Dr. Marie Auger-Méthé. Photo credit: RSC
Dr. Auger-Méthé is an Associate Professor, and Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Statistical Ecology, jointly appointed in the University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) and Department of Statistics. She is a global leader in the development of novel statistical methods that advance the understanding of statistical animal ecology, and allow for the formulation of effective management and conservation policies. These methods provide unique insights into the ecology, movement, health, and behaviour of animals of ecological, economic, and cultural significance.
The Killam Accelerator Research Fellowships (KARF) promote research excellence and support early-career scholars by providing time and resources for them to focus on their research, to enable them to have a significant impact in their field of scholarship, and to launch them into the next stage of their career.
Dr. Auger-Méthé’s KARF project will enable her to create tools that recovery teams can use to identify Critical Habitats quickly and accurately, facilitating the protection of such habitats via governmental policies (e.g., recovery strategies and marine protected areas). She will also create an open-access repository of Critical Habitat information that can be used by NGOs, First Nations, and other groups when advocating for the protection of imperilled species. Such work is urgently needed to address biodiversity loss and generate systematic ways of meeting Canada’s conservation goals. To demonstrate the usefulness of these tools, she will apply them to marine mammals and seabirds data in areas with increasing shipping and energy developments.
Congratulations, Dr. Auger-Méthé!