About Jaclyn

From a young age, I was passionate about the ocean. I was particularly smitten with whales. Their impossible size and smooth, stream-lined bodies seemed almost alien to me.

 

The more I learned about whales, the more I began to understand that they were not so different from us. They lived in societies, communicated with each other in complex ways, cared for their young and for each other, and even grieved.

 

Now, I have made it my mission to learn as much as I can about whales, with the hope of better protecting these magnificent creatures and the environment that they inhabit.

My Educational Background

PhD, Biological Sciences (2020 – )

University of Windsor, Canada

Co-advisors: Dr. Daniel Mennill & Dr. Valeria Vergara

Thesis: Acoustic investigation of social structure and vocal dialects in endangered St. Lawrence belugas

MSc, Cognitive & Behavioural Ecology (2017 – 2020)

Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada

Advisor: Dr. Eric Vander Wal

Thesis: Investigation of allocare in the St. Lawrence Estuary beluga population

My Teaching Experience

Teaching Assistant, Ecology (2020 – 2022)

Dr. Daniel Mennill, University of Windsor – Windsor, ON

  • Co-develop a series of labs aimed at scientific writing and communication
  • Provide detailed feedback to foster student’s scientific writing skills
Teaching Assistant, Selected Topics in Animal Behaviour (2019)
Dr. Carolyn Walsh, Memorial University –  St. John’s, NL
  • Prepare and present critique writing workshop
  • Assess student learning
Teaching Assistant, Biology of Vertebrates (2018 – 2019)
Dr. Eric Vander Wal
  • Prepare and lead review sessions
  • Mentor students experiencing difficulties

My Fieldwork Experience

Field Assistant, Moose Sustainable Stewardship Project (2018 – 2019)

Wildlife Evolutionary Ecology Lab, Memorial University – St. John’s, NL

  • Use ATVs, snowmobiles, and snowshoes to deploy camera traps at remote sites
  • Present project goals and progress reports to First Nations stakeholders
Field Assistant, Fogo Island Caribou Project (2018 – 2019)
Wildlife Evolutionary Ecology Lab, Memorial University – St. John’s, NL
  •  Use telemetry to track collared caribou
  • Capture, sex, measure, and tag caribou calves
Field Assistant, Snowshow Hare Trapping (2018)
Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Memorial Univ. – St. John’s, NL
  • Trap, sex, measure, and collar wild snowshoe hares 
  • Use telemetry equipment

Drone Pilot / Field Assistant (2017 – 2018)

Groupe de Recherche et d’Éducation sur les Mammifères Marins – Tadoussac, QC

  • Pilot drones and deploy hydrophones
  • Perform behavioral analysis of belugas from drone footage
Photo-identification Research Assistant (2016)
Groupe de Recherche et d’Éducation sur les Mammifères Marins – Tadoussac – QC
  • Carry out cetacean photoidentification protocols in field and lab settings
  • Give public talks to raise awareness of conservation issues
Field Technician (2012)
Club Agroenvironmental de l’Estrie – Sherbrooke, QC
  • Assess presence of pests and disease in various crops
  • Assess impact of invasive species
 

My Lab Experience

Marine Science Technician (2016)

Department of Fisheries and Oceans – St. John’s, NL

  • Perform histological analyses of halibut tissues
  • Perform dissections 

NSERC Undergraduate Student Researcher (2014)

Memorial University of Newfoundland – St. John’s – NL

  • Perform histological analyses of bivalve tissues
  • Perform Transmission Electron Microscopy

Genetics Lab Technician (2013 – 2014)

Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s – NL

  • Perform PCR on bacterial RNA sequences
  • Assess PCR results via gel electrophoresis