Thursday, April 9 | 11:00 am – 1:30 pm | Irving K. Barber Learning Centre 301 (Peña Room)
You are invited to attend the final project presentations by students of the Global Perspectives Capstone (CONS 452)!
Everyone is welcome to celebrate the students’ great work, but perhaps especially 2nd and 3rd year CONS students who want to see what your future might hold!
You don’t need to come to all the presentations, but please enter or leave in-between presentations so you don’t distract the presenters. See below for the list of presentations:
About the Canadian Institute of Forestry Silver Rings
Each year, the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF-IFC) Silver Rings are presented to new graduates to welcome them as forestry professionals. The Silver Ring is a symbol of achievement, presented to those who have completed a CIF-IFC recognized program. The ring signifies a national bond among forestry professionals and a commitment to sustainable forest stewardship.
The first Silver Ring ceremony was hosted in 1953 at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship. It has since become a growing tradition at forestry schools across Canada. The ring is typically worn on the little finger of the recipient’s dominant hand. The maple leaf engraved on the ring is to be pointed towards the tip of the finger, representing a growing professional responsibility.
The Silver Ring unites graduates from forestry programs across Canada in a shared promise to uphold the values and responsibilities of the forestry profession.
CIF Gold Medal
Since 1953, the Gold Medal, a prize and a medal, the gift of the Canadian Institute of Forestry, is awarded to the student in the graduating class who has had the best all-around record in professional forestry in all years at the University, and who has demonstrated a high quality of character, leadership, sportsmanship, and scholarship.
Winner: Benjamin Nixon
As a Bachelor of Urban Forestry student with a minor in Urban Green Space Management, Benjamin Nixon has earned numerous honours, including the Wesbrook Scholar designation and awards such as the Stephen Sheppard Award, HSBC Emerging Leader Scholarship, and H.R. MacMillan Scholarship.
Beyond his academic success, Ben has made substantial contributions to the forestry community through research assistantships with Diamond Head Consulting and the UBC Urban Ecology and Sustainability Lab, where he has supported canopy modelling, climate-adaptive species research, and tree equity and heat mitigation projects.
He has also demonstrated a deep commitment to community building and engagement, as every student who has ever taken a class with him will attest that his ability to elevate classmates through discussion, critical analysis, insightful suggestion, and leadership through action and just being an all-round kind person who makes being in the classroom fun.
Best in Program Winners
Outstanding Forest Sciences Student Award: Hanna Sobkowich
Hanna Sobkowich exemplified an exceptional blend of academic excellence, research achievement, and leadership. An Honours Forest Sciences student, she has ranked in the top 5% of UBC undergraduates for three consecutive years as a Trek Excellence Scholar and earned four Academic All-Canadian designations while competing in varsity athletics. Her research experience includes two NSERC USRAs, with work spanning stream ecology to her honours thesis on modelling wood bison habitat under climate change, alongside her role in the UBC Forest Genetics Lab supporting genomic research in forest health.
As Captain of the UBC Track and Field team, she led the women’s team to six consecutive national championships while advocating for female athlete health, and has contributed to the broader community through the Thunderbird Athletic Council and mentorship with the “I’m Going to UBC” program—making her an outstanding reflection of the faculty’s values of leadership, curiosity, and impact.
Charles Larre Memorial Graduating Prize – Wood Products Processing: Sara Xu
Sara Xu has demonstrated outstanding academic excellence in the Wood Products Processing program, achieving a 94.1% average with A+ grades in nearly all courses. After transferring from Beijing Forestry University in 2023, she earned the Level-1 UBC-UBC Forestry Scholarship and the Wood Products Processing Award.
Sara has shown exceptional dedication to her coursework, refining projects beyond completion, and has actively engaged in research as a Co-op student and Research Assistant in the Surface Science Lab under Philip Evans, where she contributed to the development of plasma-etched super-black wood and co-authored an IRG-WP conference paper.
W. Gerry Burch Award – Forest Operations: Joel Kentel
Joel Kentel began his undergraduate studies at UNBC before transferring to UBC in 2022 to pursue Forest Operations, where he quickly distinguished himself academically, earning the Dave Husby TLA Scholarship after his first year. He now graduates as the top student in the program while completing the rigorous RPF/PEng pathway, reflecting both his academic excellence and dedication to the profession. His strong passion for the outdoors is evident through his extensive experience exploring British Columbia’s backcountry.
Known for his humble and approachable demeanor, Joel brings both authenticity and drive to the forestry and engineering fields. He has gained valuable industry experience through four seasons with Tolko Industries across BC and Alberta, and will begin a full-time role with Onsite Engineering in Salmon Arm this May as he works toward his professional designations. His combination of achievement, work ethic, and community spirit makes him a highly deserving recipient of this award.
Gordon Baskerville Award – Forest Resources Management: Mary Haanen
Mary Haanen has been an exceptional and engaged member of the Faculty since her first year, contributing across academics, athletics, and student life. As an active member of the Loggers Sports team, she competed in international intercollegiate and professional events while also leading fundraising efforts to support the team’s post-COVID resurgence. She served as a Senior Orientation Leader for two years, playing a key role in Imagine Day, and contributed to the faculty through her role as FUS Green Sales Representative, organizing merchandise initiatives and even adding to the UBC Great Trek time capsule.
Beyond Forestry, Mary demonstrated outstanding leadership as head of the UBC Student Environmental Centre, where she supported student-led sustainability initiatives and helped relaunch the Free Store to promote a circular economy on campus. She also gained hands-on research experience as a Wildlife Research Assistant in the Wildlife Coexistence Lab, supporting projects on caribou, grizzly bears, and mule deer across BC. Her involvement is further enriched by her Go Global exchange to Spain, reflecting her curiosity and commitment to global learning.
Clark S. Binkley Award, Natural Resources Conservation – Science and Management Major: Vanessa Duthie
Vanessa Duthie has combined outstanding academic achievements with contributions to research in conversation. She has maintained a very high academic average while gaining extensive research experience. She helped with a growth chamber experiment in the Team Shrub Lab, volunteered in the xʷc ̓ ic ̓ əsəm Indigenous Garden at UBC, and at the Mossom Creek Hatchery in Port Moody. Last summer she won an NSERC Undergraduate Research Award and helped collect camera trap data across BC with the Wildlife Coexistence Lab. She is currently working on a directed studies research project examining the spatial ecology of pumas in Peru and Ecuador.
Clark S. Binkley Award, Natural Resources Conservation – Global Perspectives Major: Gracie Brade
Gracie Brade has combined outstanding academic achievements with a commitment to inclusive conservation that engages with Indigenous worldviews. She has maintained a very high academic average while working as a teaching assistant in Biometrics, Forest Plant Biology, and Conservation Science & Sustainability. She completed a semester of study in Haida Gwaii, and currently works with the Mother Tree Project, coordinating events, doing science communication, and fieldwork in Haida Gwaii. On top of all that, she volunteers at Agora Café and the Environmental Youth Alliance, inspiring the next generation of conservationists.
Outstanding Student in the Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology Program: Lizzie Woodley
Lizzie Woodley is an outstanding student and a highly deserving recipient of the Best in Program certificate, having excelled academically with a 92.6% GPA while contributing extensively to undergraduate research. Her experience spans multiple labs, including the Conservation Decisions Lab, the Advanced Renewable Materials Laboratory, and Civil and Environmental Engineering, where her work on life cycle analysis of critical mineral recovery will lead to a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentation. Alongside her research, she supported fellow students as a PASS leader and collaborated with UBC SEEDS on a project examining the impacts of disposable nitrile gloves in labs, all while balancing part-time work in retail and agriculture.
Faculty consistently praise Lizzie’s exceptional intellect, attention to detail, and research excellence, noting her top performance across courses and her ability to produce work at an extraordinary level, including one of the best undergraduate papers they have encountered. Inspired by her off-grid upbringing and early exposure to renewable energy systems, Lizzie has developed a strong passion for sustainable innovation and will continue her academic journey as an MSc student in FES. Her achievements, curiosity, and commitment to advancing the bioeconomy make her truly deserving of this recognition.
Evan Shea is an exceptional graduate of the Urban Forestry program, recognized for his outstanding technical expertise, leadership, and research impact. As part of Dr. McHale’s GIS technical team, he quickly mastered advanced analytical tools and applied them across diverse urban ecology projects. He also led his capstone team in developing an innovative method to downscale land surface temperature for climate resilience planning at UBC. Building on this work, Evan earned an NSERC USRA, applying these methods in Kelowna to support a major initiative optimizing urban tree planting for long-term success and ecological benefit, with presentations to professional audiences and partner cities.
In addition to leading a scientific publication as an undergraduate, Evan is known for his collaborative spirit, resilience, and positive leadership. He consistently brings enthusiasm, curiosity, and kindness to his work, earning deep respect from peers and mentors alike. His combination of academic excellence, innovation, and character makes him a truly deserving recognition as one of the best in the program, with an exceptionally bright future ahead.
Forest Professionals BC Sustainable Forest Management Prize: Hanno Southam
Hanno Southam is a registered Allied Science Forester-in-Training with FPBC and is actively working towards obtaining his RPF designation. His long-term aspirations are to manager a community forest in BC. In alignment with that goal, Erik Leslie (Harrop-Procter Community Forest Manager) is his RPF sponsor. After job shadowing Erik, he quickly realized the importance of diverse forestry experiences as a community forest Manager. After completing the MSFM program, Hanno will be moving to Smithers to work as a Forest Technician in timber development for a Silvicon Services to enhance his field experience. Prior to MSFM, Hanno completed an MSc (2025, UBC FES) looking at hemlock dwarf mistletoe persistence in different silvicultural systems. Hanno conducts himself in a professional and inclusive manner within the MSFM program. He brings a lot to the MSFM cohort including his witty riddles of the day.
Binkley Family Award, Master of Sustainable Forest Management: Joshua Quaite
Joshua Quaite, originally from Ontario, has called Northern Alberta home for many years. Despite 20 years of experience within the forestry sector, he remains notably humble about his accomplishments and extensive expertise, recognizing there is something to learn from everyone you meet. Throughout the program, Joshua played a key role in fostering a positive and inclusive environment for this year’s cohort. He consistently recognized and valued the contributions of his classmates, contributing to a strong sense of community. His calm, confident leadership style, paired with a high level of professionalism, was evident at every stage of the program. He placed a great deal of dedication and effort into his coursework, all while continuing to work part-time as the Operations Manager for Spectrum Resources.
Congratulations to all award winners and Silver Ring recipients!
Here’s a look at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship in the media throughout April 2026.
April 1, 2026
Researchers develop cleaner way to make rayon-type fibers Feng Jiang, Huayu Liu Specialty Fabrics Review
Raccoons Are Solving Complex Logic Puzzles Just for the Fun of It ,We Should Be Paying Attention Hannah Griebling, Sarah Benson-Amram Fortune Herald, The UIS Journal, AOL UK
Indigenous stewards on BC’s coast left in the dark as sun sets on federal guardianship program Garry Merkel The Regional
April 2, 2026
An Eve with Suzanne Simard Suzanne Simard The Buzz
Fire Ecologist honoured by National Geographic Kira Hoffman Frequency News
Are fire-loving fungi mother nature’s first responders after wildfires? Monika Fischer The Optimist Daily
This spider looks like the victim of a zombie fungus. But scientists say it’s a big faker Monika Fischer Atin Ito
April 6, 2026
Before wildfire season begins again, Indigenous firekeepers gather in Interior B.C. to share knowledge Jennifer Grenz The Narwhal
Can logging be reshaped by forest regeneration? Suzanne Simard says yes. Suzanne Simard The Christian Science Monitor
Welcoming Philip, Royal Roads University President, to Talk About the Bloom Castle Tara Martin Salt Spring Exchange
April 9, 2026
Forests, Water and Our Future: A Community Conversation Garry Merkel E-know.ca
April 10, 2026
UBC reshapes forestry research to connect nature and human health Robert Kozak treefrognews
April 11, 2026
What’s In Your Fridge: Pat Carrabré of The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts Suzanne Simard The Georgia Straight
April 13, 2026
Does Burning Wood Actually Fight Climate Change? Kathy Martin The Tyee
April 14, 2026
ICYMI – Trash Panda Puzzles? Raccoon Science to Save Your Garbage – Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift Hannah Griebling iHeart
Smarter forest practices could help protect B.C. forests from wildfire and climate stress, new research suggests Teresa Ryan University of British Columbia, EurekAlert!, ENN and more
Mother Tree Project Reveals Forest Response to Harvesting Suzanne Simard Life Technology
April 15, 2026
The Fungal Network – The Wood Wide Web Communicating Beneath the Forest Floor Suzanne Simard Crop Protection
Smarter Forest Practices Could Help Protect B.C. Forests From Wildfire And Climate Stress – Interview Suzanne Simard Eurasia Review
April 19, 2026
This northern Yukon island shows how thawing permafrost is transforming the Arctic Isla Myers-Smith Yahoo News, Head Topics
Earth Day is coming: Find your joy as a nature ally with these books at the Redlands library Suzanne Simard Redlands Daily Facts
April 21, 2026
From cleanup parties to plant sales: Here are some fun Earth Day events to check out in Metro Vancouver T. Patrick Carrabré, Suzanne Simard Curiocity, EuropeSays
April 22, 2026
Pt 1 | What the River Wants to Be Jennifer Grenz CBC Listen
April 24, 2026
Suzanne Simard WHEN THE FOREST BREATHES: Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World Suzanne Simard Forthright Radio
April 25, 2026
Tipping points in our environmental stewardship: Muskoka Watershed Council Suzanne Simard MuskokaRegion.com
April 26, 2026
This Simple Fruit Wash Could Make Produce Safer and Last Days Longer Tianxi Yang SciTechDaily
Sustainable forestry would support industry, jobs and ecosystems Chris McGourlick, Younes Alila Island Social Trends, TreeFrogNews
Research Assistant – Sustainable Built Environment Lab, UBC
I had the opportunity to continue the light frame wood construction project at UBC’s Sustainable Built Environment Lab. In this phase, I focused on timber-to-timber connection systems and how they might support more reversible construction. I tested joinery-inspired ideas, guided by the Design for Deconstruction guide. And the final goal is to see which concepts were actually workable within light-frame construction.
Much of the work involved small prototypes, learning from what failed, and recognizing the limits of certain “reversible” ideas in practice. This experience gave me a more grounded understanding of how design, fabrication, and material behaviour intersect, and how timber connections can contribute to more circular building systems.
Dr. Suzanne Simard, Professor of Forest Ecology at the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship is publishing her second book: ‘When the Forest Breathes”, an immersive journey through the heart and soul of the forest to experience the workings and impact of the rich ecosystems. The novel also explores the impact and contribution of Indigenous people in protecting these forests for millennia, and that there is much to learn from their way of seeing, caring for, and tending the forest.
We interviewed her at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest to learn more about her writing process and the inspiration behind her book.
What can you tell us about When The Forest Breathes?
In the last couple of hundred years, forests have been deeply impacted by forestry practices and colonial stewardship. Through my work, including the Mother Tree Project, I have investigated the condition of our forests—what they are telling us about how to care for them and how listening to Indigenous voices can help guide the path forward to keep forests healthy and resilient.
We have learned many things about forest biodiversity, how forests store carbon, how they interact with climate, and how we can better protect these incredible places. My earlier work in Finding the Mother Tree focused on the connections within forests how trees are interconnected in communities through fungal networks called mycorrhizal networks.
These networks bind trees together, and we discovered that large, old trees what we call mother trees, serve as central hubs in these networks. This helps us see forests as whole ecosystems rather than separate elements like trees, soil, or fungi.
In When the Forest Breathes, I talk more about how we have been disrupting these connections through modern forest management. I also describe better ways forward, such as protecting large old trees, soils, and forest floors, to maintain the vitality and regenerative capacity of forests. The book points to new ways of tending forests while also drawing on ancestral knowledge rooted in care, respect, and reciprocity.
How is this book timely given the climate and biodiversity crisis that we are currently facing?
We are currently facing several environmental crises. Climate change is real and affects the everyday lives of people across Canada and around the world. At the same time, we are experiencing a biodiversity crisis, with scientists warning that we are in the sixth mass extinction.
Forests play a huge role in stabilizing these systems and helping mitigate these losses. The book discusses how we can protect forests and also log them more responsibly so we can still obtain materials while doing so in a gentler way that protects plants and carbon pools. If managed properly, forests can help solve climate change rather than contribute to it.
Another important issue is wildfire. Canada—especially western Canada and western North America—has been experiencing increasing wildfire activity. The book discusses how these fires affect our lives and how we can help forests become more resilient to fire. By strengthening forest ecosystems, we can also help society better deal with these wildfire challenges.
Responsible forest stewardship is a key theme in this book. Tell us more about your work with your Indigenous partners.
I work with a number of First Nations across British Columbia, both along the coast and in the interior. Together we are incorporating Indigenous perspectives that view forests as connected systems in which humans are part of the natural cycle.
When we understand forests in this respectful way, it changes how we manage them. I collaborate with several Indigenous leaders and communities across the province. Together we are exploring ways to protect old trees—especially cedar trees, which are considered the tree of life for many coastal nations.
We are also working to restore forests that have been damaged by industrial forestry over the past century. Many of these lands are now covered by second-growth forests that are not in healthy condition. These ecosystems require careful restoration and stewardship.
In the interior regions, we are also working on approaches that reduce wildfire risk while improving biodiversity and ecosystem health so forests can better withstand climate change.
How does this book reflect and build on your work within the faculty?
I have been a professor at the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship at the University of British Columbia for 23 years. Before that, I was an undergraduate student there in the early 1980s, so I have been connected to the faculty for a long time.
All of my work builds on the experiences I have had within the faculty. Through teaching and research, I have contributed to the body of knowledge that the faculty has shared with the world.
More recently, my collaboration with Indigenous communities has become especially important to me. Working with people who have lived on these lands for thousands of years allows us to honor their knowledge and learn from it. Their insights can help us improve how we interact with and care for these landscapes.
While I have contributed through science and teaching, my community-based work has become the most meaningful part of my career.
What is the main message that you hope readers take away from this new book?
The main message is that there is a great deal of hope in the world, and forests are places of hope. Forests are highly regenerative systems. Even after disturbance, they are filled with seeds, roots, stumps, animals, and life that allow them to recover.
Because of this regenerative capacity, forests are one of the most important natural solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss. They provide habitat for about 80% of terrestrial species in Canada, store around 80% of the country’s carbon, and supply roughly 80% of Canada’s freshwater.
Many Indigenous communities in Canada also live in forested regions, making forests essential culturally as well as ecologically.
My hope is that people understand that forests can recover if we take the time to care for them. If we invest our effort, respect, and commitment into working with these ecosystems, we can help restore what has been lost and create a healthier future for generations to come.
The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship JEDI team is delighted to host the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, facilitated by Moontide Reconciliation, an official KAIROS team.
The Blanket Exercise is an experiential learning opportunity to immerse yourself in 400 years of Canadian colonial history told from the perspective of Indigenous peoples. Participants have shared that they found the experience deeply moving, essential to understanding Canadian history and highly recommended.
Wear: Appropriate clothing and footwear for an open field, if sunny bring a hat and sunscreen. Shade is limited.
Dr. Elizabeth Wolkovich, associate professor in UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship’s Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, co-organizes the International Cherry Blossom Prediction Competition – a global contest that challenges scientists, students and citizen forecasters to predict exactly when cherry trees will reach peak bloom. Now in its fifth year, the competition has just closed its entry period, with hundreds of forecasters placing their bets. We asked her why a flower is one of science’s most useful climate tools.
The competition just closed. What are forecasters predicting?
Hundreds of scientists, students, and citizen forecasters from around the world have placed their bets—and the collective consensus puts Vancouver’s peak bloom around March 30.
Contestants submitted predictions across five cities: Vancouver, Washington, D.C., New York City, Kyoto and Liestal-Weideli in Switzerland. All forecasts are now locked, and nature has the final say. We won’t know who’s right until the blossoms open.
Cherry blossoms outside the Forest Sciences Centre. Credit: UBC
Why is predicting cherry blossom peak so difficult?
Cherry trees run on a precise biological clock tied to temperature. Our current thinking is that they need a certain number of cold winter days to “reset,” followed by warming spring temperatures to trigger flowering. If correct, then warmer winters might disrupt this balance, making timing harder to call. Once blossoms open, a single storm can knock petals off in hours, so the peak bloom window is brief.
Why do cherry blossoms seem to be blooming earlier and earlier every year?
We know temperate plants flower in the spring in response to warming, but each species needs a different amount. If you think of it as a bucket that needs to be filled with warmth, then cherry trees have a smaller bucket and when it is full, they flower – later species have bigger buckets. With global warming, the whole year is warmer so the buckets all fill faster and this is most obvious for the earliest (smallest bucket) species.
The big question is how winters affect this bucket. We have good evidence that many plants, including cherry trees, have a pre-spring bucket (chilling) that they fill with cool temperatures. Enough cool temperatures tell them that winter is over. A big concern is that warmer winters means the first bucket doesn’t fill. If that’s the case it could have sweeping consequences and it’s one of the reasons we started the competition.
What does that tell us about the bigger picture?
Cherry blossoms are one of the most visible and beloved examples of a much broader pattern. Across the Northern Hemisphere, the timing of spring—when plants leaf out, when insects emerge, when birds migrate—has been shifting forward. And it isn’t just about the flowers. Early flowering signals when other trees will leaf out, affecting forest carbon storage and ecosystem function. Cherry blossoms are a window into changes that touch every part of the natural world.
What have scientists learned from previous years of the competition?
Scientists have learned a lot by comparing the different forecasting methods people submit. Some predictions come from straightforward statistics, while others use complex machine‑learning models. Looking at how each one performs across different cities helps researchers see which ideas about tree biology still work—and which ones need updating.
Cherry blossoms outside the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. Credit: UBC
Why open this to the public rather than just scientists?
Engaging people in predicting bloom times gets more of us talking about climate change and its effects. Contest results, combined with scientific research, offer a collaborative approach to improve forecasting. Citizen scientists bring real value and curiosity to problems that matter.
Why does Vancouver make such a good place to watch this?
The city has 40,000 cherry trees across more than 40 species, some flowering weeks apart, stretching the season. That variety makes it a rich place to study bloom timing. For a city whose identity is tied to its blossoms, these changes are increasingly hard to ignore.
Winners will be announced once the trees bloom. For predictions and results, visit competition.statistics.gmu.edu.
Media contact Charlotte Fisher Marketing & Media Relations Strategist UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship charlotte.fisher@ubc.ca
Canadian scientists have developed a genomic test that traces the Asian spongy moth to its origin, helping prevent new infestations.
Invasive species cost Canada billions of dollars each year. Now, a team led by UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship (FES) researchers has developed a new genomic test that can trace the Asian spongy moth—one of the biggest threats to North America’s forests—back to its source, giving officials a better chance of stopping infestations before they spread.
SpongySeq is a DNA analysis tool designed to detect the Asian spongy moth, an invasive insect capable of defoliating entire forests within weeks. Unlike the European spongy moth, which has been established in North America for more than a century and spreads slowly because its females cannot fly, the Asian variety can travel long distances, feeds on a far wider range of trees—including conifers—and remains a high-risk invader with no strong natural controls.
“Spongy moths often hitchhike on ships by laying egg masses on hulls and cargo, and they are typically detected when vessels arrive and undergo inspection at the port,” said researcher Dr. Richard Hamelin, professor in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences. “Once established, they’re nearly impossible to eradicate. Preventing new invasions is the most effective way to protect our forests.”
Dr. Richard Hamelin in his lab at the Forest Sciences Centre. Credit: UBC.
DNA ‘passport’ reveals source of species
In collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Natural Resources Canada and Université Laval, Dr. Hamelin’s team created a tool that works like a “genomic passport,” analyzing 283 specific DNA markers at once—taken from an egg, wing or antenna—to identify a moth’s geographic origin with 97-per-cent accuracy.
Lead author Dr. Sandrine Picq put the tool into use in the real world, testing egg masses intercepted by U.S. port officials and tracing their origins to Japan, eastern Russia, northern China and South Korea.
“These insights will help regulatory agencies understand invasion pathways and focus inspection efforts where they are most needed,” said Dr. Picq, a researcher at Natural Resources Canada.
Why prevention matters
“Invasive species cost billions of dollars annually in lost ecosystem services, reduced resource sector productivity and management efforts. Preventing an outbreak avoids huge costs in phytosanitary work, loss of trade and market access, tree removal and replacement,” said Brittany Day of the Plant Research & Strategies team at the Canadian Food inspection Agency, where scientists plan to integrate this new tool into their spongy moth diagnostic testing program.
The device itself currently requires specialized sequencing equipment found in laboratories. Researchers eventually aim to adapt SpongySeq for field use so inspectors can identify moth origins in real time at ports and border checkpoints. The same genomic approach could be adapted to track other invasive species.
The research, part of the BioSurveillance of Alien Forest Enemies (BioSAFE) project, was published in BMC Genomics and supported by grants from Genome Canada, Genome BC, Genome Quebec and Genomics Research and Development Initiative (GRDI).
Research Assistant – University of British Columbia
I have been working on experimental research related to super-black wood, contributing to the investigation of its material properties and conducting CF plasma treatment experiments on wood surfaces. During this work term, I gained hands-on experience with laboratory research, including material preparation, experimental testing, and data analysis, which strengthened my understanding of the research process in an academic setting.
This co-op experience allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge to practical research problems and clarified my interest in pursuing a research-oriented career.
For my second continuous term of co-op, I have continued working as a student viticulturist for Arterra Wines Canada. While my first term was focused on field work in the vineyards, my second term has consisted of more logistical support as harvest approached and is continuing. One of my primary tasks before and continuously throughout harvest has been maturity sampling. I go to various blocks of grape varieties, sample around thirty bunches, press the grapes into juice, and then test the juice to find their percent sugar content (also known as brix). By identifying the brix values of the grapes, the winemakers can then determine the ideal time to harvest the grapes.
Alongside maturity sampling, I have been working in what is known here as the “harvest shack” to help coordinate company truck drivers who are going out to pick up grapes and then bring them in. The harvest operation is all hands on deck at the company, as we are harvesting around 5,500 metric tonnes of grapes to process into wine. This co-op term has allowed me to improve my communication skills, my ability to organize and manage complex spreadsheets, and learn about all of the effort that goes into a successful large-scale agricultural operation.
