I’m a PhD candidate in the Forest Sciences Department of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada and research associate at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, Canada. Prior to commencing my current degree, I completed my MSc in the laboratory of Dr. Paul Hebert at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Canada exploring the molecular evolution of animal lifestyle transitions. I remained at the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario for two years as laboratory manager, where I helped facilitate the transition to a high-throughput DNA barcoding facility. Currently, my PhD research focuses on genetics-based approaches to invasive species detection and surveillance, biodiversity monitoring and conservation prioritization. In particular, my work concentrates on developing regional barcode libraries for forest Lepidoptera, employing them to develop native and non-indigenous species inventories, and comparing diversity estimates across disturbance gradients.
