A little about me

I am the Research Manager for the Bates Lab at the University of Victoria, leading the final year of the TraitORS Project. I recently completed my MSc in Biology at UVic. My thesis, Monitoring Deep-Sea MPAs: Functional and Trait-Based Approaches for Adaptive Management in Changing Oceans, explored how species traits and functional groups can support adaptive monitoring of vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems in the face of climate change.

I started my post-secondary journey at Fleming College, earning a diploma in Ecosystem Management. There, I studied ecological restoration, Indigenous and environmental law, and GIS-based habitat monitoring. My early research focused on benthic macroinvertebrates and invasive plants.

After moving to Canada’s west coast, I completed a BSc in Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology at UVic. During this time, I discovered my passion for the deep sea while conducting research on deep-sea sole distribution on Northeast Pacific seamounts. I am an avid educator who loves sharing the wonder of the ocean with diverse audiences.

Research Interests and Overview

My research interests include deep-sea conservation ecology, seamount systems, species traits, and fish biology & behaviour.

Seamount Species

My first MSc chapter examined cold-water coral and sponge communities on seamounts within the SG̲áan K̲ínghlas-Bowie and Tang.ɢ̱wan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is MPAs. Using benthic imagery, I modeled functional group occupancy across depth and seamount flanks. Mid-depth zones (800–1200 m) showed the highest occupancy, though patterns varied within and between seamounts. Findings highlight the value of functional groups for scalable, adaptive deep-sea monitoring.

Deepsea Sole

My honours research at the University of Victoria focused on the distibution and substrate preferences of deepsea sole, a local flatfish species, on seamounts off the coast of British Columbia.

Spotted Ratfish

During undergrad I conducted a study at Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on the locomotor kinematics of the spotted ratfish focusing on their pectoral fins.