Meet our Team

Lab manager, Geography & Environment

With over 18 years of experience as the Laboratory Manager of Geography & Environment, Erika Hill brings a wealth of expertise in chemical, nuclear radiation, and biological laboratories. She has spent over a decade with the Western Hazmat and Confined Space Team, ensuring safety and efficiency in complex environments. Erika has supervised and trained hundreds of graduate and undergraduate students in diverse laboratory and field techniques, including paleolimnology, micrometeorology, hydrology, geomorphology, aquatic biology, dendrochronology, biogeography, and spatial ecology.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Erika is an avid hiker and camper, finding inspiration in the great outdoors. She also enjoys creating stained glass art, blending her scientific and creative passions.

MSc Student, Year 2

Aviva is an MSc student in Geography and the Environment. She completed her BSc Honours in Biological Sciences, at the University of Guelph in 2024. Aviva is interested in environmental sustainability, phosphorus management, water quality, and climate change impacts. Her thesis focuses on how phosphorus dynamics in urban agriculture and stormwater ponds may be impacted by flood mitigation and adaptation strategies related to climate change in London Ontario.

In her free time, Aviva enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking, camping, and spending time with friends and family.  

PhD Student, Year 2

Arielle graduated from Western University in 2024 with a BSc in the Honours Specialization in Environmental Science program. In September 2024, Arielle joined the RESTORE lab as a Master of Engineering Science student and upgraded to a PhD under the co-supervision of Dr. Clare Robinson and Dr. James Roy to continue her education. She is also a part of the Collaborative Specialization in Environment and Sustainability program at Western with Dr. Metson as her advisor. 

Research assistant, May 2024-December 2026

Leanne is currently completing her MA in the Department of Geography and Environment. She holds a BA Honours in Environment and Urban Sustainability from Toronto Metropolitan University. Leanne’s research focuses on socio-political tensions within urban agriculture. Passionate about urban community development, she is especially interested in how urban agriculture sites may serve as spaces for promoting urban citizenship and social cohesion. Her work in the SRM lab is for projects in collaboration with Dr. Thoukaleyska, examining the role of green infrastructure in mid-size city planning, as well as resident experiences.

Leanne enjoys a variety of outdoor activities including canoeing, hiking, and camping.

Summer RA May-August 2026, Undergraduate thesis student, September 2025-April 2026

Sophia completed her BSc in GIS with a major in Environmental Science, and will be starting a Master’s in Geography here at Western in the fall. Her thesis used mapping and multi-criteria analyses to identify urban areas that may be well suited for foraging, as a way to contribute to increased indigenous food sovereignty. Notably, Sophia compiled data from various sources to better identify which sites may need further soil testing because of current or previous land use. This summer, she will expand this work.

In her spare time, she loves walking her dog and gardening.

Senior Research Assistant

Lori is participating in the ToSustain project, determining what Life Cycle Assessment boundaries should be put in place to best compare and characterize urban agricultural system greenhouse has emissions beyond the field. She holds a BSc in Earth Sciences from Dalhousie University, an MSc in Environmental Geochemistry from Queen’s University, and a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering from McGill University. Her industry experience as both an environmental geochemist and a metallurgist highlights her enthusiasm for multidisciplinary work.

Lori enjoys spending time in nature, cross-country skiing, and cycling.

Research Assistant, May 2025-September 2026

Natalie is a PhD Candidate in Art History and Visual Culture, researching the aesthetic development of 19th-century seed catalogues and the intersection of horticulture, botanical art, and environmentalism. She has an MA in Museum Studies from the University of Toronto. With the SRM lab, Natalie helping shape the art-science collaboration as part of the Living Lab, including the exhibition in September 2026.

When not doing schoolwork, Natalie spends her time caring for an ever-growing collecting of houseplants,  and visiting lots of museums! 

Artist, September 2025-2026

Danielle is a PhD candidate in Art and Visual Culture. Her research and creative practice focus on geological time, sustainability, and care, challenging anthropocentric views and bridging scientific, domestic, and environmental narratives. With the SRM Lab, Danielle will contribute through creative experimentation and photography, bringing an artistic lens to the rhythms and transformations of the Living Lab. She holds a BFA from Toronto Metropolitan University and an MFA from Western. Her cross-disciplinary practice draws on photography, painting, folk art, and craft traditions.

When not in the studio, she spends time with her kids, traveling, and searching for sources of colour in the landscape.

Muralist, January-October 2026

Laura is a third year BFA student majoring in Studio Art. With a multimedia practice, which began in illustration and 2D animation, her current focus is on developing her skills as a painter. She was selected to design and install a mural around the Living Lab fence.

Outside of making and looking at art, Laura likes to cook, watch movies, and attend concerts.

Summer USRI Student, May-August 2026

Dania is a third-year Medical Sciences student specializing in Honours One Health. Over the summer, will be exploring the effects of weather variability on nutrient losses from urban agricultural systems. She will help monitor the SRM living lab on campus by collecting water samples and other data during baseline data and storm events.

Outside of school, she likes bouldering, reptiles, music, and trying new things outdoors.

Summer Research Assistant, May-August 2026

Angela is a third-year undergraduate student, pursuing a double major in Biochemistry and Microbiology & Immunology. She will be exploring nutrient concentrations in Medway Creek and helping with living lab sampling.

In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, hiking, and baking, and recently taken an interest in birdwatching.

BSc Student, September 2026-April 2027

Sophia is a second-year BSc student in Scholars Electives Honours Specialization in Geography and Environment. She is interested in sustainability, climate and hydrology. Her research project will be focused on urban nutrient cycling and water quality.

In her spare time she loves being outside, reading, and working out.

PhD student, Incoming September 2026