For over 30 years, Acadia has run a Senior Geology Mapping Field School at St Anns, Cape Breton Island. This field school has been a vital component in ensuring that Acadia University’s Earth and Environmental Science Department provides its students with the opportunity for hands-on experience that is essential in becoming productive and successful geologists. It has been said that “the geologist’s laboratory is in the field”, and Acadia’s Senior Geology Mapping Field School, provides an outstanding natural laboratory for field instruction.
Geology graduate and former member of Acadia's Football team, Stuart Venables (BScH, ’99), gave a generous matching gift to Acadia University’s Senior Geology Mapping Field School. His gift has helped provide some of those students without the necessary financing, the opportunity to attend.
In speaking with Stuart he had this to say about his contribution to Acadia University’s Senior Geology Mapping Field School:
“Geology field school is a very important part of a geologist's training. Seeing, mapping and understanding what has been taught to you over the years in the classroom really comes together when you're out in the field. I'm happy to help provide the opportunity for future geologists to attend these field courses, as the benefits are immeasurable. With the rising cost of education, this is an experience that fewer and fewer students are able to take part in. However, it is a crucial part of their development and I sincerely hope that proper funding can be put in place to ensure all geology students have the opportunity to attend future field schools.” |
Stuart is presently a geologist with the BC Oil and Gas Commission, and has worked in a variety of industry and government situations since he left Acadia. He has been involved in the exploration for hydrocarbons, by gathering information, using this information to map out trends in the subsurface, and then making proposals to drill these locations in hopes that they’ll encounter economic amounts of oil and/or natural gas. He not only directly credits the knowledge he obtained from his BScH in Geology at Acadia University to assisting in his successful job performance, but to the reason he was hired in the first place.
For more information about Acadia University’s Senior Geology Field School please visit this page.
If you’re interested in giving a gift please contact the Office of Advancement, Acadia University by phoning (902) 585-1459 or email advancement@acadiau.ca
(Back to Cycle of Opportunity)
|