Early Career Professional
Hi I'm Kaeden, and I am a fourth-year B.Sc. student at the University of Guelph majoring in Biomedical Toxicology. I am skilled in the sciences and passionate about the environment, which motivates me to pursue work at the intersection of both fields. Throughout my life, I have accumulated over nine months camping and exploring the amazing outdoors that Canada has to offer, so I find nothing more inspiring than the opportunity to use my skills to help protect our natural world. Want to learn more about me? Click the tabs below to see more about my experience and interests!
About me
Outside of school, work, or volunteering, I love to get outdoors and explore with family and friends. I fulfil my thrill-seeking with SCUBA diving, mountain biking, portaging, and most recently, spelunking. Although I am an adrenaline junkie at heart, I also love painting and cooking.
SCUBA diving in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
On my way to Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China
Portaging, Balsam Lake, Killarney Park
Spelunking in the Rockwood Caves, ON
White Water Rafting, Ottawa river
Me and Markus Aurelius, Chicago USA
Fishing for Smallmouth Bass, Killarney ON
Catching Midland Painted Turtles in Pinery Provincial Park
© Kaeden McDonald. All rights reserved. Last Edited: July 8, 2026.
Skills and Experience
I pride myself on having a robust skill set. I strive to build experience from “tooth-to-tail,” allowing me to work across a broad range of disciplines. Whether it’s chemical testing or ecological restoration, the end-to-end toxicology experience I’ve built allows me to bridge field work, lab work, research, and various other practices.
Pictures from some projects!
Testing PPM of Dissolved Oxygen, Grand River, ON.
Improving flow rates and removing fish barriers, Landons Creek ON.
Surveying snakes as an Ontario Nature LTMP assistant
Obtaining GIS data, and collecting water loggers, D'Aubigny Creek, ON.
Testing CaCO₃ levels in a crude sample
Aquatic mites from helping with a Parry Sound Benthos Survey
Microplastics I found in earthworms using microscopy
Electrofishing in Aurora, ON
My Ecotoxicology research project
This september I will be starting an 8 month long independant research project at the University of Guelph Ecotox lab studying the effects that Bayluscide has on the Wavy-rayed Lampmussel.Bayluscide (active ingreident Niclosamide) is a pesticide used in the Great Lakes to kill invasive Sea lamprays. Concerns have been raised of Bayluscides lethality to mullosks, where in ontario, most are endangered and vital to keeping our water clean.The tests I will preform will allow us to better understand the off-target effects that Bayluscide could create in Ontario freshwater systems.
My Past Projects
Landons Creek 2026 Benthic Invertabrate SurveyI designed, planned, and led an OBBN compliant water quality study on behalf of the Freshwater Conservation Canada – Middle Grand Chapter. Using macro invertebrates as biological proxies, the study assessed stream health differences above vs below Landon Creek's Dam. My survey inferred key environmental parameters, including habitat quality, dissolved oxygen levels, potential heavy metal contamination, and overall ecological integrity.
Using a giant 500um mesh net to collect organisms
Sorting through samples to collect organisms
Filling the Sub-sampling boxes with organisms to prep for IDing
Using microscopy and Taxonomy keys to identify organisms
Tallying the abundances of each Taxon
A Hyalella under the microscope. A type of crustaean that is sensitive to heavy metals.
Contact me
Do you have a study, a project, or a position that requires assistance? I beleive my skills can meet your needs!I am always looking to volunteer, learn new skills, and meet new people. Send me an email so we can connect.
Thank you!
Your email has been sent! Thank you for your inquiry, I will get back to you as soon as possible.
-Kaeden