By Kelsey Wilson, a MSc student at McGill University
I did not follow the traditional path into environmental biology. Like many ecologists, I have always felt a strong connection to nature since childhood. However, after high school, my academic journey led to me studying fine arts. Driven by a deep curiosity about the natural world, I integrated research on animal behaviour and ecosystem interactions into my art practice. After earning a degree in textiles and sculpture, I managed my art studio for several years before returning to academia to study wildlife biology. Going back to school was an unexpected turn in my journey. However, I no longer wanted to escape into the worlds I created while it felt like the real world around me was burning.
I soon realized that conducting a scientific experiment was not so different from executing an art project. The laboratory, much like the studio, served as a space to brainstorm, pose questions, construct, and solve problems. Although labwork excited me, I instantly fell head over heels in love with fieldwork and knew that being in the field would be an essential component of my scientific career.
Currently, I am a Master’s student in Biology taking the Neotropical Environment Option at McGill University. I am working in collaboration with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama on a project investigating the impact of the highly virulent amphibian skin disease, chytridiomycosis, on Neotropical frogs. The chytrid disease is caused by the waterborne fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and is devastating frog populations around the world, especially in species-rich Neotropical regions spanning Central and South America. Panama, in particular, is home to many species threatened with extinction by the fungus. My research examines how infection differs within and between frog species at different life stages in the Panamanian lowlands.
In 2023, I lived in Panama for eight months conducting my field and lab research. I fully immersed myself in the STRI community and formed deep friendships with like-minded colleagues. My new friends helped me decompartmentalize my perspective on art and science and realize the two can symbiotically coexist. After long days in the field or in the lab, we would meet at night to craft together, sharing stories and hypotheses while crocheting and drawing. These memories are as valuable to me as the skills and lessons I learned by attending seminars and workshops.
This year, I returned to STRI to participate in two field courses with the support of the QCBS Excellence Award. Revisiting Panama for a second time intensified my love for the country’s unique and abundant biodiversity and reaffirmed the sense of community I discovered last year. Our course visited multiple regions of Panama, conducting fieldwork in rainforest, cloud forest, marine, and freshwater biomes. Having been raised in a deciduous forest biome with foothills that we call mountains, experiencing the lushness of the Panamanian highlands was a major highlight for me. I was also pleasantly surprised by the marine module of the course. The biodiversity at Coiba National Park is incredible; we encountered hawksbill turtles, whitetip sharks, crown-of-thorns starfish, and—my personal favourite—many species of pufferfish.
In addition to gaining knowledge and experience across many fields, we also had the opportunity
to connect with international researchers at various stages of their careers. This gave us a broader view of how science works globally and allowed us to exchange and discuss ideas, making our learning experience even more enriching. This exchange was also present in our cohort, which contained students from several Latin American countries as well as from the United States and Canada. The diverse representation within our group was another highlight of the course. It was incredible to meet people from different backgrounds, all united by a common passion to protect the environment and study our beautiful planet.
When I first changed careers, I was concerned that studying animals would be another form of escapism. However, I have since discovered that working in science, like in art, requires collaboration and community to excel. This realization has transformed my perspective and added more purpose to the path I continue to follow in the field of science. Cheers to more creative, curious, and collaborative research!
Thank you to the individuals and institutions who have generously supported my research journey: supervisors, friends, family, volunteers, technicians, NSERC-CGSM, QCBS, FRQNT, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute & McGill University.
About the author:
Kelsey Wilson is a Master’s student in the Department of
Biology in the Neotropical Environment Option at McGill
University. Her research objective is to investigate the impact
of the amphibian skin disease, chytridiomycosis, on various
Neotropical frog species across different life stages. Her
research explores topics such as community ecology, disease
dynamics, and wildlife conservation and is conducted under the
supervision of Dr. Roberto Ibáñez at the Smithsonian Tropical
Research Institute and Dr. Virginie Millien at McGill University.
So proud of your commitment to your passions!
Both fields of study have benefitted from your relentless pursuit
Of excellence!!
Looking forward to what the future will bring!!