Welcome to EES!

Earth and Environmental Science at Acadia offers programs leading to B.Sc. degrees in Environmental Science, Geology and Environmental Geoscience, and M.Sc. degrees in Geology, Environmental Science and Applied Geomatics.

Departmental News

MTRI Conference 2025

EES students and faculty attended the annual conference of the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute...

AUGC 2025

EES was well-represented at AUGC 2025, held at St. FX on October 30 – November 1.

Welcome Back BBQ

It was that time of year again, the annual Welcome Back BBQ for EES students, staff, faculty, and friends!

Upcoming Events

Feb

2026

AGS Colloquium, Feb 6-7, Truro NS

Truro, NS

6-7 February

Details at https://atlanticgeosciencesociety.ca/

Feb

2026

Dr. Roger Paulen GSC (HSH336) (4:00 pm - 5:00 pm)

Mineral Dispersal Trains in a Modern Glacial Context
Roger C. Paulen, Research Scientist
Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada

Glaciation has resulted in deposits of metal-rich till down-ice from mineral
deposits that are much larger exploration targets than their bedrock sources.
An understanding of the complexity of ice-sheet dynamics is essential to
interpreting the dispersal patterns in till and successfully searching for
mineralized sources. Exploration for mineral deposits combines indicator
mineral methods and geochemical studies of recovered heavy minerals to
provide information on mineral deposit types and potentially the deposit
location. Drones and LiDAR have also become important tools for exploration
in glaciated terrain. This presentation will review how these approaches are
being applied to a variety of mineral deposit types with an example from
southwest Nova Scotia.

Feb

2026

Dr. Cees van Staal, Harrison McCain Seminar (HSH336) (11:30 am - 1:00 pm)

Principles of plate tectonics and their application to orogenic research

This talk is a short introduction to plate tectonic theory, which is a process that occurs only on earth and as far as we know nowhere else in our solar system. Plate tectonics governs earth topography, tangential movements, and earth cooling; it maintains a habitable planet by regulating the long-term carbon cycle. It is important for every discipline in earth sciences and humanity in general. One could say that the theory of plate tectonics revolutionized geoscience, which was mainly a descriptive historical science, into a more powerful hypothesis testing-based science of our planet. Evidence shows that plate tectonics is mainly a top-driven process, not governed by contentious mantle plumes, with a strong and dense lithosphere subducting into the underlying asthenosphere. Ridges form as complementary passive up-wellings of the asthenosphere. Convection mainly controls earth cooling. Processes such as subduction initiation occur regularly with ~ 70% being successful. They generally form near boundaries with strong compositional lithospheric contrasts and need zones of weakness with compression across them. The general characteristics of arcs, forearcs, and backarcs, and the nature of deformation and metamorphism associated with the various tectonic settings are discussed.

Dr. Cees van Staal is an Emeritus Scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada based in Vancouver, Originally from the Netherlands, he came to Canada in 1980 to complete a PhD at the University of New Brunswick. Dr. van Staal joined the Geological Survey of Canada in 1985 and worked widely in Canada and internationally. He is recognised worldwide as a leading authority on the geology and tectonic evolution of the Appalachian mountain belt in eastern North America and its continuation as the Caledonian mountain belt in Europe, as well as on the past global distribution of continents, and on the processes of mountain building associated with arc accretion and continental collision. He has published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and geological maps. He also has presented numerous invited and keynote lectures all over the world and is known for his stimulating and innovative ideas and interpretations. He has received various awards in recognition of his contributions, culminating in the Geological Association of Canada’s Logan Medal in 2019, the top award in Canadian geoscience. His current research is focused on understanding the operation of Earth systems during construction of the supercontinent Pangea from 650 to 300 million years ago. His visit to Acadia and collaboration with Acadia faculty and students in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science is supported is supported by a Harrison McCain Visiting Professorship awarded to Dr. Deanne van Rooyen.

Mar

2026

Science Atlantic Environment Conference (SAEC) @ Acadia - March 13th-15th

The 2026 SA Environment Conference (SAEC) is to be held at the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre in Wolfville Nova Scotia.

Visit the website here for more information.

Mar

2026

Honours Presentations 4pm-6pm HSH 336

Join us on Friday March 27 4-6 PM for our honours students presentations!

Huggins Science Hall room 336.

Food will be provided.