Pierre Rogy
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
The complexity of life, and of insects in particular, has always fascinated me. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know, so I realised I wanted to be a researcher, and graduate school seemed a natural path to follow.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
I decided to join UBC initially a bit by accident. I was looking for a Master's supervisor, and was suggested to apply with Diane Srivastava at UBC. Having only been in eastern Canada, I was up for the adventure in Vancouver and thus tried my luck.
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
After doing my Master's I decided to do my PhD in the same lab, because I really fell in love with the department of Zoology. The convivial atmosphere and vibrant community really make me give the best of myself.
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
I was really happy to find out that the UBC campus has a couple accessible beaches pretty much right on campus.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
It is really important to have a good work/life balance. In undergrad, I was able to develop a system that allowed me to do what I wanted for both work and personal life.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
Some city activities are a bit harder to access in Vancouver than in other large cities. You may have to spend more time to look for your favourite city hobby, but it's there somewhere!
Learn more about Pierre's research
Ecosystems and ecological communities are biological networks of energy and material flow, where, for example, predators consume herbivores that consume plants. There are two distinct theoretical approaches to predicting how energy and matter flows through food webs. First, the energy channel framework suggests that some trophic (food) chains have faster flow of energy and matter than others, because the organisms or resources have characteristics that allow rapid turnover and replenishment. Second, ecological stoichiometry describes how consumers select those resources that best match their own elemental body composition, because their growth rates are limited by the element in the lowest relative supply in their diet. Despite their potential connections, the two theories have never been joined in a single framework. The premise of my thesis is that ecological stoichiometry can provide the mechanistic basis for understanding flow in energy channels.