Engaging with communities via articles and presentations is rewarding!

From 2022-25, I have collaboratively organised the Annual General Meeting of the ESM as chair, co-chair and committee member. I judged the student paper (2021) and poster (2020) competitions and chaired chaired scientific paper sessions (2020-2022). I try to lead by example to generate an inclusive space and stimulate engaging discussions!

Since 2021, I have identified specimen images on iNaturalist. I know the feeling when I find a cool insect and want to know more about it, but don’t know where to start! I’ve had the opportunity during my research to interact with infrequently encountered species, so I share tips to identify species when fewer publicly accessible resources are available. By fulfilling that sense of wonder, I hope to encourage iNaturalist members to continue to be curious! I have also been able to help discover new provincial records (with help from Dr. Christian Schmidt), increasing the biodiversity understanding in Manitoba.

I’ve communicated directly with local people about tall grass prairie and endangered butterfly conservation. I shared my Poweshiek skipperling research during Prairie Days (2019), showing a hypothetical larval foraging path with some string, an enclosure and imagination! At the Monarch Butterfly Festival (organised by the Living Prairie Museum and Friends of the Living Prairie Museum), I led interpretive hikes highlighting the Monarch butterfly’s ecology and how anybody can help to ensure the long-term survival of it’s tall grass prairie habitat (2016-17). At every event, I enjoyed speaking with people from ~5 to 70 years old and hearing their perspectives. Hopefully I was able to create a great experience, inspiring especially the younger people to continue to learn about wild places!

I enjoyed co-writing articles discussing Poweshiek skipperling and Mottled duskywing, that I mentioned on the respective pages I continue to search for new opportunities to share research.

The following opportunities communicate research mostly with academic audiences. However, they are extra time commitments that I chose to spend time with so I view them as volunteering. Since 2018, I have been volunteered as a member of the Poweshiek skippering International Partnership (currently a Co-Chair of the Science Support Team and member of the Steering Committee). I engage in conferences (in-person, phone and online) and shared reports to provide my larval behaviour expertise, collaborating with local and international conservation experts in academia, non-for-profits and multiple levels of government to maintain suitable habitat and prevent the extinction of the Poweshiek skipperling. Travelling to remnant sites in Michigan, and reintroduction facilities in Minnesota has been and meeting people in both countries is an opportunity I hope to continue.