PhD 2001
Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and NSERC/Rio Tinto Industrial Research Chair in Climate Change and Water Security at the University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.
1. What was your area of study (Atmospheric or Oceanic sciences)? Could you describe in a line or two your research/ area of interest while you were studying at McGill?聽
Atmospheric science. My area of interest during my doctorate degree was on the role of blowing snow on the hydrometeorology of the Mackenzie River Basin in northwestern Canada.
2. Looking back, what do you value most about your studies at Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences at McGill?
There are many aspects of my doctorate degree that I particularly value including the exceptional mentoring by McGill faculty members and their colleagues/collaborators, access to state-of-the-art computational facilities, the large cohort of peers and the camaraderie that developed over the course of my graduate program, and interactions with many other students across campus and at other nearby institutions.
3. How are you applying your degree in Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences from McGill?
My doctorate degree led me into the academic world and I am now a full professor in the environmental science program at the University of Northern British Columbia. I teach several courses in atmospheric science (e.g. synoptic and boundary layer meteorology) and mentor graduate and undergraduate students in research on weather, climate and hydrology.
4. What advice would you give to someone considering graduate studies in Atmospheric or Oceanic Sciences at McGill?
McGill provides a unique setting to undertake a graduate/undergraduate degree in atmospheric or oceanic sciences. It can be a challenging environment at times given the demands of the program; however, hard work, dedication to your program, and support from and to your peers can provide an outstanding educational and personal experience that you will carry for the remainder of your life, irrespective of your career path.
(Jan 2020)