Zoe Finkel

Zoe Finkel is a Professor in the Department of Oceanography at Dalhousie University, part of the Faculty of Science. She leads research on marine microbial macroecology, phytoplankton biogeography, and climate change impacts. Her work focuses on understanding how phytoplankton communities adapt to environmental changes and regulate biogeochemical cycles.

Education: B.Sc. (University of Manitoba), M.Sc. (Dalhousie University), Ph.D. (Rutgers University).

Research Interests: Biological Oceanography, phytoplankton physiology, marine biogeochemistry, climate-driven shifts in phytoplankton communities, and oil pollution impacts. Her lab develops novel analytical methods for measuring phytoplankton traits and integrates large-scale datasets to model ecosystem responses.

Recent Work Trends: Her 2023–2025 publications emphasize genomic and biochemical adaptations of phytoplankton to climate stressors, methodological innovations in nutrient analysis, and trait-based modeling of ecosystem resilience.

• Awards: Canada Research Chair I in Marine Microbial Macroecology (2018–present), Canada Research Chair II in Marine Environmental Ecology (2010–2018).

Grants & Labs: Leads projects funded by CRC programs. Her research group uses experimental mesocosms and field observations to study phytoplankton responses to oil spills and ocean acidification. Lab webpage: dal.ca/faculty/science/oceanography.

Future Work: Expanding studies on Arctic phytoplankton diversity and the role of microbial traits in global biogeochemical cycles.