Leveraging Genetics to Inform Conservation of Endangered Whales
Our theme for March 2026, our sixth edition of BAtl, is Leveraging Genetics to Inform Conservation of Endangered Whales.
This seminar will be presented in a Hybrid format: in-person at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax NS and online via Microsoft Teams. The seminar will be followed by an in-person social event at Saint Mary’s University. We hope you’ll join us to network with our speakers and peers!
We are offering bursaries of up to $100 CAD for caregivers who are interested in attending BAtl seminars in person to offset costs of caregiving responsibilities. One person can be eligible for multiple bursaries.
Schedule
| Time (ADT) | Event | Format | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17:00 | Seminar | Hybrid | In-person: Room SB415, Sobey Building, Saint Mary’s University, 903 Robie St, Halifax, NS Virtual: MS Teams |
| 18:00 | Social Event | In-person | Unilever Executive Lounge, Room SB422, Sobey Building, Saint Mary’s University, 903 Robie St, Halifax, NS |
Meet our Speakers
Timothy R. Frasier,
Associate Professor at
Saint Mary’s University
I have broad interests in whale biology, behaviour, ecology, and conservation; and the ways in which genetic analyses can be used to obtain a better understanding of these topics. However, I am particularly interested in how the genetic characteristics of individuals impact their reproductive success, health, and survival; and how these individual-based effects combine to shape overall population patterns and trends.
Richard Orton,
Ph.D. Student at
Saint Mary’s University
I am a PhD student in the Frasier lab at Saint Mary’s University. Overall, my research overlaps the fields of conservation genomics and molecular evolution, while my thesis research has been specifically aimed towards understanding the genetic basis of recovery following population decline. I am intrigued with impacts of deleterious genetic variation in nature and would be interested in continuing this research in either a conservation or clinical setting.
Audrey Salinger,
Ph.D. Candidate at
Saint Mary’s University
I am a PhD candidate in the Frasier Lab at Saint Mary’s University, where I use genetic data to address ecological questions and inform conservation efforts. Much of my research focuses on assessing how inbreeding influences mortality and population recovery in two endangered cetaceans: St. Lawrence Estuary belugas and North Atlantic right whales. In this talk, I will present my work integrating genetic relatedness data with longitudinal field data to better understand the drivers of beluga habitat use and social associations.
Meet our Host:
Somayeh Kafaie,
Assistant Professor at
Saint Mary’s University
I am an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computing Science at Saint Mary’s University.
My research lies at the intersection of network science, bioinformatics, and health informatics. My work incorporates knowledge graphs and graph-based machine learning to model complex relationships, with a strong emphasis on designing explainable systems to ensure transparency and trust in data-driven decision-making.
