I was recently out exploring some familiar territory where I grew up. While my family thought we were heading on… Read more: Backcountry Breakdowns (Emergency Equipment for the not-so-lucky days in the field)

It is incredibly fitting that my January blog post is on the concept of “acclimation” — because we are all… Read more: The frustration of acclimation

Artemia (brine shrimp) are commonly used in aquaculture as a nutrient-rich fish food. One of my current collaborations is centered… Read more: The Artemia Apparatus (Ryland saves the day, again…)

“Rinse three times.” The standard rule of scientific dishwashing which will inevitably become how you wash dishes at home. What… Read more: Delving into dishes – what does it mean to be clean?

“Vessels were continually aerated”, “Tanks were aerated to keep oxygen levels above…”, “Beakers were vigorously aerated” – these types of… Read more: Aeration Antics

When building and validating behavioural arenas, one of the biggest challenges is cue delivery. As I study olfaction, the cues… Read more: A splash of colour

As I write this post, I am reflecting on my recent trip to the UK and EU for research abroad… Read more: It’s been a slice

A large chunk of this summer semester has been spent researching abroad. I was granted a Company of Biologists Travelling… Read more: Glass Gone Bad

A very quick post before I head across the pond on a fellowship… I recently needed to transport live snails… Read more: Snail Transport – Lessons Learned

Behavioural ecotoxicology often relies on video recording. The quality of analysis of those videos is reliant on having good contrast.… Read more: Corroplast: A forever favourite

As I have transitioned between working in different labs, collaborating at different institutions, and embraced a number of fieldwork opportunities,… Read more: Shaking in the sunshine

This past month I have spent most of my time writing manuscripts and grants – embracing the time between lab… Read more: Snowy Season

When we study the behaviour of animals, we are constantly working to find a balance between removing ourselves (the humans)… Read more: Hands-off Hypoxia

This month, I am pausing my usual research-related content for a post about pedagogy. The semester break between December and… Read more: A pause for pedagogy

December calls for a short and quick blog post. One semester is coming to a close (with final grades due… Read more: Cue Delivery, Volume 2: The Curtain

This semester, I am teaching Aquatic and Wetland Ecology. This course is hybrid and our field trips involve going to… Read more: Fetching some data – Ryland saves the day (yet again)

Filter feeding species are often used in toxicology studies to assess the effects of suspended solids on an ecosystem. During… Read more: Digging up mussels buried in my hard drive: How being as persistent as glitter and as restorative as morning coffee reminded me why I am a researcher

A large part of my research involves the need to stimulate various sensory systems in animals to determine how contaminants… Read more: The Syringe Sprinkler System – one of many cue delivery devices

Animal identification is a major barrier in designing large scale experiments. Especially when looking at things like growth or behaviour,… Read more: (S)nail Polish: A calcium carbonate canvas

During my PhD, I collaborated on a project involving the need to assess water quality and take water samples –… Read more: The secret fieldwork tool: a dog rescue harness

I am a firm believer that for each scientific inquiry, there is an ideal species to test it. I refrain… Read more: Establishing the leech beach – keeping them on the sand instead of in it!

In doing work with mixtures of very different contaminants, managing their intricacies can be a challenge. I needed to create… Read more: How an origami hobby and some meddlesome minnows led to a unique experimental tank design