Honours Student

Current Research

Journey to the center of the Atlantic…

One league under the sea…

And discover an extraordinary deep-sea environment that is host to alien life – life that exists in complete darkness and can withstand temperatures and pressures of over 200x that of which we experience at sea level. Hydrothermal vents are home a plethora of endemic and rare species, many of which have likely not even been discovered yet.

However, as global demand for valuable metals like copper, nickel, and cobalt, used in electric vehicle batteries, electronics, and green energy infrastructure, continues to rise, interest in mining polymetallic sulfide deposits at hydrothermal vents has grown substantially over the past two decades. While active hydrothermal vents have been extensively researched and are widely recognized as biodiversity hotspots, inactive vents, and the megafaunal assemblages they host, are poorly described.

My project seeks to characterize the non-vent megafaunal assemblages on inactive vents and in the periphery of active vents at Kane Fracture Zone on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. My research will help provide a better understanding of inactive vent communities and inform environmental management.

Education

B.Sc. Combined honours in marine biology and oceanography, co-op
Department of Oceanography and Marine Biology
Dalhousie University
2022 – current

Academic exchange
Department of Marine Science
University of Otago
2025

Cambridge A-level in Marine Science
Tropical Research and Conservation Center (TRACC)
Borneo, Malaysia
2022

Scholarships and Awards

Awarded

Michael Albert Garron Summer Research Award (2026)
Dean’s list (2022 – current)
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee scholarship (2025)
Study/Work International Fund (SWIF) (2024 & 2025)
Leonard Foundation scholarship (2020, 2021 & 2022)
Dalhousie Entrance Renewable Scholarship (2022-2026)
Dalhousie Renewable Bursary (2022-2026)
Governor General Award (2021)
Alexander Rutherford Scholarship (2021)

Shortlisted

Flight 302 legacy award (2024)
Loran Award (2021)

Experience

Laboratory and field technician (2025)
Dalhousie University – LaRoche Lab
Halifax, NS

Marine Research Intern (2024)
Tropical Research and Conservation Center (TRACC)
Borneo, Malaysia

Teaching Assistant (2024)
Dalhousie University – Integrated Science program (DISP) Biology field trips (SCIE 1505)
Halifax, NS

Laboratory Technician (2023)
Dalhousie University – MAPEL (MicroAlgal Process Evaluation Lab)
Halifax, NS

Student analyst (2023)
Cindy Staicer’s lab
Project: Identifying and quantifying habitat for the Olive-sided Flycatcher (species at risk) in Nova Scotia

Marine Conservation Volunteer (2022)
Tropical research and conservation center (TRACC)
Borneo, Malaysia

Parks Canada volunteer (2017-2020)
Jasper, AB

Student Associations

Dalhousie Association of Marine Biology students (2022 – current)
Dalhousie Oceanography Student association (2023 – current)
Dal Kings Swing Dance Society (2023 – Current)
Ocean Tech club (2025 – current)
Dalhousie Ski and Snowboard Society (2026)
Dalhousie Marine Conservation society (2023 – 2024)

Contact

Teslyn.Pfisterer@dal.ca
LinkedIn: Teslyn Pfisterer