Maria Kuruvilla joined the Lewis Research Group in June 2024 as a postdoctoral fellow. She conducts research on the effects of forest harvesting on salmon abundance in coastal BC using statistical models. Her work occasionally takes her to Salmon Coast Field Station.
Maria completed her PhD in Quantitative Ecology and Resource Management at the University of Washington, Seattle. Her dissertation explored the effects of hatchery releases on salmon migration timing, providing evidence that juvenile salmon use social information to decide when to migrate. Additionally, she investigated various environmental factors influencing the migration timing of juvenile salmon. Beyond salmon, Maria is interested in collective animal behavior and has studied how temperature affects the ability of schooling fish to escape from predators.
Maria holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics and switched to ecology after a summer at Friday Harbor Labs. Originally from South India, she enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Feel free to email her with questions at mariakur@uvic.ca.