Executive

Kate Moran is the President & CEO of Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), a position she has held since 2012. She first joined the University of Victoria in September 2011 as a professor in the Faculty of Science and as Director of NEPTUNE Canada. Her previous appointment was Professor and Associate Dean at the University of Rhode Island. From 2009 to 2011, Moran was seconded to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy where she served as an Assistant Director and focused on Arctic, polar, ocean, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and climate policy issues. She is active in public outreach on topics related to the Arctic, ocean observing, and climate change. Professor Moran co-led the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program’s Arctic Coring Expedition which successfully recovered the first paleoclimate record from the Arctic Ocean. She also led one of the first offshore expeditions to investigate the seafloor following the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Professor Moran is a registered professional engineer, an Officer of the Order of Canada, a fellow of the Canadian Society of Senior Engineers, and was selected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow for the class of 2022.

As Executive Director Observatory Operations, Meghan leads the physical and digital operations teams, including co-ordinating efforts between the teams that ensure accessibility—for researchers and the public alike—to all data being produced from ONC and partner observatories. This is accomplished through continuous monitoring and improvement to the overall observatory network, qualifying and archiving data according to best practices in research data management, assessing the quality control of data being produced, and creating data products to support researchers in visualizing and interpreting data. Prior to joining ONC in 2020, Meghan spent over 20 years working in the energy industry in engineering and management roles for onshore and offshore projects in the US and internationally. Additionally, Meghan has been involved in scientific drilling expeditions including the Ocean Drilling Program and the Lake Malawi Drilling Project. Meghan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Dalhousie University and a Master of Science in Ocean Engineering from the University of Rhode Island.

Benoît Pirenne is Ocean Networks Canada’s Corporate Innovation and Technology Officer (CITO). He joined the University of Victoria in October 2004 to build the Data Management and Archiving System for the NEPTUNE Canada and VENUS observatories. In this outward-looking role with a focus on ONC's current needs, Benoît focuses on bringing about the rapidly evolving technologies, both digital (AI/ML, underwater communications) and physical (nodes, smart cables, mobile systems, new sensor types) that will position ONC to remain as a global leader. His position will serve as sponsor for major initiatives (e.g., P-ONE, node replacement). In addition he oversees the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System — Pacific Regional Association, and the World Data System — International Technology Office. Previously, Benoît spent 18 years at the European Southern Observatory (ESO, Munich, Germany), a leading Organization for astronomical research. At ESO Benoît assumed a number of scientific and technical positions. As Head of the Operations Technical Support Department in this Organization, he was responsible for running the data management and archiving system supporting both ESO's telescopes and the NASA/ESA's Hubble Space Telescope. Benoît earned a BSc. from Liège, Belgium, and a MSc. from the University of Namur, Belgium.

Kohen is a marine biogeochemist who is the Director of Science at ONC. He is focussed on supporting interdisciplinary projects related to marine biogeochemical cycling, ocean acidification, ocean deoxygenation, and climate dynamics. He earned his PhD from the University of British Columbia in 2019 and his MSc from the University of Toronto in 2013. His PhD thesis was focussed on reconstructing the history of oxygen in the ocean-atmosphere system and its links to the coevolution of life and climate. He worked on developing emerging and widely used geochemical tools that allow for more refined interpretations of Earth’s surface conditions captured in the rock record through time. Kohen conducted his post-doctoral research at the University of Hong Kong, where he worked on integrating geochemical data with conceptual computer models to understand the drivers, rates, and magnitude of ocean deoxygenation in Earth’s past and its connections to mass extinction events and climate change on different timescales. His current research interests are broad and include: ocean deoxygenation on varying timescales, the connections between climate and biogeochemical cycles, ocean chemistry and acidification, the role of microbes in marine biogeochemical cycles, the composition of marine sediments, and developing new and innovative biogeochemical proxy tools.

As Director, Observatory Digital Operations, Dr. Ben Biffard drives the transformation and evolution of ONCs digital research infrastructure and big data management by providing leadership from a strategic, executive, and operational level. Ben grew up on the Salish Sea and has a natural interest in the exploration of the Ocean. Ben joined ONC in 2012 as a scientific programmer, leading the development of data products within Oceans 3.0, and then moved to lead the software development team in 2023. With a PhD in Geophysics from the University of Victoria, Ben has brought his unique perspective and skill set to constantly and consistently make Oceans 3.0 data more accessible and digestible to a wide variety of users. He is passionate about acoustics and has worked to develop ONC's suite of hydrophone data products, the HydroCal hydrophone calibration system as well as comprehensive software suites for processing active acoustic data, such as ADCP (Acoustic Dopper Current Profilers) and echosounder data. Ben has also contributed to a wide variety of publications and presented technical papers at many conferences on behalf of ONC.

As Chief Finance Officer Sandy is responsible for the oversight of ONC’s financial administration and ensuring ONC’s long-term financial health, including financial risk and leadership of financial strategy. Responsibilities include budget and strategic planning, financial statements, contracts, and supervision of the finance team. Sandy worked as an accountant in the private sector construction industry before joining the University of Victoria, first as the Director of Research Accounting and then in 2015 as the Director of Accounting Services. Over her 30 years with UVic she has volunteered with national university organizations including CARA (Canadian Association of Research Administrators) and CAUBO (Canadian Association of University Business Officers). In 2019, she accepted the opportunity of working with ONC permanently as the CFO. Sandy has a CPA CMA designation, a BA Honours with distinction and an MA in Art History. In 2008 she received the President’s Distinguished Service Award for her work in Research Accounting. Sandy has a CPA CMA accounting designation, a BA Honours with distinction and an MA in Art History. In 2008 she was awarded the President’s Distinguished Service Award for her work in Research Accounting.

As Ocean Network Canada’s Director of Observatory Physical Operations, Dirk leads three key divisions: Operations Support, Testing and Development, and Field Services, all based at the Marine Technology Center in Sidney, BC. Dirk's professional journey began with a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Victoria in 2015, eventually leading to his current role as director at Ocean Networks Canada. He is a registered professional engineer through Engineers and Geoscientists BC and has developed knowledge in the areas of field operations, mechanical design, and large-scale infrastructure management. Passionate about innovation and collaboration, Dirk is dedicated to advancing marine technology and enhancing Ocean Networks Canada's capabilities. At the same time, his teams strive to provide reliable physical infrastructure for observatory-based science.

Sabrena joins ONC with 10+ years’ experience working as a strategic operations professional, providing leadership for a broad range of business functions, including HR, operations, administration, and social responsibility. Sabrena comes to ONC from the Hamilton Family Health Team, the largest in Ontario, where she provided Operations, Administration, & HR leadership. She’s also been a project manager at McMaster University co-leading a research project and developing a needs assessment strategy for family physicians in Hamilton. Sabrena has also worked in corporate sales support for Franklin Covey Canada Ltd.

As Director Engagement & Knowledge Mobilization, Daniela ensures that knowledge generated through ONC’s observatories is made accessible. Her division ensures dissemination, user engagement, co-production, and commercialization of ONC’s data and knowledge. The division comprises three teams: Applied Sciences Solutions, Learning & Community Engagement and Client Services - all aim to broaden the impact of ocean science to society and industry. Daniela joined Ocean Networks Canada in January 2020 as Director Corporate Services, a role which she held for almost five years before assuming her current position. Until December 2019, Daniela was the Associate Director of the Environmental Sciences Group at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, where her work contributed to government policies in Canada and abroad and helped set a standard for the environmental assessment and remediation of contaminated public lands. Daniela holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Victoria and an undergraduate degree in Engineering Chemistry from the Technical University Darmstadt in Germany. She is a chartered chemist in the Province of Ontario and a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada.

Jessica is ONC’s Director of External Relations. Since 2012, Jessica has engaged with external stakeholders, including government and industry partners, NGOs, Indigenous communities, and potential donors. From her experience, successful and mutually beneficial partnerships are a result of practiced and respectful interactions between stakeholders. Before joining ONC, Jessica worked for seven years at BC’s premier retirement community as the Marketing and Communications Manager. Jessica earned her Bachelor of Business Commerce at Royal Roads University, with a Diploma in Business Marketing Management at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She has a Diploma in Culinary Arts from Vancouver Island University.

Gord has 35 years of solution delivery experience involving large-scale enterprise solution development, deployment and sustainment in the government, health, financial, retail, transportation and manufacturing sectors. After receiving a B.Sc. in Computer Science from UVic, Gord worked internationally for several years before returning to Canada where he worked for organizations such as BCFC and IBM in product development and management roles. Most recently, he held the position of Senior VP Client Services for an international company headquartered in Washington, DC that specialized in providing enterprise-level solutions encompassing data collection, content management, workflow and business intelligence components.

Reza works as Applied Science Specialist for the Applied Science Solutions team at Ocean Networks Canada (ONC). He enjoys numerical modelling with applications to natural hazards, such as tsunami, storm surge and flooding. Currently he is undertaking tsunami modelling at ONC. Reza has Civil Engineering background with a B.Sc. in civil engineering and M.Sc. in hydraulic engineering from Iran Universities. After some years of industry experience as a civil engineer, he went to the UK to continue his postgraduate studies. He completed his second M.Sc., with distinction, from University of East London, UK, in 2012, and then he received his PhD degree from Newcastle University, UK, in 2017, where he also worked as a research assistant. After Reza finished his studies in the UK, he immigrated to Canada, and joined ONC at November, 2018. In his spare time, Reza enjoys reading, following the World News, music, photography and swimming.

Karen Hamilton began working at Ocean Networks Canada in March 2012 and is currently the Project Management Administrator. Karen has significant experience working with a number of other post-secondary institutions, including several positions with departments throughout the University of Victoria. Karen is a dedicated artist who frequently contributes her artistic eye to Ocean Networks Canada project and initiatives.

As a Senior Applied Science Specialist, Soroush joins a team that delivers the many inundation modelling projects that ONC has underway. Soroush grew up in Tehran and obtained his BSc and MSc in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from Tehran Polytechnic and Sharif University of Technology, respectively. After working as an offshore pipeline installation engineer for a few years in the Persian Gulf, Soroush moved to the US in 2016 to pursue his passion for Ocean Engineering, and received his PhD in 2020 at the University of Rhode Island. As part of his PhD, he focused on numerical simulation of storm surge, waves, and coastal/river flooding. He also carried out a number of observational and experimental studies using multiple instruments including ADCP, drifter, and wave-current flume. Soroush has found Victoria to be a nice and quiet place to live, and was drawn to ONC by its innovative and exciting projects. Soroush believes computer, ocean, and space sciences will direct the future of both humanity as well as that of the earth itself.

As Project Manager, Emily works with the multidisciplinary teams at ONC as well as stakeholders to ensure successful project delivery. Emily has extensive experience in the full cycle of very large, complex projects particularly in heavy construction, and has received an outstanding performance award in contract management. In addition to the scientific environment at ONC, Emily has worked for an owner, general contractor, design firm, and manufacturing facility. Emily has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and a Project Management Certificate from the University of British Columbia.

Jessica is an internationally recognized project manager, gaining certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) in 2020. She has been working as a Project Manager at ONC for almost a decade and led the successful completion of dozens of projects. Some of the most notable include the design and implementation of BC’s Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system, the development and adoption of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office (NOAA) first video annotation tool, and most recently ONC’s first international subsea observatory operating in Antarctica. She also has experience in energy and construction, working in the Pulp and Paper Mill industry, Oil & Gas, Mining and Metals and the Energy Sector, where she managed on major exploration programs with corporations like ExxonMobil, Imperial Oil and Syncrude. Jessica has a keen interest in science, health and wellness and life-long learning. She earned her BSc. in Marine Biology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and went on to complete her graduate degree in Pharmacology. She is dedicated to making a difference in the world and striving for positive change.

Geovany currently works as Project Manager for Ocean Networks Canada. He enjoys sharing with people and assisting in the community. Before ONC, Geovany worked at Icesi University, in Colombia, as Director Assistant in the IT Department. His work there was multifaceted as it included project management, process management, training and coaching, and customer service. Geovany has worked in different industries including pharmaceutical labs, IT industry, and the academy. Geovany holds two bachelors' degrees in Business Administration and Industrial Engineering. He is specialised in International Negotiation and Project Management. Volunteer experience includes: PMI Vancouver Island Chapter: Programs Director; PMI: Event manager for the 2017 PD Conference / Mentorship Program Assistant; UVic International Friendship Group: Volunteer; Swan Lake and Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary: Administrative Assistant

Dwight joined Ocean Networks Canada in 2008. He holds a B.A. in Chinese Language and Literature and an M.A. in Educational Technology, both from the University of Colorado. Dwight has 20 years of experience in design and development of computer- and web-based rich media and interactive educational materials. Much of this work has been science-related, including a diversity of topics such as radar meteorology, the aurora borealis, hurricane safety, fire weather, watershed protection and the physics of shallow-water waves. Aside from his work in educational media, Dwight also previously worked as web communications designer for the Oregon State University Extension Services and ran a small consulting service. Although he was born and raised in places far-removed from the coast, Dwight has long been fascinated by oceans. This connection drew him to take up residence in coastal areas like Taiwan, Hawaii, western Oregon and most recently Vancouver Island. He's thrilled to be working with Ocean Networks Canada during this exciting time of growth and innovation.

Robyn Meyer leads the creative team responsible for the promotion and strategic positioning of ONC to enhance its reputation and success. Her previous positions include head of communications for the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, press secretary in the NZ Govt, and chief reporter for Radio New Zealand. Her professional accolades include UVic President's Distinguished Service Award, New York Festival United Nations award for environmental reporting, and Best Documentary in the NZ Radio Awards. Robyn holds a Post-Grad Diploma in Journalism and BA (pol sci/history), and her career experience spans Australasia, Europe, South and North America.

Norman joins ONC with over 10 years experience working in art and design. His traditional training as an illustrator combined with his experience as a graphic designer allows him to bring content to life! Norman has designed effective marketing campaigns for Mountain Equipment Co-op, Simon Fraser University, The Terry Fox Foundation, Figure3 design and has also created large format site specific artwork that hangs in hotel environments in Miami, New York City and Abu Dhabi.

Mike is the team lead for media relations and brings a wealth of comms experience earned on both sides of the interview mic. He joins ONC directly from his position as the Town of Ladysmith’s Communications and Engagement Specialist which he held from 2018. Progressive policies he co-developed under the town’s community plan related to reconciliation, climate change mitigation and environmental stewardship will contribute greatly to ONC’s own work in this area. Prior to comms he honed his skills as a news and storyteller through reporter and editor roles with the community press, Metroland Media, and CBC News in Ontario.

Yuko Lin manages ONC's social media platforms to communicate and promote science and big data. Yuko joins ONC from the World Fisheries Trust, where she was the division coordinator for Seaquaria Ocean Education. She's well versed in science communication, community outreach, and social media outreach. Ask her about her favourite marine invertebrate, the Giant Acorn Barnacle (Balanus nubilus).

Jina transforms data into interesting, visually appealing information, and believes well designed material has the power to effect change, promote understanding, and empower people. As ONC's graphic design & brand specialist, she works collaboratively with the organization to develop and design materials that deliver ONC’s message with high visual impact. This includes translating complex ideas into accessible information to inform, educate, and excite a broad audience. Jina holds a degree in Graphic Design for Marketing (Wilson School of Design, KPU) and a diploma in Applied Communications (Camosun College). Outside of work Jina enjoys camping and adventuring around the island with her son and husband.

Katie manages ONC's extensive digital media archive, produces dynamic video & photo content, and is tasked with responding to digital media requests and licensing. Katie plays an active role in the strategic management of ONC's website content and in building the ONC brand. Prior to joining ONC in 2015, Katie worked in the heritage and culture sector in Toronto, ON. Katie holds an MA in Photographic Preservation & Collections Management, a Post-Grad Certificate in Records & Information Management, and a dual degree in Art History and Studio Arts, Photography.

Lyuba is responsible for support of all HR functions at ONC, Reception and facilities management. Prior to joining ONC in 2017, Lyuba worked in the areas of Engineering, Administration, Facilities, and Human Resources management. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Victoria, and a Master in Chemical Engineering degree from the Moscow State University of Technology and Management. She also has a Chartered Professional in Human Resources designation.

Reporting to the Director, Corporate Services, Corinne is an administrative professional who assists ONC's corporate office in document preparation, scheduling, writing, and editing. In her spare time, Corinne writes and publishes novels.

Claudio leads and manages a team of system administrators, and architects and directs the IT infrastructure at ONC, which system administrators build by creating the blueprints for advanced interconnected high performance scientific computing systems. These advanced systems use NVidia grid technology, VMware and many interconnected systems that can deliver the absolute latest technology and ensure these systems are secure by using the latest advancements in IT security from Palo Alto networks. Some of these systems include inter-connectivity between VMware, Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure.

Sheri keeps things running smoothly at the Reception desk, including reception and administrative functions for ONC, event coordination, meeting room bookings and facilities management. Sheri finds that working at ONC immerses her in innovation, learning and discovery. She is excited to be a member of a team working to better understand climate change.

Drew completed his PhD studies at the University of British Columbia where he gained experience in the development of scientific data products of climate-related variables, specializing in data fusion approaches using machine learning.

Dilumie obtained her PhD from the University of Victoria in 2010 with expertise on Climate Variability and Change Impact assessments on Coasts and Oceans. In her role as a scientific data specialist at ONC, she is responsible for maintaining data quality standards for our data products. She also facilitates efficient acquisition, interpretation and analysis of our observatory data for external research communities. She believes that accurate data with relevant background information is crucial for the success of any research project and considers her role at ONC as the best way to contribute to that effort. Dilumie obtained her B.Sc. in Civil Engineering (Hon.) from the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. She earned a MSc. in Hydraulic Engineering (with Distinction) from the International Institute for Infrastructure and Hydraulic Engineering (IHE), Delft, Netherlands. She possesses over 10-years experience in quantitative analysis of coastal and ocean data, including verification and quality control of data and statistical data analysis. Her expertise also expands to Physical Oceanography, Physical and Mathematical modeling of hydrodynamics, waves and sediment transport modeling, statistical modeling of extremes, and assessment of climate variability and change impacts on coastal environmental drivers with special emphasis on the Pacific Ocean and South East Asian coastal margins. Her professional career includes working for 7-years as a professional coastal engineer cum coastal and ocean modeling expert in Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. She also served for over 2 years as a coastal climate impacts analyst for the British Columbia Ministry of Environment.

Alice Olga Victoria completed her MSc in oceanography in 2009 at the Institut des Sciences de la Mer, University of Québec in Rimouski (ISMER-UQAR), Québec. As part of her MSc project she studied the ichthyoplankton community structure of the northwest Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL) sampled 20 years apart and the changes that occurred in the intervening decades. She also used molecular tools to precisely identify eggs at the species level in search of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) spawning grounds around Anticosti Island. After her graduation, she worked as a biologist and ichthyoplankton taxonomist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Mont-Joli, Québec, on a variety of projects such as early life-stage distributions of Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) in the GSL, the connectivity of fish populations among the Saguenay Fjord, the St. Lawrence Lower Estuary and Gulf, and the DFO Ecosystem Research Initiative for the St. Lawrence Estuary. In 2012, she moved to Victoria and first joined Ocean Networks Canada as an underwater imagery analyst to characterize the Barkley Canyon benthic community from underwater videos. She also participated to the Wiring the Abyss 2012 expedition. In February 2013 she joined the ONC data products team as a scientific data specialist.

Angela is part of ONC's Data Analytics and Quality team with main responsibilities including data analysis from seismic and seafloor pressure instruments. Prior to joining ONC in 2017, Angela worked at JASCO Applied Sciences as a scientific modeller for underwater acoustics. She holds a PhD in geophysics (University of Victoria) and a MSc in geophysics (Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany).

Alex works on tasks for instruments such as hydrophones and echosounders. He graduated from the University of Victoria in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Computer Science. Alex hopes to positively contribute to the environmental community through working at ONC.

Mark grew up in Victoria, BC and obtained degrees in Geography from Queen’s University and in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from SAIT. Mark is completing an M.Sc. in GIS at Johns Hopkins University. Mark is happy to be part of this outstanding organization and to learn more about ocean science, and finds that contributing to improving our understanding of the oceans is profoundly rewarding. Outside of work, you can find Mark playing soccer, backcountry skiing, mountain biking and hiking.

Saurav is responsible for metadata curation and data curation tasks of acquisition, ingestion and distribution. He will be working on the Community Fishers program at ONC and will also assist with expedition support. Saurav has a Masters in Physical Oceanography and Applied Mathematics from the University of British Columbia, where he used Northeast Pacific oceanographic data for his research, and a Masters in Applied Physics from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India.

Jeff has an undergraduate degree in Geology, and a graduate degree in Geophysics, both received from the University of Alberta. After graduation, working as a Geophysicist in Vancouver, BC., he was exposed a variety of geophysical surveying techniques, most notably conducting seismic and ground penetrating radar surveying for subsurface profiling. This work took him around the globe including places such as Alaska, Central America, and Papua New Guinea. Later, he worked as a Geologist in the oil & gas industry, and then returned to school to pursue an applied bachelor's degree in GIS, at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). From there, he completed an internship with SAIT's Centre for Innovation and Research in Unmanned Systems (CIRUS), working on a wide range of research initiatives using remotely piloted aerial systems (RPAS, or drones) for environmental monitoring. One of his most memorable experiences at SAIT including a partnership with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in testing RPAS-based, atmospheric methane detection. Some of his other research initiatives included terrain modeling using RPAS-based LiDAR, conducting 3D modeling from RPAS aerial imagery, and development of various image analysis techniques and feature extraction using machine learning.

Having a background in Biology, Sean is a data steward with responsibilities for ONC's biological data initiatives. Some examples are Sean's contributions to CIOOS and OBIS. Sean also works with cameras and visual data.

Mitchell joined Ocean Networks Canada in 2017 as a Water Column Data Intern revamping data products for profiling systems. He then continued on at ONC in a Data Support and Instructor role for the PICES Summer School on Coastal Ocean Observatory Science hosted by ONC in 2018. Afterwards he joined the Data Stewardship Team enhancing metadata and data discovery, quality, and interoperability, and providing operations support during instrument installation and maintenance. Mitchell completed his MSc. in Chemical Oceanography from the University of Victoria where he used Argo floats to study oxygen saturation during deep-water formation events in the Labrador Sea. Before his MSc. he worked as an Oceanographic Data Analyst at ASL Environmental Sciences and completed his BSc. in Combined Physics and Ocean Science, also from the University of Victoria. Growing up on the West Coast has driven his passion for understanding and protecting the oceans. When he's not studying the oceans, Mitchell enjoys making driftwood cat trees and travelling, with recent adventures to Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Greenland, Indonesia, and Nepal where he hiked to the base camp of Mt. Everest.

As part of the Marine Operations group at Ocean Networks Canada, A.J. is involved with the mechanical design of observatory infrastructure, instrument preparation, and maintenance. He completed a degree in mechanical engineering at Queen's University. Prior to joining ONC, A.J. spent a number of years numerical modelling oceanographic instrumentation, aquaculture, and renewable energy systems.

Mechanical engineer passionate about understanding the ocean and supporting conservation efforts. Responsible for maintenance and expansion of primary infrastructure of cabled observatories.

Doug is part of the Operations Team at ONC. After completing internships at ONC and Rocket Lab, Doug graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Victoria. He also holds a diploma in mechanical engineering technology and is a journeyman carpenter.

Ellen Sark currently works as an Accounting Clerk for Ocean Networks Canada. She enjoys accounts payable, and processing and reconciling invoices. Before ONC, Ellen worked at H & R Block as a tax professional. In that position, Ellen oversaw tax return preparation and client services, applying knowledge of tax laws and expertise to help each client get a better tax return. Ellen has worked in different industries including a resort in St. Petersburg, Russia as a bookkeeper, and Ernesto Corporation in St. Petersburg, Russia as their Corporate Administrative Manager. Her education includes an Office Administration Assistant Certificate (her area of study was bookkeeping), Fundamentals of Income Tax Certificates Level 1 and 2, QuickBooks Premier Certificate, and a Sage 50 premium Accounting Certificate.

Dr. Maia Hoeberechts manages the Learning & Community Engagement teams, which are together responsible for creating products and services which meet the needs of the scientific, educational and broader user communities. Maia joined Ocean Networks Canada in 2010 as the Staff Scientist for Computer Science and Engineering, a role which she held for three years before assuming her current position. She continues her research involvement as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Victoria focusing on interdisciplinary connections between ocean science and computer science, principally in the areas of computer vision, data analytics and scientific visualization. Before joining Ocean Networks Canada, Maia worked as the project manager on an interdisciplinary research project at Western University to develop and market an emotionally adaptive computer music composition engine. Maia holds a PhD in Computer Science in the area of computability theory and a BSc in Philosophy and Computer Science from Western University.

Luci is responsible for supporting the successful implementation of ONC’s community programs and services including Community Observatories, Community Fishers, and Marine Domain Awareness, which provide fixed and mobile monitoring technology to an expanding network of coastal communities in British Columbia, the Canadian Arctic and the East Coast of Canada. Luci helps facilitate the success of a number of ONC community-based initiatives by supporting communities with sample planning, data access, training on instruments and Oceans 3.0, and keeping partners aware of opportunities with ONC. She works closely with a number of ONC teams and departments to ensure the community-based instruments are tested, and that data is received and quality controlled, and made available to our partners. Luci is originally from the United Kingdom where she completed her B.Sc. in Marine Science at the Scottish Association for Marine Science. Her undergraduate studies included a year exchange in the Norwegian Arctic, in Svalbard. The experience of living and studying the Arctic Oceans drove her pursuit of an M.Sc. at the University of Victoria, where she specialized in phytoplankton and nutrient dynamics during the sea-ice melting period in the Canadian Arctic.

Wylee joined Ocean Networks Canada in 2023. She holds a B.Sc. in Earth, Ocean, Atmospheric Sciences and a M.Sc. in Biogeochemical Oceanography. As a Post-Secondary Education Coordinator, Wylee engages with post-secondary institutions and communities to support teaching and learning of marine and environmental sciences, centred around Ocean Networks Canada’s data and observatories. As a proud Métis woman in science, Wylee is passionate about being part of the changing dynamics of Indigenous relations in scientific research. Continually navigating her connection to her identity and how that fits into science-focused spaces, Wylee is eager to work with others interested in the intersection of science and Indigenous relations.

As Youth Programs Coordinator, Nick works with the K-12 Education Coordinators to plan and deliver educational offerings using ONC data at events involving K-12 youth or K-12 educators, including in-person and virtual classroom presentations, public outreach events, and conferences. Nick’s responsibilities include educational material design, event planning, data analysis, and program delivery. His educational background is a BSc Hons. in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Victoria and he gained teaching experience while teaching English in Japan for a year after graduating from university. This means he did not have formal education in marine sciences or education prior to starting this role at ONC, but has been striving to learn! His parents were immigrants to Canada, from Japan and Sweden.

Kiyomi is responsible for supporting the successful implementation of ONC’s Marine Domain Awareness program, and for assisting the Community Observatories and Community Fishers programs, all 3 of which provide fixed and mobile monitoring technology to an expanding network of coastal communities in British Columbia, the Canadian Arctic and the East Coast of Canada. Kiyomi helps facilitate the success of a number of ONC community-based initiatives by supporting communities with sample planning, data access, training on instruments and Oceans 3.0, and sharing awareness to partners of opportunities with ONC. She works closely with multiple ONC teams to ensure the community-based instruments are tested, that data is received and quality controlled, and made available to our partners. Kiyomi completed her BSc in Physical Geography at Simon Fraser University, and her MSc in remote sensing at the University of Ottawa where she studied the applications of satellite derived bathymetry in the Canadian Arctic. Her graduate studies included an exchange program at the University Centre in Svalbard where she studied chemical oceanography, driving her passion for studying ocean sciences and helping others achieve their marine stewardship goals.

Lauren creates educational resources and learning opportunities to bring students, educators and the public closer to the ocean. Lauren is a big kid at heart and likes to find fun ways to make ocean education as exciting as possible. With a passion for connection and collaboration, Lauren enjoys working with other STEAM organizations to create unique experiences for learners of all ages. While completing a Bachelors of Science at the University of Victoria, Lauren discovered her passion for teaching as she worked at Science Venture. She completed a Bachelors of Education and taught at a local independent school for 12 years, first as an elementary school classroom teacher and then as a STEM Coordinator, K-Grade 12. Lauren loves the ocean and ocean education so it was incredible for her to have the opportunity to join Ocean Networks Canada in the summer of 2019. As a lifelong learner, Lauren is now pursuing a Masters of Education.

Monika has an exceptional knack for turning scientific concepts into accessible and fun hands-on activities for any age of learner. In addition to applying current pedagogy to resource development, she makes classroom presentations and events memorable with her great sense of humour. Her responsibilities include the annual Ocean Science Symposium, Ocean Sense, Ship2shore, activity development, and work with partners including Girl Guides, Ocean Exploration Trust, and Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Monika is keen to jump on board with any project where her skills and talents may be needed, and is always happy to contribute expertise, humour and hard work to projects throughout ONC. Monika frequently presents at conferences and workshops and can be counted on to engage professionals and students alike. Monika is a part-time teacher as well as K-12 Education Coordinator at ONC. Known for her dry wit and dedication to teaching and learning, she has taught in a variety of settings and enjoys connecting students to the wider world.

Dr. Jessy Phillips is responsible for supporting the successful implementation of ONC’s Community Observatory program. Jessy grew up in Beijing and completed her undergrad degree in Biology at the University of Toronto. She went on to pursue a PhD at the University of Oxford, where she studied the foraging behaviour of penguins in Antarctica. After completing her PhD, she came to BC to study the spread of disease from salmon fish farms as part of a postdoc with U of Toronto. In her free time, she loves climbing rocks and making pottery.

Dr. Dave Riddell is a Post-Secondary Education Coordinator who supports the teaching and learning of marine and environmental science in universities, colleges, and communities through the design and delivery of courses and field programs centred around data from Ocean Networks Canada’s underwater observatories and mobile sensors. Dave has a research background in ecotoxicology, with a focus on the roles of citizen science and community-based research in addressing local environmental problems. He brings these research experiences to his teaching and program design. As an educator, Dave’s work is trauma-informed and embraces critical pedagogy, open education, and transformative praxis.

As a liaison between coastal Indigenous communities and ONC’s science & technology teams, Romer is able to navigate complexities in the interplay among scientific objectives, current environmental policy and issues of cultural significance. He believes ONC’s high tech ocean observatories are powerful tools that provide coastal Indigenous communities with critical real-time data to make informed decisions about their local ocean environment for long-term sustainability and resilience. Romer descends from both the skilled fisherman of the Nisga’a wolf clan or Laxi’buu, and from Frisians, who also have a long history of seafaring. His Dutch grandfather was Captain of a 15,000-ton Empire ship and the 4000-ton “My Lady” based out of Rotterdam, which delivered paper around the world. His love for the ocean comes from being raised at 6 months of age on his father’s commercial fishing boat the “Serenade”, which trolled for salmon between Port Hardy and Brooks Peninsula from 1977 to 1998. As a former documentary television producer and senior producer for CTV’s award-winning Indigenous series First Story, Romer brings more than 20 years of experience engaging with Indigenous communities and organizations in British Columbia and parts of Canada.

Shane earned a Bachelor of Computer Engineering degree from the University of Victoria in 2003. After graduation, he worked for the Faculty of Engineering as a Programmer/Analyst for over 6 years. In November 2008, he became a practicing Professional Engineer. Shane joined NEPTUNE Canada in 2009.

Erkan joined Ocean Networks Canada as an Observatory Systems Analyst in 2017. He earned a B.Sc. in Computer Science from Kocaeli University in 1998 and a M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Victoria in 2017, specializing in malicious software and the effectiveness of anti-malware techniques. During more than ten years of his employment experience, he has worked in several IT departments in universities and a research institution as a team leader of engineers and researchers. Prior to joining ONC, for over six years, he was employed as a Senior Systems Engineer for The National Research Institute of Electronics and Cryptology in Turkey. During this period, he worked on various large scale IT projects. In this role, he was responsible for the project systems engineering team, project infrastructure design and project development networks.

Duncan joined Ocean Networks Canada as an Observatory Systems Analyst in April 2019. He earned his M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Victoria in 2003 and went on to work as a Programmer Analyst for both the Computer Science and Electrical Engineering departments. He then spent over a decade working as a Co-op Coordinator in the Engineering Computer Science Co-op program, helping students across all Engineering disciplines meet their Co-op goals. In his spare time he enjoys Mountain Biking and roaming around in his Vanagon.

Marja joined the administrative team in October of 2008 and more recently transferred to the Operations Team. She keeps many things at the Marine Technology Center on track. She really enjoys the variety and challenges that working in a growing, innovative organization brings; there is almost never a boring day! In her spare time she likes to quilt, hike, canoe, and work on the G-scale railroad inside and out together with her husband.

Paulo is one of ONC’s Staff Scientists who support projects related to image data and ecology. His research mainly focuses on deep-sea ecosystems and the effects of anthropogenic stressors on community structure. He has been directly responsible for annotations of deep-sea images and videos and identification of benthic and pelagic species. He has experience in multivariate earth-ocean data analysis, including studying potential drivers for community structure and species distribution on the seafloor. Paulo received his B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from the University of Campinas, Brazil in 2013, followed by a M.Sc. in Animal Biology, at the same institute in 2016. He earned his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2022. His research interests include deep-sea benthic and pelagic diversity, community structure, time-series analysis, species distribution models, computer vision, automatic image annotation tools, photogrammetry, and human impacts on the deep sea.

Dr. Fabio De Leo is one of ONC’s Senior Staff Scientists whose research focuses on investigating the vast biological diversity that inhabits the ocean’s seafloor (marine benthos). He ensures that top-notch ocean researchers are involved with ONC and analyses data to produce breakthrough scientific knowledge about the processes, biodiversity, and effects of human-induced change in the ocean. As a benthic ecologist, he specializes in deep-sea ecosystems and the effects of anthropogenic stressors such as bottom fishing and climate change on community structure and function. Fabio holds multiple citizenships (Brazil, Spain, and Canada) and has accumulated over 23 years of seagoing experience having participated in research cruises in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans and the Mediterranean and Tasman Seas. His experience at sea also includes diving in manned submersibles as deep as 1.2 Km in submarine canyons off Hawaii. He earned a Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and an M.Sc. in the same field from the University of Sao Paulo. Fabio also lectures at various departments at UVic (Biology, Earth & Ocean and Computer Science) and co-supervises graduate and undergraduate students.

Dr. Martin Heesemann is one of ONC’s Senior Staff Scientists, focused on tectonics and seismology. He is responsible for the scientific integrity of ONC’s subsea seismometers and bottom pressure recorders, the data from which are used to study earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as tectonic processes related to seafloor spreading and subduction. As a marine geophysicist, he is passionate about collaborating with scientists and engineers in academia and industry to develop new and improved geophysical instruments that push the limits of what can presently be measured in the deep ocean.  Martin is involved in the development and deployment of CORK borehole observatories that enable long-term monitoring of the IODP (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program / International Ocean Discovery Program) borehole. Martin coordinates research activity related to several of these borehole observatories that are connected to ONC’s NEPTUNE observatory. Martin is also the scientific lead of the Northern Cascadia Subduction Zone Observatory (NCSZO) project whose goal is to monitor interseismic seafloor deformation that measures the buildup of energy that will be released during the next big Cascadia megathrust earthquake. Martin holds a Ph.D. in marine geophysics from the University of Bremen.

Jesse is a seismologist who is a staff scientist at ONC. He is supporting projects related to seismology, instrumentation, tsunamis, and tectonics. He earned his PhD from the University of Victoria in 2020 and his MSc from Western Washington University in 2012. His PhD thesis focused on the SeaJade I and II ocean-bottom seismometer arrays, which were used to study the Nootka fault zone and the subducting Explorer and Juan de Fuca plates. Since graduating nearly two years ago, Jesse conducted post-doctoral research at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand where he developed a comprehensive ground motion intensity measure catalogue for the entirety of New Zealand from 2000 through 2021. This data is currently being implemented for use with a New Zealand national seismic hazard model. In addition, he has been developing an improvement to the MAXI location method (Font et al., 2004) to be used in relocating earthquakes New Zealand-wide.

Jasper Kanes is one of ONC’s Staff Scientists responsible for ocean soundscapes. In this role, they develop annotated passive acoustic data sets and work closely with the marine mammal, machine learning, and vessel noise research communities to facilitate and support science using ONC’s passive acoustic data. Their work also includes planning deployments, presenting at conferences, developing new data products, and assisting users with data acquisition and analysis. Jasper’s research interests include marine mammal and fish vocalizations, behaviour, and ecology, as well as machine learning algorithms, vessel noise, ambient soundscapes, human impacts on marine life, and engaging citizen scientists in ocean soundscape research.Jasper holds a B.Sc. in Biology and an M.Sc. in Earth and Ocean Sciences from the University of Victoria. They have studied cetaceans as a research assistant with a number of BC-based organizations, including studying grey whales with the University of Victoria Whale Lab, studying the Southern Resident orcas with the Marine Mammal Research Group, and studying the Northern Resident orcas with OrcaLab. Prior to joining the Science Services team, Jasper also worked at ONC as an underwater acoustic data analyst.

Steve Mihaly is a Senior Staff Scientists with a focus on interdisciplinary research enabled by ONC’s vast collection of visual and sound data captured by cabled observatories. His engineering background fosters his keen interest in the design of new instrumentation, our understanding of observations, and the design of observational programs. Steve has contributed to our understanding of how ocean dynamics are affected by rough ocean topography and hydrothermal venting. He has specifically studied these effects on hydrothermal fauna community behaviour and the dispersion of hydrothermal vent plumes.  Scientifically, he provides advice on the dynamics of the ocean, such as tidal currents, internal and surface waves, eastern boundary currents, and estuarine circulation, and the linkages of those physical mechanisms to the biological, biogeochemical, and chemical variability of the ocean. As a physical oceanographer, he works with other oceanographers to understand the bio-geo-physical linkages involved in coastal environments. Steve studied mechanical engineering (vibrations/acoustics) at Dalhousie University and holds a Ph.D from UBC in the complex dynamics of ocean currents at hydrothermal venting spreading centers.

Ella works to assist Ocean Network Canada’s Chief Scientist, and the Associate Director of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships. She currently holds a bachelor’s in biology from Queen’s University, and was previously involved in sustainable aquaculture research and industry.

Dr. Lanfranco Muzi is one of ONC’s Senior Staff Scientists with a focus on ocean soundscapes and passive underwater acoustics. His expertise ranges from underwater acoustic propagation modeling and simulation to physical acoustics and array/signal processing. Lanfranco has conducted research in ambient noise processing, geo-acoustic inversion, and array-processing algorithms, and has worked on applications in source characterization, environmental impact assessment, and marine mammal detection. At ONC, he works to improve our marine soundscape characterization capabilities and expand our acoustical oceanography program, collaborating with scientists and researchers who use our observatories in all phases of their projects, from planning and experimentation to publication. Lanfranco holds an M.Sc in Computer Science from Portland State University, where he began his career in underwater acoustics as a research assistant with the Northwest Electromagnetics and Acoustics Research Laboratory and received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2015. He also holds a “Laurea” degree in Nuclear Engineering from Università di Pisa.

Dr. Martin Scherwath is one of ONC’s Senior Staff Scientists with a focus on gas hydrates, seabed dynamics (turbidity currents), and carbon sequestration projects. As a marine geophysicist, he has expertise in the geophysical imaging of subsurface structures. His research predominantly uses seismic methods to better understand the dynamics of the seafloor in the major fields of gas hydrates and natural gas seepage, as well as subduction zone processes and marine hazards. At ONC, Martin is the contact person for scientific experiments that use the seafloor crawler “Wally” at the Barkley Hydrates site, the Delta Dynamics Laboratory of the Fraser River, and sonar imaging applied to hydrate mounds and gas seepage on the continental slope. Martin is also a coordinator of ONC’s Solid Carbon project, specifically leading the monitoring aspects as this feasibility study transitions toward a demonstration experiment. Martin holds an M.Sc. in Exploration Geophysics from Leeds University and a Ph.D. in Geophysics from Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. Martin was appointed Adjunct Assistant Professor in 2016 at the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Victoria where he still teaches and supervises graduate students and post-docs.

Manman Wang is one of ONC’s Staff Scientists with a focus on high-frequency ocean radar systems including CODAR and WERA systems. She works closely with ONC’s data and software teams to implement quality controls on high-frequency data collected, writing radar data format into NetCDF format, and developing a higher level of quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) for ONC. She has worked with partners to improve the industry-standard QA/QC Real-time Oceanographic Data (QARTOD) manual. Manman has been involved with a group of scientists exploring the advantages of WERA radar usage (wind direction, tsunami, and storm surge events identification). Her research mainly focuses on coastal ocean dynamics, turbulence, tides with the combined use of radar and acoustic Doppler data. She received her B.Sc. in Marine Science from the Ocean University of China in 2012, followed by an M.Sc. in physical oceanography at the same institution where her research focused on large-scale ocean currents related to climate change. She continued her research at the University of Victoria, earning an M.Sc. in physical oceanography and studying ocean mixing in the Labrador Sea.

Yan Chen joined NEPTUNE Canada in March 2009. As a senior Java developer, he is responsible for making technical decisions and recommendations to build robust, high performance, reusable and maintainable software components for DMAS. Yan graduated from Shenyang Polytechnic University in China with a bachelor degree in Engineering. Before immigrating to Canada, Yan had been a project manager helping clients adapt to integrated mechanical CAD systems. That was when he became interested in software development. Yan started his professional software development career in 2005 and earned a Master's in Computer Science from University of Victoria in 2008. Yan is an Extreme Programming advocate. He believes if it is done right, the paired programming and test-driven process can be very productive. Currently he focuses on the server-side of the DMAS system and enjoys solving complex problems.

Jonathan graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering in 2010. He has been working at ONC since 2012 when it was still NEPTUNE Canada, focusing primarily on driver development and instrument related work. In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys playing music, recreational sports, and the occasional video game, all while spending time with his expanding family.

Randy graduated from the University of Victoria with a BSc in Computer Science in 2021, and is currently working at Ocean Networks Canada as a Junior Software Developer. Prior to joining, he completed three work terms alongside the software team at ONC as a co-op student. Outside of work and in his spare time, he enjoys playing the drums, gaming, learning about new and upcoming technologies, and is also an avid badminton player.

Patrick has worked for Oceans Networks Canada since earning BScs in physical oceanography and computer science in 2015. Patrick's interests at ONC include DevOps practices, database design, and building performant, maintainable, modular systems. He is a Casandra 2.1 Certified Developer. Patrick enjoys hiking, cycling, and juggling, and is an active community oboist.

Tim Lavallee joined Ocean Networks Canada in March 2007 as a Data Acquisition Developer. Tim comes with nearly 20 years experience as a software developer, most recently writing applications in Java and C++. He has worked in back end framework development, data collection applications, front end GUI development, and web development. Tim received a Computer Technology Diploma from Camosun College and worked most recently with the Ministry of Forests, Protection Branch. His work there (among other things) included a web based resource tracking application as well as a Weather Polling System which automatically polls over 100 weather data loggers on an hourly basis. Tim is involved in the design and implementation of the data acquisition framework for Ocean Networks Canada.

Tony joined Neptune Canada in 2008. He develops user interface and web services Java applications, programs sql for Oracle Database, and implements html pages using javascript and YUI. Tony holds a master degree in Computer Science from the University of Victoria. He has several years of experiences as a research assistant and teaching assistant in the University of Victoria's Computer Science department, as a SVG developer for the univeristy Rigi Group and as a Java developer for GenoLogics Life Sciences Software Inc.

Michael holds a BSc in Computer Science from UBC and a Photographic Technician Diploma from Vancouver Community College. He started working at UVic in 2010 as Technical Specialist for the Continuing Studies Department and then moved to ONC. Previously for five years he worked as a Technical Specialist at BC Campus (SFU) and has held several senior applications developer positions in the US. Michael helps create and improve our suite of web applications.

Yingsong holds an undergraduate degree in engineering thermophysics from the University of Science and Technology in Hefei, China and a master's degree in computer science from the University of Victoria. Before joining NEPTUNE Canada in June 2008, Yingsong worked in HSBC's performance and automation services team.

As part of the Operations group, Jeb is involved with ocean observatory maintenance and instrument testing activities. Jeb has a diploma in Electronics Engineering Technology from Humber College in Ontario, and a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Ontario.

Donald Lo enjoys working at Ocean Networks because it involves both mechanical design and oceanographic. Before working here, Donald worked as a Mechanical Engineer for 15 years designing marine winches and pressure housings. He completed his Mechanical Engineering Degree in 2005 at University of Victoria.

Sergio Rico enjoys every aspect of his job since it merges two of his passions: electronics and the ocean and its inhabitants. Before working at Ocean Networks Canada, Sergio worked as Electrical/Electronics Engineer. In that role, Sergio designed the electrical and control elements of marine winches as well as other subsea marine instrumentation. He has also worked as a computer network technician. He has a B. Eng in Industrial Electronics (Electrical Eng.) as well as a M. Eng. in Electronics. When Sergio is not working, he enjoys learning about different technologies and spending time with his family. He’s also a passionate outdoors-man who enjoys hiking, camping and fly fishing.

Reyna Jenkyns is currently the Associate Director for the World Data System International Technology Office, hosted at Ocean Networks Canada. Prior to the WDS, she worked for Ocean Networks Canada from 2009 to 2023. For over a decade, she managed the Data Stewardship team which provides metadata and data management, geospatial services, and expedition support. In an earlier scientific programmer role, Reyna generated data products for the NEPTUNE observatory. Throughout her time at ONC, she was a keen contributor to Oceans 3.0 tools and interoperability with other ocean data providers. Since 2018, she has served on the Board of the CoreTrustSeal, the organization that defines the certification criteria for research data repositories to belong to the WDS. She received her Bachelor of Mathematics in the Applied Mathematics Co-operative Program from the University of Waterloo, and her Master of Science in Ocean Physics at the University of Victoria. Prior work experience spans companies specializing in oceanographic monitoring systems, aerospace, and information technology.