Teaching and Research in Geochemistry and Petrology

Between 1992 and 2007, I specialized in providing isotopic analyses for researchers here in Ottawa as well as at government, academic, and private institutions in Canada, the United States, and elsewhere in the world.  Our laboratory, supervised by Dr. John Blenkinsop, Dr. Sharon Carr, and I, conducts radiogenic isotope analyses of rocks, mineral separates, sulphide minerals, carbonate fossils and groundwater for university, graduate-student focused research, as well as on a contract basis.  We routinely perform Pb-Pb, Sm-Nd, and Rb-Sr determinations on a wide variety of materials, and can determine Pb, Rb, Sr, Sm, and Nd concentrations to a high precision.  We are extremely interested in developing new techniques that have direct application to environmental problems, such as the analysis of Pb in groundwater and lakes or the analysis of organic matter (mosses, trees, wood).  Our research group has considerable experience in Pb isotopic analysis of mine drainage and tracing of sulphide-contaminated waters in surface and groundwater systems.

In addition, I taught several courses at undergraduate and graduate level here and at the University of Ottawa.  I was appointed a Research Adjunct Professor in 1996 and have held NSERC research grants since 1991 (University of Montreal and Carleton University).

As of July 2007, I landed an Assistant Professor position here at Carleton, was promoted to Associate Professor in July 2009, and am now a Full Professor as of July 2017.  This has allowed me to expand my research program, attract more graduate students, and allowed me to teach senior undergraduate and graduate level courses.  The teaching is certainly the most fun part of the job, and I have focused on first-year introductory geology and our fourth-year field camp.

On July 1, 2019, I became Chair of the department foir three years.  It was challenging, with reviews of both our undergraduate and graduate programs in 2020, getting replacement faculty for retirements, and constantly renewing communication lines with faculty, staff, and students.  Of course, the pandemic hit us in March 2020, and most of my time between then and July 2022 involved administrative work.

Now I am enjoying getting back to research work and spending more time with my students.

Photo Credits:  Centre top:  That’s me on the left with my wife Caroline (sitting, right) and friends Robyn and Charles at the Humuhumunukunukuapuaa restaurant on Maui (B. Cousens).  Centre bottom:  Describing volcanic rock textures at the Buffalo Valley volcanic field near Battle Mountain, Nevada, May 2011 (student photo).  Right:  Fumaroles near Lake Myvatn, Iceland.  It’s hard to smile when it’s 4 degrees C with a 50-kph wind! (C. Choquette). 

Lower photos, Blasts from the past!  Top left:  The UCSB volcanology - igneous petrology grad student group on the 1987 Calderas of the Western US field trip with RV Fisher (centre right).  I’m upper row, third from left.   Top right:  At Pisgah Crater in 1989, photo by Art Sylvester.  Lower left: Me with my 1973 Dodge Challenger in 1978.  Lower right:  My current ride, a 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T.