News
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DFO-UVic-UBC underwater glider records unusually warm temperatures on maiden Pacific trip
Wall-e, an autonomous underwater glider operated by Department of Fisheries and Oceans, University of Victoria and UBC researchers, recorded anomalously warm temperatures on its maiden 880 kilometre trip to Station Papa in the North Pacific.
The glider collects valuable data that measures ocean temperature, salinity, deep-water productivity, and tracks oxygen levels, all down to a depth of 1,000 metres. Wall-e has been out during the recent marine heatwave—an expanse of warm water building off the West Coast that stretches roughly from Alaska to California.
Wall-e is one of several robotic gliders that are part of the Canadian-Pacific Robotic Ocean Observing Facility, a CFI/BCKDF-funded project to build autonomous ocean observing capacity off the British Columbia coast. UBC oceanographers involved in leading the project include Stephanie Waterman, Roger Francois and Philippe Tortell.
Read the blogpost from the C-PROOF team:
http://cproof.uvic.ca/deployments/StationPapa.html
Read more about C-PROOF at UBC EAOS:
BRIMM Carbon Sequestration Project Awarded Clean Growth Funding from Government of Canada
BRIMM’s Carbon Sequestration research project, led by BRIMM Director & UBC Professor Greg Dipple, has received $2 million in funding from the Government of Canada as a part of the Clean Growth Program. This project is also supported by Geoscience BC, the British Columbia Geological Survey (BCGS), the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), De Beers Canada FPX Nickle Corp., and Giga Metals Corp. and is a collaboration between the University of Alberta, Trent University and Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS).
The funding was announced on July 23rd, 2019 in Yellowknife, N.W.T. with Director and researcher Greg Dipple present.
In the photo, the carbon dioxide bearing bas is circulated through the pipeline containing reactive tailings. Carbon dioxide is removed from the cas before it exits the end of the pipe. The carbon is captured in the form of a solid mineral precipitate.
Dr. John Ross, former Professor of Geology, has died
Dr. John V. Ross, a Professor in the Department of Geology for over 35 years, died on July 29th 2019, at the age of 91. His obituary can be found here.
John trained at Imperial College London under J.G. Ramsay, and came to UBC in 1956, shortly after completing his PhD. He would spend his entire career here. He was an international leader in the field of structural geology, one of early contributors in deciphering superimposed minor structures that resulted from multiple periods of deformation and the practical use of stereonets in their interpretation. He loved field work and placed great emphasis on field observations and analysis.
He trained generations of geologists and geological engineers who feared but respected his challenging structural geology course. Most came to recognize later in their careers the high level of their learning and were grateful to John.
John was deeply attached to the UBC Geological Field School in Oliver, BC., where he taught throughout his career. At Oliver, he presented the students with an area of multiple deformations in metamorphic rocks that was approached through a field of asparagus. The students enjoyed the asparagus, though some were greatly challenged by the exercise.
In his honour, the Dr. John V. Ross Memorial Field School Fund has been established and is accepting contributions. We offer our condolences to John’s family, friends and colleagues in the EOAS community.
Peter Winterburn, former NSERC/Bureau Veritas Minerals Executive Industrial Research Chair in Exploration Geochemistry, dies in Chile on June 21, 2019
Our former colleague, Peter Winterburn, was killed on Friday, June 21, 11:45 am local time, in Valparaiso Chile, the victim of an attempted robbery. He was 56 years old.
Peter Winterburn was appointed in EOAS in 2014 as the NSERC/Bureau Veritas Minerals Executive Industrial Research Chair in Exploration Geochemistry. Before coming to EOAS, he had worked over 17 years in industry, first for Anglo American and then for Vale. In his 5 years in EOAS, he implemented a widely recognized and successful research program, made significant contributions to industry and student training, supervising 9 M.Sc. students. His research has had impact within the department through pioneering genomic collaborations with Sean Crowe, through foundational copper-isotope work with Dominique Weis and PCIGR, and through the evaluation of the geochemistry of surficial materials with MDRU. His research has changed the methods of geochemical exploration and interpretation used by the minerals industry.
Peter left EOAS at the end of January 2019 to return to industry to work at Vale, based in Santiago, Chile. We send our deepest condolences to Peter’s family and loved ones.
PCIGR hosts the Canadian Minister of Science and Sport
On Friday June 13, PCIGR had the pleasure to host the Honourable Dr. Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, Sports and Persons with Disabilities, accompanied by Dr. Gail Murphy, UBC VP Research. Each team member introduced themselves and described their research. The Minister asked many questions and was very excited about the diverse and wide-ranging research carried out at PCIGR. Prs. Juli Carillo (LFS) and Camilla Speller (Anthro) joined us to discuss their work and collaboration with PCIGR through UBC Research Excellence Clusters. It was a very stimulating experience!
(Left to right: Front row: Kathy Gordon, Kirsty Duncan, Dominique Weis, Gail Murphy, Evelyn Frères, Juli Carillo, Miling Li, Dave Daquioag; Back row: Rhy McMillan, Nicole Williamson, Kate Smith, Vivian Lai, Camilla Speller, Marg Amini).
Photo credit: James Scoates.
EOAS Canada Research Chair Renewals
Congratulations to Sean Crowe and Matthijs Smit for being reappointed as Canada Research Chairs, Tier 2, each for a second 5-year term.
See the UBC and the Government of Canada announcements for further details.