ACME Family
HUMANS ARE DIVERSE; SO SCIENCE MUST BE
The ACME Lab is a family. Our scientific lives depend on one another. Our successes are shared, our failures shouldered by all.
We lift each other up, so we can all do better for this world.
We welcome ALL who share this philosophy. We cherish and defend diversity: where you come from, and whom you love.
We lift each other up, so we can all do better for this world.
We welcome ALL who share this philosophy. We cherish and defend diversity: where you come from, and whom you love.
The Captain
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Dr. Jason T FisherI am the Director and Principal Investigator of ACME Lab. I am a wildlife ecology research scientist with a keen love for mammals and big Canadian landscapes. I trained at Universities across Canada, worked for the governments of Newfoundland & Labrador and Alberta for 20 years, and started ACME Lab here at UVIC's School of Environmental Studies. I built ACME lab from partnerships across western Canada with UVIC, industry, government, eNGOs, and First Nations. We could not do what we do without these dedicated colleagues and friends. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, and what we will do in the future.
For more about me, click the obligatory glory biology photo: "Fisher with fisher". |
Post Doctoral fellows
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Dr. Andrew BarnasPostdoctoral Fellow, UVIC ACME Lab. Andrew is working with the urban deer project in Esquimalt (BC), as well as Oil Sand Monitoring in Northern Alberta, using camera trap data to estimate wildlife population densities. Andrew is interested in how individual behaviour in response to disturbance can translate to population level impacts. Andrew joined the lab in 2022 after completing a Postdoc working on common eiders and polar bears at the University of Windsor and receiving his PhD from the University of North Dakota working on lesser snow geese. Outside of research, Andrew is typically busy either woodworking, kayaking, or backpacking.
Check out Andrew's website here, or shoot him an email at [email protected] |
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Dr. Ludovick BrownPostdoctoral Fellow, UVIC. Ludovick is using camera trap data to study the impact of landscape change on mammal communities in Yukon. He is broadly interested in how human activities affect wildlife and conducted research in fields like behavioural ecology and ecotoxicology. Ludovick obtained a Ph.D. in biology from Université de Sherbrooke and his thesis focused on the consequences of hunting in Scandinavian brown bears. In his spare time, Ludovick enjoys hiking, running, hunting, kayak angling, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing.
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Dr. Marissa Dyck, PhDPostdoctoral Fellow, UVIC. Marissa is working with the Oil Sand Monitoring project in Alberta using camera trap data to understand effects of human development on mammal communities. She has experience studying mammals in a variety of systems ranging from high-alpine mountains to African savannas. Marissa received her Ph.D. in Biology from Ohio University in 2023 where she studied on carnivore ecology and conservation in the U.S. and Romania. Specifically, she used non-invasive field techniques coupled with statistical modeling to assess occupancy, interspecific interactions, and population viability of species such as lynx, wolves, bobcats, and coyotes. Marissa spends as much of her free time as she can in the outdoors mountain biking, rock climbing, backpacking, and paddle boarding or exploring with her two dogs.
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Ph.D Students
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Nicole BoucherPh.D. student, NSERC Canada Graduate Scholar. Nicole studies moose calf survival and population dynamics in central British Columbia. Previously, she conducted her M.Sc. research on spatial and temporal variation of stable isotopes in polar bears and ringed seals. She has diverse ecological interests, and has researched stress in elk, urban connectivity, bioacoustics (if you ever need a bird identified by song, she's your person) and more! In her spare time, she enjoys reading, drawing, hiking, board games and keeping up with her two energetic dogs.
Check out Nicole's website here. |
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Faye d'Eon-EggertsonPh.D. student. Faye has a B.Sc. in Biology from McGill University (2008) and a M.R.M. from Simon Fraser University (2013), where she studied the statistical reliability of indicators of population decline for Fraser River sockeye salmon. After graduating, she spent several years working on contaminated sites along the Pacific coast with DFO, and then moved to the Northwest Territories to work as the Resource Management Supervisor for Nááts'įhch'oh National Park Reserve based in Tulı́t'a. She currently works as a Wildlife Biologist studying Arctic carnivores and furbearers with the Government of the Northwest Territories in Inuvik. She is also a board member on Ɂehdzo Got’ı̨nę Gots’ę́ Nákedı (Sahtú Renewable Resources Board). In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, canoeing, and cross-country skiing, as well as indoor activities such as board games and puzzles.
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Alexia ConstantinouAlexia has just begun her Ph.D. with Dr. Jason Fisher in the ACME Lab, sponsored by Dr. Joanna Burgar and the Mesocarnivore Team at the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship and Francis Johnson from Alkali Resource Management. She graduated from the University of British Columbia with her BSc in Forest Sciences and MSc in Forestry in the Wildlife Coexistence Lab led by Dr. Cole Burton and co-supervised by Dr. Suzanne Simard. Her research focuses on British Columbia’s southern interior fisher population, its decline, and ways to improve fisher habitat by working with First Nations, fire, and industry. When she’s not in the field or working, Alexia spends most of her time paddling, skiing or trying to stay upright on a mountain bike going quickly downhill.
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Sarah damanPh.D. student. Sarah is originally from Idaho, United States where she graduated from Seattle Pacific University with her BS in Ecology and from the University of North Dakota with her MS in Biology. Her research for her MS focused on population genetics and epidemiology of deer across the Northern Great Plains within the USA. Sarah has experience working with game birds, ungulates, and predators throughout the United States and enjoys using molecular methods to assess population level questions. Sarah’s research interests focus broadly on population ecology, disease ecology, and conservation genomics. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking with her coonhound, hunting, fishing, or any other mischief she can get into outdoors.
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M.sc students
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Brianna BrandonM.Sc. student. Brianna is using biotelemetry to study muskoxen movement and habitat selection in response to changing environmental conditions in the Yukon Territory. She is keenly interested in wildlife ecology and has previously collected grizzly bear hair samples for a population inventory in central Alberta, monitored Olympia oyster settlement rates in the Gorge waterway, and assisted with bird banding on southern Vancouver Island. Brianna spends her spare time trail running, hiking, riding bikes, and taking photos of critters and landscapes along the way.
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Rebecca SmithRebecca Smith, M.Sc. student and B.C. Graduate Scholar, is using camera traps to study the functionality of protected areas in the western Canadian landscape, in the context of supporting mammalian biodiversity. Rebecca graduated from the University of Guelph with a B.Sc. in Wildlife Biology and Conservation in 2018. She has contributed to research on insect diversity in Costa Rica and post-construction monitoring of amphibian/reptile populations in Ontario. Most recently Rebecca has worked with Parks Canada in Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks conducting ecological monitoring. This work included monitoring winter wildlife corridors, maintaining large wildlife camera arrays, and reporting on the ecological integrity of the parks. Rebecca enjoys skiing, trail running, climbing, and drinking large cups of tea in her spare time
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Isabel DeutschIsabel Deutsch, MSc Student. Isabel is using camera trap data to study the effects of reproduction and immigration on the short-term population dynamics of urban black-tailed deer. Isabel graduated from the University of Guelph with a B.Sc. degree in Zoology in 2019. Since then, she has contributed to projects relating to human-wildlife co-existence, specifically addressing human-wildlife conflict issues. Isabel has worked with the Urban Wildlife Stewardship Society since 2020 on the Oak Bay and Esquimalt deer projects. She has contributed to research regarding vessel interactions with resident orca whales in the Salish Sea, the reintroduction success of post-release sloth populations in Costa Rica, and the foraging patterns of baboons in South Africa. Isabel enjoys bird banding, backpacking, kayaking, scuba diving and aerial performance arts.
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Jamie ClarkeJamie Clarke, MSc student, Together for Wildlife and NSERC scholar. In collaboration with the Government of BC and UBC’s Wildlife Coexistence Lab, Jamie is testing camera traps as a tool to estimate moose densities. She graduated from UBC with a BSc in Biology in 2020 and has worked on a bunch of different research projects, from bacterial diseases in honeybee colonies to woodpecker hybridization to camera trap monitoring in protected areas. She also worked as a science communicator at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Most recently, while with WildCAM, she wrote a handbook on density estimation using camera traps. Jamie likes trail running, skiing, biking, CrossFit and knitting :-)
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Megan BraunMegan Braun, M.Sc. student and NSERC Scholar. Megan is working with the Oil Sands Monitoring program, using camera trap data to investigate mammalian community dynamics in the boreal forest. Megan graduated from the University of Guelph with a B.Sc. in Wildlife Biology and Conservation in 2023. During her undergraduate studies, she performed research on the implications of landscape gradients on seasonal movements by semi-domestic reindeer in Norway. In her spare time, Megan enjoys running, hiking, reading, tide-pooling, and baking chocolatey treats.
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Aidan Brushett, M.Sc. student, NSERC scholar. Aidan is a part of the Oil Sands Monitoring program, using camera traps to study mammal community dynamics in Alberta’s disturbed boreal landscapes. He grew up in Toronto, ON, on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, Anishinabek, and Haudenosaunee peoples and holds a B.Sc. in Wildlife Biology & Conservation from the University of Guelph (2018). Aidan has contributed to research on red squirrels in Yukon Territory, lambing behaviour and movement in Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, ecological integrity and recreation in Banff National Park, and carnivore & caribou distribution in the Columbia & Purcell Mountains. Outside of work, he is an avid mountain biker, ski mountaineer, and disc golfer.
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Emerald arthursEmerald Arthurs, M.Sc. student, BC Graduate Scholar. Emerald is using camera traps to estimate deer population density and the impacts of landscape alteration on habitat selection. She graduated from the University of Victoria with a B.Sc Honors in Geography in 2023, where she researched the impacts of human activity on cougars on southern Vancouver Island. Emerald has contributed to wildlife monitoring in the Sooke Hills, ecological integrity monitoring in Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks, and mammal monitoring in Northern Alberta. When she isn’t working, Emerald enjoys hiking, running, training her dog and climbing.
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admiral of the fleet
Alina helping collar deer as part of the Oak Bay deer study
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Alina C. FisherAlina C. Fisher, M.A. (Comm), Ph.D. Cand., is Research Manager for UVIC'S School of Environmental Studies. She makes the wheels turn and the music play. An unsung hero if ever there was one. She's an ecologist, a Master of Communications, does all our social media, is a Project Management Professional, and is an ex-pro bellydancer to top it all off. Alina is also a Ph.D. candidate with Dr. Eric Higgs in the School of Environmental Studies, examining how landscape change in mountain environments over the last century has affected mammalian communities.
She also suffers the unenviable task of keeping Jason alive. Not sure how, but so far it's worked. Check out Alina's website here. |
alumni
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sean murray, B.Sc.Sean Murray, was our Chief Data Management and Analysis Technician. Sean has a passion for wildlife and land conservation. He's worked as a technician performing caribou habitat assessment in Chinchaga Alberta, observing foraging and vigilance behaviour of grizzly bears in Bella Coola, B.C, and assessed the effectiveness of invasive species control and passive restoration techniques in Garry Oak ecosystems throughout southern Vancouver Island. He has recently made the shift to data management and mapping having completed his undergraduate degree in Geography with a focus in Geomatics.
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Dr. Kathleen CarrolKathleen worked with Whitefish Lake First nation to understand the effects of landscape development on moose, furbearers, and other wildlife and vegetation species on their traditional territory. Find her CV and more detailed information about my research interests at My Google Scholar
Kathleen is now an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island. |
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SYDNEY GOWARD, MASTER OF SCIENCE (2024)Sydney Goward, MSc Student, Weston Family Northern Scientist. Partnered with the Arctic Landscape Ecology lab and the Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board, Sydney studied Divii (Dall’s Sheep) in the Northern Richardson Mountains, NT. Check out Sydney's website for more info here.
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Laura Eliuk, Master of Science (2023)M.Sc. student, NSERC Scholar. Laura used camera traps to assess human activity and mammal distributions in the Eastern Slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains, and examined in how landscape change, human activity, and management decisions affect large mammal distributions.
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Katherine baillie-David, UVIC graduate fellow, Master of Science (2022)
Katie researched carnivore behavioural responses to predator control in the boreal forest of northeastern Alberta.
Katie is from Ottawa, Ontario, where she received a B.Sc. Hons. in Biology from the University of Ottawa in 2017. Katie is now a wildlife ecologist with LGL Consulting. Check out Katie's website for more info here. |
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Macgregor Aubertin-Young, nserc scholar, master of science (2022)M.Sc student, NSERC Scholar. Macgregor investigated the environmental determinants of local mammal species richness and the role of traits in mediating species responses to landscape change. He previously described new species of mites while researching hummingbird–mite interactions in Peru, studied grass hybridization along the Fraser River and worked as a bird banding technician in the South Okanagan. Macgregor is now a data scientist with the Government of British Columbia.
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Dr. Andrew Ladle, PostDoctoral Fellow (2021)Andrew worked with the Oil Sands Monitoring program, where he used spatially-explicit methods of estimating animal density for multiple species using camera trap data to understand species' response to apex predator removal and landscape disturbance. Andrew received his PhD (2017) from University of Alberta researching grizzly bears in the Canadian Rockies, and returned to Canada after finishing a post-doc position on wolverine ecology at SLU- Grimsö, Sweden. Andrew is a continuing collaborator with ACME Lab.
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Alexandra Francis, NSERC Scholar, Master of Science (2020).Alex studied the effects of salvage logging from the Mountain Pine Beetle on moose behaviour in the interior of British Columbia. Alex presently works for the Government of British Columbia as a Wildlife Biologist in Kamloops.
Thesis: Evaluating habitat use of female moose in response to large scale salvage logging practices in British Columbia, Canada. |
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Dr. Frances Stewart,
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Dr. Joanna Burgar, UVic Post-Doctoral Fellow (2019).Joanna tackled hierarchical Bayesian models to estimate density, to help identify effects of landscape change and inform management. Joanna is now a Wildlife Biologist with the Government of British Columbia in Vancouver. She remains a collaborator in our Wildlife CAMERA project, a collaboration with other Universities, government, and industry.
Check out Joanna's website here. |
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Siobhan Darlington, NSERC Scholar, Master of Science (2018).Siobhan researched white-tailed deer habitat selection and movement in the northeast boreal forest of Alberta in response to climate and landscape change, and predation risk.
Siobhan is now a Ph.D student in the WiRE Lab at the University of British Columbia. Check out Siobhan's website here. |
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Gillian Chow-Fraser, NSERC and UVIC Scholar, Master of Science (2018).Gillian studied caribou calf predation in response to predation risk and oil and gas development in the boreal, and wolverine response to and changing competition conditions in the Rockies.
Gillian is now Boreal Program Manager for CPAWS Northern Alberta. |
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Sandra Frey, NSERC SCHOLAR, MASTER OF SCIENCE (2018).Sandra studied carnivore community ecology, investigating how landscape development alters species' spatiotemporal activity patterns. Her 1st MSC paper was one of RSEC's Top 20 most downloaded papers in 2018, and her 2nd won the MITACS Award for Outstanding Innovation. Sandra is the UWSS's Project manager for the Urban Boreal Deer Research Project, providing logistics and deftly capturing deer wandering the wilds of Oak Bay, Victoria.
See more about Sandra here. |
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Nicole Heim, NSERC Scholar, Master of Science (2015).Nikki was the first ACME student (brave!). An avid and terrifying climber, she strapped dead beaver to her back and hiked in blizzards to mountaintops to study wolverine distribution in the Alberta Rockies. Crazy. Also, 6 peer-reviewed publications and counting. Nikki now works as Willdife Biologist for the Ktunaxa Nation.
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undergraduate alumni
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Lilli GastonLilli Gaston is the ACME Lab’s Research Assistant and Field Technician. She recently graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Victoria, where she completed a directed studies with the ACME Lab. Her research involved the use of camera traps to study predictors of fisher occurrence in multiple landscapes across Alberta. Lilli is passionate about wildlife ecology and has had an absolute blast setting up camera traps for large mammal monitoring in the boreal, counting migratory breeding songbirds in northern Saskatchewan and southern Alberta, and participating in burrowing owl conservation on the Canadian prairies. Lilli enjoys reading fiction, hiking, and ocean kayaking, and she is keen to pursue a M.Sc. in the near future.
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Claire Ethier
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Wylie Fuller, B.Sc.Wylie Fuller, B.SC. was the previous ACME Lab Chief Spatial Data and Statistics Technician. Wylie is researching mammal communities in Alberta with the Oil Sands Monitoring program, and is modelling black-tailed deer habitat use in Oak Bay with the UWSS Urban Deer team. Wylie began research with the ACME Lab on an undergraduate thesis, and is now a graduate student at Simon Fraser University. Check out Wylie's website here.
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Daniel Tejero,
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Persia Khan, B.Sc.Persia Khan, was a B.Sc. Honours student investigating mammal activity patterns in the Bighorn Country of Alberta using camera trap data. During her undergraduate degree at UVic, Persia has worked on several projects with an ecological focus including recreation ecology studies with the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, research on dietary preferences of coastal bears, and aquatics and vegetation field work with Parks Canada.
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Hannah Boczulak, B.Sc.Hannah Boczulak was a B.Sc. Directed Studies student investigating mammals response to disturbance - specifics TBA, During her undergraduate degree at UVic, Hannah has focused on physical geography and ecology, including research on qualitative risk assessments of boreal woodland caribou with Natural Resources Canada, investigating lichen and tree dating techniques in BC’s Coast Mountains and assisting in the creation of a Marine Reference Guide with the Pacific Salmon Foundation.
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