kaichan
Kai Chan is an associate professor and Canada Research Chair (tier 2, in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services). His training spans conservation biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, policy, and ethics, and his skill sets include quantitative analysis and modeling. Kai combines these perspectives in a sustainability science research program on social-ecological interactions (including human impacts on ecosystem components and processes, and ecosystem services to benefit people) and applied environmental ethics to inform ecosystem-based management and sustainability solutions. Kai leads CHAN’S lab; he is a director on the board of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society’s BC chapter (CPAWS-BC), a senior fellow of the Environmental Leadership Program, and a member of the Global Young Academy.
To see Kai’s page at CHAN’S lab click here.
How to Identify a Research Problem, and Scan the Horizon (of Literature)—two new posts
Kai continues his blog series on Interdisciplinary Research Design for Sustainability Impact with two new posts.
The first addresses how to pick a research topic, and argues that “An Impactful Interdisciplinary Research Project Is One that Fulfills You”.
The second addresses the key issue of how to scan the horizon (of literature), to make sure you’re not blindsided by fields and literatures that you overlooked, and to realize great opportunities from cross-pollination.
Eyster et al., Motivating conservation using genetic uniqueness and relational values
Eyster, H.N., P. Olmsted, R. Naidoo and K.M.A. Chan (2022). “Motivating conservation even for widespread species using genetic uniqueness and relational values.” Biological Conservation 266: 109438. Doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109438
Kai is appointed as a Canada Research Chair
Our PI Kai Chan is now a Tier 1 CRC in Re-Wilding and Social-Ecological Transformation. UBC announcement
Kreitzman et al., Woody perennial polycultures in the U.S. Midwest
Kreitzman, M., H. Eyster, M. Mitchell, A. Czajewska, K. Keeley, S. Smukler, N. Sullivan, A. Verster and K.M.A. Chan (2022). “Woody perennial polycultures in the U.S. Midwest enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions.” Ecosphere 13(1): e03890. 10.1002/ecs2.3890
Why You Need a Theory of Change
NGOs and Foundations all operate via a Theory of Change
Why not also sustainability and environmental scientists?
We should!
New post in the series, “How to Write a Winning Proposal—in 10 Hard Steps”
Kreitzman et al., Woody perennial polyculture farmers
Kreitzman, M., M. Chapman, K.O. Keeley and K.M.A. Chan (2022). “Local knowledge and relational values of Midwestern woody perennial polyculture farmers can inform tree-crop policies.” People and Nature 4(1): 180-200. Doi: 10.1002/pan3.10275
Bullen et al., Ghost of a giant
Bullen, C.D., A.A. Campos, E.J. Gregr, I. McKechnie and K.M.A. Chan (2021). “The ghost of a giant – Six hypotheses for how an extinct megaherbivore structured kelp forests across the North Pacific Rim.” Global Ecology and Biogeography 30(10): 2101-2118. Doi: 10.1111/geb.13370
Cam Bullen wins the Freda Pagani award
Congratulations to Cameron Bullen for receiving the Freda Pagani Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award for his thesis entitled, “A marine megafaunal extinction and its consequences for kelp forests of the North Pacific“!
Make COVID-19 Vaccination Mandatory at Universities?
On CHANS Lab Views, Kai weighs arguments for and against mandatory vaccination at universities, and considers alternatives. He concludes that purely voluntary approaches may be easy solutions, but they are likely not the fairest. He proposes to change the default, at least: make vaccination expected.
CHANS Lab has a new banner
Thanks to Colton Stevens for the beautiful photo and the editing!