Setting up the cod pond at Flødevigen for a new spawning season.
CURRENT TEAM MEMBERS
Remy Durocher (2024-) is a Masters student at the University of New Brunswick Saint John. She is studying the evolution of chromosomal inversions in Atlantic cod on either side of the Atlantic using long-read sequencing. She is co-supervised by Scott Pavey.
Iris Jia (2024-) is a PhD student at the University of New Brunswick Saint John. She is studying spatiotemporal distributions of Atlantic bluefin tuna populations and the genomic basis of migratory behaviour and climate physiology. Her goal is to predict how tuna are responding to changing climatic and harvesting conditions to inform sustainable fisheries management.
Iris Jia (2024-) is a PhD student at the University of New Brunswick Saint John. She is studying spatiotemporal distributions of Atlantic bluefin tuna populations and the genomic basis of migratory behaviour and climate physiology. Her goal is to predict how tuna are responding to changing climatic and harvesting conditions to inform sustainable fisheries management.
Claudia Lacroix (2023-) is a PhD student and NSERC CGS-D Scholar at the University of Agder. She is using an integrative bioacoustics approach to understanding cod individual behaviour, population dynamics, and coastal ecosystem health using machine learning. She is co-supervised by Lars Korslund and Lei Jiao.
Claudia Lacroix (2023-) is a PhD student and NSERC CGS-D Scholar at the University of Agder. She is using an integrative bioacoustics approach to understanding cod individual behaviour, population dynamics, and coastal ecosystem health using machine learning. She is co-supervised by Lars Korslund and Lei Jiao.
Simon Henriksson (2023-) is a PhD student at the University of Gothenburg's Tjärnö Marine Laboratory. He is uncovering the genomic basis of the maintenance of distinct cod ecotypes in a coastal hybrid zone as part of the CODTYPES project (Swedish Research Council Starting Grant). He is co-supervised by Carl André and Per Moksnes.
Simon Henriksson (2023-) is a PhD student at the University of Gothenburg's Tjärnö Marine Laboratory. He is uncovering the genomic basis of the maintenance of distinct cod ecotypes in a coastal hybrid zone as part of the CODTYPES project (Swedish Research Council Starting Grant). He is co-supervised by Carl André and Per Moksnes.
Bella Trudel (2025-) is an undergraduate research assistant at the University of New Brunswick Saint John. She is studying reproducibility practices in AI-based bioacoustic wildlife monitoring.
Dr. Thomas Marcussen (2023-) is an adviser at the University of Oslo and the Coordinator of Community Samples in the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project led by myself and Dr. Torsten Struck. With his expertise in biosystematics and genomics (and a particular soft spot for plants), he is leading the effort to sequence the genomes of 150 community-nominated species across Europe in an inclusive and equitable manner.
Dr. Giada Ferrari (2023-) is an engineer at the University of Oslo's Norwegian Sequencing Centre. She contributes to the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project led by myself and Dr. Torsten Struck, where she is responsible for developing knowledge on sequencing genomes of 'challenging' species and facilitating knowledge sharing among sequencing centres across Europe.
Nathalie LeBlanc (2025-) is a research scientist at the University of New Brunswick Saint John's CRI Genomics Lab. She contributes bioinformatics expertise to various projects in the Oomen and Pavey Labs.
ALUMNI
Postdocs:
Dr. Jeppe Have Rasmussen (2021-2023) Jeppe was a postdoc in Artificial Intelligence for Marine Bioacoustics on the TORSKETROMMING project, co-supervised with Morten Goodwin (Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research) at the University of Agder. Jeppe has a combined biology/physics background and co-developed deep learning methods to decode the bioacoustics of Atlantic cod mating rituals. Current position: Carlsberg Foundation Independent Fellow, University of Copenhagen.
Master's students:
Rebecca Krohman MSc'25, University of New Brunswick Saint John. Thesis: 'The role of chromosomal inversions in temperature and salinity adaptation in Atlantic cod (Gadus Morhua) eggs'.
Annika Lie MSc'23, University of Agder. Thesis: 'The acoustic repertoire of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and the effect of feeding on broadband clicks and their sound characteristics' (Co-supervised with Jeppe Have Rasmussen and Halvor Knutsen).
Research Assistant, 2023-2024, University of Agder.
Griet Nobis MSc'21, Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Thesis: 'The cod crisis - fisheries management seen through the eyes of key stakeholders' (Co-supervised with Lars Kåre Grimsby). Current position: Aquatic Biological Consultant with Bioconsult.
Elisabeth Juliussen MSc'16, University of Oslo. Thesis: 'Thermal reaction norms for larval Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)' (Co-supervised with Halvor Knutsen). Current position: Environmental Advisor to the County Governor of Agder.
Honours students:
Stephanie Maheux (2024-2025) was an undergraduate Honours student at the University of New Brunswick Saint John. She studied the genomic basis of migratory behaviour in Atlantic bluefin tuna. She was also a part-time lab manager and previous summer research assistant in the lab.
Abbi Scher (2024-2025) was an undergraduate Honours student and NSERC USRA researcher at the University of New Brunswick Saint John. She studied genomic correlates of population recovery in Atlantic bluefin tuna. She was also a previous summer research assistant in the lab.
Undergraduate students:
Victoria Tafjord BSc'25, University of Agder. Research Assistant. 01/2024-04/2025.
Safe AbuJayyab BSc'24, University of New Brunswick Saint John. Part-time lab manager. 01/2024-04/2024.
Fredrick Nicolai Clausen BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'The morphological response to warmer water temperatures in Atlantic cod larvae (Gadus morhua)' (Co-supervised with Marta Moyano & Jeppe Have Rasmussen).
Paul Elias Homme BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'The morphological response to warmer water temperatures in Atlantic cod larvae (Gadus morhua)' (Co-supervised with Marta Moyano & Jeppe Have Rasmussen).
Emilie Kvåle Sletterød Andersen BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'The effect of resource shifts on group size in three extant elephant species' (Co-supervised with Susanne Huneide Thorbjørnsen).
Julie Eriksen BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'The effect of resource shifts on group size in three extant elephant species' (Co-supervised with Susanne Huneide Thorbjørnsen).
Nora Isnes Johansen BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'How penguins operate socially when resources are scarce' (Co-supervised with Susanne Huneide Thorbjørnsen).
Amalie Godstad BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'How penguins operate socially when resources are scarce' (Co-supervised with Susanne Huneide Thorbjørnsen).
Victoria Tafjord BSc'25, University of Agder. Research Assistant. 01/2024-04/2025.
Safe AbuJayyab BSc'24, University of New Brunswick Saint John. Part-time lab manager. 01/2024-04/2024.
Fredrick Nicolai Clausen BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'The morphological response to warmer water temperatures in Atlantic cod larvae (Gadus morhua)' (Co-supervised with Marta Moyano & Jeppe Have Rasmussen).
Paul Elias Homme BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'The morphological response to warmer water temperatures in Atlantic cod larvae (Gadus morhua)' (Co-supervised with Marta Moyano & Jeppe Have Rasmussen).
Emilie Kvåle Sletterød Andersen BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'The effect of resource shifts on group size in three extant elephant species' (Co-supervised with Susanne Huneide Thorbjørnsen).
Julie Eriksen BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'The effect of resource shifts on group size in three extant elephant species' (Co-supervised with Susanne Huneide Thorbjørnsen).
Nora Isnes Johansen BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'How penguins operate socially when resources are scarce' (Co-supervised with Susanne Huneide Thorbjørnsen).
Amalie Godstad BSc'21, University of Agder. Thesis: 'How penguins operate socially when resources are scarce' (Co-supervised with Susanne Huneide Thorbjørnsen).
Research Assistants:
Grade 9 work experience students (n=5*), 2013-2015, Institute of Marine Research Flødevigen. Supervisor.
Brianna Mosher, BSc'13, Aquatron Laboratory, Dalhousie University. Laboratory supervisor.
Chelsea Boaler, BSc'12, Aquatron Laboratory, Dalhousie University. Laboratory supervisor.
High school co-op student*, Natural Resources DNA Profiling & Forensic Centre – 2009-2010. Co-supervisor.
*Due to privacy concerns, I don't make the names of minors public.
Grade 9 work experience students (n=5*), 2013-2015, Institute of Marine Research Flødevigen. Supervisor.
Brianna Mosher, BSc'13, Aquatron Laboratory, Dalhousie University. Laboratory supervisor.
Chelsea Boaler, BSc'12, Aquatron Laboratory, Dalhousie University. Laboratory supervisor.
High school co-op student*, Natural Resources DNA Profiling & Forensic Centre – 2009-2010. Co-supervisor.
*Due to privacy concerns, I don't make the names of minors public.
We respectfully acknowledge that UNB stands on the unsurrendered and unceded traditional Wolastoqey (WOOL-US-TOOK-WAY) land. The lands of Wabanaki (WAH-BAH-NAH-KEE) people are recognized in a series of Peace and Friendship Treaties to establish an ongoing relationship of peace, friendship and mutual respect between equal nations. The river that connects our two campuses is known as Wolastoq (WOOL-LUSS-TOOK), along which live Wolastoqiyik (WOOL-US-TOO-GWEEG) – the people of the beautiful and bountiful river. Wolastoq (WOOL-LUSS-TOOK) is also called the St. John River.
All photos are mine unless otherwise specified. This site is optimized for desktop/tablet, so strange things can happen on a mobile/tablet.
All photos are mine unless otherwise specified. This site is optimized for desktop/tablet, so strange things can happen on a mobile/tablet.