Ruth Joy, Simon Fraser University

Research

Deep Learning Animal Movement Models Coastal British Columbia Data Assimilation Endangered Species Marine Mammals Optimal Design for Hydrophone Placement Shipping and Transportation

Latest papers

Integrating multiple observation data sources to facilitate movement modelling of killer whale pods.
Movement ecology · 2026 · senior author
A Public Dataset of Annotated Orcinus orca Acoustic Signals for Detection and Ecotype Classification.
Scientific data · 2025 · senior author
Deciphering Cryptic Population Structure in Western Sandhill Crane Subspecies (Antigone canadensis) of the Pacific Flyway.
Ecology and evolution · 2025 · first author

All 6 publications

Latest funding

Analysing Marine Vessel Effects on Whales in Boundary Pass, British Columbia
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$40,000
Mitigating Commercial Vessel Impacts on Coastal Whales
NSERC · 2021 · Principal investigator
$112,000
Mitigating Commercial Vessel Impacts on Coastal Whales
NSERC · 2021 · Principal investigator
$120,000

All 4 grants and awards

6 publications.

01

Integrating multiple observation data sources to facilitate movement modelling of killer whale pods.

Thompson PR, Dowd M, Yurk H, Joy R

Movement ecology2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1186/s40462-026-00645-x PMID: 41888961

02

A Public Dataset of Annotated Orcinus orca Acoustic Signals for Detection and Ecotype Classification.

Palmer KJ, Cummings E, Dowd MG, Frasier K, Frazao F, Harris A, Houweling A, Kanes J, Kirsebom OS, Klinck H, LeBlond H, Laturnus L, Matkin C, Murphy O, Myers H, Olsen D, O'Neill C, Padovese B, Pilkington J, Quayle L, Vuibert AR, Trounce K, Vagle S, Veirs S, Veirs V, Wladichuk J, Wood J, Yack T, Yurk H, Joy R

Scientific data2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41597-025-05281-5 PMID: 40610481

03

Deciphering Cryptic Population Structure in Western Sandhill Crane Subspecies (Antigone canadensis) of the Pacific Flyway.

Joy R, Roessingh K, Meszaros K, Miscampbell A, Ritland C, Hayes M, Ivey G, Petrula M, Joy JB

Ecology and evolution2025First author

DOI: 10.1002/ece3.71475 PMID: 40454224

04

A real-time data assimilative forecasting system for animal tracking.

Randon M, Dowd M, Joy R

Ecology2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3718 PMID: 35405019

05

Reducing vessel noise increases foraging in endangered killer whales.

Williams R, Ashe E, Yruretagoyena L, Mastick N, Siple M, Wood J, Joy R, Langrock R, Mews S, Finne E

Marine pollution bulletin2021

DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112976 PMID: 34563959

06

Empirical measures of harbor seal behavior and avoidance of an operational tidal turbine.

Joy R, Wood JD, Sparling CE, Tollit DJ, Copping AE, McConnell BJ

Marine pollution bulletin2018First author

DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.08.052 PMID: 30509846

Analysing Marine Vessel Effects on Whales in Boundary Pass, British Columbia

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Joy, Ruth R

Keywords: animal behaviour; commercial vessel disturbance; deep learning; hydrophones; movement ecology; networked systems; real-time data assimilation; underwater sound; whale call types; whale ecology

$40,000

Mitigating Commercial Vessel Impacts on Coastal Whales

Principal investigatorNSERC2021Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Joy, Ruth

Keywords: marine mammals; coastal british columbia; underwater noise; deep learning; state space models; animal movement models; optimal design for hydrophone placement; endangered species; shipping and transportation; data assimilation

$112,000

Mitigating Commercial Vessel Impacts on Coastal Whales

Principal investigatorNSERC2021DND/NSERC Discovery Grant Supplement

Principal investigators: Joy, Ruth

$120,000

Mitigating Commercial Vessel Impacts on Coastal Whales

Principal investigatorNSERC2021Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Joy, Ruth

$12,500

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Michael Dowd

Dept of Mathematics and Statistics

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2022

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Deep Learning Dear Professor Joy, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Integrating multiple observation data sources to facilitate movement modelling of killer whale pods." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Analysing Marine Vessel Effects on Whales in Boundary Pass, British Columbia" (2022), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]