Kristen Walkerمشاهده پروفایل
دانشیار
Kristen Walker serves as an Associate Professor of Teaching in Applied Biology at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Currently on leave, she maintains an active research profile centered on wildlife welfare and human-wildlife conflict resolution. Her academic home is the Applied Animal Biology Program where she develops innovative courses in compassionate conservation and animal behavior, bridging scientific research with community engagement through partnerships with the Stanley Park Ecology Society and UBC Farm. Her educational background includes a PhD in Animal Welfare from UBC (2010), an MSc in Biology from Portland State University (2005), and a BSc in Biology from San Diego State University (1999). She furthered her expertise through a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (2011), focusing on wildlife biology and clinical sciences. Dr. Walker's research spans marine mammal welfare and urban wildlife management. Early work investigated pain responses in Steller sea lions during invasive procedures, leading to improved animal handling protocols. Current projects examine urban coyote behavior in Stanley Park and biodiversity monitoring at UBC Farm using trail cameras. She pioneers compassionate conservation approaches that integrate animal welfare with ecological goals, emphasizing non-lethal conflict resolution and public education to foster human-wildlife coexistence in urban environments. Analysis of her publication history reveals a strategic shift from marine mammal welfare (2008-2014) toward urban wildlife management and educational innovation (2017-present). While foundational work established pain assessment protocols for sea lions, recent scholarship develops humane coyote deterrents and examines pandemic impacts on science education, demonstrating commitment to evolving conservation challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration. UBC Killam Teaching Prize (2019/2020) for excellence in pedagogy Recognition for innovative courses including Asian Elephant Compassionate Conservation study abroad program Leadership in transforming natural sciences education during pandemic Dr. Walker mentors numerous undergraduate students through directed studies (APBI 497) and thesis projects (APBI 499), guiding research on trail camera monitoring, bird collisions, and human-wildlife perception surveys. Her collaborative grants with municipal and conservation partners support community-based wildlife management initiatives that translate research into practical solutions for urban coexistence. She actively contributes to the Stanley Park Ecology Society's Co-Existing with Coyotes program and leads the UBC Farm Biodiversity Monitoring project. These initiatives employ remote sensing technology and community science to document urban wildlife patterns, creating living laboratories where students gain hands-on conservation experience while generating data for evidence-based management.
