Language is in a constant process of change. Understanding the hows and whys of change and the effects it has on society can help us better understand each other as human beings.
My lab studies lung disease in horses, cats, and dogs. We look for relationships between air pollution and the incidence of asthma. As well, we are developing more detailed ways of understanding how lung diseases arise, and finding more accurate methods for diagnosing them.
Immigrant families settling the land, quilting bees, and ploughing matches are examples of some of the social and economic topics of early Ontario that link my work to the larger expertise of this University concerning agriculture and rural communities.
The problems I have worked on in animal science have direct implications for genetic selection, food quality (e.g. cow milk), and animal health. On the other hand, my work in understanding the structure and driving mechanisms of ecological (e.g. plant-pollinator) networks have indirect implications for ecosystem conservation, management, and restoration.
My current research explores the role of rural governance, place-based development, philanthropy, rural policy, community economic development, and rural immigration and mobility.
