Rachel
Kusuma
Giles
Research Activities
Currently, my research takes place in two urban areas: my home in Toronto, Canada and overseas in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam.
In Toronto, I collaborate with the local conservation authority (Toronto and Region Conservation Authority) and federal government (Environment and Climate Change Canada), to understand how aquatic organisms living in streams are impacted by pollution from roads.
Internationally, I collaborate with Ocean Conservancy (U.S.A), and The Center for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (Vietnam) to understand how marine litter and other contaminants from the surrounding areas impact wildlife in the Red River (Song Hong).
Toronto's Urban Streams
I'm excited to be working in my home town studying pollution from roads. This project investigates how benthic macroinvertebrate communities respond to salt-laden urban runoff during the winter months. This multi-stressor, community-focused approach will complement current research that recognizes tire dust, road salts, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals as contaminants with harmful ecological effects.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
123-456-7890
Vietnam's Red River
I'm currently investigating the impacts of anthropogenic debris, chemical contaminants, and invasive species on the ecology of the Red River (Song Hong). This project will allow us to further understand the interplay between different kinds of stressors, and assess how targeted mitigation strategies for single stressors (anthropogenic debris) can have diverse impacts on freshwater ecosystems.