Introducing Michelle Valliant, co-founder of Ice Fish Research

Hi everyone, my name is Michelle and I am from Canada. As a little girl, I wanted to grow up to be a Marine Biologist. The idea started when I learned how to swim at a family cottage in Northern Ontario and wanted to keep getting back into the water to snorkel and look at critters and fish in the lake. My dad was a scuba diver and promised to take me to a scuba diver course when I turned 14. I have always been interested in wildlife and the ocean where I just wanted to learn everything I could.

Past Biology Related Work & Research

My field of work started at my first job a at reptile and amphibian zoo called Scales Nature Park in 2010. It was very cool as I worked in animal care and was a performer for various reptile shows. I got to meet many people working with reptiles and I gained an understanding of what it could be like working in this field. Working at Scales helped spark my interest more in biology and got me motivated to reach out to as many job or volunteer connections as I could during my schooling.

My schooling continued at Memorial University in Newfoundland. For about 4 years I was working with seabirds that brought me to work with many different birds in Alaska, Newfoundland, and off the coast of Maine. My other past work involved me working as a scientific diver, a laboratory scientist, and a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) specialist. Lastly, I worked as a show diver for Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada before I headed to Iceland.

Moving to Iceland & Current Research

How I ended up in Iceland is that I decided to take the Coastal Marine Management program at the University Centre of the Westfjords in Ísafjörður. Now, I am really enjoying my PhD work that involves tracking fish and to understand why and what causes fish to move or stay put. My work looks at fish within a marine fjord and has allowed me to work with other researchers. I am tracking young Atlantic cod and saithe to see how temperature and other factors influence them to stay in the fjord or leave when they become adults. Also, I am tracking the alien European flounder in how it uses similar areas as the Arctic charr and brown trout.

About me

When I am not busy with my work, I’m either catching up with friends, reading, sketching or doing outdoor activities (like kayaking, hiking, camping, bike riding, and (most importantly) scuba diving).

Ice Fish Research

I am very excited about being part of @IceFishResearch as it will help reach out to everyone about what fish projects are happening around the country. Ice Fish Research is a wonderful platform that can help share a variety of information about fish in Iceland.

A bit more about me

What is your favorite fish? This is SO HARD to choose one. Right now I will go with lumpfish/lumpsucker, because I see them all the time while scuba diving and they are just this round and awkward, adorable fish.

What is your research topic? Fish biology and behavior

What did you want to be when you grow up? Marine Biologist

Where do you work? University of Iceland, Research Centre of the Westfjords. Based in Bolungarvík

What inspired your research? I liked the idea of implying a multi-species approach and really seeing how, when, and where near-shore fish move within a fjord.

What is your favorite part of being a scientist? Discovering new things about animals and their ecology. Also shaping how you want to manage your own project.

How would you explain a scientist to a child? A scientist is someone who asks a question and thinks of ways to answer it. If there is not a direct answer to the question, then more questions come up.

How would you explain your research to a child? I want to know why fish move and behave based on the environment. For juvenile cod, I want to know the difference between their movement and how they behave from large groups and from individuals.