Kaitlyn Gaynor
Assistant Professor

Postdoctoral fellow, National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis
PhD, Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, University of California, Berkeley
BA, Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University
​
E-mail: kaitlyn.gaynor [at] ubc.ca

​Google Scholar • Twitter
My entry point into science was a fascination with animal behaviour, and as I spent more time observing wild animals, I came to realize that so many aspects of their behaviour are shaped by various forms of human disturbance. My interests have since evolved to include the cascading consequences of human disturbance for ecological communities, and the social dimensions of human-wildlife coexistence. My current research program is thus grounded in a fundamental interest in behavioural and community ecology, with an increasingly applied and interdisciplinary focus, and collaboration is my favorite aspect of research. Outside of science, I find joy in cooking vegetables, riding my bike, fostering community, finding new hiking trails, and exploring new cities.

Cara Appel
Postdoc, Zoology, UBC

Email: cara.appel [at] ubc.ca
Cara joined the lab as a postdoctoral research fellow in January 2026. She is supported by the AI and Biodiversity Change (ABC) Global Center and will focus on projects bridging the fields of computer vision and wildlife ecology. She is interested in using new technologies, including AI tools, to improve research, monitoring, and conservation. Cara recently completed her PhD in wildlife science at Oregon State University, where she worked with the U.S. Forest Service on passive acoustic monitoring for northern spotted owls in Oregon and camera trap monitoring of reintroduced large mammals in Malawi. Previously, she studied North American porcupines for her M.S. thesis at Cal Poly Humboldt and earned her B.A. in environmental studies at the University of Washington. Outside of work, Cara enjoys all forms of nature exploration and is an avid reader. See more at Cara’s website: https://appelc.github.io/

Katie Florko
Postdoc, Biodiversity Research Centre & Zoology, UBC

Email: florko [at] zoology.ubc.ca
Katie Florko joined the lab as a Biodiversity Research Centre Postdoc in May 2026, supported also by a NSERC Canada Postdoctoral Research Award. Katie’s work focuses on predator-prey interactions, foraging ecology, and the space use of marine predators across the Canadian Arctic, particularly in the context of climate-driven environmental change. Katie completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, PhD in the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at UBC, MSc in Biology at York University, and BSc in Biology at the University of Winnipeg. Outside of work, Katie enjoys cycling, hiking, and spending time with her dog. [Google Scholar]

Jenny Green
PhD student, Geography, UBC

Picture











Email: jg1121 [at] student.ubc.ca​
Jenny joined the Gaynor Lab in Fall 2022 as a PhD student in Geography, co-advised by Dr. Naomi Schwartz. Her research focuses on human–wildlife interactions, predator–prey dynamics, and movement ecology. She collaborates with Yosemite National Park to examine black bear responses to human disturbance using GPS collar data, and with the California Wolf Project to study how fire shapes predator–prey interactions across the Cascades and Sierra Nevada using camera trap data. Before graduate school, she contributed to projects on human-cougar interactions through camera trapping in California, high-altitude ecophysiology through small mammal trapping in Colorado, and gray wolf predation through cluster searching in Wyoming. Outside of research, she enjoys running, climbing, skiing, and pottery!​

Gopal Khanal
PhD student, Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, UBC

Picture
Email: gkhanal [at] student.ubc.ca​
Gopal is a PhD student at IRES, UBC. He is interested in understanding the interface between humans and wildlife. His doctoral research seeks to better understand the socio-ecological drivers of livestock depredation by snow leopards, capitalizing on the recent conceptual advances in prey-predator interaction and landscape of fear theories. Before joining UBC, Gopal worked for the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), Government of Nepal for four years as a conservation officer. His prior research engagement encompasses diverse species, including conducting camera trapping surveys of snow leopards to estimate their abundance and distribution, and socio-ecological surveys of river dolphins to understand their responses to anthropogenic factors. Apart from his work, Gopal loves running, hiking, and playing outdoor games.

Nicholas Wright
PhD student, Zoology, UBC

Email: nwright5 [at] student.ubc.ca
Nick joined the lab in 2023 as a PhD student in Zoology. He is interested in mammal community ecology, trophic downgrading, and human-wildlife coexistence in African ecosystems. His graduate research takes place in Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique and explores how the reintroduction of African wild dogs has reshaped ungulate antipredator behavior, habitat use, and abundance, and indirectly affected vegetation. His previous work includes studying salmon trophic ecology in California, land-use change in Southwestern agricultural communities, and the effects of hunter-gatherer communities on wildlife populations in Tanzania. Nick loves spending time hiking, discovering obscure animal facts, and hanging out with his dog Kibo.​

Katie Grabowski
PhD student, Zoology, UBC

Email: katie.grabowski [at] ubc.ca
Katie joined the lab as a PhD student in Zoology in 2024. She is interested in understanding how ecosystems are affected by anthropogenic disturbance, and how restoration can facilitate their recovery. For her graduate research, she will use camera traps to explore how large carnivore reintroductions have reshaped the mesocarnivore community at Gorongosa National Park (GNP) in Mozambique following a civil conflict that resulted in reduced large carnivore populations. Before coming to UBC, Katie earned her MSc in Biology at McGill University, where she studied mangrove community ecology. She also earned her MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management at the University of Oxford, where she began her study of the mesocarnivore communities at GNP. Outside of academia, she has worked in a variety of conservation education roles, both outside and in the classroom. Apart from research, she enjoys swimming, hiking, making delicious vegan food, and spending time with her dog, Charlie.

Ashley Schweitzer
MSc Student, Zoology, UBC

Ashley joined the Gaynor Lab as a Masters student in 2026. With a background in applied science coordination and in contract field biology, Ashley brings experience in project management, research design, and field logistics. She has led wildlife camera grid projects, trained Indigenous Guardians and field staff, and managed large-scale ecological datasets. Ashley’s Masters research thesis examines the decline of woodland caribou in British Columbia through the lens of the ‘ecology of fear,’ exploring how non-lethal effects of wolf predation risk influence caribou behaviour and habitat selection. By utilizing a Before–After–Control–Impact (BACI) study design, she aims to determine if perceived predation risk forces caribou to trade high-quality habitat for safety, data which will provide evidence to inform habitat protection and adaptive management planning. In her downtime, she enjoys mountain biking, fly fishing, gardening, and ski touring.

Sofia Nhalungo
Research Technician (Field Coordinator)

Sofia André Nhalungo is a Research Technician with the Gaynor Lab. Her work is based in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, where she oversees WildCam Gorongosa, our long-running camera trap monitoring program. Prior to this position, she completed her degree under in Biodiversity Management and Conservation at Eduardo Mondlane University, supervised by Valério Macandza, Kaitlyn Gaynor, and Meredith Palmer and funded by the Mozambique Conservation Leadership Programme. Her research was on the flight behaviour and population structure of impala in hunting and ecotourism areas in Niassa Special Reserve. She has also completed a professional internship at the institution responsible for managing biodiversity in Mozambique (National Administration of Conservation Areas), where she worked on the licensing of trophy hunting. In addition to studying and working, she enjoys spending time at church, listening to music, and reading Christian books.

Raminder Bal
Research Technician (Lab Coordinator)

Raminder Bal is a Research Technician in the Gaynor Lab. She initially joined the lab as a volunteer for the WildCam Gorongosa project in September 2024, and was a Work-Learn student in the lab from 2025-2026. She graduated in 2026 with a degree in Applied Animal Biology from the faculty of Land and Food Systems, and completed her Honours thesis research in the lab, comparing aerial survey and camera trap methods for wildlife monitoring in Gorongosa National Park. She is passionate about learning more about how animal behaviour shifts due to human disturbances. In her free time, she enjoys going for long walks, reading, watching movies, as well as volunteering at an animal sanctuary and hanging out with chickens.

Sarah Sun
​BSc Honours Thesis Student

​Sarah Sun joined the lab as a Work-Learn research assistant in the Summer of 2024 and was an NSERC USRA recipient for Summer 2025. She is a third-year undergraduate science student at UBC. Sarah is particularly interested in how behavioural dynamics between species shift in response to changes in environment, such as various levels of human activity and the introduction or reintroduction of other species. She was initially introduced to the Gaynor lab's work through the WildCam Gorongosa project on Zooniverse, and is excited to continue helping with similar projects. In her free time, Sarah enjoys drawing, community science, finding new music, and visiting parks (and looking for frogs!).

Harvir Lochab
​BSc Honours Thesis Student

Harvir joined the Gaynor Lab as a Work-Learn student in the Winter of 2025 and is continuing in the lab as a thesis student. He is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Applied Animal Biology in the faculty of Land and Food Systems, with a strong interest in animal behaviour. Originally from Nairobi, Kenya, he developed a deep appreciation for wildlife and the ways animals interact with their environments. His thesis examines maternal antipredator behaviour in savanna ungulates, exploring how mothers balance protecting their offspring with their own safety under predation risk. Outside of research, Harvir also volunteers with marine mammals through the MMR, enjoys reading, and making silly little crafts.

Bilal Bartaai
​​​Directed Studies Student

Bilal is currently pursuing a Directed Studies in the Gaynor Lab. He joined the lab in early 2024 and was a research assistant under the EnSURE award for the summer of 2026. He is an Environmental Sciences (and Classics) major, with a focus on ecology and conservation. He is passionate about science communication, terrestrial ecology, and making science accessible to all. In his free time, you can find Bilal reading, listening to a new album, trying a new cafe, or all three at the same time.

​Jacqueline Tingle
​Research Assistant

​Jacqueline joined the lab as a research assistant in January 2026. She is a fourth-year Global Resource Systems major studying ecology with a focus on wildlife and coastal ecosystems. She wants to understand how human activity shapes ecosystem stability and resilience, particularly following natural disasters. In her free time, Jacqueline can be found reading, tidepooling, baking, and camping.

Alvar Annersten
​​​Research Assistant

​Alvar joined the lab as a research assistant in the summer of 2025. He is a 4th year Environmental Science student specializing in ecology and conservation. His research interests lies in community ecology among with a particular interest in ecology of fear among mammals. In his free time he enjoys highlining, climbing, snowboarding, backpacking, travelling, and playing music.

Victoria Levner
​​​​Research Assistant

Victoria Levner is a Work-Learn student in the Gaynor Lab, and she is currently completing her bachelor's degree in Data Science at UBC. Through her work with the lab, she is excited to grow her machine learning skills, explore bioacoustics, and learn more about what it is like to work in the field of zoology. She is especially interested in discovering how technology and computational methods can be used to better understand animals and their environments. Outside of school and research, she enjoys doing yoga, spending time with her dog, and exploring Vancouver.

FORMER LAB MEMBERS

Postdoctoral researchers
Kwasi Wrensford, 2023-2026 

Graduate students
Sofia Nhalungo, MSc, Biodiversity Management and Conservation, University of Eduardo Mondlane, 2024

Undergraduate BSc Honours
Paxton Lin, 2026
​Raminder Bal, 2026
​Lucas Braun, 2025
Sophie Van Cuylenborg, 2025

Undergraduate Research Assistants
Jack D'Souza, 2024-2026
​Noa Hooton, 2026
Shawn Intong, 2026
Marta Togatorop, 2026
​Ashley Zhou, 2026
Mahshid Heydarirad, 2026
Kanaad Bodkhe, 2026
Callixta Cahyaningrum, 2026
​Sally Liu, 2025-2026
Taya Baerg, 2025
​Teague Moffitt, 2025
Tiffany Taketa, 2024

Staff
Beto Tenente, Research Associate, 2022-2025
Guarav Singh-Varma, Lab manager, 2023-2024