DARTMOUTH, N.S. - Growing up in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Donald Humphrey knew early on that. like so many Newfoundlanders, a love for the sea and all of its bounty would play an important part in his working life. However,  exactly how we would do that was a gradual revelation.

" I have always had an interest in the fisheries having been an avid fisherman and involved in Atlantic Salmon preservation at a young age,"  Donald explains. It wasn't until he took part in a field course at Bonne Bay in Grose Morne National Park that the future CAISN researcher took an active interest in marine science.

Now a Senior Environmental Analyst with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Dartmouth, N.S., Donald credits much of his success to the unique environment that CAISN's cutting-edge network approach provided.  When asked how CAISN helped him gain a Masters of Oceanography from the University of British Columbia Donald enthusiastically explains that his "research objectives could only have been achieved by participating in a national research network since it required resources on both coasts and within the Great Lakes Basin.  Scientists from within the network provided support right up until the end of my master's program."

During the time in which Donald was  entrenched in the network, he played an irreplaceable role in a research program seeking to better understand transport vectors of aquatic invasive species in Canada. The team included a variety of scientific experts from the worlds of limnology, oceanography, invasion ecology and mathematical modeling. Their findings have had, or will have, significant impacts on the future study of AIS vectors.

Regarding his present day success, Donald holds CAISN in high esteem.

"I contribute a lot of my success today to the mentorship and opportunities provided to me by my supervisors, collaborating scientists within the network and by the research network in general. The research network not only allowed me to specialize in a particular area of expertise, it also allowed me to build on my leadership, project management, analytical and communication skills, " says Donald.

" In my current role with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, I have been able to apply many of those skills to my current research and continue to contribute towards sustaining Canada's natural resources,"  he continues.