The Institute for Watershed Studies: Six decades of environmental stewardship, community-engaged research, and student mentorship

Dr. Strecker completed her Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Biology at the University of Regina and a Ph.D. at Queen's University in Biology. In her role as Director of the Institute for Watershed Studies, Dr. Strecker leads the research and operational activities of the Institute, including promoting cooperative research with local, tribal, state, and federal organizations, non‐governmental organizations, and industry partners. She also supervises Institute staff and encourages undergraduate and graduate student involvement in Institute programs.

Dr. Strecker’s current research interests focus on anthropogenic stressors in freshwater ecosystems, such as invasive species, climate change, habitat connectivity, and contaminants. Ultimately, this work leads to the question of how ecosystem functions and services may be affected by human activities. Her lab uses the combined approach of field surveys, small-scale and large-scale experiments, and statistical modeling to test hypotheses, as well as collaborating with social scientists to better understand socio-ecological systems.