This series was created with the generous support of SFU Graduate and Post-Doctoral Fellows.

Biography

I received my B.Sc. in Biology and Anthropology from the University of Victoria in 2007. During my undergrad I also participated in the UVic Biology Co-op program. From 2008-2010, I worked as a Technician with the Cetacean Research Program of Fisheries and Oceans Canada before returning to school and completing my M.Sc. in 2014 at UBC’s Marine Mammal Research Unit under the supervision of Dr. John Ford and Dr. Andrew Trites.

My thesis investigated the fine-scale foraging behaviour of resident killer whales using suction-cup attached tags that recorded dive depth, body position and acoustic behaviour of individual whales. I returned to work with DFO’s Cetacean Research Program at the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo in July 2014, and I’m currently a Biologist with this group.

In recent years, my work has been focused on spatial modelling of distance-sampling survey data for cetacean species to estimate their distribution and abundance. I also participate in DFO’s long-term photo-identification census of northern resident killer whales every summer, and help assess killer whale diet and prey sharing behaviour through field collection of prey remains.

Biography

Dan Buffett is the Chief Executive Officer of the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.

Dan began his career as a summer student with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) in BC, while completing his Biology degree at SFU. For over 25 years, he worked in wetlands with DUC in many capacities as a land manager, planner, restoration biologist and ultimately as the BC manager of conservation. Along the way he completed his master’s degree in the REM program at SFU in 2006. In 2020, Dan began his role as CEO at HCTF. Dan’s has worked with many partners to generate better conservation outcomes including governments, NGOs, agricultural producers, industry, and individual landowners to promote conservation efforts throughout the province.

Biography

Ariane has a master's degree in Biology at the Université de Montréal. Shortly after completing her master's, she moved to Vancouver. She joined SPES in 2015 as an Environmental Educator, where she gained experience connecting people of all ages with nature. In 2017 she joined the SPES Conservation team, and has been planning habitat restoration and collaborative research projects within Stanley Park. Ariane loves to share her passion for the natural world with the community and to work on projects that make a difference for the Park’s ecology. 

Biography

Tara Matthews is a graduate from the University of Alberta with a BSc in Biological Sciences. She has also received a second degree in Ecological Restoration from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. As CEO of Echo Ecological, much of her work with is focussed on  riparian and wetland restoration. She has managed several projects over the years, the most recent being our Trout Lake Waterfowl and Wildlife Habitat Restoration project, as well as the MacKay Marsh Wetland Rehabilitation project.

Krystal Brennan attended BCIT and has a diploma in renewable resources and a BSc. in ecological restoration. She has worked as an outreach coordinator and eco-educator for over 10 years with various not-for-profit groups. Apart from work with Echo, Krystal also enjoys delivering education programs with Stream of Dreams Murals Society at local elementary schools. Krystal began working for Echo Ecological in 2015 and became their newest partner in 2018.

Check out their website here.