People

rana@uvic.ca

Rana El-Sabaawi (Principal investigator)

I am an aquatic ecologist with over 20 years of experience in the field. I have worked on a range of ecosystems including beaches, the open ocean, streams, lakes and rivers in temperate and tropical locations. I am especially passionate about urban ecology and the interactions of evolutionary and ecological processes. I am an associate professor of Biology at the University of Victoria. When I am not “science-ing” I am running, hiking, knitting, or weaving. I am occasionally on twitter @foodwebecology.

emilymay@uvic.ca

Emily May (PhD student)

I’m interested in how the evolution of bone impacts how vertebrates store and recycle nutrients. I am particularly interested in how bone content alters how vertebrates recycle nitrogen and phosphorus from their diets and in how this fluctuates throughout ontogeny. I am currently raising laboratory crosses of stickleback with different bone contents, and I will use these fish to determine how the interaction between development and bony phenotype affect waste production! I am a huge fan of frogs and turtles, kayaking, mythology/classics, and epic fantasy.

cfebvre@uvic.ca

Camille Febvre (PhD student)

I’m a PhD student trying to understand how Earth’s organisms both respond to, and simultaneously cultivate, geochemical changes in the environment. I am currently modelling ecosystem response to climate change, and my next step is to add biogenic processes into a global carbon model. This feedback model can eventually be applied to global patterns at many scales. And in the meantime, I try to spend as much of my free time as I can discovering and climbing the rocks of this beautiful island!

sarahellis@uvic.ca

Sarah Ellis (MSc student)

My interests include marine ecology and nutrient recycling. For my Masters degree I am researching variation in bone mineral density of marine stickleback, and the effect of preservation methods on phosphorous analyses. I am also an avid bassoonist and enjoy caring for a plethora of houseplants.

amickens@uvic.ca

Ashley Mickens (MSc student)

My interests include urbanization, nutrient cycling and aquatic ecology. While my undergrad focused primarily on nitrogen and carbon cycling in agricultural settings, I am excited to explore how urban centers influence water quality and nutrient recycling throughout the aquatic environment. In my free time, I enjoy scuba diving, traveling, photography and baking. Check out my website to learn about my other pursuits: bit.ly/ashleymickens.

evamegan@uvic.ca

Eva MacLennan (MSc student)

I’ve always been passionate about ecology. As a traveler, seeing countries in various stages of development deal with the expansion of their cities in different ways has instilled me with a particular curiosity about urban ecology and accessible tools for sustainable growth. When I’m not getting nerdy about fish, I love to climb, hike, cycle, and sip good coffee in the sun.

kschenk@uvic.ca

Kyla Schenk (Undergraduate student)

I am an honours student who joined the lab in May 2021 under an NSERC undergraduate student research award. I am now working on an honours project assessing bone density variation in marine threespine stickleback. In my time outside of the lab, you can usually find me in or around the ocean canoeing, snorkelling, surfing, or hanging out with my dog Hopper.

Hazel de Haas (Undergraduate student)

I am new to the lab and am assisting with fieldwork and research this summer through an NSERC USRA. My major is biology with a concentration in marine biology. I’ve just finished up my fourth year and am gearing up for an Honours in my fifth year. I love marine ecology, fishes, and molluscs. In my spare time I like to snorkel, make art, hike, cook, and upload all my blurry underwater pictures to iNaturalist.

Former graduate students

Ainsley Fraser (MSc.)

Dr. Therese Frauendorf

Dr. Piata Marques

Dan Durston (MSc.)

Kim Kennedy (MSc.)

Laura Kennedy (MSc.)