Villy Christensen, FRSC

Professor Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries Principal Investigator, Global Ocean Modelling Graduate Program Committee, Chair Degrees: Cand. scient., Ph.D.

Contact Information

Email: v.christensen@oceans.ubc.ca
Office phone: 604-822-5751
Mailing address: 326 – 2202 Main Mall, Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory (AERL) Building, UBC, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z4
Websites: Global Ocean Modelling, Personal website

Research Unit

Global Ocean Modelling

Research Interests

Dr Christensen is a professor at the University of British Columbia specialising in ecosystem modelling—in particular data-driven ecosystem model construction. He is known for his work as a leader and developer of the Ecopath project, an open source ecosystem modelling software system widely used for ecosystem based management and increasingly for environmental impact assessment. His recent publications have described global ocean models, studied global fish biomass trends, and outlined new habitat capacity models. See the Global Ocean Modelling website for an overview of projects, student activities, opportunities, and other information.

Biography

Dr Christensen grew up in Skagen, the then biggest fishing town in Denmark, where everyone in his extended family lived off the sea. Back then, there were 500 boats at the harbour with a crew of around 2,000. Add families and those who worked at the harbour, and we’re at more than 8,000 – out of a population shy of 10,000. Fisheries were important. Now there are less than 30 boats in the harbour and tourism is the big employer. He was the first in his extended family to go to high school, liked studying, and, not too surprisingly, chose to work with fisheries. After graduation, he worked with the Danish Institute for Fisheries and Marine Research for a decade, for then to be posted by Danida to the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management (now WorldFish Centre) in the Philippines. He next joined UBC, where he has been a faculty since 2004. He has worked with the development of the Ecopath modelling framework and software since joining ICLARM in 1990, and it is still one of his major initiatives.

Awards

Dr Christensen was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2022.

Dr Christensen was elected a Fellow of the American Fisheries Society in 2021.

Dr Christensen was awarded the Award of Excellence of the American Fisheries Society in 2020.

About modelling

Dr Christensen works with ecosystem modelling with the premise: Models are not like religion – you can have more than one, (and you shouldn’t believe them).

Publications

Refereed list

Non-refereed list

Books and reports

Google Scholar

Sage Policy Profile

Related stories:

Ecosystem Modelling with EwE – new textbook

This book will be used for future FISH 501 courses, and for the IOF ecosystem modelling micro certificate course.

Villy Christensen named Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada

Dr. Christensen, a professor at the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, is the principal architect behind the Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) modelling approach and software.

Southern resident killer whales not getting enough to eat since 2018

The animals have been in an energy deficit, averaged across spring, summer and fall, for six of the last 40 years.

New FCRRs: Historical Ecology in Burrard Inlet and Reconstructing the pre-contact shoreline of Burrard Inlet

These two new Fisheries Centre Research Reports will help us understand the overpowering changes that colonial settlement and development has had on the marine ecosystems surrounding the Lower Mainland area of British Columbia.

Massive “ensemble” climate modelling study includes work of multiple IOF researchers

The project used nine different computer models, created by different teams around the world, to illustrate with greater clarity and range how ocean life will be impacted by Earth’s warming climate.

Countries likely missing out on revenue from catch share fisheries

Despite harvesting an estimated global value of US$17.7 billion worth of fish, many catch share fisheries may be paying little or no royalties on their harvests, with countries likely foregoing this potential source of revenue.

Villy Christensen named Fellow of the American Fisheries Society (AFS)

Fellows are members who have made outstanding or meritorious contributions to the diversity of fields that are included in the American Fisheries Society.

PROFILE: Finding novel ways to use modelling to solve oceans, fisheries and social problems

GOM took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic, moving online, and connecting with researchers from 29 countries.

STUDENT PROFILE: Meaghan Efford

With a background in archaeology, Efford been able to put her unique skillset to use working with the Tsleil-Waututh Nation to create a model of the Burrard Inlet’s pre-colonial contact aquatic ecosystems.

Villy Christensen receives AFS Award of Excellence

Dr. Christensen is the principal architect behind Ecopath, and the project leader and core developer of the expanded ecosystem modelling system Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE).