Shawn Craik

Shawn Craik serves as an Associate Professor of Biology in the Department of Science within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Sainte Anne University. His research focuses on evolutionary and ecological mechanisms driving avian breeding strategies, with specialization in aquatic bird species including waterfowl and terns across Nova Scotia habitats.

His academic credentials include:

• PhD in Wildlife Biology, McGill University, Montreal
• B.Sc. in Biology, Bishop's University, Sherbrooke

Dr. Craik's research program integrates field behavioral observations with population genetic analyses to investigate brood parasitism, parental care systems, and resource selection dynamics. Current projects examine kin selection's role in brood parasitism evolution and interspecific resource partitioning among sympatric tern colonies nesting on coastal islands in southwestern Nova Scotia. His work bridges theoretical evolutionary biology with conservation applications for vulnerable seabird populations.

He actively mentors graduate students in field research methodologies while maintaining active collaborations through the Louis-R.-Comeau Marine Research Centre. Ongoing projects indicate consistent research funding supporting long-term ecological monitoring initiatives in Atlantic Canadian ecosystems.