PEOPLE
Paul Martin
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Erin Bolger
Kate Mitchell
Julianna Petrenko (co-supervised with Fran Bonier)
Brendan Sheppard
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Paul Martin
Associate Professor
I grew up as a birder in Ottawa, Canada, where my fascination with the origins and maintenance of diversity began. In our lab, we use a broad array of approaches (field- and lab-based, comparative analyses) to address questions of interest, and collaborate with many scientists in areas outside of our main research foci. All of our research is based on a deep appreciation of natural history. Much of our current work takes place at the Queen’s University Biological Station (Ontario, Canada).
email: pm45@queensu.ca
My full contact Information is at the bottom of this page.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Erin Bolger
MSc student
I used to be scared of bugs. Then, I joined the Martin lab. Now I work with bugs every single day and love it! My MSc project involves the fundamental question: why do burying beetles bury? I am investigating the fitness benefits of burial for Nicrophorus burying beetles, and I am also interested in the factors that affect burial depth.
Contact: Department of Biology, Queen’s University,
Biosciences Complex, 4320
Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
email: 18eekb2@queensu.ca
Kate Mitchell
MSc student
I grew up in Northern Ontario, surrounded by nature and curious about the ecological diversity I saw every time I stepped outside. I am very excited to be pursuing my interest through research. For my thesis, I will be studying how the microbial competition for burying beetles (Nicrophorus spp.) varies across habitats and seasons, and whether beetle species occupying high-competition environments have stronger antimicrobial secretions. I will also be pursuing my interest in conservation by studying the effects of wind turbines on wintering raptors.
Contact: Department of Biology, Queen’s University,
Biosciences Complex, 4320
Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
email: 16kem12@queensu.ca
Julianna Petrenko
MSc student (co-supervised with Fran Bonier)
I've always been intrigued by how organisms cope with usually destructive anthropogenic effects, and how biodiversity differs in human-impacted areas. What's most fascinating? Species don't always suffer - and might even take advantage of different habitat characteristics, like those in urban environments! My research examines abundance in urban compared to nonurban habitats across several North American, urban-tolerant bird species’ ranges to determine if urban environments ameliorate range-limiting challenges.
Contact: Department of Biology, Queen’s University,
Biosciences Complex, 4320
Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
email: 17jap8@queensu.ca
Brendan Sheppard
MSc student
My research focuses on how closely related species coexist and why they diversify. I'm currently working with compiled datasets on behavioural dominance in birds to investigate how the costs of novel adaptation can influence competitive ability. My other work includes hunting for evidence of directional hybridization in birds, and surveying the activity and distribution of Nicrophorus burying beetles at QUBS.
Contact: Department of Biology, Queen’s University,
Biosciences Complex, 4320
Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
email: 18bras@queensu.ca
