INTRODUCTION.
My academic and professional experiences have provided me with a strong foundation in research. As a Natural Resource Science student at Thompson Rivers University, I have engaged extensively in both classroom- and field-based research throughout my degree. My coursework has required me to conduct numerous research projects, particularly in my upper-level management courses, which involved fieldwork, data analysis, formal scientific reporting, and presentations. Additionally, I have gained experience completing multiple literature reviews, policy decision notes, and reclamation proposals, as well as participating in mock stakeholders’ debates. This academic research experience has strengthened my ability to synthesize scientific information and communicate findings effectively to diverse audiences.
Outside of the classroom, I have gained valuable applied research experience through research-focused employment. In 2023, I worked as a Benthic Macroinvertebrate Technician with the BC Conservation Foundation and Dr. Brian Heise, supporting a TRU master’s research project investigating the impacts of the Elephant Hill and Sparks Lake wildfires on critical salmon spawning habitat in the Deadman watershed. In the summer of 2024, I was hired as a Forest Health Research Assistant with the Ministry of Forests. I contributed to multiple long-term projects with the regional research team. More recently in 2025, I worked as a research assistant for Dr. Jillian Harvey at TRU, supporting her team of master’s students with their projects examining wildfire impacts and ecosystem responses.
Across these experiences, I have developed practical skills in fieldwork, data management, and scientific analysis, while also strengthening my critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Working in collaborative and multidisciplinary research environments has further enhanced my communication and teamwork skills. Altogether, my academic training and professional experience demonstrate my commitment to research and my preparedness for the Undergraduate Research Certificate.
THE STANDARDS.
Research methods courses taken:
- CMNS 2300 – Critical Thinking and Writing for Science & Technology
- NRSC 2100 – Forest Ecology
- BIOL 3000 – Biometrics
- NRSC 2110 – Forest Mensuration
- NRSC 3170 – Ichthyology
- NRSC 3200 – Silviculture
- NRSC 3260 – Limnology
- BIOL 3030 – Population Biology
- NRSC 4020 – Natural Resource Entomology
- NRSC 4130 – Fire Ecology and Management
- NRSC 4030 – Natural Resource Pathology
- NRSC 3110 – Grassland Ecology
- NRSC 3210 – Range Management
- NRSC 4040 – Wildlife Management and Conservation 1: Theory and Principles
- NRSC 4050 – Wildlife Management and Conservation 2: Practice and Application
- NRSC 4110 – Watershed Management
- NRSC 4140 – Natural Resource Policy and Planning
- NRSC 4100 – Fisheries Management
- NRSC 4230 – Graduating Essay
- NRSC 4300 – Ecosystem Reclamation
Graduating Essay
REFLECTIVE ESSAY.
