Synthesis science is an approach to research that draws together individuals to catalyze new and sometimes transformative ideas, often bringing together all of the evidence on a research question to allow generalizable findings and hypothesis-testing. Collaborations across sectors can generate important dialogue, and advance a more predictive ecology. I enjoy creating opportunities for training, dialogue, and novel research outputs through working group and synthesis science. 

Building opportunities for data synthesis in Canada

Generating knowledge from existing data is a key skill for future generations and is adds values to existing research programs. I help to lead the NSERC CREATE training program The Living Data Project, which provides skillset training and immersive experiences in collaborative and synthesis data science to graduate students in ecology and evolution. As part of this program, I teach Synthesis Statistics as part of a 4-part modular training program that also includes Collaboration, Data Management, and Reproducibility.  I am also on the management board of the Canadian Institute of Ecology and Evolution, which funds synthesis science in ecology and evolution in Canada.

I coordinate a virtual cross-Canada training workshop, Testing hypotheses through data synthesis: preparing for success, as part of the Living Data Project, to provide guidance to trainees entering data synthesis in Canada.

Working groups as training ground. In April 2022 Dr. Joey Bernhardt and I co-lead a working group called Canadian Datasets for Teaching in Ecology and Evolution, supported by the Living Data Project. In our working group, 12 graduate students from across Canada helped to develop tutorials in R on concepts in Ecology and Evolution using "rescued" data. Students learned valuable skills and created tutorials which are under development here.

Answering big questions with collaborative data synthesis - some current and past working groups

Designing Canada’s Biodiversity Observation Network - a CIEE working group. 2022-23. Designing a synthetic Canada-wide biodiversity data and analytic infrastructure. Co-leads: Andy Gonzalez and Mary O'Connor.

BIOSHIFTS - a CESAB working group. Understanding how contemporary climate‐driven range shifts arise from the interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms. Co-leads: Lise Comte and Gaël Grenouillet.

INTRATHERM: building a predictive understanding of intra-specific variation in thermal tolerance and implications for conservation practice. Lead: Jenn Sunday. Funding: CIEE and QCBS

How does life deal with uncertainty in fluctuating environments? CIEE working group 2019-2021. Co-leads: Jenn Sunday, Andy Gonzalez, Mary O'Connor, Joey Berhhardt. Click to see our first output.

Ocean Protection Council Science Advisory Team Working Group: MPAs and Climate Resilience Science Synthesis and Data Needs. 2020-21. We summarized evidence for climate resilience conferred from Marine Protected Areas. Click to see our report.

sWEEP: Unifying marine and terrestrial biodiversity at the interplay of macroecology, macrophysiology and macroevolution, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig, Germany. Click to see summary and outputs.

Canadian protected areas in a changing climate: A cross-ecosystem approach to designing effective networks of protected areas. CIEE working group, 2016. Click to see major output.

Species on the Move Working Group 2016. We summarized the state of knowledge and importance of species range shifts on ecosystems and people. Click to see our major output.

Ocean Acidification Roundtable at UBC's Peter Wall Institute. We synthesized the impacts of ocean acidification on habitat-forming species and biodiversity, and clarified how ecological theory predicts ocean acidification impacts. 2013. Click to see one of our outputs.