Mireille Desponts is a biology graduate from the University of Montr\u00e9al (B. Sc., 1982, M. Sc., 1985) and from Laval University (Ph. D., 1990). After graduating, she completed a postdoctoral internship at the Canadian Forest Service, during which she studied the effects of genetic improvement programs on white spruce genetic diversity.<\/p>\r\n
In 1995, she became a research professional at the Facult\u00e9 de foresterie, de g\u00e9ographie et de g\u00e9omatique [Department of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics] of Laval University. She then coordinated research on the biodiversity of ancient boreal fir forests and the effects of logging on the diversity and composition of plants and animal populations.<\/p>\r\n
In 2001, she joined the Direction de la recherche foresti\u00e8re as a researcher in forest genetics. She specializes in the evaluation and selection of genetically improved black spruce and jack pine populations based on growth and adaptation to bioclimatic conditions. She also has developed expertise in genetic selection for wood quality. In addition, she collaborates to research projects on the identification of genomic markers for adaptation and wood quality.<\/p>\r\n