Joey is an integrative ecologist. Her research aims to advance our fundamental understanding of the drivers of biodiversity change and the consequences of these changes for human well-being. Her research advances a solution to this challenge by studying the processes that unite all of life on Earth – the metabolic processes by which living systems uptake, store and convert energy, matter, and information from their environments to grow and persist. She combines theory, experiments and synthesis to study how living systems change as the environment changes, and what these changes mean for human well-being.

Amanda is an integrative ecologist focused on understanding how organisms respond to environmental change. She uses thermal physiological, genomic, and computational approaches in her investigations of species vulnerability to gradual and rapid environmental changes. As a Centre for Ecosystem Management Postdoctoral Fellow in the Bernhardt Lab, Amanda is focused on answering how local spatial temperature variation can mediate – or exacerbate – organismal vulnerability to warming temperatures in the Great Lakes.

Mina started her academic journey in Canada as PhD student, studying the population dynamics and overwintering of a plant pathogen in pears. She then became part of the wheat breeding program at the University of Guelph working on a wide range of crop science research and plant breeding such as improving winter hardiness, disease resistance and nutrient use efficiency in wheat. Currently, she is working as a postdoctoral fellow at the Arrell Food Institute where she is analyzing the relationships between farm management practices, climate and key environmental outcomes such as biodiversity, and the presence of mycotoxins in cereals (corn and wheat).

Ijeoma is working in the Bernhardt lab as an undergraduate research assistant while completing her BA in Environmental Governance and her minor in Ecology. Ijeoma is passionate about ecology and conservation, with strong interests in aquatic ecosystems and interpreting data using R. In the Bernhardt Lab, Ijeoma is currently starting her undergraduate thesis project, investigating resource limited competition in freshwater phytoplankton.. Blending her experiences from her major with topics from physical/human geography, Ijeoma is eager to develop a greater understanding of ecological study methods and lab collection techniques and processes.

Sveta is completing her BSc in Biodiversity with a minor in French Studies while working as an undergraduate research assistant in the Bernhardt lab. She is passionate about conservation of biodiversity, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. While working at the lab, Sveta aims to expand her knowledge in the adaptive mechanisms of organisms to environmental variability, as well as to pursue her interest in examining the impact of seafood diversity on human nutrition and health.

Kevin is completing his undergraduate Bsc in the marine and freshwater biology program and is currently doing an honours undergraduate thesis in the Bernhardt lab. Kevin is interested in climate change and its effects on aquatic ecosystems. During his time working in the Bernhardt lab Kevin hopes to develop his skills in analyzing and interpreting data using R. Kevin is currently working as a field technician for an environmental consulting firm based in Guelph. This job has allowed him to gain experience in various field collections that he hopes to implement into his thesis project.

Sara is a fourth-year student completing her BSc in Wildlife Biology and Conservation. She is working on her undergraduate thesis project in the Bernhardt lab, examining the impacts of global change on zooplankton. Sara is interested in wildlife conservation, climate change, and youth environmental education. She is excited to share and learn new knowledge from her peers, as well as further her skills in lab analysis and science communication.

Jacklyn is of mixed ancestry (Mi’kmaq, Puerto Rican, Settler) and was born and raised in Tampa, FL with an ancestral connection to Eel Ground First Nation, NB. She is undergraduate student in her fourth year of Environmental Science working under Dr. Bernhardt alongside Dr. McIlwraith to complete her thesis project by assisting in community-based work examining the impact of biting insects on caribou in the Arctic and its effect on Inuit health.

Marie is a food web ecologist working as a post-doctoral researcher with the McCann and Bernhardt labs. Marie’s research interests involve understanding food web responses to global change and how such responses influence their stability and function. She is particularly interested in applying her knowledge of food webs and global change towards issues surrounding food security. In her work with the Bernhardt lab, Marie is investigating relationships between climate sensitivity and nutrient content of culturally and commercially important fish species in the Great Lakes to better determine how future climate scenarios may influence security of these nutritionally, economically, and culturally important fish species.

Neha is a Master’s of Bioinformatics student completing a research project with the Bernhardt lab. Driven by her passion for nature, she is aiming to contribute to biodiversity conservation. In particular, she is interested in leveraging genomic and bioinformatic tools towards investigating climatic adaptation in species. While working at the lab, Neha is excited to build upon on her knowledge in ecology and climate change, collaborate with other lab members, and further develop her programming skills.

Emma is a fourth-year student completing her BSc in Environmental Sciences while working in the Bernhardt Lab as an intern. Emma is interested in expanding her knowledge of freshwater and marine systems, aquatic organisms, and climate change. Emma would like to use her degree and experience gained in the Bernhardt lab to contribute to global environmental change and participate in environmental outreach. She is excited about the opportunity to gain an understanding of the biological response of aquatic organisms to global changes and further develop her lab skills.

Aviva is completing her undergraduate BSc in Biological Sciences and is doing a one-semester independent research project in the Bernhardt Lab. Aviva is passionate about the effects of global environmental change on the environment, organisms, and the impact on aquatic ecosystems. Many of her studies focus on biology, environmental sciences, and geography. In the Bernhardt Lab, Aviva is starting her project to investigate the effects of changing temperatures on Daphnia’s growth rate and body size. While working in the lab, she aims to develop lab analysis, statistical analysis, and scientific communication skills.

Elissa is completing an undergraduate BSc in Environmental Science with a major in Environmental Science. She is doing an internship in the Bernhardt lab to gain hands on experience but also to be able to pursue a passion in Ecology. She is very passionate about studying climate change and the impacts on the environment. Currently, she is doing an independent study on the impacts of climate change in the Arctic on the ecology of Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus) and is hoping to use what she learned in the lab to apply it to her study. In addition, she is hoping to gain experience in data analysis and R.

Future students and postdocs