EASC News & Events

We would like to congratulate Sarah Aufrère for recieving the People's Choice award at the SFU Faculty of Science Heat of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition!

Sarah is studying how to utilize the past behaviour of Mount Meager, in order to predict future behaviours. She is focusing on very small crystals that conserve deep pre-eruptive information and chemical gradients that can be used as time capsules through petrological and chemical investigations. 

You can go support Sarah at the SFU Finals, on April 3rd, 12:30 - 2:30pm at the Big Data Hub (ASB 10900).

The European Geosciences Union (EGU) has named the 52 recipients of next year’s Union Medals and Awards, Division Medals, and Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Awards.

Congratulations to Dr. Gwenn Flowers on being awarded the 2024 Julia and Johannes Weertman Medal by the European Geosciences Union! This prestigious recognition highlights her outstanding work in glaciology. The Julia and Johannes Weertman Medal is bestowed upon individuals who have made significant scientific contributions to the study of the cryosphere on Earth or elsewhere in the solar system.  

We are delighted to announce that Dr. James MacEachern has been honored with the prestigious Raymond C. Moore Medal for Paleontology by the Society for Sedimentary Geology. This accolade is bestowed upon individuals who have notably advanced the science of stratigraphy through extensive research in paleontology, evolution, and the employment of fossils in paleoecological interpretations. The award is a testament to Dr. MacEachern's exceptional work and dedication in the field, illuminating not only the past lifeforms that once roamed the Earth, but also the environmental contexts in which they lived.

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Brent Ward, P.Geo., FGC, FEC (Hon) has been honored with the Westerman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Geoscience. This esteemed award is conferred upon individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the field of geoscience, combining academic prowess, public education, and industry involvement. For over 25 years, Dr. Ward has been an exemplary figure in making geoscience both accessible and understandable to students, while actively participating in public education and volunteer work in the industry.

The Westerman Award serves as a recognition of Dr. Ward's multifaceted contributions to the field. He has not only excelled as an educator but has also been a valuable collaborator in research projects and an active volunteer in geoscience-related industry activities. His dedication to public education is particularly noteworthy, demystifying complex geoscience concepts for the layperson. 

One of Canada’s leading authorities on earth sciences and natural hazards, professor emeritus John Clague has been shaking things up in media since 1974. He continues to be a valuable, trusted source, and is often the first scientist to reach out to the Communications & Marketing media relations team when disaster strikes anywhere in the world.

Since being featured in the 1997 Discovery Channel documentary on earthquakes and tsunamis on the west coast of Canada, he has been quoted internationally by such publications as The Guardian and Washington Post. Domestically, his comments often appear in leading news media including the National Post, CBC, Global News, CTV, Radio Canada and The Globe & Mail. Most recently, Clague has been in the media as reporters cover the earthquakes and ongoing recovery in Turkey and Syria. In the last three years, he’s been mentioned close to 900 times by various media and has given countless radio and TV interviews.

Clague was invested in 2020 as an officer of the Order of Canada for his national contributions to environmental earth sciences and the study of natural hazards, which prompted an increase in planning for future disasters in Canada.  

Many British Columbians are well-versed in earthquake drills and have likely weathered a few significant storms and floods in their lifetime, but how aware are they about the hazards posed by a possible volcanic eruption?

This is the question researchers at Simon Fraser University's Centre for Natural Hazards Research are trying to answer through an online survey open to B.C. residents age 18 and older. 

Simon Fraser University (SFU) Earth Sciences Professor and Chair Glyn Williams-Jones has studied major volcanoes all over the world. His research supports climate change adaptation and resilience by helping Canadian communities understand and prepare for specific climate-related threats. He is one of many SFU researchers working with partners on a community centred climate innovation. Recently, he and his team have been studying the potential hazards of an active volcano close to home.    

Ariel Greenblat, from the Groundwater Resources Research Group, was a recipient of the Contaminated Sites Approved Professionals (CSAP) Society Graduate Scholarship. Ariel’s research will focus on groundwater contamination of nitrate due to heavy rain events in the Alouette River Watershed, BC. The CSAP Society is a self-regulating professional society mandated by the BC Environmental Management Act. They represent the best interest of government, industry, and citizens by providing sound advice on regulatory policy in BC. They are recognized as a leader and catalyst for innovative, value-driven approaches to improving land and water quality for the beneficial use of all.

Congratulations to the Costal Hazards Research Lab (Stephen Barlett, Louise Riou and Anthony Giang) recipients of the 2022-2023 Quaternary Research Center award (QRC).

The Quaternary Research Center (QRC) was founded in 1969 by Lincoln Washburn and is the oldest interdisciplinary center at UW and one of oldest Quaternary centers in the country. Since its inception, the QRC has been a hub of interdisciplinary research, drawing together UW faculty, students, associates, and visiting researchers in the study of everything from tectonics to climate, hydrosphere to ecosystems, and human evolution/adaptations to environmental impacts over the past 2.6 million years.

March 31st, 2022 is going to be our Earth Sciences Research day and we are pleased to reveal the 2022 SFU Earth Sciences Research Day schedule. This is a great opportunity for you to present your research findings, practice your presentation skills, share your research with peers, and even have the chance to win awards.

For more information please contact Courtney Onstad

Check out the recent Science News story on Jessica Pilarczyk's research in the Greater Tokyo Region, containing evidence for an earthquake from 1,000 years ago.

Congratulations to MSc student, Rebecca Canam - the 2021 recipient for the Mary-Claire Ward Geoscience Award!

Our very own John Clague has been named an Officer in the Order of Canada! Click here to read the SFU News story.

Shahin Dashtgard has been named the Geological Association of Canada's 2020 W.W. Hutchison Medalist - Congratulations!

The Engineering Institute of Canada announced that Doug Stead has received the 2019 John B Stirling Medal for "leadership and distinguished service at the national level by members of EIC Societies".  Congratulations, Doug!

Check out the latest edition of "Risky Ground", the CNHR newsletter. Past issues can be found here.

Take a look at "Mr Meager" with recent PhD grad Gioachino (Gio!) Roberti