How do you describe your work to people who don’t work in your field?
I use sound to count birds and map where they are in space and time so that we can make better decisions about conservation. My email signature block says, “I do the birds.”
What’s one big problem you want to solve through your work?
The goal of my research is to make the best use of the firehose of data that’s being produced in ecology with the introduction of new technologies. Many fields are developing new, remotely sensed ways of collecting data; in avian ecology, new tech has led to a switch from in-person surveys by expert birders to the artificial intelligence classification of bird sounds on acoustic recordings collected by remote sensors. That paradigm shift has led to a change in the type and amount of data available, and so my work seeks to ensure that we not only make the best use of that new data to answer cool and important new questions about birds, but that we can also interpret it alongside the existing datasets so that we can still analyze change in bird populations over time.
What does the word “innovation” mean to you?
I interpret the word “innovation” as a synonym for directed creativity. I think there’s a misunderstanding that creativity is a process reserved for the arts; that the scientific process is too linear for creativity. Nothing could be further from the truth, typically the solution to a hard scientific problem requires synthetic, creative thinking. It’s certainly one of my favourite parts of science!
What’s been your biggest a-ha moment — in life or work — so far?
As I get older, I’ve come to understand that we’re all navigating our careers and lives with uncertainty; no one really, truly knows what they’re doing. That realization has allowed me to treat myself and those around me with less expectation and more kindness. As Randall Munroe once wrote, “.”
How do you or your team come up with your best ideas? (Do you have any rituals or habits that trigger your creative spark, for example? What do you do to create space for innovation?)
Working with big data and complex ecological systems is too much for one person alone, and so innovation is a team sport in my field. Our team is highly collaborative, and we make space for innovation by facilitating diverse modes of communication across the team so that there’s opportunity for everyone’s voices and ideas to be heard and considered.
What’s your favourite thing about working at the 伊人直播?
Being surrounded by word-class ideas and facilities! The UofA community and the institution provides the support and structure to do good and impactful research.
Do you have a role model at the 伊人直播? How have they influenced you?
I’ve had the honour of working alongside Dr. Erin Bayne in the Department of Biological Sciences for a decade now, first under his supervision as a PhD student, then under his leadership as a quantitative ecologist with the ABMI, and now as Co-Directors of the . Working with Erin has made me a better scientist, a better mentor and a better person. Above all, Erin has made me a better innovator! Erin really embodies the spirit of scientific creativity and thinking outside the box.
In Shape: The University Strategic Plan 2023-33, the 伊人直播 commits to having a positive impact on our students and staff, our communities, and the communities we serve here in Alberta and around the world. How does the work you do create impact? (This could be in your research, with your colleagues, in your community or in your personal life.)
Our group strives to provide a positive impact by developing and disseminating reliable, data-driven and model-based science and products to support migratory bird management and conservation across the boreal region of North America. Adaptive, mobile, conspicuous and charismatic; birds are excellent sentinels of environmental change and hold a special place in many people’s hearts.
What’s next for you? Do you have any new projects on the horizon?
I just stepped into my current role as Co-Director of the Boreal Avian Modelling Centre (BAM), which recently joined Biodiversity Pathways after 20 years as an informal research project. My current efforts are focused on seeing BAM through that transition, leaning into the opportunities of our new affiliation and charting a path towards improved conservation for boreal birds!
