Quinn Webber (he/him)
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I am a behavioural ecologist interested in the intersection between animals, parasites, and the environment. Originally from Winnipeg, I completed my BSc Honours at the University of Winnipeg in 2013 and my MSc at the University of Winnipeg in 2016 where I focused on how animal personality and social behaviour affect parasite dynamics in bats. In 2016, I moved to St. John's Newfoundland and attended Memorial University of Newfoundland, where I finished my PhD on caribou social behaviour and space use in 2020. I was then a (remote) Post-Doc at the University of Colorado Boulder focusing on territoriality in red squirrels. In 2022 I started as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph.
Email: qwebber[at]uoguelph[dot]ca Twitter: @webber_quinn |
MSc students
Jordan Heppell (he/him)
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I am an MSc student interested in the fascinating world of wildlife behavior and habitat dynamics. My academic journey began with a BSc in Biology from Vancouver Island University, where I completed my undergraduate thesis on best practices for using camera traps to study species responses to persistent drought near Nanaimo, BC. My MSc research will be at the intersection of ecological data integration and predictive modelling. Specifically, my focus will be on investigating the feasibility of using camera trap and LiDAR data to develop predictive models for species occurrence and movement speed along linear features in northeastern Ontario. This work is co-supervised by Dr. John Fryxell. In my free time, you'll often find me enjoying the company of my fiancé and our very opinionated dog. I also enjoy researching and hyperfocusing on new hobbies, diving into them headfirst only to abandon them for new and exciting interests just a few weeks later.
Email: jheppell[at]uoguelph[dot]ca |
Rose Myatt (she/her)
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I am a MSc student studying the quality and quantity trade-offs in Caribou foraging in Northern Ontario, co-supervised by John Fryxell. I am fascinated with wildlife behaviour, specifically species at risk, and how we can apply behavioural ecology research to conservation. Originally from New Brunswick, I graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a double major in Interdisciplinary leadership and Wildlife conservation, through which I had the opportunity to study marine mammals and seabird behaviour in Greece. More recently I was working for a land conservation organization, developing conservation measures and relating to the public to increase awareness and protected land in the province. In my free time you can find me hiking, exploring this vast province, practising guitar and Muy Thai.
Email: rmyatt[at]uoguelph[dot]ca |
Genevieve Kleefisch (she/her)
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I am an MSc student interested in how community assemblage of Ontario bat species changes over space and time based on food availability and habitat complexity. I completed my BSc at the University of Toronto. My research background includes studying the effects of forest fires on habitat suitability for birds in Ontario and investigating escape behaviors in Anolis lizards in Puerto Rico. More recently, I worked at the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority, conducting faunal surveys across the Greater Toronto Area. In my free time, I enjoy painting, hiking with my dog on scenic trails, and spending time with friends and family!
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PhD students
Alex Cosby (she/her) - Vanier Canada Graduate Scholar
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Being from Manitoulin Island, growing up I was surrounded by Indigenous values related to environmental stewardship, shaping my career goal of studying equitable wildlife management. I graduated from my BSc at the University of Guelph in 2021, then moving on to complete a Masters in Public Issues Anthropology with a specialization in One Health in the LEMR lab, where I studied the parasitic consequences of humans and lemurs sharing and environment in Madagascar. For my PhD research I am returning to Manitoulin to study foraging behaviours in little brown bats, with community engagement being an integral component. Being passionate about my community and animal welfare, in my free time I volunteer with ISP classes and animal rescue groups, as well as play hockey, hike, and cook.
Email: acosby[at]uoguelph.ca |
Allegra Love (she/her) - NSERC PGS-D Scholar
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I am a PhD student interested in disease and spatial ecology. I completed my MSc in the Hendry and Fussmann labs at McGill University in 2021, my research projects have focussed on how parasites impact different aspects of ecology including colour patterns. I have also worked in open science, developing tools to monitor academic author sharing behaviours. This has given me hands-on experience with open science practices, software development, and project management. Currently my PhD project investigates the applications of the Landscape of Disgust and Fear using the Fogo Island caribou system. I like to read or be outdoors as much as possible in my free time!
Email: allegra[at]uoguelph.ca Website: https://allegraelove.wixsite.com/loveresearch |
Shayla Jackson (she/her) - Vanier Canada Graduate Scholar
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I am a current PhD student in the Web lab interested in behavioural ecology. I completed my BSc at the University of Western Ontario and remained there for my first MSc, supervised by William Roberts, in which I investigated canine cognition, and specifically the ability of dogs to discriminate quantity via olfactory cues. Realizing I wanted to spend more time outside, I travelled to Winnipeg, MB, where I completed a second MSc, supervised by Susan Lingle, investigating the diet and behaviour of coyotes living in proximity to cattle. Presently, I will be comparing wolf and coyote movement and reproductive behaviour across Ontario for my PhD. In my free time, I can usually be found deep in the forest with my own little wolves.
Email: sjacks28[at]uoguelph.ca |
Post-doctoral Fellows
Dr. Rachael Derbyshire (she/her)
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My name is Rachael Derbyshire and I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Webber Lab. For the past ~15 years, I have studied or worked within the field of wildlife biology and ecology. In addition to completing a BSc in Wildlife Biology (University of Guelph), MSc in Ecology (University of Guelph), Post-Graduate Diploma in Endangered Species Recovery (Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology; University of Kent), and PhD in Environmental and Life Sciences (Trent University), I have held several employment positions in my field, including as a Research Manager at the University of Guelph. Currently, I am investigating the behavioural ecology of boreal caribou populations in Northern Ontario as part of the Caribou Conservation Stewardship Program, in partnership with the Ontario government. In my free time, I enjoy knitting, gardening, and spending time in the many beautiful natural areas that can be found across Ontario.
Email: rderbysh[at]uoguelph[dot]ca |
Dr. Julia Kilgour (she/her) - NSERC PDF Scholar
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My research centers around the impacts of free-roaming cats on urban wildlife behaviour and population health. I am interested in examining how using a One Health approach can improve our ability to mitigate conflicts with cats by incorporating the values and behaviours of stakeholders, the physical and political structures of the urban landscape, and the ecologies of the wildlife species. My previous research has examined the role of resource availability and group composition on the evolution of aggression (PhD, University of Guelph), and social group dynamics in bats (MSc, University of Regina). I have also been a part of the DC Cat Count, a highly collaborative project that examined the dynamics of different populations of owned and unowned cats in Washington DC. I worked as a wildlife biologist at the Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, IL), where I examined the efficacy of sterilization as a population management tool for free-roaming cats in New York City. I have a strong passion for social justice and spend some of my personal time working to dismantle the barriers to success for historically-excluded and marginalized people. I also enjoy good wine, strong coffee, running, and hiking with my partner and pup.
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Undergraduate students
Marie Cera (she/her)
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I am an undergraduate student who joined the Webber Lab in the summer of 2023 as a research assistant, working with big brown bats and their ectoparasites. Currently, I’m working on my honours research project, focused on the social predictors of dominance hierarchy strength in mammals. In my free time, I love to hike and practise kickboxing!
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Emma Kelly (she/her)
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I am an undergraduate student working towards my BSc in Wildlife Biology and Conservation. I have been fortunate enough to work as a lab assistant in the Webber lab, helping with projects focused on caribou foraging and social behaviours in big brown bat maternity colonies, as well as with the OMNR on inland lake monitoring. I’m currently working on my honours project, focused on how winter severity influences the timing of parturition in caribou, with particular interest in how climate patterns affect calving synchrony and calf survival. Outside of work, you’ll usually find me reading, hiking, fishing, or convincing friends and family to join me on an adventure.
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Graduate student alumni
Arya Horon (MSc, 2022-2024) - NSERC CGS-M Scholar
Thesis title: Do caribou surf? An empirical test of the green wave hypothesis for woodland caribou in Ontario, Canada.
Arya is now a caribou biologist at fRI research in Alberta.
Thesis title: Do caribou surf? An empirical test of the green wave hypothesis for woodland caribou in Ontario, Canada.
Arya is now a caribou biologist at fRI research in Alberta.
Teya Mathews (MSc, 2023-2024) - NSERC CGS-M Scholar
Thesis title: The effect of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on ectoparasitism in big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) maternity colonies.
Thesis title: The effect of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on ectoparasitism in big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) maternity colonies.
