Dr. Mark Mallory is the Canada Research Chair in Coastal Ecosystem Connectivity and Resilience and director of the Mallory Lab. A renowned researcher, Mallory is investigating the impact of environmental contaminants on seabird populations in Arctic and Atlantic Canada. Focusing on Arctic terns, herring gulls, and common eiders, his study seeks to understand how birds' health is affected by existing pollutant levels and their relation to migratory bird ecology.

In 2023, Mallory was awarded the Gulf of Maine Visionary Award, by the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, which is a partnership of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The award recognizes innovation, creativity, and commitment to protecting the marine environment.

Mallory's research aims to address questions regarding anthropogenic stressors and mitigation efforts for coastal wildlife populations. Using advanced genetic sequencing, field health assessments, advanced telemetry, and statistical techniques, his team will analyze contaminants, diet, and health metrics across various locations in Iceland, Nova Scotia, and Nunavut.

The groundbreaking study will contribute valuable information necessary for environmental assessment and protected area management. In addition, the findings will aid in modeling future environmental conditions in critical coastal habitats. Mallory's research will also help Canada comply with national and international environmental agreements such as the Minamata Convention and the Canadian Plastics Science Agenda.

“I’m excited to work in a field where our lab’s results can be directly applied to policy and regulations that benefit conservation and the environment,” says Mallory. “For example, some of our studies have gone to defining boundaries and creating protected areas, fulfilling Canada’s obligations on tracking contaminants under international agreements, uplisting the conservation status of species (notably to endangered levels), and working with Indigenous communities to address their land management concerns in concert with answering our scientific queries. Consequently, it is very satisfying to see your work have a direct, beneficial impact.”

His Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) award includes funds over five years for a Discovery Grant totalling $295,000 and a Northern Research Supplement of $95,000.