Welcome
The Earth and Environmental Science Department offers three programs leading to degrees in Environmental Science, Geology and Environmental Geoscience at the B.Sc. level, and Geology and Applied Geomatics at the M.Sc. level. We are strongly committed to field and laboratory studies and our classes and field schools take advantage of the stunning natural setting of Nova Scotia. Small personalized classes, engaged faculty, and world class research facilities are hallmarks of our programs. Our graduates are exceptionally well positioned to take advantage of the ever increasing demand for scientists trained in Earth and Environmental disciplines.
DEPARTMENTAL NEWS
Students visit Paleontology lab
A short article in the Halifax News relates the fun two school students had when they visited Peir Pufahl's lab last Christmas. "[Dr.]Pufahl
gave us a private tour of the laboratories and his own classroom
showing us fascinating specimens of animals, minerals and fossils. We
looked through microscopes at incredibly thin slices of igneous and
sedimentary rocks which were surprisingly beautiful in polarized light.
The latter teemed with signs of ancient life in the form of minuscule
clams and brachiopods." See the full story at http://www.halifaxnewsnet.ca
20 January 2012
New book by Nelson O'Driscoll
Congratulations to Nelson and co-editors Guangliang Liu and Yong Cai on the release of their text "Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury", published by Wiley. The book explains the environmental behaviour and toxicological effects of mercury on humans and other organisms, and provides a baseline for what is known and what uncertainties remain in respect to mercury cycling. The chapters focus on the fundamental science underlying the environmental chemistry and fate of mercury. Comprised of four parts that present an overview of mercury in the environment, mercury transformations, transport, and bioaccumulation and toxicology, each chapter of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury includes the basic concepts of the targeted subject, a critical review of that subject, and the future research needs. This work will be invaluable to a wide range of policy experts, environ-mental scientists, and other people requiring a comprehensive source for the state of the science in this field.
ISBN: 978-0-470-57872-8 - available from Wiley also as an ebook
8 January 2012
Fletcher Club visits Pioneer Club
On 10 November, members of the Fletcher Geology Club participated in the Kentville Salvation Army Pioneer Club activities, taking their expertise to identify rocks collected by the Pioneers, and showing them some of their own collections. Here Amy, Kacper, Kevin and Raya wield the tools of the trade, while the Pioneers display meteorites and fossils.
16 September 2011
E&ES Students Lead Charge in Loney Bowl
Congratulations to Kyle Graves,
Stu Clow, Kirby Fletcher, Nabil Shawwa and the rest of the Acadia Axemen
football team, the 2011 Subway Loney Bowl champions! Kyle, the AUS player of the year, rushed for
3 touchdowns and was 12-of-16 passing for 170 yards in the Axemen’s decisive 39
to 20 win against the Saint Mary’s Huskies.
Stu led the air by catching 4 passes for 96 yards. Way to go guys! We’re proud of you and all of our varsity
athletes.
14 November 2011
ESSO Morton Centre Trip
This past weekend ESSO (Environmental Science Student's Organization) visited the Morton Centre, the department field research station, located near Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The trip was a success, introducing new students and reacquainting old ones with the property and the vision of the Morton Centre and in the spirit of Halloween a pumpkin was carved too!
Standing with the pumpkin: Nicole, Dewey, Erin, Randal and Drake
31 October 2011
Seasonal sights in Huggins halls
Encountered late on Friday afternoon on the third floor were Jack and Sally, preparing for a night haunting town. Rumour has it that Drake and Amy were involved in this charade.
28 October 2011
Congratulations to Dewey and Mariella - double winners at the AUGC
Ten senior students attended the 61st Atlantic Universities Geoscience Conference, held 20-22 October 2011 in Memorial University, St. John's, NL. After a Meet & Greet session and the CSEG Challenge Bowl on Thursday night (and no doubt a first visit to George St.), the conference participants took part in field trips to various parts of the Avalon Peninsula, including Signal Hill, Bell Island, Flat Rock and (via the core lab) the Jeanne d'Arc Basin. Saturday was the conference proper, with 17 papers and 4 posters presented. Winner of the Poster Award was Mariella Nalepa, an honours student in Geology at Acadia, for a poster on "Investigation of the form and age of the Bloody Creek Crater, southwestern Nova Scotia", and winner of the APICS (Science Atlantic)-NSERC Award was Dewey Dunnington, honours in Environmental Science, for his paper on "Tracking Late Holocene Environmental Change at Long Lake, New Brunswick-Nova Scotia Border Region, Canada".
Acadia students at the AUGC: Kacper, Amy, Allie, Dewey, Christianne, Mariella, Drew, Vince, Raoul and Andrew.
[Click on photo for larger image.]
25 October 2011
Visiting student, Aranzazu Bulnes
Aranzazu Bulnes Beniscelli,
a graduate student at the Universidad de Chile, Santiago is visiting the
department for the month of October to learn about and undertake the
lithogeochemical aspects of her M.Sc. thesis. Aranzazu is co-supervised by Dr.
Cliff Stanley (Acadia) and Dr. Brian Townley (Universidad de Chile), and is
studying the geochemistry, mineralogy, fluids, timing, and genesis of early,
dark, micaceous (EDM) veins within the Radomir Tomic porphyry copper mine. Her
study area located just north of the famous Chuquicamata copper mine in the
Atacama desert, Chile, and is supported by Corporacion
Nacional del Cobre (CODELCO). Join us in saying 'Hola' to Aranzazu!
12 October 2011
Acadia students attend 2011 IMPACT
Monica Reed and Kelli Armstrong, two students in Environmental Science, recently attended the 2011 IMPACT sustainability conference in Guelph, Ontario. Monica writes:
"The 2011 IMPACT Sustainability Conference was an
incredible weekend full of learning, engaging, and connecting. It was an
educational and empowering event that I will draw inspiration from throughout
the course of my life. The conference metamorphosed my views on sustainability,
shedding light which has allowed me to see the feasibility of sustainable
societies. I learned about business, and social sustainability, areas I have
not focused on much previously. I was also able to share my knowledge
pertaining to environmental sustainability, as well as enhance it. The
speakers, academics, and industry professionals contributed hugely to the
success of the conference. I would have to say that the most inspiring aspect
of the conference was connecting with the other 164 attendees. Gathered
together was a group of young people from across Canada who all share my
passion for the natural environment and sustainability within our society.
Seeing others who are so devoted and successful, each in their own right, was
truly lifting. We now have a cross country network of peers which we can all
look to for advice, ideas, and inspiration."
Read Kelli's news release and her comments about IMPACT 2011.
1 October 2011
Paul Hoffman, Huggins Science Speaker 2011
The Department was honoured to host Dr. Paul Hoffman as the 2011 Huggins Science Speaker. Dr. Hoffman has worked at the Geological Survey of Canada, the University of Victoria, and Harvard University, and now lives in Victoria. His expertise ranges from extensive mapping of the Canadian Shield, to international field work where he has unravelled the story of the Precambrian Snowball Earth, to most recently investigations into the history of Geology, surrounding the discovery of Ice Ages. He presented a riveting lecture on the Snowball Earth to an audience of about 150 in Huggins Science Hall on 26 September, and thoroughly researched lecture on the 19th century Diluvian Controversy to the department on 27 September. Made possible by the estate of Charles Huggins, graduate of Acadia, and eminent medical researcher, and recipient of a Nobel Prize, the Huggins Science Seminar is offered each year and rotates around disciplines in the faculty.
28 September 2011
Fletcher Club crosses the Minas Channel
On 16-18 September, the Fletcher Club, led by Kacper Halama and Rob Raeside, ably assisted by Andrew Fage and Christiane Theriault visited the breath-taking shores of the Parrsboro side of the Minas Channel, and the Joggins outcrops at Chignecto Bay. In spectacular warm and sunny weather we enjoyed the beaches and sea-stacks at Wassons Bluff and Clark Head, not to mention the breccias, conglomerates, gypsum veins, gneiss and basalt, before visiting the magnificent outcrops of mud-cracked and ripple-marked sandstone at West Bay:
Fletcher Club group photo under the ripple marks at West Bay (click to see the ripple marks)
Most of the group joined Christianne and Dewey who performed at the River Hebert community singalong on Saturday night, before retiring to prepare for an early tide-sensitive start at Cape d'Or, which was serene in the early morning sunlight with a calm-as-a-millpond ocean. The remainder of the trip took us to Joggins, where we got the full two-hour tour by Christiane from the clam coal south of the visitor centre to the Lepidodendron log jam to the north, followed by a tour of the museum as well as behind the scenes. It was a perfect weekend for a visit to some world-famous localities. Watch the video by Drake Tymstra on this field trip.
19 September 2011
Fletcher Club hike to Cape Split
Students in Earth and Environmental Science participated in a hike to Cape Split. In brilliant clear weather they enjoyed the trail, with spectacular views at the point. Here the assembled crew cooperated for a group shot.
[full size photo available here]
Excitement ensued when the Canadian Navy decided to pay a visit. The helicopter came by, landed right by the group, out jumped the pilot to photograph them (wonder who they were looking for?), and took off again:
12 September 2011
Click here for our older events archive.
Upcoming Events
31 January, 2012: SIFT applications due to Dr. Raeside
3-5 February, 2012
Atlantic Geoscience Society annual colloquium, Delta Beauséjour Hotel, Moncton, New Brunswick. For more information
8-9 February, 2012
Virtual Career Fair, organized by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council, in
partnership with the PDAC. If you're interested in a career
in mining, this fair will let you can connect virtually with exploration and
mining employers across Canada. More information and registration form at http://www.mineralexplorationminingvirtualcareerfair.ca/
15-16 February 2012
Canadian Blood Services - Blood Donor Clinic, Acadia University, Fountain Commons Great Hall, Wolfville, Nova Scotia. This event is sponsored by the Geology Fletcher Club. Call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) to book an appointment. For more information
2-4 March 2012
Science Atlantic Environment Conference, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick. Information will be posted at http://scienceatlantic.ca/committees/environment/envconferences/
21 March 2012
GAC Hutchison Medal Lecture Tour - Speaker: Anton Chakhmouradian, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg. Title: "Carbonate Magmas, Plate Collisions and ‘Vitamins for the Industry’"
Location: Huggins Science Hall, Room 336 12:30 p.m.
3-9 May 2012
CIM conference, Edmonton, Alberta. Conference website: http://www.cim.org/edmonton2012
27-29 May 2012
GAC-MAC Conference, St. John's, Newfoundland. Conference website: http://stjohns2012.ca
24-29 June 2012
V.M.
Goldschmidt Conference, Montreal, Quebec. The 22nd Goldschmidt™
conference will focus on the Earth in Evolution. For more information