Rowena Ligalig is a PhD candidate in Environmental Sciences at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). She has a background in plant ecology. Before beginning her PhD, she worked as a university instructor and researcher in the Philippines, focusing on ecology and biodiversity conservation.

Her current research focuses on understanding how natural disturbances — particularly spruce budworm outbreaks and wildfire — interact with forest management to influence long-term forest carbon dynamics. She uses the LANDIS-II forest landscape model to explore how forests respond to disturbances and how management strategies can support their recovery and resilience.

Through the DIVERSE project, she is excited to explore post-disturbance regeneration strategies, particularly which tree species to plant and where. She is interested in evaluating their effects on ecosystem carbon storage, wood production, and carbon stored in harvested wood products, and ultimately in how these outcomes may change under future climate conditions.