VANCOUVER, B.C. -  The great philosopher Aristotle said that in all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. No where is this more true than the pristine coast of Canada's western shores where ancient giants cast goliath shadows over rugged shorelines, a natural barrier between the waters of the Pacific and the fertile soils of the land.

It's within this living postcard that we find marine conservationist and past CAISN researcher Veronica Lo.  A passionate champion of the network, Lo contributed a great deal of time and effort into the study of ballast water discharge, specifically quantifying potential propagule pressures of aquatic invasive species (AIS).   

"Some of the data (collected during her research) has been useful for other research projects, such as the work that's being done on quantifying actual propagule pressure," says Lo. " I hope this study can shed some light on the factors involved in AIS establishment success."

Regarding CAISN specifically, Ms. Lo is equally as articulate saying, "our research also benefited from many discussions with CAISN associates at annual general meetings and other conferences, several of whom generously devoted a lot of time reviewing my work and providing valuable feedback."  She's also quick to point out that the AGM Poster Sessions were an ideal setting for students to become comfortable presenting their own research.

After obtaining her M.Sc., Veronica now works with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - BC Chapter (CPAWS), coordinating conservation initiatives as they relate to marine protected areas. She gives much of the credit for her present success to her experience at CAISN and mentorship from her advisors.

"Having knowledge on aquatic invasive species and other environmental impacts from the commercial shipping sector has been very relevant to the work I do at CPAWS," she explains. "In fact, I  think it was huge factor in my getting hired!"

Today, the recent graduate continues to keep in touch with CAISN members, often fielding requests for ballast water, shipping data and AIS expertise as it relates to  CPAWS, extending the relevance of the network long past her initial involvement and reinforcing its relevance to Canadian research and innovation.