Emma Gillies
Systems Ecologist
Key skills: Aquatic ecology, contaminants, research, science communication, technical writing and editing, systems analysis, ecosystem modelling.
Emma is an ecologist working at the intersection of aquatic ecosystems, climate change, and environmental health. Primarily focused on marine ecosystems, she uses a suite of tools—including ecosystem modelling, community engagement, and systems mapping—to better understand and solve environmental issues. A keen writer and editor, she believes that high-quality science communication is vital to impacting change.
Prior to joining ESSA, Emma worked for the federal government at the science-policy interface. As a biologist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, she quantified ship-related underwater noise effects and strike risk to species at risk in the Salish Sea, particularly the Southern Resident killer whale. Before that, she was an environmental analyst at the Canada Energy Regulator, where she reviewed project applications for pipelines and powerlines and assessed project effects on various environmental components, including water quality, fish and fish habitat, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Emma has also worked as a field ecologist with the Kenauk Institute, an ecological research centre in Montebello, Quebec; as a writing and data analysis intern with Whale Seeker, an environmental tech start-up based in Montreal; and as an environmental consulting intern with TerraHumana Solutions, also based in the Montreal area. In addition to her ecological experience, Emma brings a background in journalism, having worked as the Science & Technology Editor at The McGill Tribune and as an investigative journalist with the Global Reporting Centre.
Emma holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Environmental Biology from McGill University and an M.Sc. in Resources, Environment and Sustainability (an interdisciplinary program in environmental science and policy) from the University of British Columbia. During her undergraduate research, she sampled rivers in Quebec and Ontario to examine microplastic type and abundance. Her Master’s research investigated the impacts of environmental change on methylmercury bioaccumulation in Beaufort Sea beluga using a mixed-methods approach (including Western Science and Inuvialuit Knowledge literature reviews, fuzzy cognitive mapping, and ecosystem modelling with Ecopath with Ecosim). She has published peer-reviewed research on contaminants and climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.
In her spare time, Emma enjoys practicing photography, watching soccer, and staying active.