Canadian Black Scientists Network / Réseau Canadien des Scientifiques Noirs’ Post

🌊✨ Meet Chandler Stairs! ✨🌊 Chandler is a PhD candidate in the Department of Biology at UNB, researching the adaptability of native fish species to environmental stressors in the Restigouche Watershed. 🎣🐟 Her work focuses on two critical areas: 🔬 Hypoxia Tolerance: Studying how brook trout and Atlantic salmon tolerate low-oxygen conditions, especially around culverts, which can fragment habitats. 💪 Aerobic Capacity: Exploring the metabolic demands of Atlantic salmon smolts as they migrate, shedding light on their resilience and thermal tolerance. Supervised by Dr. Charles Sacobie and Dr. Carole-Anne Gillis, Chandler’s research is helping to inform conservation efforts and support sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems. 🌍💡 Join us in celebrating the incredible work of our graduate students who are making waves in science! 🌊👏 📍 Learn more about our graduate programs and research opportunities at UNB. #UNBGradLife #FishConservation #BiologyResearch #RestigoucheWatershed #AtlanticSalmon #BrookTrout #AquaticEcosystems #UNBScience #GraduateStudentSpotlight

Our Postgraduate Series would not be complete without highlighting students. In Episode 5, Nataki Kerr, Brand & Student Recruitment Manager, speaks with Mr. Renoir J. Auguste, MSc., PhD Environmental Biology student, about his career aspirations and how the practical experience he got along with his postgraduate studies is preparing him for careers in both research and education. Tune in to learn more!

My paper on *Environmental Care* of Marine Scientists and how they relate with environmental changes is accepted for publication in the journal Minerva. Good news during holidays :-) check it out soon. First paper out of my FWF funded Erwin Schrödinger postdoc scholarship

Prairie Pothole waterbodies were the focus of University of North Dakota Ph.D. student Julia Hampton’s research. These waterbodies vary in size and are easily influenced by dynamic changes in surface water. Her study separated these waterbodies into small, medium and large based on waterbody size gradient, and identifying crucial thresholds that distinguish these categories. Hampton’s findings showed significant differences in water chemistry and the species of macroinvertebrates, fish, and birds supported by each wetland size category. Hampton examined how aquatic communities changed during periods of high and low water levels over an 11-year period, revealing a regime shift within these ecosystems. Hampton, a student fellow with the NDWRRI and a Ph.D. student in biology at UND, has conducted research focusing on increasing understanding of how waterbody size influences chemical and community characteristics in North Dakota’s prairie wetland and lakes. Her findings underscore the value of long-term monitoring datasets and remote sensing techniques for addressing complex ecological questions. Hampton’s research was made possible through the support of the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute and she continues her education at UND. Julia Hampton #waterbodies #dynamics #datasets

Congratulations to the recipients of 2024 Research and Teaching Preserve grants! RTP grants support both IU undergraduate and graduate student research in the environmental sciences at IU RTP properties, 1,600 acres of natural areas in southern Indiana. The green campus is part of what makes Indiana University Bloomington a special place. Through their research experiences, these students won't just study the environment, they'll explore it: •Aiden Baker, Prevalence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in submerged aquatic macrophytes •Bode Hoover, Seasonal dependence of HONO and OH radical chemistry below a forest canopy: measurements and model comparison •Ellie Shell, Hot or not? Implications of temperature on the development of the Eastern spadefoot (Scaphiopus holbrookii) •Jaeyoung Yoo, Above- and below-ground carbon pathways to soil food webs in a temperate forest •Josephina Fornara, Female song—purposeful or pointless? Testing the effects of female song playback on aggressive behavior in a common North American songbird Learn more about RTP: https://lnkd.in/giXt-bXC

📢 Funded PhD opportunity at SAMS! Combined effects of climate change and metal exposure to physiological adaptation in early life stages of Christmas Island land crabs in wetland ecosystems. Christmas Island’s wetlands are globally significant but face threats from phosphate mining and climate-driven stressors. This project examines crab resilience to pollutants and climate impacts through lab and field studies. Partnering with Ramsar, JNCC, and Parks Australia, it aims to inform conservation policy and adaptive management. Supervisory team includes Dr Helena Reinardy of SAMS and Prof Alistair Boxall, University of York and Dr Lucy Turner, University of Plymouth. Essential skills include: molecular biology and/or physiological laboratory experience, experimental aquatic biology, field work, and data analyses. For more information, see https://lnkd.in/ehSuCZH6 #PhDopportunity #PhDstudy #marinescience #postgrad #postgraduatestudy #ThinkUHI #ecotoxicology

Opportunities for Postdocs and Research Associates!!! BFF-AFIRMS, (Best Future Forest: advanced forest genomics and integrative resource management system), is a transformative initiative aimed at digitalizing forest resource management and tree improvement for the province of Alberta, Canada. This is a joint effort across Government of Alberta (Lee Woodham), industry partners of Tree Improvement of Alberta (Jeff Morris), University of Alberta (Barb Thomas), and Oklahoma State University (USA), aiming to integrate high-throughput genotyping, predictive analytics, and decision-making support to ensure responsible stewardship of forest genetic resources in the face of climate challenges, as well as increasing demand for sustainable forest ecosystems and products. More detail see: https://lnkd.in/gA73jex4

Kicking off the semester on a high! I am thrilled to share that I have been conferred a dually-funded PEAK Summit Award from the Northeastern University Office for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URF) and John Martinson Honors Program. An honor granted to “proficient individuals who are headed to the project pinnacle”, this award will fund my continued work at the Northeastern Marine Science Center (MSC) carbonate biogeochemistry lab. Specifically, I will be “Assessing the Impacts of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) on Commercial Marine Bivalve Polymorph Mineralogy” under the supervision of Dr. Justin Ries—the mentorship from whom I am, for the umpteenth time, incredibly grateful for! For those who are interested, I have had a go at summarizing the scope of my work for a general audience: "As ocean acidification continues its deleterious hike towards total ecosystem devastation, ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) has emerged as a promising route to global attenuation. Enacted through the release of alkaline mineral dissolution products into seawater, its intended capacities for mesoscale deacidification and augmented carbon dioxide uptake are well-established. Yet, little is known about its biological externalities, especially with regards to marine calcifiers. I herein propose a longitudinal study to demystify the present and future impacts of OAE-perturbed seawater chemistries on commercial marine bivalve mineralogy. Findings will in part inform efforts to minimize the health penalties of OAE on coastal fisheries." #OAE #mCDR #CDR #oceanacidification #climatechange

Coastal ports, water quality and marine ecosystems module, part of the Masters of Marine Biology at James Cook University Students today heard about coastal water quality, marine habitats and port development adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. Lots of great discussion with students - future leaders in marine science and management. TropWATER: JCU's Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research

Inside #WaterResearch Issue 20: Explore a comprehensive synthesis of hydrology, water chemistry, and contaminants research in the Peace-Athabasca Delta—shaping the future of long-term monitoring for shallow, flood-prone lakes. https://bit.ly/4fNaopF Featuring research by Dr. Roland Hall and Laura Neary, Department of Biology, University of Waterloo Faculty of Science.