Rewarding research
By Fallon Bourgeois
Growing up on the West Coast of Canada in Victoria, Isabelle Hurley doesn’t remember a time in her life when she didn’t dream of becoming a marine biologist.
“I’ve always been near the ocean and have had a certain curiosity about it – I see the ocean as the final frontier on earth,” says the fourth-year student.
Isabelle was attracted to Dal because of its proximity to the coast and its marine biology program that offers diverse course options. “I’m interested in climate change and its impacts on fisheries and biodiversity.”
So when Isabelle received news that she was a recipient of the Faye Sobey Undergraduate Student Research Award and would spend her summer working in Heike Lotze’s lab she was thrilled. Dr. Lotze is the Canada Research Chair in Marine Renewable Resources. Her lab focuses on human-induced changes in marine populations, communities and ecosystems.
Analyzing Nova Scotia marine habitats
Isabelle’s research project focused on three Nova Scotia marine habitats (seagrass meadows, rockweed beds and kelp forests). She compared a variety of factors to gain insight into the importance of each ecosystem in maintaining diversity and providing services such as carbon storage. To inform her research, Isabelle became proficient in modelling food webs.
“Once you build a food web you start to remove the most connected species to see what happens once it’s gone. Among many things, you also look at how many species can be removed before the marine habitat collapses.”
Isabelle says she has a particular interest in policy-related research, specifically research that has potential to make a difference on a global scale and her experience this summer fit well with that. “Canada has a goal of protecting 10 per cent of its ocean by 2020; research similar to what I was working on this summer is the kind of work that will inform which areas should be protected.”
Meaningful mentorship
Overall Isabelle says her summer research experience will make a tremendous impact on her future. And while she has many highlights this summer, working in an all-female lab was a tremendous learning opportunity. “It can be intimidating to be a woman in this field. I learned a lot about how they balance their professional and personal lives. They were really great examples that female scientists can do it all.”
Most importantly, this experience affirmed that Isabelle sees a place for herself in the research community.
“It’s important to have opportunities like this because it gives you a sense of how the research world actually works; research fits my personality and I see a place for myself in this community. I feel confident moving forward… I may not have felt that way if not for this opportunity. This award is the catalyst for any research that I pursue in the future.”
Photo credit: Danny Abriel