The wildlife society
At the beginning of my Ph.D., I looked for a professional organization in which I could develop as a wildlife biologist, but also in which I would be able to build strong professional partnerships. I found what I was looking for with The Wildlife Society, and I have been involved at various levels (chapter, working group, section) of the organization since 2010. I am also a grateful participant of the Leadership Institute class of 2013.
Bear Organizations
International Association for Bear Research and Management
Another organization that is very important to me is the International Association for Bear Research and Management. This organization deals with conservation, management and research on the 8 bear species of the world, and includes members from all over the world. Along with René Malenfant, I worked on updating the entire content of the Polar Bear section of the organization's website.
human bear conflict expert team - bear specialist group of the IUCN
From 2013 to 2016, I was part of the Human Bear conflict expert team of the Bear Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). My role in this group was to design the framework to produce a website on human bear conflicts. This website will be interactive so that people can obtain advice on what can be done in their region, and will also to be the place where people can access all types of literature on human bear conflicts. I am currently volunteering on the team to produce a global literature database related to human-bear conflicts.
SciFund Challenge
I am always looking to improve the way I communicate my research. Because of this, I participated in the SciFund Challenge class. It's a training providing scientists with further communication and outreach skills. We learn a lot, you should try it!