Ty Russell has an academic background in molecular ecology. His graduate research examined the extent and direction of introgressive hybridization in deer throughout Alberta. He brings experience in a variety of laboratory and computational methods, which he has used to interrogate the genetic basis of chronic wasting disease transmission and to automate parentage analyses for a long‑term red squirrel project. Ty is interested in how ongoing evolutionary processes, such as life history characteristics, individual variation, and natural and artificial selection, affect conservation outcomes. In addition to his laboratory and office skills, Ty has field experience involving wildlife conservation in Alberta’s Oil Sands. There, he has monitored habitat use by birds, performed nest sweeps, evaluated nesting habitat, and deterred birds from industrial hazards. During the course of his work, Ty pursues a collaborative approach to conservation that takes full account of environmental and community values. He is a Professional Biologist (P.Biol.) under the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists.