MEET THE LAB
This image was graciously provided by K.D Sherman
The DECO Lab at Concordia University is located on the unceded and traditional lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation and peoples who are recognized as the stewards of Tiohtià:ke/Montréal.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Principal Investigator
Dr. Nicola S. Smith (she/her)
I specialize in marine invasions on coral reefs and am now exploring this system in the context of climate change. I was born and raised in The Bahamas but work and live in Canada. My early life experiences growing up in a small island state where people's livelihoods, identity, and culture are tightly linked to the ocean inform the types of questions that I ask and the types of solutions that I propose.
GRAD STUDENTS
MSc Student
Iris George
I am interested in coastal marine ecosystems and changing dynamics within them due to human impacts. Currently, I am exploring the impact of marine heatwaves on predatory behaviours of invasive, Indo-Pacific lionfish and native groupers in the Bahamas. This will help inform managers about the combined impacts of climate change and invasive species to aid in the conservation of vulnerable marine habitats. I am passionate about diversity in science, inclusion of local stakeholders in research, and conservation of our natural ecosystems.
MSc Student
Katelyn (Katie) Moffat
I am interested in the conservation of marine biodiversity and am currently studying the effects of climate change on marine invasive species, two major drivers of biodiversity loss in the ocean. Specifically, I am examining the independent and combined effects of ocean warming and deoxygenation on the predatory behaviours of invasive, Indo-Pacific lionfish on Caribbean coral reefs predicted under a business-as-usual scenario with climate change for the year 2100. My study will elucidate the broader consequences of climate change and invasive species for ecosystem functioning in coral reefs of small island states.