Simon Nadeau – MSc Student
(S2024 – present) co-supervision with Dr. Maheu
nads21[at]uqo.ca

I’m a MSc biology student studying the relationship between Water Use Efficiency and wood density in trees. I really enjoy playing guitar, rock climbing and swimming.

Hanna Hickey – MSc student
(W2024 – present)
h2hickey[at]uwaterloo.ca

Hi, I’m Hanna! I am a recent UofG BSc graduate with a major in Biology and a minor in Plant Science. When I am not studying wood anatomy in trees along their ontogeny, I love watching horror movies, hanging out with my cat, and exploring different hiking trails!

Magalie Galarneau – MSc student
(F2023 – present)
mgalarneau[at]uwaterloo.ca

I’m a MSc biology student studying the role of trait diversity on the productivity of tree communities along a drought gradient. I really like being outdoors, watching reality TV, and making costumes.

Nick Pianosi – Honor’s thesis, Research assistant
(F2022 – W2025)

Nick completed his BSc in environmental science with a specialization in ecology. He helped Sabina with her field and lab work in 2023 and Hanna with her field work in 2024. He also conducted his undergraduate honor’s thesis testing whether complementarity in root traits explains community productivity.

Valerie Ledoux – Field and Lab assistant
(S2024 – F2024)

Valerie, assistant extraordinaire, was instrumental in allowing Magalie to collect her trait data on the IDENT plantation in Ripon in the summer, and then to patiently and painstakingly wash roots in the fall. Thanks for your help!

Sabina Henry – MSc
(F2022 – F2024)

Sabina completed her MSc in Biology on the adaptive potential of different Black Spruce provenances.

Tanya Sarin – BSC Honor’s Thesis, Research assistant & USRA awardee
(W2022 – W2024)

Tanya completed her Honours Biology degree with a minor in French. She completed her Honor’s thesis on the role of needle age and climate on trait variation in needles within trees. She is now an MSc candidate in Plant Science at McGill University

Kelly Tran – Part-time research assistant
(W2023 – F2023)

After completing her BSc Honours in Biology with specializations in Molecular Genetics and Bioinformatics, she joined the lab to help us with various work. Kelly’s work quality and speed are exceptional awarding her the title of Analytical-scale Whisperer. She is now the Director of Operations at Pioreactor.

Catherine Zhang – Part-time research assistant
(W2023)

Catherine Graduated from the Honours Environmental Science program with a specialization in ecology and a minor in French. Beyond her interest in plant ecology, she enjoys writing, art, music, and telling complete strangers all about her cat. She is now pursuing her MSc in law at McGill

Johnny Hernes – Part-time research assistant
(F2022)

Johnathan Hernes studied biochemistry.

Lina Aragón – MSc
(W2020 – F2022)

Lina studied the relationship among functional traits, performance and climate gradients in temperate trees using a greenhouse experiment. She is now doing her PhD with Dr. Feeley at U. Miami.

Reshani Abayasekara – Research assistant
(F2021 – S2022)

Reshani completed her Honors in Life Sciences with minors in mathematics and biology University of Waterloo. She is now doing an MSc in Statistics at U.Toronto.

Jahanvi Chauhan – Coop research assistant
(S2022)

Jahanvi is an undergraduate student studying Biology with a minor in Music at the University of Waterloo. She helped with lab and field work on two research projects. She is now gaining experience with veterinary work with the goal of attending vet school.

Victoria Stapells – Coop research assistant
(W2022 – S2022)

Leila Forsyth – Lab Manager
(S2021 – W2022)

Leila was the lab manager from May 2021 to May 2022. She is now at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

Cynthia Nomanee – Research assistant
(F2021-W2022)

Cynthia finished their BSc in Biology in W2022. They completed their honors thesis in paleolimnology and diatoms. They hope to pursue their Master’s in Ecology.

Ramisa Sekander – Coop research assistant
(F2021)

Ramisa worked her first co-op term with the Messier Lab in F2021. She enjoyed helping Leila and Lina with their sample processing and hopes to pursue biological research in the future. On her days off, you can find her painting, with friends, or sipping pumpkin cream cold brews at your nearest bakery.

Émilie Seyer-Lamontagne – MSc Candidate

Émilie studied functional trait variation in the ectomycorrhizal communities associated with fir saplings. She was based at the Université de Montréal in the Chagnon lab. She is now a Laboratory Analyst at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Christina Rossi – Lab Technician, BSc Honor’s Thesis, USRA Awardee
(W2019 – S2021)

For her honor’s thesis, Christina tested the best methods for measuring tree growth from rings in eccentric tree cross-sections. She is now working on her MSc research on plant immunity at Laurier U. in the Castroverde lab. She also busies herself writing up her Honor’s research for publication.

Natalie Vuong – Lab Technician, BSc Honor’s Thesis
(W2019 – F2021)

As a lab technician, she oversaw the Messier Lab garden, Green Labs Initiative, this website and assisted with daily activities including Lina’s 2021 greenhouse experiment. For her honors thesis, Natalie explored the relationship between tree ecophysiology and hosted communities of epiphytic bryophytes and lichens. She is currently writing this up for publication and working as a freelance graphic designer.

Arunemathi Shanmugam – Research assistant
(S2021)

Arunemathi Shanmugam is a student at the University of Waterloo studying Environmental Sciences with a specialization in Ecology. As a research assistant, she helped with projects in the greenhouse.

Justin Yu – Coop research assistant
(W2021)

Justin is a student at the University of Waterloo studying Environmental Science with a specialization in ecology. As a research assistant, he helped with various projects compiling and cleaning data and doing literature reviews.

Field Assistants:
Florencia Cappiello (2018), Nikola Tutic (2016), Anke Roth (2014), Émilie Lavoie (2012), Natasha Salter (2012), Andréanne Ferland (2011), Carol Mordy (2011), Ricardo Cossio (2008)

Lab Assistants:
Mariette Laumond (2018), Gabriel Bergeron (2017), Sarah Gaignard (2016), Sierra Kaszubinski (2014), Sanga Shir (2014), Surbhi Patel (2013), Margretta Murphy  (2012-2013), John Lacson (2012-2013), Kevin Wang (2012-2013), Sarah Schwenck (2011-2012), Anjeanette McKay (2012), Casey Knoks (2012),  Meghan Iacuelli (2011-2012), Shahrzad Badie (2012), Irene Liang (2011), Jordyn Celaya (2011), Mélisanne Loiselle-Gascon (2008)