Old books and new research: Uncovering the forgotten work of Mary Hinckley to answer new ecological questions (hybrid)
Version française à venir.
Amphibian populations are declining worldwide, but still little is known about the ecology of their tadpoles. Dr. Jessica Ford set out to determine what toad tadpoles were eating and how they impacted the environment, and in the process, came across unexpected results. While Ford uses many modern tools in her research, the explanation of her unexpected results instead lay hidden in older, now forgotten works by early 20th century naturalist Mary Hinckley. Join us to hear about how old, obscure scientific papers can be vital in answering new research questions.
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About the speaker
Dr. Jessica Ford is a herpetologist specializing in tadpole ecology. She received her PhD in Biology from McGill studying at the Redpath Museum. Jessica grew up always playing in the mud, flipping over rocks and logs to see what kind of animals she could find, which is where she developed her love of reptiles and amphibians. Jessica still gets to work in the mud, now studying amphibians in ponds and wetlands. She is now a faculty member of the Biology Department at Dawson College. In addition to being passionate about research and conservation, Jessica is equally passionate about equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEMM. She runs STEMM Diversity @ McGill to promote representation in science, and wrote and illustrated the STEMM Diversity colouring and activity book