Robert Masaki Hechler (he/him)
Ecologist & National Geographic Explorer
Robert Masaki Hechler (he/him)
Ecologist & National Geographic Explorer
I'm broadly interested in understanding the processes that shape biodiversity dynamics, in an era of global change.
I use a combination of data synthesis, quantitative and molecular approaches to investigate drivers of population dynamics and ecological resilience. My current projects seek to 1) quantify causes of nonlinear population dynamics, 2) identify mechanisms promoting temporal stability in exploited species, 3) assess wild Pacific salmon health in relation to industrial activities and 4) develop non-invasive environmental DNA and RNA methods to do so.
I'm a PhD candidate, Vanier Scholar and National Geographic Explorer working with Dr. Martin Krkosek at the University of Toronto (Dept.of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology). Much of my PhD work is conducted in partnership with the Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw Fisheries Group and Salmon Coast, which is supported by the National Geographic Society and Royal Canadian Geographical Society's Trebek Initative. I previously completed an MSc with Dr. Melania Cristescu at McGill University (Dept. of Biology), and a BSc at the University of British Columbia.