MLWS Alumni Feature
MLWS Alumna Creates an Opportunity for LFS Students in the Field
“The MLWS program helped me become a registered professional biologist and move forward into the role I have today.”
Erika Nassichuk (MLWS ’15)
Erika Nassichuk (MLWS ’15) works as an Environmental Protection Officer for the District of North Vancouver. In 2019, Erika created a research-based practicum position concerning animal welfare at the North Vancouver District (DNV) for a UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems Applied Biology student.
“Residents were approaching Council after finding sick and dying owls in their neighbourhoods, which was an immediate concern, and likely the result of secondary poisoning. When the Council asked my office to look into this issue, I felt this project would be a good fit for a student because they would be able to take the idea and run with it. It would require a fair amount of research and experimentation, which meant we needed someone with knowledge of scientific studies,” says Erika.