Pierre Etienne Banville

Geography master's student in the Faculty of Environment

Tell us a little about yourself, including what inspires you to learn and continue in your chosen field

After practicing as an actuary for nearly 15 years, I decided to make a career change in 2021 to better align my skills with my passion for the environment and my desire to work on solutions to the climate crisis. Therefore, I returned to university to pursue a second degree and I recently graduated with a Bachelor of Environment with a major in Global Environmental Systems from Simon Fraser University. I then decided to pursue a Master of Science in Geography since I am particularly interested in doing research that can enhance our understanding of nature-based climate solutions and inform climate policies.

Why did you choose to come to SFU?

I did my second undergraduate degree at SFU and wanted to pursue my Master's degree under the supervision of Dr. Kirsten Zickfeld.

How would you describe your research or your program to a family member?

I will be using artificial intelligence to better understand how reforestation influences cloud coverage. This will enhance our understanding of the role that reforestation can play as a climate mitigation strategy.

What three (3) keywords would you use to describe your research?

Climate Change Mitigation, Reforestation, Artificial Intelligence

How have your courses, RA-ships, TA-ships, or non-academic school experiences contributed to your academic and/or professional development?

I did two RA-ships during my undergrad at SFU. They have been instrumental in helping me learn scientific research methodology and getting ready for graduate school.

Have you been the recipient of any major or donor-funded awards? If so, please tell us which ones and a little about how the awards have impacted your studies and/or research

I have a received an Undergraduate Student Research Award in the summer of 2023, which has enabled me to pursue research with Dr. Kirsten Zickfeld on nature-based climate solutions. It was a very enjoyable experience and it has confirmed my desire to pursue graduate studies in this field.

Contact Pierre:peb1@sfu.ca