As we look back on the last 50 years of IISD Experimental Lakes Area, we are reminded of many of the researchers and scientists who have made the groundbreaking research possiblemany of whom are influential female limnologists.
On International Women’s Day, let’s take a moment to celebrate the impact that female researchers have had on our understanding of issues such as acid rain, climate change, eutrophication and moreand those who are now pushing the world’s freshwater laboratory into a new era.
Here are just six of them.
Sandy Chalanchuk
During her time at IISD-ELA, from 1974 to 2016, Sandy worked on crucial experiments on eutrophication, acid rain, endocrine disruption and climate change. From working in the chemistry laboratory and establishing reference libraries of scientific papers, to being a fish technician and working out on the lakes, Sandy spanned the spectrum of limnology activities at the site, which made a significant contribution to freshwater science. And two of the trap nets she constructed are still being used out at the site to this day!
Pauline Gerrard
Pauline Gerrard is the current deputy director of IISD Experimental Lakes Area. She first became acquainted with the site in 1993, when she worked as a summer student on a project that involved mimicking flooding from a hydroelectric dam to explore the effects on methylmercury and greenhouse gas production.
Carol Kelly
As a graduate student at the University of Michigan, I noticed that all the best papers on lakes were coming out of a place called the Experimental Lakes Area and decided that that was the place to go!
Karen Kidd
Karen Kidd led a highly cited and well-received study on the impact of synthetic estrogen on fish populations. From 1999 to 2010 the study explored how synthetic estrogen (used in the birth control pill) affected the sustainability of fish populations and other food web organisms.
Diane Malley
Diane Malley first started working at IISD Experimental Lakes Area in 1975 when she joined Fisheries and Oceans Canada, working under the direction of Dr. David Schindler. Her early work involved the identification of zooplankton species in a series of lakes and exploring the impact of acid rain on freshwater populations.
Diane Orihel
Diane Orihel is a significant figure in the history of IISD Experimental Lakes Area, both in terms of its ground-breaking science and its continued survival and prosperity. Once named Lady of the Lakes by Nature magazine, she started at the site back in early 2000s and has worked on experiments exploring the impact of pollutants such as mercury and flame retardants.
2016-2018 International Institute for Sustainable Development