Talks

When Worlds Collide: Photography in Service to Nature

Patricia Homonylo is an Conservation Photojournalist and filmmaker based in Toronto, Canada. While focusing on animal and wildlife rescue, Patricia quickly learned that every animal in a rescue is the product of human interference. As habitats continue to dwindle, non-human beings are struggling to survive. Patricia wants her work to shine a light on animals caught in the crosshairs. She is determined to speak for the most vulnerable animals and give agency to the causes which drive her.  Along with being awarded in Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Patricia has been most recently awarded the prestigious title Bird Photographer of the Year.

Michael Mesure is the Executive Director of Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) Canada, a registered Canadian charity. A founding member of FLAP Canada, he has been with the organization since it began operations in 1993. Michael tirelessly advocates for bird protections at various levels of government, as well as consults with city planners across North America on developing bird-friendly guidelines and standards. In addition to his ongoing bird rescue and recovery patrols, Michael’s time is spent partnership-building and enabling collaboration to promote bird conservation programs and other renowned initiatives— including Global Bird Rescue and Bird-Safe Campus—and contributing content to ornithological-focused papers such as Collision Course: The Hazards of Lighted Structures & Windows to Migratory Birds and Window Collisions by Migratory Bird Species: Urban Geographical Patterns and Habitat Associations.

For 41 years Mark Peck was the Collections Specialist in Ornithology at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) until his retirement in 2024. Much of his time was involved in ornithological research, fieldwork and collections management but he was also involved with museum programming, exhibitions and gallery development. In addition, he has been an author and/or photographer to numerous websites, popular articles, scientific papers and books including; The Extraordinary Beauty of Birds: Design Pattern and Details, The Birds of Nunavut and his most recent publication, Bird Eggs - A Young Naturalist Guide. Mark is also the Vice-president of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) and was awarded the Distinguished Ornithologist of the Year Award by OFO in 2024. In addition, he is an enthusiastic contributor to several citizen/community science programs, a long-time member of the TOC as well as the proud father of two wonderful daughters.

Dr. Soren Brothers is the Allan and Helaine Shiff Curator of Climate Change at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. He is also an Assistant Professor at the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. Soren’s research examines the effects of climate change on lakes, and how changes in aquatic systems can influence their greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. More broadly, he is interested in understanding how feedback loops and the transdisciplinary study of lakes can help us better understand and predict global tipping points that may accelerate anthropogenic climate change.