Andrew Simon

PhD Student | Biological Sciences | University of Alberta

281 Highland Road, Galiano Island, BC, Canada, V0N 1P0

| (250) 888-6144 | imerss.org | |

Education

present University of Alberta (Biological Sciences) PhD Student (Edmonton, AB)

2020 University of Victoria (Environmental Studies) Master of Science (Victoria, BC)

2016 Quest University Canada Bachelor of Arts and Sciences (Squamish, BC)

Work History

Sep 2022 – present Squamish Environment Society / Átl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative Biodiversity Data Science Specialist (Átl’ka7tsem, British Columbia)

  • » Co-design integrative biodiversity assessment framework synthesizing biodiversity, geospatial, and remote sensing data sources

Jan 2024 - Apr 2024 University of Alberta, Department of Biological Sciences Teaching Assistant (Edmonton, Alberta)

  • » Facilitated labs in algal diversity (BOT330)

Sep 2022 – Dec 2023 University of British Columbia O’Connor Lab / Advisian Research Assistant (Iqaluit / Pond Inlet, Nunavut)

  • » Quantified biomass and carbon sequestration in Arctic macroalgae communities

Jul 2022 – Dec 2022 University of British Columbia O’Connor Lab / Hakai Institute Research Assistant (Vancouver, British Columbia)

  • » Coordinated UN Decade on Ocean Conservation Biodiversity Synthesis Hub
    » Researched science-policy gaps in the Salish Sea

Sept 2021 – Mar 2023 BC Conservation Data Centre Biodiversity Specialist (Southern Gulf Islands, British Columbia)

  • » Conducted floristic inventories and rare species surveys focusing on rare lichens, bryophytes, and vascular plants

Nov 2020 – Aug 2023 Keefer Ecological Services Ltd. Biodiversity Specialist (Galiano Island / Cranbrook, British Columbia)

  • » Conducted rare species inventories and terrestrial ecosystem mapping
    » Developed habitat suitability index models for rare species
    » Mapped species of conservation concern using NatureServe Biotics5
    » Developed project proposals and budgets, and coordinated complex multidisciplinary projects in a team environment

Jan 2019 – Aug 2019 Mayne Island Conservancy Stewardship Coordinator (Mayne Island, British Columbia)

  • » Coordinated inter-island bioblitz focusing on Galiano and Mayne Islands
    » Compiled comprehensive dataset of historical baseline and contemporary species occurrence data using R and iNaturalist
    » Prepared conservation management plans & implemented restoration projects focusing on private & protected lands

2015 – 2020 Independent Consulting Environmental Consultant (Galiano Island, BC)

  • » Completed forest cover maps, inventories & management plans covering >600 ha in the Coastal Douglas-fir (CDF) Biogeoclimatic Zone
    » Implemented geospatial infrastructure for BC Parks Biodiversity Mapping Project, inc. >1,000 protected areas
    » Clients inc.: BC Parks, the Galiano Club, Galiano Conservancy Association, BC Ministry of the Environment, & Keefer Ecological Services Ltd. 

2016 Parks Canada Researcher (Mt. Revelstoke / Glacier / Banff / Jasper National Parks, British Columbia)

  • » Synthesized technical reports on the potential risks and mitigations of prescribed fire in caribou habitat in collaboration with experts & Parks Canada officials

2015 – 2018 Enlichened Consulting Ltd. Research and Field Assistant (Clearwater / Robson Valley / Tumbler Ridge / Vancouver Island, British Columbia)

  • » Assisted in ecological research, biodiversity inventories & rare plant surveys throughout BC, focusing on lichens, bryophytes, & vascular plants
    » Collected field data, maintained databases, curated UBC lichen herbarium

Leadership

2025 – present Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (Ottawa, ON)

  • Mosses and Lichens Species Specialist Subcommittee Member

2023 – present Squamish Environment Society (Squamish, BC)

  • Wildlife Connectivity Project Technical Working Group Member

2020 – present Institute for Multidisciplinary Ecological Research in the Salish Sea (Galiano Island, BC)

  • President and Founding Member

2016 – present Biodiversity Galiano Island Project (Galiano Island, BC)

  • Project Curator

2023 – 2024 Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership (Vancouver, BC)

  • Biodiversity Data Science Mentor

2022 – 2024 Northeast Pacific Biodiversity Action Network (Victoria, BC)

  • Steering Committee Member

2019 – 2024 Capital Regional District Galiano Island Parks and Recreation Commission (Galiano Island, BC)

  • Commissioner

Awards, Grants, Recognitions

2024 Living Data Project Grant III Canadian Institute for Ecology and Evolution (Vancouver, BC)

2024 ACA Grant in Biodiversity Alberta Conservation Association (Edmonton, AB)

2024 President’s Doctoral Prize of Distinction University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB)

2023 Living Data Project Grant II Canadian Institute for Ecology and Evolution (Vancouver, BC)

2023 NSERC CGS D University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)

2023 SSRHC Connections Grant Institute for Multidisciplinary Ecological Research in the Salish Sea, Inclusive Design Research Centre (Southern Gulf Islands, BC)

2023 Zoology Graduate Fellowship University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)

2022 Living Data Project Grant I Canadian Institute for Ecology and Evolution (Vancouver, BC)

2020 Living Lab for Climate Change Grant BC Parks (Southern Gulf Islands, BC)

2020 Royal BC Museum Volunteer Award Royal BC Museum (Victoria, BC)

2019 Recognition from Honourable Member of Parliament Elizabeth May House of Commons (Ottawa, ON)

2019 Islands Trust Community Stewardship Award Islands Trust (Southern Gulf Islands, BC)

2018 Lorene Kennedy Graduate Student Field Research Award University of Victoria (Victoria, BC)

Certifications

2022 Occupational First Aid Alert First-Aid Inc. (WorkSafeBC OFA Level 1 - Occupational First Aid Level 1)

2021 sRPAS Basic License Transport Canada (Basic Drone Pilot’s License)

2015 Wetland Keepers Certificate BC Wildlife Federation (Wetland Mapping and Stewardship Course)

Presentations, Workshops

1.
Simon, A. D. F., & Basman, A. (2024). Frameworks for community engagement in long-term ecological research. Biodiversity Beyond Boundaries: Mobilizing Data for the Future of Our Shared Waters.
2.
Cronk, Q., Simon, A. D. F., & Martin, R. A. (2024). Operationalizing the study of local extirpation: the key role of herbaria. Botany 2024.
3.
Simon, A. D. F., Best, L. R., & Starzomski, B. M. (2024). Community science and systematic sampling provide convergent evidence for historical change in an island bumble bee community. Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution.
4.
Simon, A. D. F. (2024). Using historical and community science data to detect change in bumble bee and vascular plant communities on Galiano Island. Community Science Webinar, Coastal Douglas-Fir Conservation Partnership.
5.
Andy, K., & Simon, A. D. F. (2024). The use of community science to develop integrated species distribution models. Community Science Webinar, Coastal Douglas-Fir Conservation Partnership.
6.
Hessing-Lewis, M., Beaty, F., Collins, K., Paroo, E., Simon, A., & Van Der Stap, T. (2024). Biodiversity Data Mobilization in British Columbia and Washington Waters. Northeast Pacific Coastal Biodiversity Action Network.
7.
Srivastava, D. S., Menchions, E., Lavender, T. M., & Simon, A. D. F. (2023). Data Rescue Project: Janszen Legacy hack-a-thon. Canadian Institute for Ecology and Evolution, Living Data Project.
8.
Aitken, J., Ayotte, D., Basman, A., Carpendale, H., D’Souza, M., Georgeson, J., Simon, A. D. F., & Wilson, L. (2023). Transboundary Gathering: Digital ecocultural mapping in the Salish Sea. Whiteswan Environmental, Institute for Multidisciplinary Ecological Research in the Salish Sea, Inclusive Design Research Centre.
9.
Gonzalez, A., O’Connor, M. I., Bates, A. E., Bobiwash, K., van Dam-Bates, P., Eckert, I., Gravel, D., Idrobo, J., Pollock, L. J., S’olymos, P., Simon, A. D. F., Slein, M., Starzomski, B. M., Sunday, J. M., Ecology, E. W. T. C. W. Group. C. I. for, & Evolution. (2023). Canadian Biodiversity Observation Network Working Group. Canadian Institute for Ecology and Evolution.
10.
Simon, A. D. F., & Basman, A. (2023). Co-creating a biodiversity assessment framework. Howe Sound Conservation Network Gathering, Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative.
11.
Simon, A. D. F., & Basman, A. (2022). Biodiversity beyond boundaries: building capacity for pluralistic biodiversity research. Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference.
12.
Simon, A. D. F., Gibbs, D. M., & Lamb, A. (2022). Toward an atlas of Salish Sea biodiversity. Wonders of the Salish Sea.
13.
Simon, A. D. F., & Janszen, P. (2022). The life and legacy of Harvey Janszen. Victoria Natural History Society, Friends of Ecological Reserves AGM.
14.
Simon, A. D. F. (2022). Bumble bees in the southern Gulf Islands. Mayne Island Conservancy.
15.
Simon, A. D. F. (2021). Salish Sea Symposium. Friday Harbour Labs, University of Washington.
16.
Sandilands, C., Magner, L. D., & Simon, A. D. F. (2020). Storying climate change in the Salish Sea. Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University, Salish Sea Institute.
17.
Simon, A. D. F. (2019). Backyard biodiversity: a model for community-based biodiversity research. Valdes Island Conservancy AGM.
18.
Simon, A. D. F. (2019). Eight ways YOU can contribute to biodiversity research and conservation. Galiano Library.
19.
Simon, A. D. F. (2019). Implications of seasonal drought for plant-pollinator communities in the southern Gulf Islands. BC Protected Areas Research Forum.
20.
Simon, A. D. F. (2018). The bumble bees of Galiano Island, BC. Entomological Society of America.

Publications

1.
McMullin, R., Simon, A. D. F., Brodo, I., Wickham, S., Bell-Doyon, P., Kuzmina, M., & Starzomski, B. M. (2024). DNA barcoding aids in generating a preliminary checklist of the lichens and allied fungi of Calvert Island, British Columbia: Results from the 2018 Hakai Terrestrial BioBlitz. Biodiversity Data Journal, 12(e120292). https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.12.e120292
2.
Simon, A. D. F., Best, L. R., & Starzomski, B. M. (2023). Evidence of bumble bee extirpation and colonization: Galiano Island, British Columbia, Canada. Northwest Science, 96(3–4). https://doi.org/10.3955/046.096.0305
3.
Simon, A. D. F., Adamczyk, E. M., Basman, A., Chu, J. W. F., Gartner, H. N., Fletcher, K., Gibbs, C. J., Gibbs, D. M., Gilmore, S. R., Harbo, R. M., Harris, L. H., Humphrey, E., Lamb, A., Lambert, P., McDaniel, N., Scott, J., & Starzomski, B. M. (2022). Toward an atlas of Salish Sea biodiversity: the flora and fauna of Galiano Island, British Columbia, Canada. Part I. Marine zoology. Biodiversity Data Journal, 10(e76050). https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.10.e76050
4.
Simon, A. D. F., Marx, H. E., & Starzomski, B. M. (2021). Phylogenetic restriction of plant invasion in drought-stressed environments: implications for insect-pollinated plant communities in water-limited ecosystems. Ecology and Evolution, 11(15). https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7776