People

Academic Teaching Staff and Adjunct Professors

Academic Teaching Staff

	Ronald Batallas Huacon Assistant Teaching Professor	Office: BS CW-217A Phone: 780-492-3702 Email: batallas@ualberta.ca
	Damian Cirelli Assistant Teaching Professor	Office: BS B-325 Phone: 780-492-3410 Email: cirelli@ualberta.ca
	Michael Harrington Full Teaching Professor	Office: BS B-318 Phone: 780-438-3324 Email: mjh@ualberta.ca
	Victor Shegelski Assistant Teaching Professor	Office: BS CW-223 Phone: 780-492-0461 Email: shegelsk@ualberta.ca

Adjunct Professors

Dr. Emily Bamforth

Museum Curator, Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum
curator@dinomuseum.ca; ebamfort@ualberta.ca
Emily Bamforth's Publications
Research Focus: Fossil ecosystems of northwest Alberta; dinosaur bonebed taphonomy; Cretaceous paleoecology; paleobotany; using fossil plants to reconstruct paleoclimate and paleoenvironment using climate-leaf analysis (CLAMP); paleobiodiversity analyses using microvertebrate fossils, mass extinction; Early Life/ Ediacaran fossils.

Dr. Donald Brinkman

Emeritus Researcher at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology
don.brinkman@gov.ab.ca
Donald Brinkman's Publications
Research Focus: Turtles and fish from the Cretaceous and Paleocene of North America, with special emphasis on biogeographic patterns and the effect of climate change on distribution patterns during this time.

Dr. Charlotte Brown Ecologist, Elk Island National Park, Parks Canada charlotte.brown2@pc.gc.ca; cbrown2@ualberta.ca ‪Charlotte Brown's Publications Research Focus: Community ecology; plant ecology; plant-plant interactions; global change; conservation science; biodiversity monitoring.

Dr. Caleb Brown

Curator, Dinosaur Systematics and Evolution, Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology
caleb.brown@gov.ab.ca; cmbrown4@ualberta.ca
Caleb Brown's ORCID ID
Caleb Brown's Publications
Research Focus: Vertebrate palaeobiology specializing in the diversity, taxonomy, and systematics of ornithischian dinosaurs; growth, variation, function, & evolution of cranial ornamentation and implications for sociosexual selection; taphonomic and collection biases and implications for palaeoecology/biodiversity; palaeopathology and feeding traces and implications for ancient behaviour.

Dr. Erin Campbell

Research Scientist in Entomology, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, ON
erin.campbell@inspection.gc.ca; eocampbe@ualberta.ca
Erin Campbell's Publications
Research Focus: Entomology, molecular ecology, phylogenetics, adaptation, species delimitation, speciation, invasion genomics, conservation genomics.

Dr. Daniel Charlebois

Assistant Professor of Biophysics, Department of Physics, University of Alberta
dcharleb@ualberta.ca
Research Website
Daniel Charlebois's Publications
Research Focus: Our research focuses on combining physics and biology to make fundamental advances in the areas of gene regulatory networks, bioelectromagnetics, and antimicrobial resistance. We develop quantitative mathematical/computational models, train machine learning models, and perform experiments on genetically engineered and pathogenic yeast strains.

Dr. Joel Dacks Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta dacks@ualberta.ca Joel Dacks' Publications Research Focus: Using evolutionary cell biological approaches to understand the diversity of membrane-trafficking systems in eukaryotes and the mechanisms that gave rise to modern cellular complexity. We use molecular evolutionary analyses working with protist genomic data upstream and molecular cell biology downstream, almost always collaboratively because it is simultaneously more effective and more fun that way!

Dr. Craig Emmerton

Aquatic Scientist, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
craig.emmerton@gov.ab.ca, emmerton@ualberta.ca
Craig Emmerton's Publications
Research Focus: Using multi-disciplinary approaches (e.g., hydrology, biogeochemistry, terrestrial ecology) to understand the cycling of water, carbon, nutrients and contaminants in freshwater catchments and how these processes respond to human stressors.

Dr. Chris Glover

Campus Alberta Innovates Program Research Chair, Athabasca University
Athabasca River Basin Research Institute
cglover@athabascau.ca
Chris Glover's Publications
Research Focus: Aquatic toxicology (metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and other emerging organic contaminants), environmental physiology of fish and invertebrates, epithelial transport of nutrients, ions and toxicants, hagfish biology, biological roles of dissolved organic matter, marine biology.

Dr. Patrick Hanington Professor, School of Public Health, University of Alberta/Associate Dean, Education, School of Public Health, University of Alberta pch1@ualberta.ca Research Focus: Biological hazards; environmental health; global health immunology; infectious disease; parasitology; schistosomiasis.

Dr. David Hik

Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University/Chief Scientist and Executive Director, Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Cambridge Bay, NU/Vice-President (Research), Polar Knowledge Canada
dhik@sfu.ca
David Hik's Publications
Research Focus: Mountain and Arctic ecology; plant-animal interactions; herbivory; resilience; climate change.

Dr. Murray Humphries Professor/McGill Northern Research Chair, Department of Natural Resources Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environment Sciences, McGill University murray.humphries@mcgill.ca Murray Humphries' Publications Research Focus: (1) Wildlife Biologging Across Space and Time: We aim to capitalize on recent advances in biologging tools to advance knowledge regarding the role of physiology and behaviour in shaping the abundance, distribution, health, and coexistence of wildlife populations across environmental gradients. We use different biologging techniques, including external tags, trail cameras, tissue analysis, acoustics, etc., to monitor movement, activity, and energetic of various wildlife species across different landscapes, from the boreal forest of southwestern Yukon to the coastal waters of Baffin Island. Our research is conducted both in the lab and in the field, often in collaboration with northern communities or one of our many partners. (2) Environmental Change, Wildlife & Traditional Food Security: In collaboration with many northern research partners and collaborators, including federal and provincial governments, private corporations, and indigenous organizations, we are interested in understanding, predicting and monitoring impacts of environmental change on traditionally harvested wildlife species. Our approach combines community-based participatory research with studies of climatic and environmental determinants of the distribution, abundance, and health of traditional food and furbearing species. We work in close partnership with northern communities to design and implement locally relevant field-based research at the interface of scientific and traditional ecological knowledge.

Dr. Elly Knight

Statistical Ecologist, Boreal Avian Monitoring Project/Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), University of Alberta
ecknight@ualberta.ca
Elly Knight's Publications
Research Focus: Monitoring and conversation of biodiversity across the annual cycle through integration of large datasets, with particular focus on acoustic monitoring of birds.

Dr. Dörte Köster

Technical Specialist, Limnology, Associated Environmental Consultants Inc.
kosterd@ae.ca; koster@ualberta.ca
Dörte Köster's Publications
Research Focus: Lake management, lake nutrient dynamics, impacts of human activities on freshwater quality, benthic algae and phytoplankton community ecology, benthic algae as bio-indicators for water quality, paleolimnology.

Dr. Clément Lagrue

Science Advisor Ecosystems, Department of Conservation, New Zealand
lagrue@ualberta.ca; clagrue@doc.govt.nz
Clement Lagrue's Publications
Research Focus: Parasitology, Freshwater Ecology, Ecosystem Conservation, Wildlife Diseases and Parasites.

Dr. Lisa Lumley Lead Scientist, Terrestrial Invertebrates, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) llumley@ualberta.ca Lisa Lumley's Publications Lisa Lumley's ORCID Research Focus: Entomology; acarology; molecular ecology; species delimitation; speciation; forest pest genomics; biodiversity monitoring; oribatid mites; spruce budworm, soil biodiversity, soil health.

Dr. C. Lisa Mahon

Wildlife Biologist/Boreal Landbird Biologist, Wildlife and Habitat Assessment, Northern Region, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada
lisa.mahon@ec.gc.ca
C. Lisa Mahon's Publications
Research Focus: Conservation and management of terrestrial landbirds in northern boreal ecosystems with a focus on: monitoring and documenting the status of populations in boreal and high elevation systems; assessing distribution shifts across elevational gradients; identifying shifts in seasonal phenology and habitat/resource use in high elevation systems during breeding and post-breeding periods; assessing and quantifying climate change adaptation; identifying regional boreal refugia; designing and modelling regional cumulative effects assessments; and developing and applying bioacoustic tools to improve the reliability and accuracy of population metrics (distribution, abundance, trend).

Dr. Eric Neilson

Wildlife Research Scientist, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada
eneilson@ualberta.ca; eric.w.neilson@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
Eric Neilson's Publications
Research Focus: Woodland caribou recovery research. My colleagues and I investigate the distribution of woodland caribou habitat as it relates to natural disturbance and climate, and the vulnerability of caribou recovery actions to climate hazards such as wildfire and forest pests.

Dr. Margo Pybus

Fish and Wildlife Division of Environment and Parks, Government of Alberta
margo.pybus@gov.ab.ca
Margo Pybus's Publications
Research Focus: Wildlife parasites and diseases: ecology, conservation, and appropriate management.

Dr. Corey Scobie

Assistant Curator of Ornithology, Royal Alberta Museum
corey.scobie@gov.ab.ca; cscobie@ualberta.ca
Corey Scobie's Publications
Research Focus: Influence of human development on resource selection; soundscape ecology; species at risk conservation; grouse lek occupancy; ecology of cavity nesting birds; avian conservation using museum collections; museum specimen preparation and preservation; avian hybrid zones and communities.

Dr. Zijian Sim Wildlife Forensic Biologist, Investigative Services, Sheriffs Branch, Government of Alberta zsim@ualberta.ca; zijian.sim@gov.ab.ca Zijian Sim's Publications ORCID ID Research Focus: Wildlife forensics; Wildlife forensic DNA analysis; Population genetics of wildlife.

Dr. Péter Sólymos

E Source
solymos@ualberta.ca
Péter Sólymos's Publications
Research Focus: Developing efficient methods and algorithms for big data and complex models, and applying these techniques to better inform large-scale conservation and management of biodiversity.

Dr. Christine Szymanski Professor, Associate Department Head, Department of Microbiology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia cszymans@ualberta.ca; cszymans@uga.edu Christine Szymanski's Publications Research Focus: My lab uses multidisciplinary techniques examining various model systems to: Characterize pathways responsible for generating bacterial glycoconjugates. Exploit bacteriophage recognition proteins that bind to these structures. Differentiate the protective benefits of host milk oligosaccharides, in order to develop novel vaccines and therapeutics for the prevention of diarrheal diseases and post-infectious autoimmune neuropathies such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome. These studies have also expanded our knowledge of carbohydrate metabolism by the gut microbiota and the transfer of antibiotic resistance between bacteria.

Dr. Judith Toms

Wildlife Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service
judith.toms@ec.gc.ca
Judith Toms' Publications
ORCID ID
Research Focus: Understanding and managing the cumulative effects of multiple resource sectors on birds; landbird ecology in boreal and tropical ecosystems; population and community ecology; full life-cycle ecology; and the application of statistics to complex ecological questions.

Dr. Darcy Visscher

Associate Professor of Biology, The King's University
darcy.visscher@kingsu.ca; dvissche@ualberta.ca
Darcy Visscher's Publications
Research Focus: His primary research interest is the role that behaviour plays in ecological processes, in particular, how animals trade-off foraging reward and predation risk. He investigates these topics using the three pronged approach of developing theory, building models to test theory, and grounding these results using statistical analysis of field data.

Dr. Troy Wellicome

Species At Risk Biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada
tiw@ualberta.ca
Troy Wellicome's Publications
Research Focus: Ecology of birds of prey, burrowing owl and ferruginous hawk conservation, habitat use by grassland birds, methods for defining critical habitat, foraging behaviour, avian reproduction, food limitation, species at risk population recovery.