Cristina got her B.Sc. in Marine Biology at the Université du Québec à Rimouski. She completed an M.Sc. in Aquatic Ecology from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). She joined the River Institute as the Education Coordinator in 2015. In addition to working at the River Institute, she is currently a PhD candidate at UQAM in Dr. Alison Derry lab in partnership with the River Institute. Cristina’s PhD research addresses the impacts of invasive species on the St. Lawrence River food web. Her favourite workshops are Fish Ecology and Aquatic Invertebrates. In her free time, you will find Cristina out fishing, playing with her dog or reading.

Lexy joined the education team in 2019. She did her BSc in Marine Biology and Geology at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John. Her favourite workshops are the Rocks and Minerals and the Pond Life workshops. In her free time, she likes to crochet, read and go thrifting! 

 Her and Stéphanie always have a couple of rocks laying around in their car, purse or on their desk. The only difference between the two is that Lexy knows a lot more when it comes to rocks! During her BSc she studied geology but she also worked on a whale ship, (we think it is very cool!). Her favorite workshops are the Rocks and Minerals and the Pond Life workshops. She also LOVES Halloweens and she is very creative and resourceful so imagine the crazy costumes she comes up with! If she is not working you will likely catch her doing crochet, reading a good book or do her favorite activity, thrifting! 

Emilie completed her Bachelor of Art’s in Environmental Studies with a minor in Biology at Carleton University, followed by a Bachelor of Education at the University of Ottawa. She is an Ontario Certified Teacher who is qualified to teach Biology, Geography and Environmental Science for grades 7-12. Through her experience working as an educator at the River Institute, teaching in local high schools and working as an instructor and teaching assistant for the St Lawrence College’s Environmental Technician Program, Emilie has taught students of all ages about our local natural environment. Emilie is most passionate about fish and teaching people to appreciate the St Lawrence River. Her hobbies include going for boat rides, spending time outdoors with friends and hanging out with her two pet bunnies, Cookie and Chip.

Education Coordinator
Workshops booking and funding ccharette@riverinstitute.ca

Cristina got her B.Sc. in Marine Biology at the Université du Québec à Rimouski. She completed an M.Sc. in Aquatic Ecology from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). She joined the River Institute as the Education Coordinator in 2015. In addition to working at the River Institute, she is currently a PhD candidate at UQAM in Dr. Alison Derry lab in partnership with the River Institute. Cristina’s PhD research addresses the impacts of invasive species on the St. Lawrence River food web. Her favourite workshops are Fish Ecology and Aquatic Invertebrates. In her free time, you will find Cristina out fishing, playing with her dog or reading.

Educator
Camps and special projects
sguernon@riverinstitute.ca

Stéphanie got her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biology from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in the same lab as Cristina Charette our Education Coordinator. Stéphanie joined the education team in 2019 a little bit after Lexy Harquail. In addition to creating and giving workshop about environmental science she also teaches Microbiology for the St. Lawrence College. She just loves Microorganisms so much, but her very favorites are zooplankton, but that doesn’t mean anything because she has favorite of everything. Favorite fish (longnose gar), favorite invertebrate (tricoptera, hydra, and planaria), favorite aquatic plants (bladder worth; they eat zooplankton!), favorite bird (osprey), favorite rocks (labradorite; she just bought a rock tumbler!), etc.. Just like her colleagues, if she is not tending to her 60+ tropical houseplant, you will probably find her reading a book or crocheting animals

Program Leader in Education
bhickey@riverinstitute.ca

Brian joined the River Institute in 1999. He received his BSc in Biology from Queen’s University and both his MSc and PhD degrees from York University. He is currently the Education Program Leader and a Research Scientist at the River Institute. His research is focused on understanding how habitat change influences the behaviour of animals. His science education philosophy is that current research and education need to closely integrated, and that successful education is about establishing relationships between teachers and learners. Brian works on a variety of animals from fish to mammals but bats – the subjects of his graduate research – are his favorite. The part of Brian’s job he likes best, is that at one moment he can be teaching classes to university or college students, and a few hours later be in a grade one class with his guitar while students sing the “Fish Facts” or “Frog Hop” song. When he’s not in a classroom Brian is usually analyzing his research data or chasing some kind of animal to learn about its behaviour or protect its habitat. When Brian is not working he’s usually playing his guitar, chasing animals or reading a book, (often about science). Does that mean Brian’s a Science Nerd? He also plays and coaches basketball, so it’s not all science.