to the carbon and nitrogen cycles of northern forests, and the release of suppressed lodgepole pine in MPB-attacked stands.  Dr. Fredeen is also engaged in multiple projects to improve local sustainability, such as examinations of food waste at the institutional level.


Gantner, Nikolaus
Email: nikolaus.gantner@unbc.ca
Website: www.nikolausgantner.com

Dr. Gantner works for the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development (FLNRORD) and is an Adjunct Professor in the Environmental Science Program at UNBC. As Senior Fisheries Biologist, Dr. Gantner works towards the conservation of regional fish species (e.g., Nechako White Sturgeon, Bull Trout, Arctic Grayling) and management of fisheries (First Nations and recreational) in the Omineca Region; His broader research interests lie in the interactions amongst biota, their interactions with their abiotic environment, and how this environment is shaped by local and global drivers, or disturbed by stressors (e.g., climate change, pollution, or land use changes). Working collaboratively with UNBC faculty, staff and students, Dr. Gantner aims to bridge FLNRORDs regional Fisheries Program and UNBCs academic and research programs, where opportunities arise.  


Gerwing, Travis
Email: t.g.gerwing@gmail.com

Dr. Travis G. Gerwing, a.k.a. Dr. Worm, is an ecosystem ecologist who uses invertebrates to assess ecosystem health. Dr. Gerwing's particular area of expertise is using marine invertebrates, especially Polychaete worms, to understand the forces that structure marine ecosystems. Currently, Dr. Gerwing is working to develop an ecosystem model of the Skeena Watershed, from headwater to tidewater. At the moment, Dr. Gerwing has students exploring mudflats near Prince Rupert, remote clam beaches off the north coast, and freshwater locations throughout the Skeena Watershed. This information will be integrated and then expanded (to include mammals, hydrology, plants, etc.) in an effort to develop a holistic ecosystem concept of the entire Skeena Watershed. 


Gillingham, Mike (Professor Emeritus)
Email:  michael@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/gillingham-dr-michael

Dr. Gillingham has broad interests in population and wildlife ecology, modeling, and behavioural ecology. Much of my work involves the application of quantitative analyses and modeling to aspects of behavioural ecology, and wildlife ecology, and management.


Green, Scott
Email:  greens@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/green-scott

Dr. Green is a for​est ecologist with a background in tree physiology. His research activities focus on tree/ecosystem adaptive responses to environmental variation. He has a particular interest in the responses of northern and high-elevation forests to climate change.


Haeussler, Sybille
Email:  sybille.haeussler@unbc.ca
Website: http://www.bvcentre.ca/whitebark

Sybille Haeussler is an adjunct professor in Ecosystem Science and Management at UNBC and an Associate Researcher with the Bulkley Valley Research Centre in Smithers, BC.  Her research concerns the dynamics, diversity and resilience of terrestrial ecosystems of northern BC, with a focus on the restoration of rare ecosystems (whitebark pine, floodplains and grasslands) and on the effects of silvicultural practices on forest plant communities. Dr. Haeussler holds degrees from UBC, Oregon State and the Université du Québec à Montréal.


Halseth, Greg
Email:  greg.halseth@unbc.ca
Websites: https://www.unbc.ca/greg-halseth
https://www.unbc.ca/greg-halseth/canada-research-chair-rural-and-small-town-studies
https://www.unbc.ca/community-development-institute

Dr. Greg Halseth is a Professor in the Geography Program at UNBC and is the Canada Research Chair in Rural and Small Town Studies. His research examines rural and small town community development, and community strategies for coping with social and economic change. With a focus upon northern B.C.’s resource-based towns, he has research links in Australia, New Zealand, the Nordic countries, Russia, Japan, South Africa, and the European Union.


Hanlon, Neil
Email:  neil.hanlon@unbc.ca
Websites:
People profile: https://www.unbc.ca/people/hanlon-dr-neil-0
Faculty page: https://www.unbc.ca/neil-hanlon/
Research page: https://www.unbc.ca/neil-hanlon/research

Dr. Hanlon is a health geographer interested in health care accessibility, health policy reform, and the recruitment and retention of health professionals. His research focuses primarily on communities and regions whose economies are highly dependent on natural resource extraction.


Harding, Lauren
Email:  lauren.harding@unbc.ca

Lauren Harding is a socio-cultural anthropologist interested in how outdoor recreation practices shape relationships with place in the context of settler-colonialism. Her past research examined wilderness tourism practices in Canadian national parks imposed on Indigenous territories. Her current research focuses on how local knowledge can be respectfully incorporated into wildlife management practices. She uses qualitative methods, participatory research, and narrative analysis to understand social and cultural aspects of ecological change. 


Hartley, Ian
Email:  hartley@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/hartley-dr-ian

Dr. Hartley's research interest is in wood quality (ultra-structure and anatomy) and wood physics (wood-water interactions, diffusion, sorption, lumber drying and NMR) pertaining to forest products issues for Northern British Columbia. He has a keen interest in examining wood properties based on wood characteristics and how it pertains to processing issues.


Heard, Doug
Email:  dougcheard@gmail.com
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/heard-doug

Doug's research interests center on how the risk of predation from wolves and bears affects the behaviour and population dynamics of caribou, moose and mountain goats.


Helle, Steve
Email:  helle@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/helle-dr-steve

Dr. Helle’s primary research intere​sts include the production of bioenergy and biofuels from forest industry by-products, with an emphasis on the optimization of fermentation processes. Other research interests are waste and wastewater treatment, including biological, physical and chemical treatment processes.


Hodder, Dexter
Email: Dexter@johnprinceresearchforest.com
Website: http://jprf.ca/home

Dexter's research interests are wide and include long-term ecological monitoring, field-based education, and exploring ways to integrate community values into forest management planning. Currently the majority of his research is focused on wildlife ecology (mostly meso-carnivores and ungulates), and seeks to understand how animals interact with each other and their environment in the context of a quickly changing landscape.


Huber, Dezene
Email:  Dezene.huber@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/huber-dr-dezene
Website: https://huber.opened.ca/?page_id=28

Dr. Huber studies the interactions between insects and plants with a specific focus on the ability of forest pest insects to withstand the defensive toxins produced by trees. Because of the complexity of insect/plant interactions, his work involves field research, molecular biology, and analytical chemistry. Current projects include: 1) Host colonization and overwintering of bark beetles, 2) bark beetle genomics, 3) conifer chemical defenses against insects and pathogens, 3) aquatic insect diversity, 4) macroinvertebrates in anthropogenically disturbed aquatic systems, and 5) other insect and chemical ecological research.


Iorhemen, Oliver
Email:  oliver.iorhemen@unbc.ca

Dr. Iorhemen’s research interests include biological wastewater treatment, wastewater reclamation and reuse, nutrients removal, removal of contaminants of emerging concern from wastewater, rural water supply and sanitation, and resource recovery. His current research focuses on the recovery of various resource streams from wastewater, biosolids, and organic waste. He has participated in both university – municipality and university – industry collaborative research as well as multi-university research projects.


Iqbal, Asif
Email:  asif.iqbal@unbc.ca

Dr. Iqbal's primary research focus is on protection of built environments against natural disasters such as earthquakes. His work includes analysis and design structures including wood and hybrid buildings, seismic protection technology and soil-structure interaction. Besides research involvements he has worked in consulting offices for more than ten years and has been associated with professional organizations in Canada, United States and New Zealand.


Islam, Siraj ul
Email: sirajul.islam@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/islam-dr-siraj-ul

Dr. Islam is a hydroclimatologist with research interests spanning a broad spectrum of environmental science, including climate dynamics and prediction, snow hydrology, data analysis, and numerical modeling. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Environmental Science program. Siraj’s research background is in physics and atmospheric science. 


Jackson, Peter
Email:  peter.jackson@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/jackson-dr-peter
Website: http://weather.unbc.ca/

Dr. Jackson is a meteorologist with research interests in wind and other atmospheric processes over complex landscapes such as mountains and coastlines, and environmental applications including dispersion of air pollutants and biota. A major theme in his research is air pollution modelling, assessment and monitoring using in-situ and remote platforms.


Johnson, Chris
Email:  johnsoch@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/johnson-dr-chris
Website: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chris_Johnson26/research

Dr. Johnson's research integrates the disciplines of wildlife, landscape, and conservation ecology to plan for and mitigate the influences of human developments on the environment. Typically working at broad spatial scales using GIS, remotely sensed data, and advanced statistical models, Chris also has an appreciation for field investigations and multiscale phenomena. Current research themes include cumulative impacts of resource development on Arctic wildlife, assessment of species-distribution models, and community-based conservation monitoring and planning.


Lautensach, Alex
Email:  Alex.Lautensach@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/lautensach-dr-alex
Website: http://unbc.academia.edu/AlexLautensach

Dr. Lautensach's research expertise extends into environmental ethics and human behaviour, determinants of human security in the areas of health and environmental support structures, science education and affective learning outcomes, teaching and learning for sustainability, and bioethics education and cultural safety. He is also associate editor of the Journal of Human Security in charge of educational and environmental aspects of human security. As deputy director of the Human Security Institute he is involved in numerous international collaborations. He is currently working on a book about innovative approaches to education for sustainability.


Lavallee, Loraine
Email:  Loraine.lavallee@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/lavallee-dr-loraine
Website: http://www.unbc.ca/psychology/faculty.html

Dr. Loraine Lavallee’s interdisciplinary background includes a BA in history, a Ph.D. in social psychology, and a postdoctoral fellowship in the faculty of forestry at UBC. Her current research work investigates the social factors that influence the individual’s willingness to adopt resource conserve practices and to move toward more environmentally-sustainable lifestyles. She also conducts research in the area of psychological health and well-being.  She is on the executive committee of the Environmental Psychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association.


Lewis, Kathy
Email:  lewis@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/lewis-dr-kathy

Dr. Lewis is a forest pathologist/microbial ecologist with research interests in the role of pathogenic fungi in natural ecosystem processes, and the long term effects of forest practices and climate change on forest health. In particular Kathy studies the relationship between biotic disturbance agents and stand dynamics, as influenced by forest management practices.


Li, Jianbing (Jason)
Email:  Jianbing.Li@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/li-dr-jianbing-jason

Dr. Li's interests include soil and groundwater remediation, environmental modeling and risk assessment, environmental systems analysis, environmental pollution control and waste management.


Lilles, Erica
Email: Erica.Lilles@gov.bc.ca
Website: https://bvcentre.ca/

Erica is based in Smithers, BC.


Lindgren, Staffan (Professor Emeritus)
Email:  lindgren@unbc.ca
Website: https://www.unbc.ca/people/lindgren-dr-staffan

Dr Lindgren's area of interest is forest insect ecology and management. His current research activities involve forest insects and their role or impact on stand or landscape level processes, biodiversity, and host selection mechanisms.


Maher, Patrick
Email:  Patmaher@nipissingu.ca
Website: http://drpatmaher.com

Dr. Pat Maher is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Experiential Studies in Community and Sport at Cape Breton University. His research expertise covers three areas of intersection: 1) the meanings that visitors take from their outdoor experiences with remote/polar regions; 2) the pedagogical models that help people action their experiences; 3) and the linkages to global sustainability challenges that result due to changing behaviour and values. Dr. Maher is a 3M National Teaching Fellow (2014), Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and earned his PhD as a Commonwealth Scholar at Lincoln University in New Zealand.


Martins, Eduardo
Email: Eduardo.Martins@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/martins-eduardo

Dr. Martins has a PhD in Ecology from the University of Campinas (Brazil). His current research focuses on the ecology and conservation of freshwater fishes in temperate and tropical rivers. Specifically, to understand the thermal, movement and population ecology of fishes and how the generated knowledge can be applied to improve their management and conservation. To conduct his research, Eduardo uses biotelemetry (e.g. radio, acoustic) and biologging (e.g. accelerometers) technologies to track and collect data from wild, free ranging fish in freshwater. He also specializes in the use of advanced statistical models (e.g. mark-recapture, hierarchical, state-space models) to synthesize information and test hypotheses based on the collected data.


Massicotte, Hugues
Email:  hugues@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/massicotte-hugues
Twitter: @huguesmassicot1

Dr. Massicotte received his PhD and MSc in plant anatomy and mycology (U. of Guelph) and his B.Sc. in Forest Sciences (U. Laval). He was fortunate to spend his postdoctoral years at OSU (Corvallis, Oregon, USA), SLU (Uppsala, Sweden) and UBC (Vancouver) exploring the ecology and microbial ecology of forest soils. His research interests are varied, and include exploring the structure and biodiversity of mycorrhizal systems, understanding how amendments (e.g. wood ash, biochar) and/or forest disturbances (e.g. fire, clearcut) can impact microbial ecology, soil nutrients and plant growth, exploring better ways to teach concepts of mutualism and mycorrhizal symbioses in the classroom. Hugues is a former President of the Canadian Botanical Association and has published extensively in a number of international scientific journals. He has been at UNBC since 1994.


McGill, Bill
Email:  mcgill@unbc.ca
Website: https://www.unbc.ca/people/mcgill-dr-william

Dr. McGill's research focusses on biogeochemical cycling with an emphasis on C and N sequestration in or bioavailability to microbes within terrestrial ecosystems, and exchange of C and N between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. Tools and practical applications include, simulation modeling of C and N dynamics, resource recovery from by-products, land remediation, soil conservation, and greenhouse gas mitigation. Recent work has focused on hydrocarbon-induced soil hydrophobicity and transformations of xenobiotics in soil on one hand and modeling of trace gas emissions from soils on the other.


Meletis, Zoe
Email:  zoemeletis@gmail.com
Website: https://www.unbc.ca/people/meletis-dr-zoe

Dr. Meletis’ research focuses on the themes of: tourism and ecotourism development; local perceptions of environment and place; consumption (the politics of; the impacts of; alternative forms of); international development and conservation; and justice issues related to inadequate planning and environmental management. Her work is informed by theory from a variety of disciplines but draws heavily from geography, related to: tourism studies; studies of place and identity; political ecology of conservation, development and environmental management; consumption studies; justice, power, and resistance studies.


Menounos, Brian
Email:  menounos@unbc.ca
Websites: https://www.unbc.ca/people/menounos-dr-brian
http://couplet.unbc.ca/

Dr. Menounos' research is aimed at understanding how past and present climate change affects alpine glaciers in western Canada and Patagonia. His research group uses airborne laser altimetry and satellites to quantify rates of area and mass change from alpine glaciers. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia (May, 2002).


Mullins, Philip
Email:  Philip.mullins@unbc.ca
Website: http://www.unbc.ca/ortm/rrt_faculty

Inspired by his work with field schools in developing nations, Dr. Mullins critically interprets dominant Western environmental ethics and management practices in ecotourism, adventure travel, outdoor recreation, and outdoor education. He strives to understand outdoor activities mediate sociocultural and environmental learning, and influence socio-environmental sustainability and place making. He is interested in skill development as a way of learning, understanding, and teaching about landscapes, environments, and communities. He continues to examine activities such as fly fishing and canoeing, as well as general camping and travel practices. Phil has expertise in qualitative field research and analysis, particularly related to mobile methodologies that bring together theory and practice.


Murray, Brent
Email:  murrayb@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/murray-dr-brent

Dr. Murray's research revolves around three central themes: molecular ecology (conservation genetics), molecular evolution and comparative immunogenetics. This research focuses on the characterisation, organisation and evolution of genetic variation at both neutral (e.g. mitochondrial) and selected loci, with particular emphasis on the immune system genes (i.e. MHC) in aquatic vertebrates (marine mammals and bony fishes) and their use in population level surveys of genetic variation.


Nolin, Catherine
Email:  nolin@unbc.ca
Websites:
People Profile: https://www.unbc.ca/people/nolin-dr-catherine
Faculty Page: https://www.unbc.ca/catherine-nolin
Research Page: https://www.unbc.ca/catherine-nolin/awards

Dr. Nolin's research interests focus on Guatemalan structural & political violence with particular emphasis on gendered experiences of state-sponsored & contemporary violence. Critical development studies enables me to analyze: (1) the ways in which Canada and the Canadian extractive industry is deeply implicated in contemporary violence in the name of development; and (2) the structural violence surrounding control and decision-making around natural resources. Additionally, I have a long-standing interest in transnational forced migration to Canada from Central America, social justice, indigenous rights, and transnational solidarity. Dr. Nolin earned her PhD from Queen's University.


Opio, Chris
Email:  opio@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/opio-dr-christopher

Dr. Opio's research interests include forest management and policy, silviculture, environmental aspects of harvesting systems, land reclamation, woodlot management, tropical forestry and agroforestry.


Otter, Ken
Email:  ken.otter@unbc.ca
Website: http://www.unbc.ca/ken-otter

Dr. Otter's research addresses how habitat disturbance affects both reproductive and communication behaviour in forest birds. Using a combination of ecological, genetic and behavioural techniques, he and his students are interested in the impact of habitat on signal reliability, mating strategies and ultimately reproductive output of forest generalist birds occupying anthropenically altered landscapes.


Owens, Philip
Email:  Philip.owens@unbc.ca
Website: http://www.unbc.ca/owens/research

Dr. Owens' research interests are on how water, sediment and chemicals (such as nutrients and pollutants) move through landscapes and watersheds. In particular, he is interested in how watersheds respond to changes in climate, and land and river management, including the effects of wildfire, mining and other forms of disturbance. He has undertaken research on soil nutrient dynamics and soil erosion, and the transport and storage of sediment and associated contaminants in agricultural, forested and mountain environments. Much of his research is based at UNBC’s Quesnel River Research Centre.


Parker, Katherine (Professor Emerita)
Email:  parker@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/parker-katherine

Dr. Parker is interested in factors that constrain wildlife species and the flexibility that animals have to survive them.  Current research themes include trade-off decisions related to food, predation risk, body condition, and reproduction for ungulates on changing boreal and Arctic landscapes.


Pearce, Tristan
Email: Tristan.Pearce@unbc.ca
Website: https://www.envchange.com/

Dr. Pearce is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Cumulative Impacts of Environmental Change in the Global & International Studies Program at the University of Northern British Columbia. His research examines the cumulative impacts of environmental change for communities, using this understanding to identify and evaluate pathways for adaptation with a strong focus on the Arctic, Pacific Islands Region and British Columbia.


Petticrew, Ellen
Email:  ellen@unbc.ca
Websites:
People Profile: https://www.unbc.ca/people/petticrew-dr-ellen
Faculty Page: https://www.unbc.ca/ellen-petticrew
Research Page: https://www.unbc.ca/ellen-petticrew/research

Dr. Petticrew’s research interests involve fluxes to and in aquatic systems, at a variety of scales. Fluxes of sediment, nutrient and contaminants have been investigated in recent research including 1) the influence of forest harvesting on sediment yields to British Columbian lakes, 2) the transport and storage of fine sediments in highly productive fish bearing streams, 3) the role of organic matter in the morphology and settling characteristics of freshwater flows and 4) restoration of a northern residential eutrophic lake.


Poirier, Lisa
Email: Lisa.Poirier@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/poirier-dr-lisa

Dr. Poirier's research interests focus on insect responses to changing environments. Her research examines insect biodiversity, behaviour, and ecology, including chemical ecology and management. She is particularly interested in the biodiversity of urban and forested ecosystems, and in forest health.


Rea, Roy
Email:  roy.rea@unbc.ca
Website: http://reav.unbc.ca/

Dr. Rea's research interests include determining strategies for mitigating wildlife-related vehicular collisions, brush management, plant-animal interactions, field-based education and considerations for special landscape features (e.g., mineral licks, bear dens, etc.) in forest planning and management.


Jeanne Robert
Email: Jeanne.Robert@gov.bc.ca
 

Dr. Jeanne Robert works for the Ministry of Forests and conducts research on bark beetles (pine and spruce beetles).


Rutherford, Mike
Email:  rutherfm@unbc.ca
Website: https://www.unbc.ca/people/rutherford-dr-michael-p

Dr. Rutherford has research interests in several areas related to soil science and environmental science: (i) the chemistry, biology and ecotoxicity of contaminated soils, (ii) biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nitrogen, (iii) the utilization of various waste materials for environmental restoration, and (iv) the bioremediation of contaminated environments. In the past, Michael has conducted research into natural-occurring radioactivity (e.g radon gas) in soils and industrial wastes.


Ryan, Dan
Email:  ryand@unbc.ca

Dr. Ryan's research interests lie in the area of environmetrics: the application and development of statistical techniques in the environmental sciences. This area of research allows him to combine his strong belief that we must be more sensitive to the delicate balance of nature, with his academic strengths that include a quantitative, precise approach to problems and an intense curiosity about the world around us. Dr. Ryan's specific areas of interest include: high-dimensional classification, mixed linear models; bootstrap techniques and their application to model building; weighted distributions and their use in the identification of selective stresses on a population; sampling natural areas; and classification using mixed linear models.


Sanborn, Paul
Email:  Paul.sanborn@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/sanborn-paul

Dr. Sanborn's research interests reflect his diverse career involving both the applied forestry and basic pedological aspects of soil science.  His major research emphasis since joining UNBC in 2002 has been the role of soils as a recorder of environmental change in northwestern Canada.  This work has involved field studies in Yukon, NWT, and central and northern BC.  Most recently, he has collaborated with an interdisciplinary research team to examine the role of soil processes in the functioning of ecosystems and watersheds on the BC central coast.


Shea, Joe
Email:  joe.shea@unbc.ca

Dr. Shea's research interests include snow, glaciers, climate change, hydrology, mountains, unmanned air vehicles (UAV), remotely piloted aerial systems (RPAS), remote sensing, and satellites.


Shrimpton, Mark
Email: Mark.Shrimpton@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/shrimpton-mark

Dr. Shrimpton earned his Phd from the University of British Columbia. He has interests in the physiological response of fish to environmental disturbance, particularly how physical changes in the environment affect endocrine, biochemical, physiological and molecular factors that regulate growth and development in fish.


Shultis, John
Email:  John.shultis@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/shultis-john
Website: http://www.unbc.ca/outdoor-recreation-tourism-management/faculty

Dr. Shultis' research interests focus on the historical and contemporary socio-cultural forces affecting protected areas, outdoor recreation, wilderness and resource-based tourism. Examples of recent research include the impact of neoconservative conservation on protected area management, the impacts of technology of the wilderness experience, the role of the 'risk society' on outdoor recreation and resource-based tourism, and the health effects of the recreational use of protected areas on individuals and society.


Sui, Jueyi
Email:  sui@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/jueyi-sui

Dr. Sui’s main research interests lie in water resources and environmental engineering. Jeuyi has expertise in cold region hydraulics and hydrology (river ice hydraulics and snow hydrology) and fluvial hydraulics.


Summerville, Tracy (ret.)
Email:  summervi@unbc.ca
Website: http://web.unbc.ca/~summervi/

Dr. Summerville's research interests include: resource communities in transition, the political realities of Canada’s provincial norths, and resource and environmental policy in Canada. Tracy believes that it is important for the northern, rural and remote communities to have access to research that will help them to realize their community vision and goals.


Tang, Youmin
Email:  ytang@unbc.ca
Website: http://web.unbc.ca/~ytang

Dr. Tang’s research uses sophisticated numerical models and mathematical tools to predict seasonal climate and put confidence limits on the predictions – a significant new approach among researchers in this field. Previously, he has developed ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) prediction models with the knowledge that more accurate seasonal climate prediction is of vital importance to various sectors of the economy: agriculture, forest management, fisheries, tourism, and power generation.


Tannert, Thomas
Email:  thomas.tannert@unbc.ca

Thomas is an expert in the development of design methods for timber joints and structures, is actively involved in fostering collaboration between industry and academia, and is a member on multiple international committees as well as the Canadian Standard Association technical committee CSA-O86 "Engineering design in wood".


Thring, Ron
Email:  thring@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/thring-dr-ron

Dr. Thring's research interests include: - Chemicals, fuels and biosolids from natural resources - Reaction engineering principles and catalysis applied to pulp and paper, polymer, oil and gas processes - Plastics and rubber characterization and processing - Environmental engineering (soil remediation, green house gases control, waste & wastewater treatment) - Value-added processing and product development - Mass transfer with chemical reaction - Mixing of Floating Solids - Biodegradable Materials (production, characterization and applications).


Venter, Oscar
Email: oscar.venter@unbc.ca
Website://www.unbc.ca/people/venter-oscar

Dr Venter’s research integrates the disciplines of conservation biology, forestry, economics and landscape design to understand the trade-offs and synergies among economic production, ecosystem services and conservation in forested ecosystems. He has a strong interest in forest management and conservation issues in the tropics, especially South East Asia, and BC-focused research is currently an emerging area of research for his group.


Wheate, Roger
Email:  wheate@unbc.ca
Websites:
People Profile: https://www.unbc.ca/people/wheate-dr-roger
Faculty Page: https://www.unbc.ca/roger-wheate
Research Page: https://www.unbc.ca/roger-wheate/research

Dr. Wheate's interests cover the application of remote sensing and GIS across the spectrum of NRES (Natural Resource and Environmental Studies) faculty areas. His main focus lies in the integration of the geomatic sciences, cartographic output, feature extraction and terrain visualisation; special interests include mountain cartography / and glacier mapping using remote sensing.


Whitcombe, Todd
Email:  whitcomb@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/whitcombe-dr-todd

Dr. Whitcombe's research interests are in the broad area of "bio-inorganic" chemistry and specifically in the area of reaction kinetics of biomimetic systems. He is also interested in the speciation and functional role of metal ions in the ecosystem; he has a strong interest in the area of the "public understanding of science".


Wigglesworth, Jennifer
Email: Jennifer.Wigglesworth@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/wigglesworth-jennifer

Dr. Wigglesworth's research program grows out of her passion for social and environmental justice. Her current work qualitatively explores women’s rock climbing through feminist, anti-racist, and decolonial perspectives.  While collecting data for her dissertation, she learned of discriminatory names for climbing routes, which led her to examine the power of place names in outdoor landscapes. Her future research aims to explore how outdoor advocacy groups and local tourism managers articulate and apply best practices for equity, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. 


Wood, Lisa
Email: Lisa.Wood@unbc.ca
Website: http://www.the-plant-lab.com

Dr. Wood's research interests include forest and plant ecology, plant anatomy and post-harvest silviculture. Her current research projects include studying the relationships between wood anatomy, climate change and carbon, and investigating the fate of chemical herbicides in forest operations.


Wright, Pam
Email:  pwright@unbc.ca
Website: https://www2.unbc.ca/people/wright-pamela
Website: http://www.unbc.ca/ortm

Dr Wright’s research focuses on systematic conservation planning, climate-change conscious protected areas and conservation planning, protected areas management effectiveness, the ecological integrity of parks and protected areas, creating a culture of conservation within Canadians, and understanding people’s connections to nature and wild spaces.


Zheng, Wenbo
Email:  wenbo.zheng@unbc.ca

Dr. Zheng's research interests lie in geomechanics that applies to a broad spectrum of geo-resource and geohazard issues, including sand proppant crushing/embedment in shale gas extraction, slope stability/landslides, and tunnelling. His current research focuses on integrating advanced laboratory characterization (e.g. x-ray CT) with computational geomechanics (e.g. discrete element modelling) to understand the fundamental behaviours of geomaterials and their implication to engineering applications.