Jill Brooks - PhD

Jill has over 20 years experience in aquatic ecology spanning freshwater and marine ecosystems. She has managed a Westslope Cutthroat Trout population monitoring project during which she has been involved in the study design, field data collection planning and management, and supporting data analyses. 

She completed her PhD with Dr. Steven Cooke at the Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Lab at Carleton University in Ottawa and Dr. Jon Midwood at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. During this (and her MSc), Jill planned, implemented, and reported on two large-scale multi-jurisdictional restoration efforts of the Great Lakes Area of Concern Beneficial Use Impairments regarding fish populations and fish habitat. She used acoustic telemetry and spawning surveys to assess the success of an apex predator reintroduction program, habitat use of invasive species, and spawning habitat availability for a species of interest as per the Remedial Action Plan. From this she also gained experience conducting statistical analysis and habitat modelling using water quality data. Jill has quantified the chemical (temperature and DO) habitat available to multiple fish species spanning the hypoxia-tolerance and thermal spectrum and determined how these abiotic factors influence fine and broad-scale movements. She planned and implemented all fieldwork activities, which required coordination with Fisheries and Oceans field technicians, ECCC Technical Operations, and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. 

In addition to her graduate research, Jill has managed a remote field research station, led multinational tagging programs, co-led a human dimensions study of recreational fisheries in the US, contributed to large-scale coastal netting, longlining, and e-fishing surveys, coordinated offshore research cruises, and deployed and maintained limnological and oceanographic equipment used to quantify water quality of fish habitat. She is proficient in RStudio and ArcGIS, and has authored numerous technical reports, manuscripts, and presentations tailored for a variety of audiences including natural resource managers, government researchers, stakeholders, and academics.