A Breath of Fresh Air

Raiany Dias de Andrade Silva grew up in a small city in Rio de Janeiro, where the biodiversity was so vast, it’d be a challenge to identify all the plant species in a square meter plot. Her interest and studies in forest health led her to Augustana, where she is a part of the Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowship program. She currently works with the Wood Buffalo Environmental Association to monitor the impacts of atmospheric deposition on jack pine forests surrounding the Athabasca Oil Sands Region.

Imagine you’re talking to a five-year-old. How would you describe your work to them in a few sentences?

I help with making sure that the forests are healthy. There are different ways to do this, and right now I check if the air is clean so that the forests can breathe and grow.

When did you know you wanted to study forest health and vegetation?

In my second year of university, I was studying environmental management, and at that time I could choose to follow a management path or a biology path. During this time, I was exploring career options and I took an interest in botany. I started TA-ing a class in botany, and I realized I wanted to focus on vegetation. Later I took ecology classes, and that confirmed my interest in forest ecology.

What’s a discovery you’ve made in your research that would surprise people?

The genetic diversity of trees plays a crucial role in forest resilience.

What’s one big problem you want to address or a goal you want to achieve in your work?

I think the main issue I want to address with my work is making sure that sustainability goes side by side with development. This way we will be able to maintain ecosystem health and our livability. For example, while extracting oil is important, having clean water, air, and soil is also important so we can all live, eat, work, etc. Sustainability is key.

What brought you to studying at Augustana?

My first experience in Augustana was as a summer intern with the Mitacs Globalink program. I worked with Anne McIntosh, who was a great supervisor and role model to me.

What is one of your favourite things so far about Augustana?

From my perspective, Augustana has a great community. I feel very welcomed there. Even as a summer student, you can find place and community easily. I feel like the whole university experience feels more personal and connected in Augustana.

How do you see the Augustana community playing a role in your work?

I worked in Augustana in a few different roles, and I believe that those connections will always be there in my personal and professional paths. For example, in many of my roles I’ve had work-related doubts, and I talked with people from Augustana, who immediately helped clear my doubts and provide new ideas. I think the key is keeping those connections and helping each other.

Where did you grow up and what’s distinct to you about your hometown?

I grew up in a small city in the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. While we also had the community aspect of a small city there, we had a much bigger population, around 100,000 people. It is funny because in Brazil that is considered small, and surprisingly enough, everyone still knows each other. Another distinct fact about where I come from is the biodiversity. You could never know every single plant species in a plot there.

What accomplishment in your life or work are you most proud of?

Personally, I am proud of completing my graduate degrees, both my MSc and PhD. And that’s because I completed both in Alberta in my second language (English) and far from my family and original support system. Grad school is hard as it is, and adding another level of completing it in a different country—and then during a pandemic—makes it extremely hard. I am proud of myself for accomplishing that.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

“A good thesis is a finished thesis.” I don’t know if it’s the best in general, but academically it was. I tend to be a perfectionist, which is good, but it can also set you back if you are never satisfied with your work. Sometimes you just need to finish what you’re doing and move on. Of course, do your best, but you can’t be perfect all the time.

What’s the last TV show or podcast series you binged?

That’s embarrassing, but the last TV show I binged was a horror called From. It held me and my family at the edge of our seats for sure!

What’s a book or film you would tell someone to read or watch to get to know you better?

I would say watch Bacurau. It’s a Brazilian movie I really like. That’s because it has so many layers of Brazilian culture and is also good entertainment.

If you had to eat the same meal every day for a week, what would it be?

It would be fish, potatoes, and salad.

Learn more about Raiany

Raiany Dias de Andrade Silva is a post-doctoral researcher in the Ecological Recovery lab at Augustana, under the supervision of Anne McIntosh. She is working on the project “Evaluation of Terrestrial Environmental Effects Monitoring Forest Health Vegetation Monitoring in Jack Pine Forests.” Raiany completed an MSc and PhD at the University of Alberta in forest biology and management, and a BSc in environmental management in Brazil.