A chance encounter at a conference with Associate Professor Adam Ford brought Dr. Melanie Dickie to UBC Okanagan, continuing on a path that would eventually be a gold medal journey.
“It was a bit of serendipity, a bit of curiosity and a lot of shared values when I first met Dr. Ford in 2019. It was one of those classic hallway conversations—brief but energizing—where you realize someone else is thinking about the same big questions you are. We were both interested in how science can move the needle in real-world decision making.”
Dr. Dickie, who received her doctorate in biology after conducting years of research with UBCO’s Wildlife Restoration Ecology Lab, is UBCO’s 2025 winner of the Governor General Gold Medal for Academic Excellence. The gold medal is awarded annually to the student with the highest academic standing graduating from a master’s or doctoral program.
Originally working with the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Dr. Dickie had become familiar with Dr. Ford’s work through social media, where their professional interests overlapped in land use, conservation policy and the role of Indigenous leadership in ecological stewardship.
But after that chance conversation, she made the leap to UBCO to tackle “applied, gritty, make-a-difference kind of science.”
“It wasn’t just that the research fit, it was that the lab culture encouraged asking hard questions, working collaboratively and staying rooted in real-world effects,” she adds. “My time at UBCO has been transformational. Working with Dr. Ford and the lab has sharpened my thinking, expanded my skill set and pushed me to a new level as a researcher. It’s been one of those rare experiences where my gut feeling that something is ‘the right fit’ actually turns out to be true.”
Dr. Dickie, who was named a UBCO researcher of the year in 2023, is now back at the monitoring institute but has fond memories—including making Taylor Swift friendship bracelets with fellow researchers while camping—of hard work, driven research, lengthy Zoom calls and lasting friendships that add to the special honour of earning the gold medal. Her ongoing research will continue to cross paths with the Wildlife Restoration Ecology Lab and she will remain connected to the team.
“My time at UBCO helped me grow, and that’s changed how I approach my work—and how our team works together. I’m excited to be continuing to collaborate with Dr. Ford. We’re still focused on what first brought us together: using strong ecological theory to inform applied research that directly supports transparent, data-driven decisions—especially in landscapes where people and wildlife intersect every day.”
This content appeared first as part of UBCO students shine with top honours at graduation on UBC’s Okanagan News.