Tom is a Professor Emeritus at Acadia University and a former Board Chair of MTRI. Over the past 40 years he and his students have explored the interface between humans and biodiversity. Tom is a population biologist with interests in dynamics and conservation of small, isolated populations, the role of science in managing protected areas, the role of community science in recovery of species-at-risk, the impacts of globalization on biodiversity, and the role of indigenous traditional knowledge in addressing the global biodiversity crisis. In recent years, most of this work has focused on the evolution, dynamics and conservation of biodiversity in southwest Nova Scotia, developing and implementing spatially appropriate and socially sensible management models for a range of species, including Blanding’s turtles and Eastern ribbon snakes. He presently sits on several national and regional advisory committees on endangered biodiversity and species-at-risk recovery teams, and co-chairs COSEWIC’s Amphibian and Reptile Specialist Subcommittee.