Alumni

Emily Dawe

Research Topics (2024)

Emily Dawe (she/her) is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Acadia University. She is majoring in biology with a minor in sociology. After her work terms doing river restoration and soil testing in Annapolis Valley’s vineyards and orchards, she is excited to try her hand at growing new crosses of grapevine. Emily will be measuring primary vegetative growth traits in eight grapevine crosses with a focus on tendril development. Away from class, Emily enjoys community theatre, nature walks, and soaking in the sun with a good book.
 

Carmen Peng

Research Skills (Fall 2024)

Carmen Peng (she/her) is a second-year biology and math student at Acadia University. She loves nature. Having grown up in the Annapolis Valley, she wants to continue exploring and contribute to agriculture development. She is very excited to work in the Migicovsky lab, allowing her to pursue research in data analysis and plant development. This fall, she is doing a morphometric analysis on apple leaves to see how the shape and size differ across the leaves. Outside of lab, Carmen loves eating berries and apples, hiking, and playing piano.
 

Ivy Barkhouse

Mitacs Intern (Summer 2024)

Ivy Barkhouse (they/them) is a recent graduate of Acadia University with a degree in Environmental Science. Ivy is working at the KC Irving Environmental Science Centre in the Tissue Culture Lab in partnership with the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia. The project they are involved with is to generate and preserve genetic lines of Balsam fir to improve needle retention, colour, size, and shape of the trees. Ivy has a keen interest in nature, especially plants, and can usually be found reading fantasy novels or outside biking and swimming.
 

Elise Cadiou

Mitacs Intern (Summer 2024)

Elise Cadiou (she/her) is doing her Master's degree in agriculture and ecology at ESA (Ecole Supérieure des Agricultures) in France. After an exchange term at University of Victoria, BC, she is currently at Acadia University to complete a research internship focusing on the impacts of climatic variations on the phenology of blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) and the species' spatial distribution over time. Elise likes spending time outdoors, reading, and playing tennis or basketball!
 

Blake Hewens Higgins

Mitacs Intern (Summer 2024), BSc Biology Honours Student (2023-2024)

Blake Higgins (he/him) is a recent honours graduate in biology from Acadia University. His passion for biology stems from a lifelong fascination with the natural world, in particular, the native flora and fauna of Nova Scotia. His academic interests revolve around using bioinformatic techniques to uncover the secrets of the Omics. Blake's honours research in the lab focused on using genetic mapping to identify genetic markers associated with colour variation in apple. He is currently working as Mitacs intern as a part of a joint partnership between the Migicovsky Lab and the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia.
 

Justine Haziza

Research Skills (Winter 2024)

Justine Haziza is a second year biology major with a minor in biotechnology at Acadia University. She is completing a research skills course in the lab working on apple leaf image analysis as well as assisting Alison Purcell in the tissue culture lab on Balsam fir. She is interested in a career in viticulture and biopharmaceuticals. She has a lifelong love of horses and botany and is the co-vice captain of Acadia’s equestrian team.