Kaitlin Burek

As a summer student in the Metaxas lab, I have had the opportunity to work alongside current graduate students on their respective projects. To assist Arieanna Balbar (M.Sc. Candidate) in her pursuit to determine the implications of using popIMG_7748ulation connectivity as a criterion in Marine Protected Area (MPA) design, I conducted a literature review documenting the current selection criteria used to designate protected areas in the United Kingdom. This information will aid her research efforts by evaluating the current use of connectivity in MPA design and what the trade-offs are for including it. In addition, I have worked with Sarah de Mendonça (M.Sc. Candidate) who is looking at the spatial distribution of megafauna in the deep sea and its relevance to the monitoring and managing of deep-sea conservation areas in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. In preparation for a scheduled deep-sea cruise, I created a website to share cruise happenings with the public as well as collected materials needed for sampling.

Education

Science Communication and Public Engagement (M.Sc. Candidate)

The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

September 2017 – Present

 

B.Sc. Marine Biology Honours Co-op

Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

September 2012 – May 2017

 

Thesis: Recruitment and survival of kelp on turf-algae in Nova Scotia

Supervised by John O’Brien (PhD candidate) and Dr. Bob Scheibling

  • Cameron Conference Oral Presentation 2017
  • Science Atlantic Aquaculture and Fisheries Conference Oral Presentation 2017

 

Scholarships and Awards

  • 2013 Dalhousie Entrance Scholarship
  • 2015 Shao Hua and Wen Hsiang Yoh Prize in Biology
  • 2015 Selected to participate in an interuniversity course in Israel
  • 2014, 2015, and 2016 Dalhousie In-Course Scholarship
  • 2012-2017 Dean’s List; CGPA of 4.14
  • 2016 Nancy Witherspoon Memorial Summer Research Award
  • 2016 Vemco Scholarship in Marine Biology
  • 2016 Top Science Co-op Student of the Year
  • 2016, 2017 Undergraduate Student Research Award

 

Relevant Experience

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Facilitator

Discovery Centre

(Halifax NS)

February 2017 – Present

 

Benthic Marine Ecology Research Assistant

Dalhousie University, Biology Department, Scheibling Lab

(Halifax NS)

May 2016 – June 2017

 

Canadian Sea Turtle Centre Educator (Volunteer)

Canadian Sea Turtle Network

(Halifax NS)

July 2016 – October 2016

 

Science Educator (Volunteer)

Let’s Talk Science, Dalhousie University Chapter

(Halifax NS)

September 2015 – May 2017

 

Naturalist

Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises

(Westport NS)

May 2015 – August 2015

 

Harmful Algal Bloom and Management Research Assistant

Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters

(Burlington ON)

May 2014 – December 2014

 

Contact Information

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlin-burek-a79b27128/

kaitlin.burek@dal.ca