Current CO₂ capture methods are inefficient and harmful to microbes used for biofuel production. This research studies how CO₂-capturing liquids damage fuel-producing microbes and identifies tolerant strains. By understanding microbial responses at the genetic level, it aims to design microbe-friendly capture systems that convert carbon dioxide into useful fuels.

This research examines how traditional and local knowledge (TLK) can be meaningfully integrated into disaster risk reduction laws in Fiji and Vanuatu. Through legal analysis, case studies, and community interviews, it shows that TLK is not just cultural heritage, but a vital, science-based strategy for disaster resilience and survival.

In the cool depths of a limestone cave, temperature, humidity, and darkness are constant — ideal conditions for hibernators to save energy over winter. Endangered little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) may hibernate for up to eight months, emerging in spring with minimal stored fat. Exiting the cave on warm, calm days with higher insect activity could provide an opportunity to forage and recover from hibernation. But without weather cues from the outside world, how might hibernating bats anticipate good conditions for emergence? Atmospheric pressure changes, which precede warm and cold fronts, are sensed by many animals, and little brown bats appear to synchronize activity during hibernation with pressure patterns as spring approaches. Using infrared cameras and radio telemetry, my research monitors the activity of bats throughout their hibernation at a Manitoba  cave to reveal how air pressure and weather influence their emergence timing and behaviour.

Transdisciplinary research approaches to climate change mitigation are being used more often given their strengths in collaboration, knowledge integration and collective decision making. Such approaches warrant more attention to understand how diverse teams produce knowledge and practice problem-solving. My thesis research explores the strengths and challenges of transdisciplinary research to offer future avenues for team collaboration and policy decision–making processes.

Achieving a carbon-free future requires not only renewable energy generation but also major upgrades to electricity transmission. This research develops electrostatic generators that produce high-voltage DC power more efficiently and sustainably than current technologies. By reducing costs and reliance on rare materials, the work supports grid expansion and large-scale decarbonisation.

Climate change is forcing marine species to migrate across hostile coastal environments. Using environmental DNA from seawater, this research demonstrates a powerful new way to detect and monitor biodiversity, revealing hundreds of species per sample. eDNA offers a scalable, sensitive tool for tracking ecosystem change and guiding conservation in rapidly changing marine environments.

Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever is a deadly tick-borne virus affecting communities in Uganda and spreading with climate change. Through interviews and large-scale antibody testing, this research identifies how people are exposed to the virus, informing targeted prevention strategies such as awareness campaigns, tick control, behavioural change, and future vaccination planning.

This research investigates how forest soil health underpins resilience to climate change in Nova Scotia. By analyzing physical, chemical, and biological soil properties across diverse sites, the project develops a soil health framework to guide forest management, enhance carbon sequestration, and improve long-term ecosystem resilience.

This research examines how climate change affects Phytophthora infestans, the pathogen responsible for potato late blight. By studying pathogen growth, reproduction, and molecular changes under future temperature and CO₂ conditions, the project aims to inform climate-resilient disease management strategies and strengthen global food security.

This research explores human motion as a renewable energy source using nanogenerators made from nanomaterials. By converting everyday body movement into electricity, the work demonstrates a novel, sustainable approach to reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting a cleaner energy future.