Bachelor's Research |
Avian Science and Conservation Center During my Bachelor's degree at McGill University, I worked as a research assistant at the Avian Science and Conservation Centre, where I studied captive American kestrels (Falco sparverius) during an ecotoxicological study. Under the supervision of Dr. David Bird, I performed behavioural observations, blood samples, morphological measurements, as well as dissections to monitor the reproductive performance and general health of the birds.
I also conducted a study on the effects of long-term captive breeding on skin colouration and plasma carotenoid concentrations in collaboration with Dr. Lina Bardo: carotenoids in birds are important in the expression of sexually selected traits, such as orange skin pigmentation, and are used as antioxidants and immunostimulants. For captive breeding programs to be considered valuable research and conservation tools, the wild traits of a captive population must be conserved. My analysis confirmed that the environment influences colour expression and plasma carotenoid concentrations in American kestrels. Therefore, it may be difficult to support captive populations which accurately represent the physiological and behavioural characteristics of wild individuals with respect to carotenoid-dependent functions. |
Canadian Field Studies in Africa As part of McGill University’s Canadian Field Studies in Africa program, I embarked on a field study semester in East Africa during my last term of undergraduate studies. Along with 40 other students, I met with various scientists and resource persons from local universities, research centres and communities, and my having them as guides with respect to ecological research, wildlife management and environmental conservation still represents an unequalled opportunity. During this journey, I also participated in an interdisciplinary team research project on human-wildlife conflicts under the supervision of Dr. Thom Meredith, during which I collected and analysed data on human-wildlife interactions from field sites in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
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Sea Turtle Conservation Program I volunteered under the supervision of Dr. Nicolas Wrinkler as a field assistant for Ocean Spirits, a non-profit conservation organisation monitoring leatherback sea turtle nesting populations in Grenada. I participated in 12-hour night beach patrols, flipper tagged nesting leatherbacks, collected morphometric data, monitored nest emergence, and carried out nest excavations during the leatherback hatching season.
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