People

The Fraser Lab at the inaugural Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences conference, Montreal, QC (2023). Pictured from left to right: Hari Won, Hyung-Bae Jeon, Alexandra Engler, Julie Gibelli, Sozos Michaelides, Thais Bernos, Dylan Fraser, Badrouyk Chamlian, Brian Gallagher, Johnathan Lemay

We are currently (winter 2024) a team of ten research personnel (3 Postdocs, 3 PhD, 3 MSc, one visiting Postdoc):

Dr. Dylan Fraser (Principal Investigator) I am fascinated with the population diversity found within virtually any species: (i) how does such diversity arise? (ii) How does the evolution of population diversity affect species’ responses to environmental change? (iii) How best do we prioritize it for conservation and sustainable development? Will small populations adapt in the face of environmental change? I grew up in Ontario fishing, canoeing, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, cooking and playing baseball. I did a BSc in Fisheries Biology at the University of Guelph and then a PhD at Laval U. with Louis Bernatchez. I was an NSERC Postdoctoral fellow for three years at Dalhousie U. with Jeffrey Hutchings before starting at Concordia U.

Dr. Julie Gibelli (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2024-present) Julie is conducting population genomic assessments of mixed-stock harvests for a number of fisheries that are important for Firsts Nations, Metis communities and government agencies in northern Quebec and the Peace River-Lake Athabasca region of northern Alberta. She also develops public outreach materials to promote awareness of the application of genomic research for local community stewardship of natural resources.

 

Dr. Jukka-Pekka Verta (Visiting Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow from University of Helsinki, October 2023-March 2024) Jukka-Pekka will be investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms that may explain how dwarf Atlantic salmon have become so small relative to the usual large-sized salmon people are most familiar with, and what kinds of challenges this smallness has posed on the body template of females to mature and produce large enough eggs to ensure offspring survival.

Dr. Thais Bernos (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2023-present) Through Fostering Indigenous Small-scale fisheries for Health, Economy and food Security: http://fishes-project.ibis.ulaval.ca/), Thais collaborates closely with nature stewards of the Cree and the Dene Nations. Her work will (1) inform community initiatives to manage and safeguard Lake Trout diversity and its biocultural heritage for their benefits and for the planet; (2) create an operational framework to assess biocultural diversity within harvested species; and, (3) improve the policy framework to honour Indigenous knowledge and improve the stewardship of biocultural diversity. In addition to this biocultural diversity project, she is also involved in various population genetic projects exploring ecotype divergence in Lake Trout and relationships between genetic neighbourhood size and effective population size among various freshwater fish species.

 

Dr. Sozos Michailidis (Postdoctoral Fellow 2020-present) Sozos studies the population genomics of freshwater fishes in northern Canada that are culturally and socio-economically important for Indigenous fisheries and communities, with applications to local community management initiatives through the FISHES project http://fishes-project.ibis.ulaval.ca/                                                                          

Raphael Bouchard (NSERC A-Bell Scholar, PhD student 2021-present) Raphael studies the population genomics of Cisco Lake Whitefish and Brook Trout in James Bay, Quebec, species that are culturally and socio-economically important for Indigenous Cree fisheries and communities, with applications to local community management initiatives through FISHES http://fishes-project.ibis.ulaval.ca/ (co-supervisor: Dr. Louis Bernatchez, U. Laval)                                                                      

Brian Gallagher (Fulbright PhD Fellow 2019-present) Brian is investigating the impact of intraspecific diversity and eco-evolutionary dynamics on climate change adaptation in brook trout and other salmonids, using modeling, meta-analysis and a combination of long-term data and experiments on populations from Cape Race, Newfoundland.     

     

                                                                                                                          Alexandra Engler (PhD 2019-present) Alexandra is investigating the underlying mechanisms of species coexistence in lake fishes (co-superviser: Dr. Pedro Peres-Neto, Concordia U.). During her PhD, she specifically plans to explore the functional diversity and redundancy of freshwater fish communities of Ontario’s lakes.

 

Badrouyk Chamlian (MSc 2022-present) Badrouyk is using genomic tools to monitor sympatric brook trout populations and their mixed stock fishery harvest contributions in Cree fisheries within Quebec’s large inland lakes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Johnathan Lemay (MSc thesis 2021-present) Johnathan is investigating the role of density-dependence in shaping population variation in behaviour and growth within brook trout (co-supervised by Dr. James Grant, Concordia U.)         

Sofia D’Angelo (Msc 2023-present) Sofia is examining the role of environmental variability in affecting intraspecific life histories and fitness

 

 

 

PREVIOUSLY SUPERVISED STUDENTS

Postdoctoral Fellows

Hyung-Bae Jeon, 2018-2023 (now Research Scientist, Kunsan U., South Korea)              Hari Won, 2021-2023 (now Research Scientist, Yeungnam U., South Korea)                          Jean-Michel Matte, 2020-2022 (now Research Scientist, DFO)                                                    Matthew Yates, 2018-2021, FQRNT Fellow (now NSERC Postdoc, U. Windsor)                      Elizabeth Lawrence, 2021 (now Data Analyst, UNESCO)                                                                Ella Bowles, 2016-2019, MITACS Fellow (now Research Scientist, ECC Canada)
Paul Debes, 2014-2015 (now university professor, Holar University College, Iceland)

PhD

Jean-Michel Matte, PhD 2020 (now Research Scientist, DFO)                                                      Elizabeth Lawrence, PhD 2020 Concordia NSER Scholar (now Data Analyst, UNESCO) Matthew Yates, PhD 2018, NSERC Postgraduate Scholar (now Postdoc, U. Windsor)
Andrew Harbicht, PhD 2017, Concordia Graduate Scholar (now Research Scientist, DFO)
Jacquelyn Wood, PhD 2014, NSERC Postgraduate Scholar (now OMNRF scientist)
Paul Debes, PhD 2013 (now university professor, Holar University College, Iceland)

MSc

Julie Gibelli, MSc 2023, Conc. Merit Scholar (now postdoc, Concordia U.)                          Shannon Clarke, MSc 2022, NSERC Scholar (now Biologist, DFO)                              Timothy Law, MSc 2022, NSERC Scholar (now Enviromental Protection Officer for Kahanwake First Nations Reserve, Quebec)                                                                                    Brent Brookes MSc 2020 (now Molecular Technican, Genome Quebec)                                Dylan Glaser MSc 2020 (now Biologist, DFO)                                                                            Zachary Eisenhauer, MSc 2020 (now Fisheries Technician, USFWS, Vermont)
Nicole Hill, MSc 2018 (now Research Assistant, Calgary Zoo)
Ashlee Prevost, MSc 2018, Conc. Merit Scholar (now Biologist, Fraser R. Fish. Alliance)
Thais Bernos, MSc 2016, Conc. Graduate Scholar (now NSERC Vanier PhD, U. of T.)
Zachery Wells, MSc 2016 (now Biologist, Environmental Consulting firm)
Carol Zastavniouk, MSc 2016, FQRNT Scholar (now Biologist, Golder & Associates)
Eric Brunsdon, MSc 2015 (now Biologist, DFO)
Shahinur Islam, MSc 2015, E. Darwin scholar (now Postdoc, U. Windsor)
Kia Marin, MSc 2015 (Envtal Consultant, now Research Associate at Concordia U.)
Corey Clarke, MSc 2014, NSERC Canada Scholar (now Lead Biologist, Parks Canada)
Queenie Gray, MSc 2013 (now Biologist, Parks Canada)
Andrew Harbicht, MSc 2012 (now Research Scientist, DFO)
Aimee Lee Houde, MSc 2010, NSERC Canada Scholar (now Biologist, E.C. Firm)
Sebastian Belmar-Lucero, MSc 2010

BSc

Sarah Geargeoura, BSc 2021 (now MSc student, U. Toronto)                                                        Ramela Koumrouyan, 2019, 2020 NSERC USRA (now MSc student, McGill U.)                      Gillian Muir, BSc 2019 (now MSc student, Trent U.)                                                                Gabrielle Nessel, BSc 2019
Danielle MacRae, BSc 2018, NSERC USRA (now MSc student, Concordia U.)
Clea Montanari, BSc 2018 (now MSc student, Belgium)                                                              Richelle Smith, BSc 2018                                                                                                                    Andrew Habrich, BSc 2016, NSERC USRA (now PhD student, Carleton U.)
Katherine Levasseur, BSc 2016                                                                                                              Lisa Walker, BSc 2015 (now MSc student, McGill U.)                                                                Jessica Mantha, BSc 2015                                                                                                                  Megan Heath, BSc 2014 (now MSc student, U. Windsor)
Alana di Vito, BSc 2014 (now a teacher)
Thais Bernos, BSc 2013 (now PhD student, U. of Toronto)                                                            Tom Burdon, BSc 2013                                                                                                                        Defne Tezel, BSc 2012                                                                                                                    Alexandre Meli, BSc 2012, NSERC USRA (now PhD student, McGill U.)
Mikayla Wujec, BSc 2012                                                                                                                  Matthew Yates, BSc 2011, NSERC USRA (now Postdoc, UQAM)
Sherylyne Scott, BSc 2011                                                                                                              Matthew Morris, BSc 2009, NSERC USRA (now university professor, Ambrose U.)
Anthony Heggelin, B.E.S. 2008 (now Biologist, Nova Scotia)
Aimee Lee Houde, BSc 2007, NSERC USRA (now NSERC Postdoc, UBC)

Research Associates

Ashlee Prevost (2018-2019)                                                                                                    Alexandre Bourassa (2017, joint Concordia-UQAM)                                                                  Thais Bernos (2016-2018)                                                                                                                 Kia Marin (2015-2017; 2020-22)                                                                                                Robert Carson (2012-2014)

Field+Research Assistants/visiting scholars

Nicole Yu, Scientific Communications Officer (2023)                                                                  Natalie Dupont, field and wet lab research assistant (2023)                                                      Natalya Assance, summer research assistant (2022)                                                                    Jacob Cooncome, summer research assistant (2022)                                                                      Brett Studden, summer research assistant (2022)                                                                            Hannah Postma, summer field technican (2020)                                                                        Sarah Geargeoura, summer coop student (2020)                                                                        Giulio Navarroli, summer research assistant (2020)                                                                        Justin Budyk, summer field technician (2019)                                                                        Natalie Dupont, summer field assistant (2019)                                                                      Natalie Dupont, summer field assistant and FQNRT CEGEP scholar (2018)                    Miles Barrette-Duckworth, fall field assistant (2017)                                                                    Tyler Brooks, summer field assistant (2017)                                                                            Calley Wasser, summer field assistant (2017)                                                                     Camden Moirs, summer field assistant (2017)                                                                  Gabrielle Nessel, summer field assistant (2017)                                                                     Anne-Marie Beland, fall field assistant (2016)                                                                      Rachel Lampron, summer field assistant (2016)                                                                          Dr. Deliang Li, visiting professor (2016)                                                                                Andrew Habrich, summer field assistant (2016)                                                                    Javiera Bonavente, visiting MSc student (2015)                                                                     Laura McDonnell, lab research assistant (2015)                                                                       Lisa Walker, lab research assistant (2015)                                                                               Alana diVito, summer/fall field assistant (2014)                                                                    Megan Heath, summer/fall field assistant (2014)                                                                    Ryan Beach, summer field assistant (2013)                                                                              Thais Bernos, summer field assistant (2013)                                                                        Christine Gaudreau, fall field assistant (2012)                                                                    Alexandre Meli, lab research assistant (2012)                                                                          Pablo Munoz, visiting MSc scholar (2012)                                                                              Destin Joyal, lab research assistant (2012)                                                                            Mikayla Wujec, summer research assistant (2011)                                                                  Morgane Bonamy, field assistant (2011)                                                                                  Cyndy Desjardins, fall field assistant (2011)                                                                             Emily Fobert, fall field assistant (2011)