PhD 2005 University of Guelph, BSc 1999 University of Toronto
My research focuses on aquatic ecology and biogeochemistry, specifically investigating the role of Prairie lakes in the global carbon budget, and the effects of anthropogenic activities on lake water quality. I am interested in determining the role of human activities on the water quality in Saskatchewan Provincial Parks and I'm also interested in carbon budgets in prairie lakes and ponds, and how carbon dynamics interact with climate change.
Current Lab Members
Ryan Rimas
MSc York University
PhD Current at University of Regina
Ryan's research interests include the study of carbon dynamics and sediment respiration of shallow freshwater bodies in the subarctic with the hopes in determining whether the bodies of water are carbon sinks or sources, and within-pond spatial and temporal patterns of benthic algae in the Hudson Bay Lowlands.
Michael Mensah
MSc Current at University of Regina
Michael's MSc research is examining the biophysical controls of sulphates in small farm ponds (dugouts and wetland ponds). By understanding how surrounding soils and vegetation impact water sulphate concentrations, we can better target potential mitigation opportunities for poor water quality for agriculture.
Mike Lavender
Postdoctoral Fellow
Living Data Project
Keerthikrutha Seetharaman
MSc University of British Columbia
PhD Current at University of Regina
In her PhD research Keerthi is evaluating Community-Based Water Quality Monitoring data , and to develop and refine sampling protocols to ensure high quality data, interpretation of these data using fuzzy logic modeling, and to look for geographical trends in water quality.
Jessica Lerminiaux
Undergraduate
Current at University of Regina
Jess is currently completing her BSc in Biochemistry at the U of R. She worked in the Finlay lab in the summer of 2021 as a research assistant and is now filling in as the lab manager to help with dugout sampling and lab analyses.
Sydney Jensen
Lab Manager
MSc University of Regina
Sydney has a BSc in Environmental Biology with Honours from the University of Saskatchewan. Her MSc research examines greenhouse gas dynamics in Prairie wetlands and dugouts, as well as examining how greenhouse gas dynamics vary over the open-water season.
Lab Alumni
Shaeya Cluff
Shaeya was an undergraduate student in Biology at the University of Regina.
Erika Helmond
MSc 2020, BSc 2017 University of Regina
Erika Helmond received her MSc looking at the ecology and physiology of hotwater Physa in Liard Hotsprings in northern BC. She is conducting spatial and temporal population studies at the hot springs, and will be conducting laboratory studies on the life history, fecundity, and temperature preferences of Physa life stages. Erika is co-supervised by Corey Sheffield at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina.
Lauren Thies
Lauren is an undergraduate student who just completed her third year of a B.Sc. in Biology, with plans to complete an honours project. She was awarded an NSERC research award for the summer of 2017. In the Finlay Lab, she is working on a cattail nutrient uptake project while assisting with lake, stream, and dugout sampling.
Ann "I Got This" King
Ann is an undergraduate student working on her B.A. in Environmental Studies with minors in French and Sociology. She was awarded NSERC grants in the summer of 2018 to work in the Finlay lab to assist with dugout sampling and lab work.
In 2019 she was awarded the NSERC again and will be directing the Citizen Science program as well as assisting with dugout sampling and lab work.
Corey McCowan
Corey is an undergraduate student who has completed his 5th year of a B.Sc. in Biology, with plans to complete an honours project in the Finlay lab. In the summer of 2016, he worked part time in the Finlay lab sampling lakes and working on the cattail project. Last summer he worked on his honours project which focused on endangered snails in Northern British Columbia hot springs, while also assisting with lake and dugout sampling.
Mackenzie Metz
Mackenzie was an undergraduate student at the University of Regina.
Jessica Bos
Jess recently graduated with a B.Sc. degree in Ecology & Environmental Biology from the U of R. During her undergrad she spent 8 months working on Citizen Science and Dissolved Organic Carbon projects in the Finlay lab. Jess was awarded an NSERC research award for the summer of 2017. In the Finlay Lab, she is working on the Citizen Science Lake Monitoring Pilot Project while assisting with lake, stream, and dugout sampling.
Tiffany Blampied
Tiffany recently graduated graduated with her BSc in Biology in 2017 and is currently finishing up my second BSc in Environmental Geoscience. She worked in the Finlay lab from 2016 to 2017 as a field and lab research assistant. She assisted in setting up the Finlay lab and collecting lake and dugout samples.
Dr. Jackie Webb
PhD 2017, B Env Sc 2014 Southern Cross University
Jackie Webb is a postdoctoral researcher working on the carbon and GHG balance of agricultural dugouts in Saskatchewan. Jackie recently completed her PhD at Southern Cross University in Australia where she studied carbon cycling in agricultural floodplains. Her research interests include integrating carbon cycles between terrestrial and aquatic systems, carbon dioxide and methane biogeochemistry in fresh to coastal waters, hydrology and groundwater tracing, greenhouse gas fluxes, and stable isotopes.
Willow "The Engineer" Bellisle
Willow is a science teacher whose specialties include tinkering, "McGyvering", and engineering things around the lab. She was also the coordinator for the Citizen Science Program in 2018 and implemented the monitoring of Aquatic Invasive Species in the 6 lakes across Saskatchewan.
"Engineering is just admitting when you're wrong and returning things to Lowe's" -Willow Bellisle
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