Simon Daoust
He/Him
I am gay and I am an evolutionary ecologist and educator. //
I’m a professor of biology at John Abbott College and a member of the Center for Host-Parasite Interactions at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. I’m a science fiction and horror enthusiast, reared on a diet of Star Wars, Star Trek, and monster movies (merci maman!); it’s therefore not really surprising that I ended studying insects and parasites for a living. Actually, I was hooked the moment I learnt that certain parasites and parasitoids could manipulate the behavior of their hosts, turning them into veritable zombies or even bodyguards for their developing young. I couldn’t believe it! It was like something out of science fiction or horror, but real! Growing up is difficult for everyone regardless of your sexual orientation or gender identity; all anyone really wants is to find somewhere they belong. I found my heaven in academia. At each of the universities I studied or worked at, I met people who inspired me, and made me feel like I mattered and could contribute.