Lab Alumni
Angela Brennan, PhD
2019-2022
Angela Brennan is a Research Associate and Conservation Scientist. Angela received a BS from the University of Wisconsin, an MS from Western Washington University and a PhD in Wildlife Biology from Montana State University.Angela spent 2 years working for the World Wildlife Fund on large mammal connectivity conservation in southern Africa and continues to be affiliated with the organization as a WWF Fellow. She has more than 10 years of experience studying the ecology and management of large mammal species and their movements in landscapes where humans and wildlife interact. She has a strong background conducting field work across mountain and savanna ecosystems and using sophisticated statistical modeling and survey technology to study animals remotely. Angela’s training originates from her PhD and post-doctoral work studying elk movement, predation and disease in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. During this time, she was also awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to research predator-prey dynamics and wildebeest migration in western Zambia. Angela’s work is published in top academic journals in ecology, conservation and wildlife management.
Current position: Lead Scientist with Conservation Science Partners
Becca Brunner, PhD
2015-2022
I am broadly interested in ecology and conservation in the tropics, particularly strategies that aim to benefit both biodiversity and the livelihoods of local people. I currently research the nexus of ecosystem services and conservation, as well as synergies between biodiversity and human health.
Contact: https://www.beccabrunner.com/
Dr. Joséphine Gantois
2021-Present
I am an interdisciplinary scientist, primarily trained in economics and ecology. I currently work on assessing the ecological value and economic feasibility of converting marginal patches of crop fields to natural habitat across grain farms in Southern Ontario, using a combination of mapping, simulations, and semi-structured interviews.
In July 2023, I will start as an Assistant Professor in Human Dimensions of Biodiversity Conservation at UBC, across the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, and the Food and Resource Economics Program. I plan to work on (1) estimating the causal impact of land use choices and conservation policies on biodiversity, (2) measuring and studying species and ecosystems at large scales, and (3) developing solutions to reconcile urgent land conservation goals in agricultural regions with farmer and agricultural stakeholder incentives.
Aidee Guzman, PhD
2017-2021
I am a NSF and UC Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Irvine. With my postdoctoral mentor Dr. Kathleen Treseder, I am examining agroecological approaches that could harness biodiversity and ecosystem functioning for improved agricultural resilience. Specifically, I plan to investigate biotic interactions in soils that could improve crop tolerance to drought and mediate carbon allocation and resource exchange belowground. The overarching goal of my research program is to support farmers, especially those who are historically underserved, through research, education, and outreach that builds on their innovations and demonstrates ecological pathways to agricultural resilience.
Previously, I completed my Ph.D. with Dr. Claire Kremen and Dr. Timothy Bowles in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley. For my Ph.D., I am worked with small-scale farmers embedded in the monoculture landscape of California’s San Joaquin Valley. My research investigated how on-farm diversification practices impact soil health and link to other ecological processes (i.e. pollination) on agroecosystems.
Current position: NSF and UC Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Irvine
Contact: aideeg [at] uci.edu | https://www.aideeguzman.com/about
Rassim Khelifa, PhD
2020-2022
Rassim was a postdoctoral fellow at the Kremen lab. his work was focused on understanding the variation of dragonfly diet across different types of agroecosystems with various diversification practices.
Current position: Rassim is an assistant professor at Concordia University
Adrian Lu, PhD
2013-2020
Contact: Currently Working for the US Embassy in Angola
Carly McGregor, MSc
2019-2022
Carly’s research with the Kremen Lab Group focused on defining the pollinator efficiency and biodiversity-supporting capacities of incorporating managed native hedgerows and/or grassland set-asides into blueberry croplands in the Fraser Valley in British Columbia.
Current position: Carly is the Lab Manager of Plant-insect ecology and evolution lab at UBC.
Contact Details
singhv [at] zoology.ubc.ca
Gaurav Singh-Varma
2020-Present
Gaurav is a recent graduate from UBC with a BSc in Biology, and began his master’s thesis in the WoRCS lab in September 2020. Gaurav is primarily focused on the effects of diversified agricultural practices on animal movement and connectivity in multiple regions across the globe, including the Okanagan Valley in BC. He is also very passionate about animal behaviour and hopes to better understand the social relationships among large mammal groups in the future.
For the past year, Gaurav has been working as a research assistant in the WoRCS lab, analyzing acoustic space competition among frog species in Ecuador with Becca Brunner, and compiling and mapping animal movement data to broadly understand how agriculture affects animal movement with Dr. Angela Brennan. Some of his other previous research experiences include, surveying numerous wildlife populations and taxa in Madagascar as part of a long-term monitoring project, small mammal trapping in northern British Columbia, and investigating salamander homing behaviour in New York State. He also has extensive field research experience in general. Outside of research, he loves playing ice hockey, hiking, cooking, and spending time with friends and family, who count on his knack for finding the best spots to eat.
Sasha Tuttle, MSc
2021-2023
Sasha graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of the Fraser Valley in December 2020. This degree helped develop her background in ecology and inherent love for wildlife. Her desire to gain more experience in the field pushed her to return to university for post-graduate studies.
Sasha Tuttle enrolled in UBC’s Master of Science in Zoology program in January 2021. She pursued this degree under the supervision of Dr. Claire Kremen because of a shared interest in sustainable agricultural practices. Since then, she has studied wild pollinator contributions to blueberry farms in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia and existing pollen deficits. She hopes to continue to contribute to finding ways to balance the needs of people and wildlife.
In her spare time, you can find Sasha hunting for frogs, reading or drawing.
