Meet your executive
Jeff C. Clements - President
Biography
Jeff is a MSc turned PhD candidate at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada assessing how surface-sediment pore-water chemistry (pH, CO2 and carbonate saturation) influences the settlement and recruitment of the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria) in soft-sediment intertidal habitats of the Bay of Fundy. He completed his BSc (Honors) in biology along with a BA in psychology at Cape Breton University in 2010, where his honors research focused on the feeding ecology of the northern moonsnail (Lunatia heros) in soft-sediment intertidal habitats along the coast of eastern Cape Breton Island. In general, his research interests lie primarily in the area of benthic marine ecology, specifically how predator/prey interactions drive evolutionary trends in benthic marine invertebrates. Alongside his current research, he is also the head of a conservation series (Conservation Conversation) for a magazine based out of London, England called The Urban Times, an avid naturalist, and an amateur photographer.
GSA duties
As GSA president, Jeff’s main goals are to enhance interdepartmental graduate student connectivity and communication and to enhance grad student life here at UNBSJ. He is open to and encourages a variety of ideas, opinions and criticism from all graduate students on campus and believes grad student feedback is essential to a successful GSA and grad student life.
Contact information
Office: GH203B (GSA office)
Email: j.clements@unb.ca
Office phone: +1 (506) 648 5997
Raja Wetuschat - VP Internal
Biography
Raja is a PhD candidate at UNB. Originally from Berlin, Germany, she received her BSc at Marburg University after finishing an apprenticeship as biological technical assistant. During her BSc she was involved in collaborations with the Alfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), and the Institute for Marine Biology (Italy), focusing on animal physiology and marine ecology. She has also helped organize the Naturschutzbund Deutschland e. V. environmental education camps, where she developed camp projects and supervised students. She conducted her honors thesis at the Wadden Sea Station Sylt Island, looking at the effect of basibiont lifestyle on epibiont communities. An internship with Dr. Ricardo Scrosati at St. Francis Xavier University brought her to Canada, where she modeled the effects of mean and variability of abiotic factors on intertidal marine community richness before beginning the PhD program at UNB. Currently, Raja works in the great, but lonely (at the moment), Houlahan lab where she is studying the effect of natural environmental variability on marine communities. Raja is also involved in a side project determining the effect of temperature variability on egg development of the American lobster. When not in the lab, on a boat, or in the intertidal, she loves to hike with her dogs (and cat), tries all kinds of sports until she gets bored, and travels around to see more of Canada.
GSA duties
As VP internal, Raja's responsibilities are to assist the president in day-to-day duties and help ensure that graduate student life at UNBSJ is in a positive state.
Contact information
Office: CRI
Email: raja.wetuschat@unb.ca
Faith Penny - VP External
Biography
Faith is MSc candidate at the University of New Brunswick Saint John. She is currently in the writing phase of her thesis, which focuses on the effects of acute saltwater exposure on the metabolism, haematology and swimming performance of juvenile shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). She also completed her undergraduate studies at UNBSJ in 2008 with a BSc (honors) in General Biology and a specialization in zoology. During this degree she spent a semester abroad at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia and completed her honors research project under Dr. Kate Frego, quantifying the effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide on the leafy liverwort, Bazzania trilobata. While her current research is lab-driven, Faith spent a year between degrees working on the Saint John River as a field research assistant for a PhD project focusing on the ecology of shortnose sturgeon throughout its life history. Outside of the academic world Faith is an active member of the local roller derby league, the Fog City Rollers, playing as a blocker on the Scarlet Swarm and was recently re-elected to their Board of Directors as Director of Personnel.
GSA duties
As GSA VP External, Faith’s responsibilities are to facilitate a working connectivity between the Saint John and Fredericton campuses in addition to aiding the rest of the Saint John executive in the general running of the GSA.
Contact information
Office: CRI221 (Inside CRI215 Laboratory)
Email: faith.penny@unb.ca
Kristin Dinning – VP Communications
Biography
Kristin is a MSc (Biology) candidate in the Rochette lab. She is currently studying the effect of settlement delay on postlarval lobsters and examining the use of soft sediment seafloor by juvenile lobsters. Kristin completed her BSc (honors marine biology, co-op) degree at Dalhousie where her honors research used the remotely-operated VENUS undersea observatory to study the seafloor community of Saanich Inlet, B.C. When not chasing lobsters, Kristin enjoys SCUBA diving, and playing badminton and squash badly.
GSA duties
As VP Communications, Kristin’s duties include maintaining the GSA website and Facebook page. Contact her if you have suggestions for either site and please feel free to post items of interest to UNB graduate students on the GSA Facebook page.
Contact information
Office: GH138A
Email: k.dinning@unb.ca
Kurt Simmons - VP Finance
Biography
Kurt is an MSc (Biology) candidate at the University of New Brunswick Saint John. His thesis focuses on the quantification of deposition rates and extractive potential of the orange-footed sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa), at integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) sites in the Bay of Fundy. Kurt completed his BSc (honors) at Cape Breton University, where he assessed the prevalence of parasitism in whelks, a new and emerging fishery for the island. Additionally, Kurt enjoys SCUBA diving and is involved in other projects such as whale surveys along the Cabot Strait.
GSA Duties
As VP Financial, Kurt’s duties include managing the funds and overseeing expenses of the GSA. Feel free to contact him if you have any questions or suggestions as to how the GSA is using its funds.
Contact Information
Office: GH203A
Email: kurt.simmons@unb.ca
