WiRE Lab Personnel
Principal Investigator
Adam T. Ford, Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Wildlife Restoration Ecology;
Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Kelowna, BC
Director of the Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services {BRAES] , Kelowna, BC.
Co-director of the Wildlife Science Center at Biodiversity Pathways
Member of the Biodiversity Research Center, Vancouver, BC.
Faculty advisor for the UBC-O Student Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
Science Advisor for the Provincial Hunting and Trapping Advisory Team
Member of IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Specialist Group
Member of IUCN SSC Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group
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outdated CV
Google Scholar
Adam T. Ford, Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Wildlife Restoration Ecology;
Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Kelowna, BC
Director of the Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services {BRAES] , Kelowna, BC.
Co-director of the Wildlife Science Center at Biodiversity Pathways
Member of the Biodiversity Research Center, Vancouver, BC.
Faculty advisor for the UBC-O Student Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
Science Advisor for the Provincial Hunting and Trapping Advisory Team
Member of IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Specialist Group
Member of IUCN SSC Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group
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outdated CV
Google Scholar
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Organizations that are helping our students and staff to do research and make change:
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UBC Staff
Erik Peterson - WiRE Lab Field Operations Lead Robin Blott - WiRE Lab Wildlife Research Associate BRAES Staff: Tanja Voegel, BRAES Coordinator Biodiversity Pathways - BRAES Staff Todd Penke - Engagement Team Lead, working with Biodiversity Pathways. Taylor Baker, Indigenous Community Coordinator, working with Biodiversity Pathways. Ashley Schweitzer - Applied Science Coordinator, working with Biodiversity Pathways. Peter Baker - Indigenous Community Coordinator, working with Biodiversity Pathways. Joanne Hale - Indigenous Community Coordinator, working with Biodiversity Pathways. Jack Creeggan, SENSR Coordinator Postdocs: Dr. Clayton T. Lamb, WiRE Lab Postdoctoral Fellow [2020 - ongoing]. "Quantifying the outcome of caribou recovery strategies in Central British Columbia" Dr. Michelle McLellan, MITACS Postdoctoral Fellow [2023 - ongoing] "Managing ecosystem components for Southern Mountain Caribou recovery in British Columbia." and working with Biodiversity Pathways. PhD Students: Melissa Butynksi, PhD Student [2025- ongoing] "Road ecology and connectivity in Southern British Columbia" Nicola Love, PhD Candidate [2019 - ongoing] "Mathematical modelling approaches to resolving complex wildlife management problems." [co-advised along with Dr. Sarah Otto] Siobhan Darlington, PhD Candidate [2020 - ongoing] "The spatial ecology of cougars in southern British Columbia" [co-advised along with Dr. Karen Hodges]. Angus Smith, PhD Candidate [2022 - ongoing] "Habitat and population dynamics of Roosevelt elk on Vancouver Island." Mitch Brunet, PhD Candidate [2023- Ongoing] "Ungulate dominated food webs of interior BC." MSc Students Landon Birch, MSc Student [2023 - ongoing]. "Nutritional ecology of Stone's sheep in Northern BC" Remington Bracher, MSc Student [Starting in September 2024] Indigenous land stewardship in Canada's National Parks. |
WiRE Lab Alumnx
Isis Khalil (2025) Deer Project Assistant
Graham Longpre (2025) Deer Project Assistant
Alex Heffernan BSc Honours(2024-2025). "Cougar den site selection."
Reese Embree BSC Honours (2024-2025). "Bird communities at cougar-killed mammal carcasses.
Melanie Dickie, PhD [2020 - 2024] "Understanding mechanisms behind caribou declines in western Canada: Predators, habitat alteration, and climate"
Dr. Christina M. Prokopenko, NSERC Banting Fellow [2022- 2024] "Integrating theoretical and empirical models of predator-prey interactions across North America."
Dr. Eric Palm [2023 - 2024] MITACS Postdoctoral Fellow. "Effects of winter recreation on caribou ecology."
Chloe Wright, PhD [2018 - 2024] "Linking individual fitness to population outcomes in a changing world: mule deer in Southern British Columbia"
Jenna Scherger v2.0, MSc Student [Jan 2021-2024], "Wolf-human coexistence in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve."
Carmen Richter, MSc Student [Sep 2021 - 2024] "Mapping lichen abundance in caribou recovery landscapes."
Dr. Tal Avgar, Senior research Associate [2022-2023], Caribou recovery scientist with Biodiversity Pathways.
Dr. Andrew Kadykalo, ResNet Postdoc [2022- 2023] "Role of Movement and Place in Ecosystem Service Provision/Delivery" [co-advised with Dr. Elena Bennett]
Jacob Hubner, MSc Student [2020-2023], "Modelling the transboundary spread of chronic wasting disease into British Columbia."
Jakob Andrian, BSc honours [2022-2023] "Mapping the mule deer nursery of southern interior British Columbia"
Emerson Ferrier, BSc honours student [2021 - 2022] "Linking Island Biogeography Theory to Terrestrial Landscapes."
Shannon Spragg MSc Student [2020- 2022 "Socio-ecological connectivity of grizzly bears in southern British Columbia." [co-advised along with Dr. Matt Williamson]
Danielle Gauthier, MSc Student and First Gen WiRE Labber, [2017 - 2022] "Non-invasive methods for monitoring wolves in the East Kootenays, BC" *Now working for Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs!
Laura Balyx, MSc Student [2019-2022], "The spatial ecology of mountain goats in Cathedral Provincial Park, BC"
Mateen Hessami, MSc Student [2019-2022], "The effects of caribou recovery strategies on moose harvest in BC."
Peter White, MSc Student [2020-2022], "The effects of bison reintroduction on bighorn sheep in Banff National Park, AB"
Dr. Ella Bowles, WiRE Lab Postdoctoral Fellow [2020 - 2022]. "Cultural keystone species in a changing world." [Along with Dr. Jesse Popp].
Dr. Chelsea Little [Germain Lab and WiRE Lab; 2020-2021].
Dr. Matthew Williamson, Liber Ero Fellow and the first WiRE Lab Post-Not-otoral Fellow because he got an awesome Tenure Track job. "Social factors affecting connectivity planning."
Dr. Amanda Liczner, the *Inaugural* BRAES Postdoctoral Fellow, [2020-2022] "Landscape and connectivity ecology." [Along with Drs. Jason Pither, Lael Parrott, Josie Hughes, and Richard Pither].
Catherine Fauvelle, Visiting Scholar [2021] "Connectivity and food web restoration in the Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve, AB."
Mathew Macpherson, Visiting Scholar [2021 ] "Snake movement ecology in southern British COlumbia."
Sultana Majid, MSc [2021], "Interacting effects of micro- and macro-predators on wild sheep in a fragmented landscape." *Now working at the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
Emily Sunter, MSc, First Gen WiRE Labber, [2020] "Spatial dimensions of human-wildlife coexistence in the Bow Valley, AB" *Now working at the Canadian Wildlife Service!
Sophie Watts, Visiting Scholar [2019-20] "Wolf ecology in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve."
Addison Fosberry, BA Directed Studies [2019] "Road ecology of the 97C highway in Sylix Territory"
Jenna Scherger, BSc Directed Studies [2018-19] "The recolonization of large mammals to a post-fire landscape."
Nathan Earley, BSc Directed Studies [2018-19] "University of British Columbia Campus Critters Project."
Mac Campbell, BSc Honours student, [2017-18] "Habitat models used in industrial projects in Canada's boreal forest"
Dr. Laura Coristine, Liber Ero Fellow, [2017] "Conservation priorities for Canada in a changing world."
Sarah Falconer, BSc Honours student, [2017-18] "Evaluating policy-relevant surrogate taxa for biodiversity conservation: a case study from British Columbia"
Haley Silas, BSc honours student.[Sep-April 2018]."Effects of dog-therapy sessions on dogs: did anyone bother to ask the dogs how they feel?"
Bethany Arndt, BSc honours student. [Sep-April 2018]. "The changing geography of plant resources for large herbivores in Canada."
Jasyka Khosla, Firstest Gen WiRE Labber, Directed Studies [Jan-April 2017]."Wildlife of concern in the municipalities of North America."
Graham Longpre (2025) Deer Project Assistant
Alex Heffernan BSc Honours(2024-2025). "Cougar den site selection."
Reese Embree BSC Honours (2024-2025). "Bird communities at cougar-killed mammal carcasses.
Melanie Dickie, PhD [2020 - 2024] "Understanding mechanisms behind caribou declines in western Canada: Predators, habitat alteration, and climate"
Dr. Christina M. Prokopenko, NSERC Banting Fellow [2022- 2024] "Integrating theoretical and empirical models of predator-prey interactions across North America."
Dr. Eric Palm [2023 - 2024] MITACS Postdoctoral Fellow. "Effects of winter recreation on caribou ecology."
Chloe Wright, PhD [2018 - 2024] "Linking individual fitness to population outcomes in a changing world: mule deer in Southern British Columbia"
Jenna Scherger v2.0, MSc Student [Jan 2021-2024], "Wolf-human coexistence in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve."
Carmen Richter, MSc Student [Sep 2021 - 2024] "Mapping lichen abundance in caribou recovery landscapes."
Dr. Tal Avgar, Senior research Associate [2022-2023], Caribou recovery scientist with Biodiversity Pathways.
Dr. Andrew Kadykalo, ResNet Postdoc [2022- 2023] "Role of Movement and Place in Ecosystem Service Provision/Delivery" [co-advised with Dr. Elena Bennett]
Jacob Hubner, MSc Student [2020-2023], "Modelling the transboundary spread of chronic wasting disease into British Columbia."
Jakob Andrian, BSc honours [2022-2023] "Mapping the mule deer nursery of southern interior British Columbia"
Emerson Ferrier, BSc honours student [2021 - 2022] "Linking Island Biogeography Theory to Terrestrial Landscapes."
Shannon Spragg MSc Student [2020- 2022 "Socio-ecological connectivity of grizzly bears in southern British Columbia." [co-advised along with Dr. Matt Williamson]
Danielle Gauthier, MSc Student and First Gen WiRE Labber, [2017 - 2022] "Non-invasive methods for monitoring wolves in the East Kootenays, BC" *Now working for Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs!
Laura Balyx, MSc Student [2019-2022], "The spatial ecology of mountain goats in Cathedral Provincial Park, BC"
Mateen Hessami, MSc Student [2019-2022], "The effects of caribou recovery strategies on moose harvest in BC."
Peter White, MSc Student [2020-2022], "The effects of bison reintroduction on bighorn sheep in Banff National Park, AB"
Dr. Ella Bowles, WiRE Lab Postdoctoral Fellow [2020 - 2022]. "Cultural keystone species in a changing world." [Along with Dr. Jesse Popp].
Dr. Chelsea Little [Germain Lab and WiRE Lab; 2020-2021].
Dr. Matthew Williamson, Liber Ero Fellow and the first WiRE Lab Post-Not-otoral Fellow because he got an awesome Tenure Track job. "Social factors affecting connectivity planning."
Dr. Amanda Liczner, the *Inaugural* BRAES Postdoctoral Fellow, [2020-2022] "Landscape and connectivity ecology." [Along with Drs. Jason Pither, Lael Parrott, Josie Hughes, and Richard Pither].
Catherine Fauvelle, Visiting Scholar [2021] "Connectivity and food web restoration in the Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve, AB."
Mathew Macpherson, Visiting Scholar [2021 ] "Snake movement ecology in southern British COlumbia."
Sultana Majid, MSc [2021], "Interacting effects of micro- and macro-predators on wild sheep in a fragmented landscape." *Now working at the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
Emily Sunter, MSc, First Gen WiRE Labber, [2020] "Spatial dimensions of human-wildlife coexistence in the Bow Valley, AB" *Now working at the Canadian Wildlife Service!
Sophie Watts, Visiting Scholar [2019-20] "Wolf ecology in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve."
Addison Fosberry, BA Directed Studies [2019] "Road ecology of the 97C highway in Sylix Territory"
Jenna Scherger, BSc Directed Studies [2018-19] "The recolonization of large mammals to a post-fire landscape."
Nathan Earley, BSc Directed Studies [2018-19] "University of British Columbia Campus Critters Project."
Mac Campbell, BSc Honours student, [2017-18] "Habitat models used in industrial projects in Canada's boreal forest"
Dr. Laura Coristine, Liber Ero Fellow, [2017] "Conservation priorities for Canada in a changing world."
Sarah Falconer, BSc Honours student, [2017-18] "Evaluating policy-relevant surrogate taxa for biodiversity conservation: a case study from British Columbia"
Haley Silas, BSc honours student.[Sep-April 2018]."Effects of dog-therapy sessions on dogs: did anyone bother to ask the dogs how they feel?"
Bethany Arndt, BSc honours student. [Sep-April 2018]. "The changing geography of plant resources for large herbivores in Canada."
Jasyka Khosla, Firstest Gen WiRE Labber, Directed Studies [Jan-April 2017]."Wildlife of concern in the municipalities of North America."
