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Present members

Felipe Dargent (Research scientist 2020-2026)

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Felipe is an evolutionary ecologist interested in the interface among infection, communities, and evolution. His work focuses on how complex community interactions influence adaptation and enemy-victim interactions. To do this he combines a broad toolkit ranging from field collections, ecological and evolutionary experimental assays (in nature and in the lab), and modelling. At the SAiVE lab, in collaboration with partners at the Invasive Species Centre and the Canadian Forest Service, Felipe is working on developing H and Sr isoscapes to determine eastern spruce budworm moth (Choristoneura fumiferana) provenance. The goal is to improve understanding of the dispersal dynamics of this forest pest to better mitigate the spread of outbreaks in the boreal forest. Check out Felipe's personal webpage.

Auguste Hassler (postdoc 2023-2025)
Co-advised with Kate Britton (University of Aberdeen, UK)

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Auguste recently finished his PhD in Earth Sciences at the University of Lyon (France), Earth, Planets and Environment. In his work he applies geochemical approaches to solve paleontological and biological questions. He comes in the SAiVE as a UKRI Marie-Curie PDF in collaboration with Dr. Kate Britton (U. Aberdeen) and he will work on developing new isotopic tools to track the fertility of megafauna sciences including caribou, mammoth and horses.

Megan Reich (postdoc 2024-2026)

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Megan is from Chilliwack, BC. She completed her BSc in Environmental Sciences at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver) in 2015. She completed her MSc and PhD with the SAiVE lab combining isotope, genomics and data science to study butterfly migration. She is now continuing as a postdoc to bring some expertise in the Early Intervention Strategy project for Spruce Budworm in collaboration with the Canadian Forest Service.

Zoe Landry (PhD Earth Sciences 2021-2025)
Co-advised with Danielle Fraser (Canadian Museum of Nature)

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Zoe studies the ecology and extinction of Pleistocene megafauna from northern North America, to investigate how certain traits influence species’ responses to climatic and environmental disturbances. Her PhD research, which is being conducted jointly at the University of Ottawa and the Canadian Museum of Nature, is focused on reconstructing the ecology and extinction timeline of North American Pleistocene horses, as well as resolving their problematic evolutionary relationships. She uses a combination of stable isotopes, palaeogenomics, radiocarbon dating, and ecological modelling to better understand these enigmatic animals and the ultimate cause of their extinction. Zoe’s work also aims to inform modern conservation efforts by illuminating how ecological traits relate to extinction risk, in an effort to identify species that may be at-risk due to ongoing climate change and other human effects. Her work will help to promote sustainable horse re-wilding practices that will improve ecosystem function and health across North America.

Sarina Cotroneo (PhD Earth Sciences 2016- on medical leave)
Co-advised with Ian Clark (University of Ottawa)

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Sarina's work focuses on lithium and strontium isotopes in Arctic rivers, and applies machine learning and data science to study hydrogeochemistry. Sarina has a background in environmental science, geochemistry, and science communication. She holds a master's in earth sciences from the University of Toronto and works as a policy analyst for the federal government. 

Brent Holmes (PhD Biology 2023-2027)

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Growing up on a farm Brent quickly came to appreciate the outdoors. This allowed him to cultivate an understanding of the interactions of our environment, and the importance that the interactions serve. This appreciation, and understanding propelled him to enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour at Carleton University. During his university career I worked full-time year-round at a local zoo as a zookeeper and a wildlife educator, as a summer student at the South Nation Conservation Authority, as an Invasive Species Community Outreach Liaison and as a researcher in Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol (OSAP). In the SAiVE, Brent started as a MSc in 2023 but fast-tracked into PhD in 2024. His thesis focuses on developing novel geolocation tools for insect pest management.

Euan Wallace (PhD Earth Sciences 2022-2027)
Co-advised with Vaughan Grimes (Memorial University)

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Eve Lindroos (MSc 2023-2025)

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Eve is a MSc student from Sudbury Ontario. She completed her BSc, majoring in geology, and minoring in math at the University of Ottawa. Her honors project was supervised by Dr. Clement Bataille and  Megan Reich. Her project focused on testing if hydrogen isotopes remain inert in the chitin of wing tissues in monarch butterflies. As a MSc, Eve is working on developing the use of calcium isotopes to reconstruct the diet of several carnivores species cohabiting in Beringia at the LGM including wolves, lions and smilodons.

Ghislain Delaplante (MSc 2020-2024 part-time working)
Co-advised with Elliott Skierzskan (Carleton University)

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Ghislain is originally from northern Ontario, but has been a western Canadian since catching gold fever in Yukon 12 years ago. This severe bout of gold fever resulted in going AWOL from his original alma mater, Lakehead University, to explore the Yukon mountains, fly helicopters in the Middle East, and lead a cross-country ski program in southern BC. He completed a BSc in Biology and Earth Sciences at Vancouver Island University (finally!) prior to joining the SAiVE lab, where he is currently exploring groundwater/surface water interactions in a varied permafrost environment in south-central Yukon.

Shanie Brault Nikolajew (MSc 2024-2026)
Co-advised Danielle Fraser (Canadian Museum of Nature)

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Shanie is a MSc student currently completing her MSc in Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Ottawa. Her MSc project focuses on developing novel isotope-based geolocation proxies to trace the migration of narwhal from their tusks. Her project involves a collaboration with DFO and is co-supervised by Dr. Clément Bataille and Dr. Danielle Fraser .

Marrissa Miller (MSc 2023-2025)
Co-advised with Tom Sherrat (Carleton University)

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Marrissa is a MSc biology student at Carleton University. Their research interests are all things insects and crustaceans. They have lived all over Canada and have seen many of the coolest invertebrates it has to offer. Their current research is on tracing the migration of dragonflies on the Afro-Palearctic range. 

Denise Peacock (MSc EES 2023-2025)

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Denise completed her BSc in chemistry at the Concordia University Of Edmonton in 2018. She is a mother of 4, returning to university in order to obtain a MSc. Denise is working for Public Safety Canada at the SAiVE lab. Her research pertains to developing a method using isotopic analysis to determine the origins of synthetic potassium chlorates used in explosives. This method could be applied to trace the manufacturing location of homemade explosive devices.

Naomi Wiseman-Beese (BSc Honor EVS 2023-2024)
Co-advised with Felipe Dargent (NRCan)

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Naomi is a 5th year student currently completing her BSc in Enviornmental Science with a Microprogram in Geomatics at the University of Ottawa. She has a passion for conservation biology and geomatics. Her honours project investigates the use of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes as indicators of forest health in Eastern Canada. Her project is being supervised by Dr. Clément Bataille and Dr. Felipe Dargent.

Maggie Carter (BSc honor EES 2023-2024)

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Maggie Carter is a 4th year Student undergoing her BSc in Environmental Sciences at the University of Ottawa. She is completing an honours project as a tangent to PhD candidate Zoe Landry's research in Pleistocene megafauna from northern America. Maggie's study uses past episodes of climate change resulting in extinction to improve our understanding of species' responses to climate change. In her project, she tests for a body mass decline in Beringian Equus before their extinction in the late Pleistocene. To determine whether changes in vegetation associated with climatic shifts could have been a driver for body mass change, she analyzes the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes of the same teeth used to predict body mass. She demonstrates that using declines in body mass could serve as early indicators of a species' extinction risk due to climate change, and provide valuable information for extinction models aimed at predicting species' vulnerability to ongoing and future climate change.

Jaeden Reggler (BSc EES 2023-2024)

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Jaeden is a fourth-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology at the University of Ottawa. His current research focuses on advancing growth models for freshwater ferromanganese concretions achieved through the analysis of accumulation rates using radiocarbon analyses along their growth profile. Additionally, he is exploring the development of a geochronological tool utilizing the decay of 226Ra to date the Fe-Mn oxides rather than relying on organic material within the concretions. His research project is under the supervision of Dr. Clément Bataille and Dr. Tom Al.

Léa Chalvin (Laboratory Technician 2023-2024)

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Léa is an engineer in ecology, specialised in conservation biology. After she completed her MSc in "Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution" at Aix-Marseille University (France), she worked several years as a natural site manager in France. She studied the evolution of the site's plant an animal populations and implemented many conservation actions. At the SAiVE lab, she works as a research technician, helping with the sample preparation for isotopic analyses

Astra Vainio-Mattila (Laboratory technician 2023-2024)

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Astra is a second year Honours Biology student at the University of Ottawa. Their interests are in ecology, plant science, and geography. They are currently working on expanding their lab experience and exploring Ottawa, both socially and environmentally. They plan to complete an Honours project in their 3rd and 4th year, and hope to continue on in research. 

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