Office: SN 1027 (Marine Geomatics Lab)
Telephone: (709) 864-3097
Fax: (709) 864- 3119
email: enovaczek[at]mun[dot]ca

Supervisors

Dr. Rodolphe Devillers

Dr. Evan Edinger

Committee Members

Dr. David Cote (Fisheries and Oceans and Adjunct Professor with the MUN Department of Biology)
Dr. Luiz Mello (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Previous Education

B.Sc. Environment, Sustainability and Society AND Biology (Combined Honours)
Dalhousie University/University of King’s College
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Research Description

My work aims to improve how we understand, manage, and protect marine species and their habitats. I have contributed to marine habitat mapping projects for fisheries management, species at risk (Atlantic Wolffish) and for Marine Protected Area management (Eastport MPA). My thesis examines changes in climate and oceanographic conditions and how these shifts impact habitat quality, extent, and distribution for marine fish species in Newfoundland waters.

Research Interests

• Marine conservation
• Marine ecology
• Species distribution modeling
• Remote sensing, GIS, and cartography

Teaching

Instructor, Introduction to Geographic Information Sciences (GEOG2195), Winter 2017

Publications

Novaczek, E., Howse, V., Pretty, C., Devillers, R., Edinger, E., Copeland, A. (2017). Limited Contribution of Small Marine Protected Areas to Regional Biodiversity: The Example of a Small Canadian No-Take MPA. Frontiers in Marine Science, 4, Article 174, 1-17. Doi: 10.3389/fmars.2017.00174.

Novaczek, E., Devillers, R., Edinger, E., Mello, L. (2017). High resolution habitat mapping to describe coastal denning habitat of a Canadian species at risk, Atlantic Wolffish (Anarhichas lupus). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, [Advance online publication]. Doi: 10.1139/cjfas-2016-0414.

Presentations

Novaczek, E., Proudfoot, B., Howse, V., Pretty, C., Devillers, R., Edinger, E., Copeland, A. (2017). From single species to biodiversity conservation? Habitat mapping and biodiversity analysis of the Eastport Marine Protected Area, Canada. GEOHAB Marine Biological and Geological Habitat Mapping. Halifax, NS. International Conference. Oral Presentation.

Novaczek, E., Misiuk, B., Devillers, R. (2017). Harnessing legacy datasets to project future marine habitat distributions in a changing climate. Biology Graduate Student Symposium. St. John’s, NL. Institutional Conference. Oral Presentation.

Novaczek, E., Devillers, R., Edinger, E., Mello, L. (2016). High resolution habitat mapping to inform conservation of Atlantic Wolffish. Atlantic Society of Fish & Wildlife Biologists. Summerside, PE. Regional Conference. Oral Presentation.

Novaczek, E. (2016). Beyond the lecture hall: Ocean literacy and #scicomm at sea. International Marine Conservation Congress. St. John’s, NL. International Conference. Oral Presentation (Invited symposium panelist).

Novaczek, E., Howse, V., Pretty, C., Devillers, R., Edinger, E., Walker, D. (2016). How far does a small MPA reach? Mapping habitats and measuring diversity within the Eastport Marine Protected Area. Biology Graduate Student Symposium. St. John’s, NL. Institutional Conference. Oral Presentation.

Novaczek, E., Devillers, R., Edinger, E., Mello, L. (2016). Coastal habitat of Atlantic Wolffish, a Canadian Species at Risk. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research. St. John’s, NL. National Conference. Oral Presentation.

Novaczek, E., Misiuk, B., Miles, L., Van Velzen, R., Bell, T., Edinger, E., Aitken, A. (2015). Tracking and mapping Arctic aliens: Biogeographical analysis of benthic invertebrates in coastal waters of Baffin Island, Nunavut. ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting. Vancouver, Canada. National Conference. Poster Presentation.

Misiuk, B., Bell, T., Edinger, E., Aitken, A., Novaczek, E., Cowan, B., Kennedy, J., Baillon, S., Siferd, T. (2015). Mapping Benthic Habitat around Qikiqtarjuaq, NU: Baseline Data for Clam Fisheries Assessment and Management. ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting. Vancouver, Canada. National Conference. Oral Presentation.

Novaczek, E. (2015). Mapping the future of our oceans: Sharing conservation science at sea. CaNOE Ocean Literacy in Canada. Vancouver. National Conference. Poster Presentation.

Novaczek, E., Devillers, R., Edinger, E., Mello, L. (2015). Mapping habitat for data-deficient marine species: Atlantic Wolffish in Conception Bay. GEOHAB Marine Biological and Geological Habitat Mapping. Salvador. International Conference. Oral Presentation.

Novaczek, E., Devillers, R., Edinger, E. Mello, L. (2015). Using ‘benthoscape’ habitat mapping methods to investigate biological communities in Conception Bay, NL. MUN Biology Graduate Student Symposium. St. John’s, NL. Institutional Conference. Oral Presentation.

Novaczek, E. (2015). Understanding habitat in a changing ocean. Geological Association of Canada, Newfoundland Spring Technical Meeting. St. John’s. Provincial Conference. Oral Presentation.

Novaczek, E. (2013). Is tourism an enemy to anemones? Examining the impacts of marine tourism on coral reefs of the Seaflower MPA. Centre for Biodiversity Spring Symposium. New York. International Conference. Poster Presentation.

Technical Reports

Novaczek, E., Howse, V., Pretty, C., Devillers, R., Edinger, E., Walker, D. (2016). Characterization and mapping of the benthic habitats within the Eastport Marine Protected Areas. Marine Habitat Mapping Group Report, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Academic Research Contribution Program Project 3342008. [in press].

Novaczek, E., Edinger, E., Devillers, R. (2015). Characterization and mapping of Atlantic Wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) habitat in coastal Newfoundland. Fisheries and Oceans Canada Technical Report. Requisition No. F6167-140003. viii + 57p.

Novaczek, E., Devillers, R., Edinger, E. (2014). Mapping of Atlantic Wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) habitat in coastal Newfoundland waters using multibeam sonar data. Fisheries and Oceans Canada Technical Report. Requisition No. F6167130006/A. vi + 30p.

Media & Other Contributions

Invited speaker, Canadian Institute of Geomatics – NL Conservation GIS Workshop. “Marine remote sensing and habitat mapping for conservation”. June 2017. St. John’s, NL.

Interview with Sarah Smellie. “To conserve or protect: Eastport marine protected area not meeting conservation goals, says report.” CBC News. June 4, 2017. Print (Online).

Invited speaker, Nature NL Public Lecture Series. “The birds, the bees, and the wolfish”. Feb 2016. St. John’s, NL.

Case study. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2014. The Youth Guide to the Ocean. Pg 209.

Interview with Kathryn Welbourn. “Researchers survey Atlantic wolf fish habitat.” Northeast Avalon Times. October 2014. Print (Monthly paper).

Awards & Distinctions

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Alexander Graham Bell Award (CGS-D, 2016-19)
Joe Brown Award for Excellence in Communication, MUN Biology Graduate Student Symposium (2017)
Best PhD Presentation in Ecology & Evolution, MUN Biology Graduate Student Symposium (2016)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canadian Graduate Scholarship (CGS-M, 2015)
Joe Brown Award for Excellence in Communication, MUN Biology Graduate Student Symposium (2015)