Kelp forests are the foundation of our temperate coastal ecosystems, supporting broad communities of economically, culturally, and ecologically valuable species. My research brings together my diverse background in historical ecology, remote sensing, natural history, restoration techniques, and my years of tinkering with various field monitoring techniques (underwater drones, timelapse cameras, SCUBA, etc.) to better understand the multiple stressors impacting kelp forest ecosystems, and how we can best mitigate them to support healthy coastal ecosystems.

During my PhD in Prof. Julia Baum’s Lab, I have been a part of regional, international, and global working groups focused on kelp conservation and restoration. I have also worked closely with the Kelp Rescue Initiative, as well as various commercial, community-based, and First Nations partners to advance kelp restoration and monitoring methodologies here on the BC coast and beyond. As a member of the inaugural cohort of the University of Victoria’s Coastal Climate Solutions Leaders program, I have learned the value of interdisciplinary teamwork when addressing large-scale issues like climate change, and I bring this mentality into the work that I do.