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

More summer students!

Summer field work may be on hold right now because of the drought-related ban on working in the woods, but we can look back on activities already completed! Read about summer research from Dr. O'Driscoll and Spooner here...

Let's talk about money...

Ever wonder about how all the interesting research projects in universities are funded?

Summer students!

Summer research season is in full swing in EES! Students with Dr. van Rooyen are working on a range of projects all over Nova Scotia...

Upcoming Events

Aug

2025

Orientation Week 2025!

Orientation and Welcome Week!

Sep

2025

EES Welcome Back BBQ! 4:30-6:30 @ Godfrey House

Come join us for food, fun, and to welcome new and returning students at Godfrey House, which we have booked from 4:30-6:30 on September 11th!

Sep

2025

Doug Angus - CSEG Distinguished Lecture Tour - 4pm Huggins 336

Doug Angus is VP of Mining at ESG Solutions, a company that provides world class acquisition and data services for real-time rock-mass characterization to improve mine safety and operational efficiency. He studied applied geophysics from Queen’s University, gaining his MSc(Eng) in applied seismology focused on moment tensor inversion of mine seismic data and his PhD in theoretical seismology focused on wave propagation in anisotropic heterogenous. For more than 10 years he worked as an academic in the UK focused on integrating seismology with geomechanics, rock physics and multi-phase fluid flow; as a research associate at Bristol University (2006-2008) and subsequently Associate Professor of Seismic Geomechanics at the University of Leeds (2008-2016). Seismic and aseismic tools for mine safety The energy transition will require more critical minerals and many of these mineral deposits are deep underground, which poses significant safety and technological challenges. Underground mining operations generally encounter adverse stress conditions, and this response can be seismic, either very soon, or after sustained perturbation of the insitu stress over several years. It has been recognized that closely monitoring and characterizing seismic response is non-negotiable for safety underground and therefore plays a key role in the operational success of mining operations. Data courtesy NZP&M While characterizing the rock mass can be as simple as monitoring seismicity rates and locating seismicity, evaluating the source parameters and mechanisms of seismicity, and mapping velocity and attenuation changes in the rock mass can assist in validating designs and adjust mine sequences and rates. Additional seismic-adjacent technologies, such as DAS fiber optic seismic, strain and temperature measurements are also contributing to cost-effective monitoring. Integration of seismicity with geomechanics allows validation and calibration of numerical models, improved understanding of the rock mass response as well as testing of hypotheses.

4pm Huggins 336

Oct

2025

Atlantic Universities Geoscience Conference (AUGC) @ St. Fx - Oct 30th - Nov 2nd

The 2025 AUGC team and the Faribault Earth Sciences Society is excited to host you at St. Francis Xavier from October 30 - November 2.

The Atlantic Universities Geoscience Conference (AUGC) is the oldest geology conference in Canada, with the exception of the Geologic Association of Canada. Every year the AUGC hosts a conference where undergraduate students have the opportunity to present their current work, learn about local geology, meet members of the Atlantic geologic community and make connections that will last a lifetime.

https://event.fourwaves.com/9ff7fcee-d17e-4115-9d9a-98d93a0df787/pages

Feb

2026

AGS Colloquium, Feb 6-7, Truro NS

Truro, NS

6-7 February

Details at https://atlanticgeosciencesociety.ca/

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.