Sandy Smith

Bugs and trees are my passion, in other words, 'forest health'. As a 'bug doctor', I have spent most of my 30+ year career pursuing both, from early biological control research in Canada's remote boreal forests up to today, where most of my energy is directed at managing invasive species in urban forests. My lab explores aspects of forest insect ecology and processes of invasion, with keen interest in conservation and understanding how forest practices affect insect community ecology. I have trained over 60 graduate students in these interdisciplinary research areas, working across all sectors, including federal, provincial, and municipal governments, industry, and academia. Finding new species, identifying novel ecological interactions, and making intelligent recommendations for continued life on this planet are my main inspirations.

April 2017