不良研究所

听BSc. Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2011听

Erika is the Curator of Mineralogy and Petrology at the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Glasgow. Previously, she was a Senior Hub Integrator with Laboratories Canada, an organization within the federal government with the mandate to construct new world-class laboratories. Prior to that, Erika was with the Canadian Museum of Nature, where she was the Curator of Mineralogy in charge of the National Mineral Collection. She also received her Master鈥檚 in Earth Sciences with a focus on volcanology at Carleton University.

听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Favourite thing about EPS: Meeting great people.听

BSc. Major in Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2014

After graduating from 不良研究所, I completed a Master of Science in Earth Sciences at the University of Ottawa. I spent two summers mapping deep-marine rocks exposed in the southern Canadian Cordillera of British Columbia for my thesis project. After completing my thesis, I worked on a variety of GIS mapping projects for the Geological Survey of Canada and on a bedrock mapping program for the British Columbia Geological Survey.

For the past 3.5 years, I have been working as a Geologist for the Province of British Columbia鈥檚 Abandoned Mines Branch. I run the field program for the Branch, which involves creating an inventory of abandoned mines, including public safety hazards and environmental contamination issues. My work takes me all over the province, from Haida Gwaii up to Stewart and down to Fernie!

Favourite thing about EPS: It鈥檚 hard to pick one thing! Small class sizes where you get to know all your classmates and professors on a first-name basis, field schools to amazing destinations, and a strong sense of community.

BSc. Honours Planetary Science, 2010; MSc. Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2012听

After graduating from 不良研究所, I moved to Germany to do a PhD in mineralogy and metamorphic petrology at the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam with affiliation to the Technical University of Berlin. I was awarded my PhD in 2016, and in 2017 I moved to the USA to work as a postdoctoral research associate in a mineral physics research group in the Geosciences Department at Princeton University. In 2019, I had an opportunity to move back to Canada and took a position as a postdoctoral fellow at CanmetMINING, Natural Resources Canada. I was promoted to my current position as Research Scientist in 2020.

Favourite thing about EPS:听My most cherished memories from EPS were collected during field trips, especially the international Willy Trips. I am so grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to see active geological processes firsthand that those trips provided.

MSc. 1961; PhD. 1965听

Career Path:

1964- 1999: Research Scientist Mines Branch/ Canmet

1999- 2019: Created Cabri Consulting Inc.

I am now retired but am actively publishing in peer-reviewed journals on the mineralogy of PGM and their deposits and some articles on trace element analyses. I describe my five years at 不良研究所 in my 2022 memoir 鈥淔rom Cairo to Canada, and everything in-between.鈥�

Favourite Moments in EPS: On arrival in 1959, I was thrilled and inspired by the monthly invited speakers organised by the Adams Club and fellow graduates from around the world.

BSc. Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2013

After graduating, I had a short stint in junior exploration before opting to work as an engineering geologist for a geotechnical engineering firm. During this time, I undertook and managed geotechnical drilling and hazard assessment programs for civil infrastructure projects like hydroelectric dams, highways, airports, tunnels, etc., across Canada and Australia.

In 2020, I decided to return to my exploration roots by studying at the Colorado School of Mines and Laurentian University in pursuit of an MSc. I am wrapping that up and about to start work as a structural geologist for Agnico Eagle, where I will assess ground conditions and the geometry of ore body mineralization.

Favourite Moments in EPS: Coffee and cookie time! This was a wonderful opportunity to catch up and get to know your peers and faculty more intimately, which really fostered a close-knit and fun department culture. Also, all the amazing field trips we did across North and South America, Africa.

BSc. 2007

My geology career started before I even graduated. I did a summer field season as a research assistant in Northern Ontario after my second year, and another as a student-geologist in the Qu茅bec tundra after my third year.

After graduating, I worked in remote exploration camps in Saskatchewan and Qu茅bec on uranium projects and worked in the Abitibi exploring for nickel. I travelled the world with the earnings then did a Master鈥檚 degree at Monash University in Melbourne studying the structure and stratigraphy of a Western Australian gold deposit. Since then, I have worked in Laos and in the Australian base metals and gold industries as an exploration geologist and then for a consulting firm modelling geology, evaluating mineral resources, and traveling around the world for due diligence verifications of mining projects.

Favourite thing about EPS: It was the best time with such a great crew of students, faculty and staff. Field trip to Bancroft, Willy trips, Field Courses in the Eastern Townships, Maritimes and New Mexico, late-night study sessions doing geochemistry assignments and getting ready for the rock identification quizzes, 3pm cookie time, Intra-murals EPS teams in Hockey and Ultimate. I could go on鈥�

BSc joint major in Physics and Geophysics, 2012

My time at 不良研究所 allowed me to get a job with Sander Geophysics in Ottawa working as a geophysical data analyst and field crew chief in airborne geophysical exploration. After working in this field for several years and travelling the world for work, I decided to continue my education.

I started a PhD in environmental geophysics at Stanford University in 2016. The aim of my thesis was to develop new methods allowing for the application of airborne geophysical methods to the problem of studying and modelling aquifer systems in the Central Valley of California. The pilot project to which my thesis work was central convinced the California Department of Water Resources to conduct an airborne geophysical survey covering the entire Central Valley of California.

After graduating from Stanford in June 2021, I first worked as a data scientist at a startup before joining as a co-founder and the first chief technical officer. HighTide is a flood risk data company based in Florida that aims to empower coastal communities to live resiliently by providing the data and solutions they need to understand and take action about their flood risk. In furtherance of this goal, HighTide recently launched . This free flood risk education tool听has flood risk data and solutions for every property in a coastal county in the state of Florida.

Favourite thing about EPS:听Spending time outside as part of my job and being able to understand why some of the natural landscapes I observe look the way they do.

BSC, Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2013

After my BSc in Earth & Planetary Science at 不良研究所, I earned an MSc at the University of Alberta doing U-Pb dating of fossil tyrannosaur and crocodilian teeth. I then did a PhD on the origin and evolution of kimberlite at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. After a brief stint at a gold mining operation, and two children later, I started as a Resource Development Geologist with Rio Tinto in the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia.

Favourite thing about EPS: The doors studying geology opened for me. Geology is a fascinating subject, geological study involves a great deal of travel to amazing places, and employment prospects are often strong.听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听

听BSc. Geological Sciences, 1976

I worked 39 years as an exploration and development geologist for the Oil and Gas industry based in Calgary. Now retired.

Favourite thing about EPS: I enjoyed the small class sizes and have fond memories of the field trips. I remember being passionate about Geology and being proud of my profession听 听

BSc. Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2014听

After graduating from EPS, Max began work as an Ore Control Geologist with Freeport-McMoRan at a copper porphyry-skarn mine in New Mexico. After three years of employment, he left to pursue a Master of Science degree at UBC, specializing in hydrogeology. His research focus was a regional groundwater methane study in Northeastern British Columbia.

Following his thesis defense, Max began work as a hydrogeologist consultant with Piteau Associates in Reno, Nevada. Max is currently taking time off work to travel, including a cycling tour from Italy to Norway. Following his journey, he plans to return to work as a hydrogeologist in western Canada.

BSc., 2017

After all the awesome EPS field trips, I was eager to enter the workforce by joining mineral exploration campaigns which involved field geological mapping and drilling projects. This work led me to explore the mountains of British Columbia and the freezing weather of the Abitibi in the winter months. After a couple of years of plenty of adventures and many a rock observed, I returned to Montreal to apply my geological knowledge to another side of the industry.

I provide support and training for geological modelling software and occasionally dip my toes in consulting projects. This, however, doesn鈥檛 mean that I鈥檝e lost the love for staring at rocks endlessly that was engrained in me during my time in the EPS program at 不良研究所. Nowadays, I go hiking and exploring as often as I can, always with a rock hammer in hand and stopping to inspect every rock in my path鈥� to the annoyance of my hiking companions.

Favourite Moments in EPS: There are a few things I appreciated a lot in the 不良研究所 times, including the traditional wine and cheese, field trips to exciting destinations, and the easy communication between undergrads, grads, and professors. And finally, a small but VERY important tradition that I can鈥檛 seem to shake off is a cookie every day at 3 pm.

BSc. Honours Earth Sciences, 2015; MSc. Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2016听

When I first arrived at 不良研究所 in 2011, I was studying engineering; however, I quickly realized that I wanted a career that would allow for more adventure, especially to work in beautiful and remote locations. In that regard, my switch to Earth Sciences has definitely paid off, and during my B.Sc and M.Sc at 不良研究所, I was an assistant for research projects in remote parts of the Yukon, B.C., Nunavut, and Namibia. I also led my research project in northern Norway and conducted laboratory visits in Brittany, France.

After leaving 不良研究所 in 2016, I completed my PhD at Stanford University in California, where I studied the co-evolution of the ancient Earth and early life approximately two billion years ago. This project involved leading fieldwork in remote parts of Nunavut, Northwest Territories, northern Quebec, Labrador, Finland, and Norway and laboratory visits in Canada, France, and across the USA.

Since graduating from Stanford in 2020, I have been a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge and the Geological Survey of Norway, researching the first appearance of oxygen in Earth鈥檚 atmosphere approximately 2.4 billion years ago and how this may have disrupted the carbon cycle. In 2024 I will join the Earth Sciences and Geoparks Section at UNESCO in Paris, France.

Favourite thing about EPS:听The different research groups in EPS offer incredible opportunities to get involved in cutting-edge research, conduct fieldwork, and get hands-on experience. Carrying out field research in beautiful and remote areas was my main reason for studying Earth sciences, and I feel I鈥檝e definitely succeeded in that! The department's atmosphere was also friendly and welcoming, with great collegiality between undergraduate students, graduate students, professors, and administrative staff.

BSc., 2012

Ever since high school, I knew I wanted to do research. When I got to 不良研究所 to start my physics degree, I found that the program lacked a real-world application that I was craving. By switching to the Earth and Planetary Science department, I got the opportunity to appreciate the Earth and its structures in their full context: to hear the stories of how mountains grew from ocean floors, to understand why volcanoes erupt, or to recognize the breadcrumbs left behind by ancient glaciers. Mostly, I was fascinated by earthquakes.

I pursued seismological research while doing my undergraduate degree. Then I went on to a Master's program cosupervised by scientists at the University of Victoria and the Geological Survey of Canada. The 2012 M 7.8 Haida Gwaii Earthquake occurred shortly after I started and became my thesis topic.

To continue building my geodesy and earthquake physics skills, I headed down to the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta for a PhD studying the 2012 M 7.6 Nicoya, Costa Rica Earthquake to determine how the subduction zone accumulates stress. While there, I became interested in seismically triggered landslides and tsunami hazards -- both of which I was able to pursue further through a Masters's degree in Civil Engineering at Georgia Tech.

Going beyond fundamental research, I wanted to see how we could communicate hazard and risk science to the public and eventually started writing articles for Temblor Earthquake News. When I graduated, I started a postdoctoral position at the Geological Survey of Canada, working on seismic risk assessment.

My role, which has since been extended to a permanent Research Scientist position, allows me to blend my earthquake science and engineering background to do work that makes a difference to Canadians. I'm even able to have a say in communicating the results to the public through outreach, publications, an upcoming web application, or through meetings with stakeholders like emergency managers, financial analysts, and community planners.

I've also become an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia, allowing me to advise students and otherwise stay connected to the academic community. Overall, I'm grateful to report that my job is the most fulfilling work I can imagine myself doing, and I'm appreciative to the folks at 不良研究所 EPS for getting me started down this path.

PhD, 2016

After finishing my PhD, I moved to Australia and worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow (2016-2018) and Research Scientist (2018-2021) for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). My work focused on applied research to develop new exploration techniques for copper and zinc deposits. Both metals are essential for the transition to green energy.

I currently work as a Senior Geologist for Fortescue, a global metals and green energy company. I鈥檓 part of a team that provides recommendations of where in the world our company should explore copper deposits. I also provide training to other geologists and provide expert help to exploration teams around the world.

Favourite thing about EPS:听I remember EPS as a department with strong cohesion and support amongst students and staff. Being a graduate student and belonging to the EPS community was tremendous fun. The education I received at EPS was world-class and prepared me well for the challenges I regularly face in my job today.

MSc. Applied Minex, 1981听

Career path:

1982-1996 with Cogema and high-level member of the Cigar Lake discovery team

1996 emigrated to Burkina Faso, remarried, a high-level member of the Bissa Mine discovery team

2019 retired (haha), presently consulting to 3 companies working in Mali next door

Favourite Moment in EPS:听After the Car D field trip, the undergraduate mineralogy field trip with Don Francis to Bancroft.

BSc. Honours, 1976; MSc. Applied Minex, 1981

Career Path:

Worked in exploration with various companies for 30 years.

Then spent 5 1/2 years working for the Inuit of Nunavut as an Advisor on environment and mining issues on their lands.

Now I work at the Stock Exchange.

Words of Wisdom:听If you are always willing to keep learning, there are many paths you can take from a degree in EPS.

BSc. Geology, 2018

I started my career out of 不良研究所 as an Exploration Geologist for Gigametals Corp. and later Anaconda Mining Inc. (renamed Signal Gold Inc.). Both roles focused heavily on exploring and developing gold, nickel and copper projects spanning British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Following a few years in exploration, I switched career paths to facilitate a move back home to Calgary.

Since 2022, I鈥檝e been working as a Geologist 鈥� GIT within the Mining, Minerals, and Metals division Stantec. My current work as a consultant has allowed me to assist large mining companies through the execution of diamond drill programs spanning Canada, the United States, and South America. I strongly recommend the mining industry to all who inquire, as it relies on many geologists of varying skills sets and is essential for a sustainable future.

Favourite thing about EPS:听The positive interactions with faculty and student colleagues. There was so much to learn, and I found the process collaborative, engaging, and fulfilling.

PhD. 2015

After graduating with a PhD in structural geology in 2015, I got a job field mapping in the northern California Coast Ranges with the U.S. Geological Survey.

My work focuses on understanding the bedrock geology and structural history adjacent to large strike slip-flip faults and developing three-dimensional models of serpentinite bodies, which may influence fault rheology. My work also focuses on locating zones of active uplift and deciphering the most-recent history of deformation in northern California.

不良研究所's Earth and Planetary Science department was instrumental in getting me into this career through the variety of high-level geology courses, fieldwork experience, and excellent mentorship. I always remember fondly the many faces and stories shared along the way.

PhD. 2014

Following graduation from 不良研究所, I completed two short postdocs, one at U. Laval and the second with the Geological Survey of Canada. During this brief stint with the GSC, I became fascinated with volcanic arc magmatism and subduction zone processes- this fascination still persists and continues to guide my research.

I spent four years as a senior geologist with the British Columbia Geological Survey, and since 2020 I have been living and working in Vancouver as a GSC research scientist.

Favourite thing about EPS:听EPS was a uniquely social and exciting institution and a place that was home to many brilliant minds, including both faculty and students.
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BSc., 2010; MSc., 2012

After my time at 不良研究所, I completed a Ph.D. at the University of Toronto in Earth Sciences, focusing on the structure of glass. I then moved to England for a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Leeds in the School of Chemistry. I carried out experiments on the effect of confinement and surface chemistry on the crystallization of inorganic materials.

Currently, I am a Research Scientist in the Glass Research department at Corning Inc. in Corning, NY where I work on developing new glass and glass-ceramic materials for technological applications, such as, cover glass for mobile devices.

Favourite thing about EPS:听I thoroughly enjoyed my time in EPS. The sense of community was really fabulous. If I had to choose one thing, it would have to be the fantastic experiences I shared with friends during the many field trips (Willy trips and field schools). These experiences have stayed with me for the rest of my career as a scientist and personal life.

BSc. Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2015听

After graduating from EPSC back in 2016, I picked up a number of odd jobs for the following year, some related to Geology, others not.

In 2017 I attended the Brewmaster program at Niagara College to pursue my dream of one day opening up my own brewery. I am now working as Head Brewer at Welton Brewery in Kelowna. Though it may not seem like it, my Earth Sciences degree prepared me for a career in brewing.

Working as part of a team and being able to problem-solve on the go, skills I honed in the EPSC department and particularly in Field School, are essential to brewing. More than anything, the tight-knit community in the EPSC department helped provide a sense of family that I hope to be able to bring to my work now. Wherever life takes me, I鈥檒l always carry my experiences in EPSC with me.

BSc Geological Sciences, 1982

Following 不良研究所, I completed an M.Sc. at the University of Alberta in stable isotope geochemistry and took a load of groundwater courses from Frank Schwartz and Josef Toth (1983 - 1986). I then emigrated to New Zealand with my wife and spent a year prospecting for gold on the Coromandel Peninsula, looking for epithermal gold deposits. Later I became a staff hydrogeologist with Environment Wiakato (a local government body).听

After returning to Canada in 1989, I worked as a consultant and on contract with the BC Geological Survey before joining the (then) Ministry of Environment as their first-ever regional hydrogeologist in Surrey BC in 1992. After three years, I left government in 1995 and joined the consultant world, where I have remained ever since.

I focused on physical hydrogeology and have had a very successful and fulfilling career working in this field. I have crossed paths with Alex Bath, a Minex grad from 1981, pretty much continuously since 1995, and we spent several years hiking together in the Canadian Rockies outside Calgary, where all the sedimentology and structural courses I took 40 years previously came rushing back. 不良研究所 provided me with a deep and solid foundation for all my subsequent geological adventures. Alex and I routinely bored our hiking companions to death with our drawn out discussions of rocks, depositional environments,听 structural and glacial features we observed.

Currently, I am living and working in Vernon BC, as a technical resource, senior reviewer and mentor to staff at several smaller engineering and environmental consulting companies who need hydrogeological expertise. It is a tough, semi-retirement gig.

Favourite Moments in EPS:听听Hanging out with the Minex Guys - Alex, John Learn, Stephan Lopatka, John Balzic and others. I also remember so many of my class mates and the good times we had in Room 130, back when it was the 'undergraduate office'.

PhD., 1997

After receiving my Ph.D. in 1997, I moved to Toronto to work in a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) company, Andec Mfg. Ltd., to design and produce their concrete and infrastructure NDE equipment. In seven years, I developed three instruments, one patented technique in refractory and furnace non-destructive testing (NDT) and inaugurated their 鈥淚nternational NDT Services鈥� division.

Hatch heard of my work and acquired our patent and IP on the furnace and refractory NDT, so I moved to Hatch in 2004 and inaugurated Hatch鈥檚 NDT Group. Nineteen years later, the group works in all continents except Antarctica, has 11 United States and 54 international patents and is a vital part of Hatch Technologies Practice.

I have also researched at the University of Toronto Civil Engineering Department and Toronto Metropolitan University Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. I have held an Adjunct Professor position at Toronto Metropolitan University for 20 years, providing lectures and conducting research about concrete NDT. I have published over 100 technical articles and a chapter in a blast furnace book. I have also received several awards, but the most significant are the MetSoc Innovation Award in 2018 and CINDE's NDT Innovation Award in 2019.

Favourite Moments in EPS:听Pub Nights!听

BSc. Earth and Planetary Sciences, Minor Geography, 2015

Moved on to a Masters at UofT in Environmental Sciences, then joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a Construction Engineering Officer, where I worked on Base Infrastructure Maintenance and Projects.

Recently, my position has shifted to working with a highly specialized team in the Environmental sector of the military.

Favourite Moments in EPS:听My favourite memories about being an EPS student were the field schools and travel associated with our degree program.

BA Economics and Earth's Environment, 2017

After graduating from 不良研究所 with my BA in Economics and the Earth's Environment (aka Geology and Environmental Science), I took a job at a large environmental consulting firm. The multidisciplinary skills I learned at 不良研究所 set me up very well to multitask, travel easily, meet deadlines, and expand my horizons as a developing professional.

After consulting, I took a job as a trail worker in Salida, CO where I camped for 10 days at a time, building and maintaining trails in the Rockies. Field School 1 at 不良研究所 could not have prepared me more for that adventure.

After my Colorado stint, I came back to New York City. I then started a Master of Science at University of Denver where I focus on Environmental Policy and Management with a concentration in Energy and Sustainability.

Currently, I work for a premier environmental engineering and consulting firm while going to graduate school in the evenings online. I am hoping to work in the sustainability sector after a couple years and move back out to Colorado to fulfill my Western US dreams.

BSc. Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2011

After I graduated, I started working for an iron mine in Fermont. For the first few years, I mainly logged core and managed diamond drills. As the years went by, I got more and more responsibilities and became senior geologist, where my main tasks were to plan and manage diamond drilling programs, supervise the geology department, and do 3D modeling.

After 10 years, I got an opportunity for a much needed change, and took on a role of geologist in the civil engineering business. There, I'm in charge of all the analysis made to ensure the quality of the rocks used in construction, concrete, and roads. That role gets me to learn about Quebec's very varied geology, play with many different lithologies, and reunite with my favorite subject in University, mineralogy, by working regularly with thin sections.

I am very passionate about geology in general and find myself eager to learn new things, so for sure I'll keep exploring different sides of geology in the future!

Favourite thing about EPS:听听So many things!! I absolutely loved the dynamics of the department, the mineralogy classes, field school, field trips, the Willy Trip etc. Teachers were amazing and classes were very interesting.听

BSc. Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2019

After graduating, I went to the University of Toronto to complete an MSc. in Earth Sciences.听

I'm currently working in the Mining Industry as an Exploration Geologist. I'm a full-time employee with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, situated at the Detour Gold Lake mine in Northern Ontario.

Favourite thing about EPS:听I loved all the field courses that were offered. We were able to travel to many different countries. I also loved how the department was small, so we were close to our classmates and professors. Lastly, I realized how my studies at 不良研究所 have made my career a lot easier, as I feel I am well-prepared and knowledgeable in many areas of geology.