Other Interests
Beekeeping
I’m a hobby beekeeper. I co-manage eight to ten colonies (give or take depending on survival) with Jennifer Penney on Fair Fields Farm, a family run, ecological farm near Neustadt, Ontario. I’ve been keeping bees since 2016. My honey is named ‘Sweet Democracy’; the inspiration for the name is twofold: 1) I was inspired by the processes that honeybees use to make collective decisions as explained by the work of Dr. Tom Seeley in his book Honeybee Democracy; and 2) I teach politics for a living, and I’m inspired to think about what honeybees and ecological processes more generally can teach us about political and democratic practices, particularly in our interactions with one another at the small and larger scale. I sell the honey locally.
I’m a member of the Urban Toronto Beekeepers Association (UTBA) even though our bees are in a rural setting.
Outdoor Education & Recreation
Before starting graduate school, I worked in outdoor education. For four summers I worked at Camp Thunderbird, the outdoor education centre for the Vancouver Island YMCA. Based in the Sooke Hills, this magnificent natural setting proved to be a transformational environment for children and staff. I knew the transformational potential of summer camps based on my own experience at Camp Huronda. Based in Huntsville, Ontario, Camp Huronda is a residential camp owned by Diabetes Canada, for children with Type I diabetes. I have had insulin-dependent diabetes since I was ten years old. At Camp Huronda, I learned that it was possible to participate in outdoor activities, including, multi-day canoe trips safely and without limitations. These experiences helped instil my life long love and support for outdoor activities, outdoor recreation, and the mental and physical health benefits of being outside. I embrace and integrate this love in my research, teaching, and free time as often as I can.
I seek and observe natural environments in dense urban landscapes and less populated settings. I love birds - I will debate anyone on the wonders of pigeons! I spent two years as a volunteer with the Wild Bird Clinic at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, which I attended from 1994-1997. The Bird Clinic closed in 2006 but was resurrected as Wild Ontario. Living in Toronto, a large city, makes accessing spaces with impermeable surfaces difficult. But there are many opportunities to find sounds, smells and environments more free from the joys of the city. One of my favourites is High Park, and the High Park Nature Centre.
