Celebrating student summer research
Let's hear it for our students!
Jara de Hoog works with Dr. Cohen and describes their summer work below.
"I spent the summer researching the politics of Nova Scotia's Climate Change Plan. I am interested in what kinds of climate solutions the Plan promotes: are they more individualist and technological, or collective and social/behavioural?"
Jesse Demaries-Smith works with Dr. Snyder and describes their work below.
"This summer I began my research on my Master’s project which involves mapping the evaporites and limestones of the Windsor Group in Nova Scotia. I also assisted Dr. Snyder and Tilda Hughes with measuring sinkholes at Irishmans Road Recreation Site."
Yuzhe Gan worked with Dr. Barr this summer and describes his summer work below.
"I was taking pictures and documenting the rock thin sections from the department collections. Also, I was identifying minerals and estimating minerals percentage under the petrographic microscope."
Tilda Hughes worked with Dr. Snyder and describes their field work below.
"This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to travel from England to join Dr. Snyder's research group studying evaporite-related sinkholes in Hants County. Now, after 138 sinkholes, 1 million mosquito bites, and a strange blue Styrofoam head, I can officially consider myself a sinkhole pro."
Mitch Maracle works with Dr. Spooner and describes his field work below.
"This summer I was fortunate enough to work in vineyards across the Gaspereau Valley, where I collected soil samples using a split spoon auger. These soil samples will be analyzed for total elements and compared to each of the vineyards unique geomorphic locations."
Hayley Newell works with Dr. O’Driscoll and describes their field work below.
"My research this summer was focused on methylmercury and total mercury concentrations in Hawaiian invertebrates and soils, as well as assisting with ongoing Brier Island sampling and research. I was involved in completing all the lab work and planning related to the Hawaii project, and will hopefully be presenting a poster on my work at AUGC in the fall!"
Noah Reynolds works with Dr. van Rooyen and describes his summer work below:
"Completing a Geology Honours Thesis at Acadia University has taken me to all corners of the province, doing the work that I love, with those that are just as crazy about rocks as me."
André Saragoça works with Dr. O’Driscoll and describes their summer work below.
"Water samples from Black River Lake were collected at depths ranging from 1m to 11.5m for lake profiling and Hg(0) analysis focusing on pH, temperature, and Hg(0) concentration. Photoreduction rates of multiple regions of the lake were quantified using a photoreactor with UV-A bulbs to measure any depth-related changes in photoreduction reaction rates."
Holly Turner works with Dr. O’Driscoll and describes their summer below.
"I’m studying methylmercury (MeHg) in Big Meadow Bog on Brier Island, NS. With the increasing demand for hydroelectric power, it’s important to understand how flooding and reservoir creation may impact mercury cycling in aquatic ecosystems. Methylmercury is a neurotoxin and can cause severe health issues in humans if it’s excessively consumed through things like contaminated fish."