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“How do geochemists study the chemical composition of earth? How do geochemists better our understanding of the earth's interior, natural resources, climate change, human impacts on the environments, and hazards like earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes?”

Dr. Dominique Weis is a professor in the UBC Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia and Canada Research Chair in the Geochemistry of the Earth's Mantle. She was interviewed in The Blue Hour radio show of UBC CiTR, a dialogue about life, literature, science, philosophy, and everything in between. Check out the podcast here:

Dr. Weis is a renowned leader in the application of trace elements and radiogenic isotopes analysis. Her research focuses on the distribution of elements and isotopes in Earth systems with an emphasis on the use of abundances and isotopic ratios in defining the source and evolution of igneous rocks, the interaction between different reservoirs (mantle, crust and atmosphere) and the role of tectonic settings. Her analytical insight has enabled new discoveries into Earth systems such as mantle plumes and hotspot volcanoes. Through the analysis of a wide range of materials such as honey, salmon, or belongings, her expertise allows the opening of new lines of research into health, local pollution/food security, and archeology/Indigenous-led studies.

Francis is a geoscience education specialist in Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at UBC. Before that, he spent 10 years teaching geophysics and supporting geophysical inversion research and technology transfer with the UBC Geophysical Inversion Facility. In 1987 he completed an MSc in geophysics and glaciology, then worked for 12 years as a professional geophysicist in instrumentation, mineral and geotechnical exploration, glaciology, and oil/gas well-logging. Currently, he focuses on developing interactive learning strategies for distance and classroom learning with the current emphasis on renewal of quantitative courses and curriculum in the Earth sciences. Recently, he completed 2 years as coordinator of the curriculum development partnership that built a 22-course curriculum for the University of Central Asia’s (UCA) Earth and Environmental Sciences BSc degree program currently being taught at UCA’s campus in Khorog, Tajikistan.

Annie Borch is a PhD student in volcanology, currently working with Dr. Kelly Russell at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. She is interested in how volcanic eruptions can affect landscape evolution, and, in turn, how paleoenvironmental conditions such as glaciation impact volcanic eruption styles. Her current research focuses on understanding the volcanic history of extensive Quaternary basalt lava flows in the Whistler, BC area, and how they can be used to reconstruct paleovalley systems prior to and after the Fraser Glaciation. Before joining UBC, Annie completed a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences at Quest University Canada, and a Geographic Information Systems program at BCIT. She also worked in the exploration industry as a field geologist, and as a science writer and illustrator for the Sea to Sky Fire & Ice Aspiring Geopark in Whistler, BC. She has a passion for communicating science and is fascinated by how people understand and interact with the dynamic landscapes that surround them.

Pablo is a geoscientist with B.Sc. (from the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos) and M.Sc. (from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) degrees in Geology, and a Ph.D. degree in Geological Sciences from the University of British Columbia. He has worked in Brazil, the United States and Canada. In his early career he worked on subsurface geological mapping using seismic data, and estimation of rock petrophysical properties from core and borehole log measurements. During his Ph.D., Pablo researched the textural, geochemical and petrophysical properties of mudstones in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, as well the reconstruction of thermal maturation history in the basin. He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow and a sessional lecturer at the University of British Columbia.

AGU (American Geophysical Union) Fall Meeting is the most influential event in the world dedicated to the advancement of Earth and space sciences. Every year, AGU Fall Meeting convenes >25,000 attendees from 100+ countries to share research and network. Researchers, scientists, educators, students, policymakers, enthusiasts, journalists and communicators attend AGU Fall Meeting to better understand our planet and environment, and our role in preserving its future. It is a results-oriented gathering rooted in celebrating and advancing positive individual and collective outcomes. This year, #AGU21 will be held at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and available online from 13-17 December.

The Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (EOAS) has been playing an active role at AGU. We'd like to inventory the presentations involving EOAS at AGU this year. Please find the schedule below for time, authors, presentation titles and links. 

Monday, 13 December 2021

Tuesday, 14 December 2021

Wednesday, 15 December 2021

Thursday, 16 December 2021

Friday, 17 December 2021

Jasmine Chase is a master’s student in geochemistry, currently working with Dr. Dominique Weis at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science. Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, she started her move westward with Alberta where she completed her undergraduate degree in Geology at the University of Calgary in 2020. Living close to the mountains and the prairies she developed a love for ancient ocean sediments and a fascination for how they’ve ended up today at the top of the Rockies. Now in British Columbia, her work has shifted to focus on modern oceans, specifically: applying geochemical metal analyses to fish from the nearby Pacific Ocean, in collaboration with the UBC Institute of Oceans and Fisheries, to learn about metal sources in the environment. Beyond just her own research, Jasmine is a keen supporter of interdisciplinary cooperation and breaking down stereotypes about the Earth Sciences that keep people from the discipline.