Sally Aitken

Dr. Sally Aitken is a Professor at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Forestry, where she investigates genomic and ecological dynamics of tree adaptation to climate change. Her work spans multiple species including spruce, pine, and Douglas-fir, with a focus on hybrid zones, assisted gene flow, and forest conservation genetics.

• Lead researcher at Centre for Forest Conservation Genetics
• Principal investigator for the CoAdapTree Project

Research Highlights

Dr. Aitken's lab combines genomic tools with common garden experiments to study:

• Local adaptation in tree populations
• Hybridization as a mechanism for climate resilience
• Novel climate detection for forest management
• Genetic conservation in transitional ecosystems

Awards & Recognition

• Canadian Forestry Scientific Achievement Award (2009)
• UBC Killam Teaching Prize (2010)
• IUFRO Scientific Achievement Award (2014)
• Wall Scholar (2014)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2017)
• Genome BC Award For Scientific Excellence (2018)

Training & Supervision

Dr. Aitken has supervised over 12 doctoral projects and 4 master's theses, including work on:

• Adaptation of interior spruce to climate change
• Amphibian conservation in Haida Gwaii
• Lodgepole pine growth responses
• Douglas-fir stress tolerance genetics