Tracy Hillis

Education: Ph.D. (Zoology), M.Sc. (Zoology), B.Sc.  (Biology/Environmental Toxicology)

As the Manager, Animal Care, at the South Slave Research Centre in Fort Smith, I will work to develop, support and facilitate research opportunities for both faculty and students and oversee administration of the Animal Services program at Aurora College. I will endeavour to ensure that all research and teaching involving animals (specifically wildlife) associated with Aurora College meet the requirements of internal college policies and applicable territorial and national standards as set out by the Canadian Council on Animal Care.

I have extensive experience in multiple disciplines, providing me with a breadth and depth of scientific experience sufficient to collaborate on research projects in many different disciplines.  I have over 42 years of experience in research, teaching and curriculum development, data analysis and management, development and implementation of multiple research and community education programs, training and staff development, and public consultation. My experience spans all three territories, British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario; and internationally in Africa.

My research has included; assessing impacts of snow on wildlife species, predator-prey interaction, nutrient and contaminant transfer through systems and ecological processes in northern ecosystems at numerous scales (patch, community, landscape), the impact of land change (both anthropogenic [mining and forestry] and natural [fire] disturbances) and climate change on species movements and distribution (specifically caribou and furbearers), and the systematics, behavior and physiological responses of wildlife species. I have developed the application of assessing land change using lacunarity as a tool for large scale disturbance and have assisted in the development of land classifications in Ontario and the Northwest Territories.

Contributions: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/T-Hillis