Karen E. Smokorowski

Karen E. Smokorowski serves as an Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of Biology at Carleton University's Faculty of Science and as a research scientist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Based at the Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, she conducts applied research to inform the administration of the Fisheries Act, focusing on human impacts on freshwater ecosystems and fish populations.

Education:

• B.Sc., University of Toronto
• Ph.D., Trent University

Her research examines the ecological consequences of hydroelectric dam operations, habitat alterations, and other anthropogenic stressors on freshwater systems. She integrates field studies with evidence-based approaches, including systematic reviews, to support policy development and resource management. Key areas include hydropeaking, low-head hydropower, and the effects of wood removal in lakes on fish communities.

Analysis of her recent publications (2019-2022) reveals a consistent focus on hydroelectric impacts across multiple dimensions: from direct turbine-related fish mortality to broader ecosystem changes in food webs. Her work emphasizes Canadian freshwater systems, particularly in Ontario, and addresses the trade-offs between renewable energy development and aquatic conservation.

No scientific awards were explicitly listed in the provided text.

As an Adjunct Professor, Dr. Smokorowski does not appear to have formal graduate students at Carleton; however, she collaborates extensively with academic and government researchers. Her research is primarily funded through DFO to address the science needs of the Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program, with an emphasis on generating actionable science for policy.

Dr. Smokorowski is embedded within DFO's Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, where she works as part of a multidisciplinary team studying freshwater ecosystems in the Great Lakes basin, with a focus on the St. Marys River and the impacts of hydroelectric facilities.