About me.
Kathleen Dogantzis, PhD.
My research is focused on leveraging ‘big data' to address questions about honey bee populations. Prior projects have focused on identifying the evolutionary origin and describing the adaptive radiation of the Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera). Currently, I am developing SNP and InDel diagnostic resources, coupled with machine learning classification, to identify invasive Africanized bee populations. I am also working with a large genomic dataset to assess the genetic diversity and admixture status of managed Canadian bee colonies. Additionally, I am working with international collaborators at the Universidad de Chile on a project relating to the genetics of Chilean honey bee populations, and collaborating with a team at the University of Sydney to identify genomic patterns associated with honey bee invasion in Australia.
My research endeavours are fuelled by a passion for novel data-driven solutions to unique and complex questions. This journey began with my bachelor's degree in Forensic Science (B.Sc.F.S) where I developed skills in collecting and analyzing evidence to resolve criminal investigations. This foundational experience has been directly applicable to my current field, molecular and evolutionary biology (M.Sc, PhD), where patterns in genomic data are explored and then applied to answer important ecological questions about wildlife.
In the future, I hope to utilize and apply the problem-solving skills I have gained throughout my academic career. I look forward to working on challenging problems and learning about new fields to help answer some of life's most pressuring questions