I am privileged to be a Professor of Applied Marine Ecology and Social-Ecological System Science at Simon Fraser University’s School of Resource and Environmental Management.

I seek to discover what makes the relationships between people and other components of coastal ocean ecosystems resilient to disturbance. My students and I combine manipulative field experiments, quantitative models, and archeological reconstructions with Indigenous knowledge to reveal nature’s mysteries and inform ecologically resilient and socially just conservation policies.

We co-create science with Indigenous knowledge holders, resource users, and governments, with knowledge mobilization as a fundamental goal of our research. We study the resilience of kelp forest ecosystems, predator-induced regime shifts, ancestral mariculture innovations, and ocean climate solutions. By co-designing, co-producing, and co-delivering research with Indigenous communities, we provide globally relevant examples of how decolonizing the research process can democratize marine science and lead to new discoveries with critical implications for society.

“Equitable and durable marine conservation and fisheries policies can only be achieved by addressing the rights, responsibilities, decision-making authority, knowledge, and objectives of Indigenous people.” (Dr. Anne Salomon, 2019).