Riley Finn

About Me

I am a researcher in the Conservation Decisions Lab at UBC. I am primarly interested in applying principles of decision analysis to problems of stewarding ecosystems and managing endangered species.

I work remotely from my home in Snuneymuxw Territory, also known as Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. I am originally from Baden, Ontario or the traditional territory of the Chonnonton, Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, and Mississauga peoples.

I am commited to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and to supporting Indigenous sovereignty. I believe that achieving these goals requires humility and openness to learning. I have a deep interest in history and how understanding the historical context of the places we live in can help us better understand our role in stewarding them.

In my spare time I enjoy mountain biking, gardening, and painting in watercolor.

CV

Summary of Skills and Experience

  • Extensive experience applying R for data carpentry, statistical analysis, and spatial analysis.

  • Extensive experience with GIS analysis and cartography in both QGIS and ESRI platforms.

  • Experience with management of large datasets and version control including GitHub.

  • Led diverse teams towards the development of interdisciplinary scientific projects.

  • Strong understanding of Decision Science and application for stewardship and conservation.

  • Experience working in a variety of field environments using a range of scientific equipment

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Education

  • 2021 M.Sc. University of British Columbia

Thesis Title: Defining an historical baseline and charting a path to restoring habitat connectivity for salmonids in a highly urbanized landscape

Supervisors: Tara Martin (PI), Sarah Gergel (UBC), Scott Hinch (UBC)

University of British Columbia
Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences
Faculty of Forestry

  • 2018 B.Sc. University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia
Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences
Faculty of Forestry

Professional Experience

Lab Technician - Conservation Decisions Lab (UBC) April 2021-Present

  • Led diverse and interdisciplinary teams through development and publication of multiple peer-reviewed publications.

  • Spatial optimization to support decision making around the protection of diverse ecosystem values including groundwater, big trees, and a range of sensitive ecosystems on Salt Spring Island, BC.

  • Mapped cumulative effects of threats to multiple culturally significant species on Central Coast, BC,

  • Implemented spatial Bayesian models, combining expert knowledge with mapped threats to forecast species health into the future.

  • Facilitated expert elicitation discussions to inform the Priority Threat Management process.

  • Experience with literature synthesis and meta-analysis.

Research Associate – Raincoast Conservation Foundation June 2017- Jan. 2019

  • Built relationships with over 30 stewardship groups that preform salmon restoration work on Fraser River tributaries.

  • Collated existing data sets and mapping information related to salmon and salmon habitat and visualized these data sets for public viewing using ArcGIS Web Map Applications.

  • Assisted with purse and beach seining in the Fraser Estuary.

  • Used Trimble GPS system to map islands and the leading edge of Fraser Estuary marsh.

Undergraduate Researcher – Landscapes and Livelihoods Lab (UBC) Jan. 2017 - April. 2017

  • Reviewed literature regarding the impact assessments of protected areas globally.

  • Developed and distributed survey to assess protected area success across gradient of protected status

Research Assistant – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Sept. 2016 - Dec. 2016

  • Organized and combined 5 years of 15-minute weather data to create a continuous database of over 500,000 temperature and humidity measurements.

  • Combined seasonal abundance and GPS data to map D. suzukii movement within an orchard over time.

Research Assistant – Queen Elizabeth Scholarships (Kerala Agricultural University/UBC) May 2016 - Aug. 2016

  • Preformed insect and amphibian surveys in organic and conventional rice fields across southern India.

Research Assistant – Forest Insect Disturbance Ecology Lab (UBC) May 2016 - Aug. 2016

  • Preformed mountain pine beettle surveys throughout northern Alberta.

Forestry Intern – Weyerhaeuser May 2014 - Aug. 2014

  • Surveyed planted cut-blocks to determine seedling survival, and future planting needs.

  • Used personal GPS system to map survey routes, riparian setbacks, and other landscape features.

  • Carried out fieldwork in active logging areas independently, with safety protocols in mind.

Awards

M.Sc. in Forestry

  • 2019 NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship Master’s Award ($17500)

  • 2019 Mitacs Accelerate ($30000)

  • 2019 Canfor Corporation Fellowship in Forest Ecosystem Management ($2500)

  • 2018 Strategic Recruitment Fellowship 2-years ($12000)

B.Sc. Natural Resources Conservation

  • 2018 Clark S. Binkley Award for outstanding contributions to the Natural Resources Conservation Mj. Science and Management Program

  • 2017 Graduating Class of Forestry 1957 Prize ($400)

  • 2017 Dean of Forestry Scholarship ($1250)

  • 2016 Queen Elizabeth Scholar, Diamond Jubilee Scholarships ($5000)

  • 2016 Go Global International Learning Programs Award ($1000)

  • 2015 Go Global Award: Global Seminar Programs ($1000)

  • 2015 Dean of Forestry Scholarship ($500)

  • 2015 Jim and Gerry McIntosh award in Forestry ($1150)

  • 2015 Hugh Robert Duncan Chisholm Scholarship in Forestry ($800)

  • 2014 FPAC Green Dream Internship Blog Scholarship ($400)

Teaching Experience

CONS 450 - Conservation Field School (UBC) Oct. 2021-2025

  • Collated relevant spatial datasets for landscape planning GIS assignment. 

  • Created and delivered high-level GIS refresher lecture and associated lab exercise.

CONS 440/504 – Conservation Decision Making and Policy (UBC) Sept. 2020 - Dec. 2020

  • Developed a Shiny App and lab activity for the purposes of teaching the principals of systematic conservation planning.

  • Managed online learning materials and environment.

  • Tracked student participation and graded assignments.

  • Managed scheduling and admin related to the provision of virtual classes through Zoom.

Conference Presentations

Finn, R.J.R., V.J.D. Tulloch, M. Adams, M. Bourbonnais, S. Avery-Gomm, B. Penn, and T. G. Martin. (June 2024). Working with Indigenous knowledge-centered assessment frameworks to predict cumulative effects on salmon-linked species and inform ecosystem-based management. Presentation at the North American Congress for Conservation Biology. Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Finn, R.J.R., L. Chalifour, S. Gergel, S. Hinch, D. Scott, and T.G. Martin. (February 2024). Using systematic conservation planning to inform restoration of freshwater habitat and connectivity for salmon. Presentation for the American Fisheries Society Fish Passage Working Group. Online.

Finn, R.J.R., L. Chalifour, S. Gergel, S. Hinch, D. Scott, and T.G. Martin. (August 2022). Using systematic conservation planning to inform restoration of freshwater habitat and connectivity for salmon. Presentation at the Ecological Society of America and Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution conference. Montreal, QC, Canada.

Finn, R. J. R. 2022, Feb. 26. Using systematic conservation planning to inform restoration of freshwater habitat and connectivity for salmon. 2022 Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research. Oral Presentation.

Finn, R. J. R. 2021, Feb. 18. Prioritizing barrier removal using systematic conservation planning. 2021 Pacific Ecology and Evolution Conference. Oral Presentation.

Finn, R. J. R. 2020, Feb. 22.  Quantifying historical salmon floodplain and stream habitat in the Lower Fraser River to inform restoration targets and priorities. 2020 Pacific Ecology and Evolution Conference. Oral Presentation.