Dr. Stephen Petersen is a conservation biologist specializing in Arctic wildlife conservation and molecular ecology. As Director of Conservation and Research at Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he studies how Arctic species respond to environmental change. He also leads the research team behind Beluga Bits, a community science project studying beluga whales in western Hudson Bay. He earned his Ph.D. at Trent University, where he studied population genetics in polar bears, ringed seals and Peary caribou. Later, he worked with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, investigating the genetics of Arctic marine mammals, including belugas, narwhals, bowhead whales and killer whales. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba.

Much of Dr. Petersen's current research focuses on beluga whales that gather in the waters of western Hudson Bay each summer. As lead researcher of Beluga Bits, he oversees a project that uses underwater video and photographs to document individual whales and their behavior. Participants analyze the images, identifying belugas by their distinctive markings and helping researchers investigate whale health, social relationships and whether individuals return to the Churchill River estuary year after year. To date, the project has completed more than 10 million image classifications, providing valuable data on beluga populations and their seasonal movements.

Dr. Petersen's research combines genetic analysis, wildlife field surveys and habitat mapping to better understand Arctic ecosystems and inform conservation efforts. Along the Hudson Bay coast, he investigates genetic relationships among polar bears, including whether females return to familiar areas across generations. His team also studies polar bear denning habitat and its vulnerability to wildfires, identifying areas that may face increasing disturbance as the Arctic warms. Together, his research projects contribute to a greater understanding of how environmental change affects Arctic wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on.