Lauren grew up in Vancouver on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Ever since she was a kid she could always be found outside, catching frogs and rolling logs in the woods in search of new creatures. As a result of her interest and curiosity for the natural world, she followed her passion and now years later is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Zoology at the University of Guelph. The love and curiosity for animals is what drives her every day to continue working in the zoology field, and even when she’s not at work, you can find her poking around tidepools during low tides.

Throughout the past 2 summers, Lauren has worked as a wild salmon field researcher in the Lower Fraser estuary, just a hop, skip, and jump away from where she calls home. Hundreds of hours were spent in waders, pulling in nets of tiny salmon to be measured and then released. In the future Lauren hopes to continue doing field work and pursuing opportunities which allow her to do so on the Pacific Northwest Coast!

This position at Raincoast Education Society is a fantastic way to blend her passions. Lauren attended the TREK outdoor program in Vancouver during highschool, and is excited to apply her vast outdoor and safety skills this summer. Additionally, her love of all things Pacific Northwest will get a chance to shine. Nudibranchs, seaweed, salal, or cedar, Lauren loves it all, and is excited to share her knowledge and excitement with you, from banana slugs to jellyfish. Her goals outside of work this summer are, of course, to eventually get up on her surfboard a few times, but also to just have boots on the ground and appreciate the biodiversity in this special place.