Nicola Smith
Nicola Smith is a Ph.D. candidate in Biology and a member of the Earth to Ocean Research group at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. Broadly speaking, Nicola is interested in biological invasions and coral reef fish ecology. Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity worldwide while coral reef fishes are vital to the ecology and economy of island states. Nicola’s current research occurs at the intersection of these topics by examining the Pacific lionfish invasion in the Caribbean and its effects on natural and social systems. Using field experiments, socioeconomic surveys and discrete choice modeling, she aims to quantify the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of the invasion in small-island states. She also aims to assess the ecological viability of various lionfish control options.
Nicola is a Bahamian citizen and was the experiment coordinator for The Bahamas Lionfish Control Pilot Project in 2010-2013. The pilot project was part of a regional initiative involving five Caribbean countries, called “Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean” (MTIASIC). The MTIASIC project was funded by the Global Environment Facility/United Nations Environment Programme (GEF/UNEP), and aimed to build capacity in the Caribbean to address the threats posed by invasive species through information sharing and the development of country-specific pilot projects, which focused on early detection and rapid response, control, eradication, or preventative measures for high priority invasive species.
Nicola is a recipient of numerous awards, including: an Organization of American States Graduate Scholarship in 2015-2017, The Bahamas Ministry of Education Graduate Grant in 2013-2015, the Canadian Lyford Cay Foundation Graduate Scholarship in 2013-2015, the Simon Fraser University Provost International Fellowship in 2013-2015, the University of British Columbia Graduate Fellowship in 2008, and the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund in 2007-2008. Nicola has also won best presentation awards from Simon Fraser University (2015) and the University of British Columbia (2010). Her work has been published in the journals PLoS ONE and Frontiers in Marine Science.
Nicola is a Bahamian citizen and was the experiment coordinator for The Bahamas Lionfish Control Pilot Project in 2010-2013. The pilot project was part of a regional initiative involving five Caribbean countries, called “Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean” (MTIASIC). The MTIASIC project was funded by the Global Environment Facility/United Nations Environment Programme (GEF/UNEP), and aimed to build capacity in the Caribbean to address the threats posed by invasive species through information sharing and the development of country-specific pilot projects, which focused on early detection and rapid response, control, eradication, or preventative measures for high priority invasive species.
Nicola is a recipient of numerous awards, including: an Organization of American States Graduate Scholarship in 2015-2017, The Bahamas Ministry of Education Graduate Grant in 2013-2015, the Canadian Lyford Cay Foundation Graduate Scholarship in 2013-2015, the Simon Fraser University Provost International Fellowship in 2013-2015, the University of British Columbia Graduate Fellowship in 2008, and the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund in 2007-2008. Nicola has also won best presentation awards from Simon Fraser University (2015) and the University of British Columbia (2010). Her work has been published in the journals PLoS ONE and Frontiers in Marine Science.