Researchers
Sytle Antao
Mineralogy, including crystal chemistry, crystallography, and mineral physics. Study of materials under ambient and non‐ambient conditions using state‐of‐the-art experimental techniques, including research at national and international synchrotron and neutron facilities.
Benoit Beauchamp
Basin analysis of Northwest Pangea basins (Sverdrup, Western North America, Barents Sea), thresholds, critical transitions and state shifts in earth systems, carbonate depositional systems and diagenesis. Research projects integrate surface and subsurface data acquired from a variety of disciplines, such as stratigraphy, petrography, carbonate microfacies analysis, micropaleontology and geochemistry to understand the nature and origin of basin subsidence, basin fills and energy resources.
Edwin Cey
Field, laboratory and numerical studies of hydrologic and hydrogeologic processes. Quantifying near‐surface water movement, including preferential flow dynamics in the vadose zone, groundwater‐surface water interactions, and the associated migration of contaminants (dissolved and microbial). Water resource management.
Christopher Clarkson
Advanced core and cuttings analysis of low‐permeability rock, unconventional reservoir rate‐transient (production data) analysis, and enhanced oil recovery in unconventional reservoirs.
Jennifer Cuthbertson
Petrography, mineral chemistry, and geochemical studies of igneous rocks. Investigation of extrusive and intrusive magmatic processes, use of major, trace element, and isotope geochemistry to theorize tectonic setting. Analysis of magmatic mineral deposits through thin section description, electron microprobe, SEM, ICP‐MS, etc. Particular areas of interest include the geology of British Columbia and the impact of geological exploration and mining on communities in the Canadian Arctic.
Jan Dettmer
Quantitative study of Earth's structures and processes that can only be probed remotely through the inversion of geophysical data, and developing computational methods to truly understand Earth's data information content. Core interests are in the area of seismology include processes that govern earthquake rupture at all scales (from microseismic fractures to megathrust ruptures that cause tsunamis), and how seismic waves from earthquakes and other sources can be used to resolve earth structure at various scales including resolving the structure of earth’s crust, mantle and core.
Glenn Dolphin
Main areas of research focus on how the use of the historical development of geologic concepts can be used to teach both geology content and about the nature of science, and how the use of metaphors, both scientific and teaching, can influence how students learn geologic content. Also interested in the development concrete experiences including the use of models for helping to teach abstract geologic concepts.
Alex Dutchak
Biostratigraphy, biogeography, and evolutionary relationships of Palaeogene vertebrates with a particular focus on mammals. Investigating relationships between patterns of faunal and paleoecological change and paleoclimatic conditions. Students construct their own data sets through collection, preparation, identification and interpretation of micro/macro fossils.
David Eaton
Studies of induced and natural earthquakes as well as microseismic monitoring of hydraulic fracturing well completions. Investigating improved techniques to process and interpret passive seismic data, including integration with other geomechanical and geophysical observations. Techniques involve development of computational algorithms together with seismic theory and careful observations.
Eva Enkelmann
Studies of the rise and decay of mountains, interaction between tectonics and climate driven surface processes. Using geo and thermochronology methods including fission track dating, UTh/He and U‐Pb dating for understanding patterns of rock deformation and exhumation, sedimentary record of tectonic processes, structural geology and landscape evolution.
Robert Ferguson
All quantitative aspects of geophysical imaging and inversion with specific interest in the built environment. I collaborate with the City of Calgary through the University of Calgary Office of the Urban Alliance for a free exchange of city data between myself and industry partners. Undergraduate student projects related to urban seismicity and gravitation are available now.
Milovan Fustic (adjunct)
Advancing petroleum exploration and development concepts, reservoir characterization tools, as well as addressing phenomena in Earth’s history. Investigating relationships between multiple constituent subsystems of the Earth/basin/reservoir and their products through space and time. 5G approach: geology, geophysics (qualitative), geochemistry, geomodeling and geomicrobiology.
Jennifer Galloway (adjunct)
Pollen, spores, and algae (palynomorphs) that are preserved in sediments, peatlands, and rocks (Upper Paleozoic to recent) are used to reconstruct ancient climates, environments, and vegetation. Refining geological time scales (biostratigraphy).
Marius (Dan) Georgescu
Paleontology and micropaleontology and their industry applications. Specializations in Mesozoic and Cenozoic foraminifera; Paleozoic and Mesozoic Charophytes.
Edward Ghent (faculty professor)
Metamorphic petrology, geochemistry, igneous petrology, determinative mineralogy.
Hersh Gilbert
Interest in seismology and earth structure. I utilize signals from earthquakes to examine crustal and upper mantle structures associated with regions of active and ancient tectonics. The settings that I am currently investigating include the Canadian Cordillera, cratonic basins, zones of intraplate deformation, and geothermal fields. My research includes digital time series analysis and signal processing.
Masaki Hayashi
Research in the field of physical hydrology. My research projects generally combine detailed field observations and experiments with mathematical analysis. Major topics of current research are: alpine hydrogeology; groundwater recharge in the prairies; interaction of groundwater with lakes, rivers, and wetlands; and hydrogeology of springs.
Charles Henderson
Studies of paleontology and stratigraphy of late Paleozoic and Triassic rocks in outcrop and in the subsurface. Projects involve investigating conodont biostratigraphy and evolution, reconstructing depositional environments, global biogeography, the end‐Permian mass extinction and recovery, and the development of the geologic time scale.
Alan Hildebrand
Themes: asteroid geology and asteroid searching, Impact craters, cratering, ejecta layers. Meteorites and fireball investigation. Environmental effects of large impacts.
Stephen M. Hubbard
I am interested in clastic sedimentology and stratigraphy, including applications to the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons. My students and I combine numerous approaches to our work, including: (1) lithofacies and stratigraphic architecture analysis in core and outcrop, (2) paleoecologic reconstruction of ancient sedimentary environments through trace fossil analysis, (3) wireline log and 3-D seismic interpretation, (4) sequence stratigraphy, and (5) provenance studies. My research group is active in numerous parts of the world, including the Western Canada Cordillera (Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan), and the Magallanes Basin of Chile.
Brandon Karchewski
Forward modelling of geophysical surveying problems such as seismic reflection, ERT, gravity and GPR using numerical techniques such as finite differences and finite elements. Parameter inversion using gradient‐based (e.g. Newton‐Raphson) and non‐gradient‐based (e.g. genetic algorithm, Monte Carlo) techniques. Geomechanical modelling including continuum‐based plasticity models and particle‐based discrete element modelling.
Stephen Larter
Head of PRG with potential research opportunities in environmental geochemistry with applications in oil spill assessment, forensics and remediation; Paleoenvironmental studies (reconstruction of climate and other global variables); development of advanced petroleum systems analysis tools; energy transition research (alternative energy vectors for clean fossil fuel use; alternative vectors for carbon storage), geoengineering; innovation and technology development projects.
Rachel Lauer
Bridging the gap between geophysical observations and measurements (e.g. seismological, geodetic, temperature, pressure data) and the fundamental processes that govern the production and movement of subsurface fluids. My areas of expertise include developing meaningful predictive models of fluid flow, subduction zone hydrogeology, and more recently, using electrical resistivity to monitor gas migration in the subsurface.
Don Lawton (faculty professor)
Research interests include acquisition, processing and interpretation of multicomponent seismic data, seismic anisotropy, integrated geophysical and geological studies in complex geological settings, and in advancing monitoring methods for the geological storage of CO2.
Bernhard Mayer
Head of the Applied Geochemistry group (AGg) that conducts chemical and isotopic analyses on water, rock and gas samples to trace water, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur‐containing compounds in surface and subsurface environments. Research topics range from geochemical aspects of shale gas development, geologic CO2 sequestration, in‐situ oilsands production, to groundwater protection. The goal of my research is to reduce environmental impacts during responsible resource development.
Rudi Meyer
Studies of provenance, depositional settings, and diagenesis of siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. Investigating linkages between characteristic diagenetic processes and products with relevant fluid reservoir properties e.g. porosity, permeability. Applying descriptive methods to outcrops, core, thin-sections, and analytical tools e.g. SEM, XRD, petrophysical logs.
Rajeev Nair
Research focused on understanding the evolution of the crust and in particular the origin and evolution of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Experimental and field‐based investigation on various aspects of magmatic systems including the origin of magmas through melting experiments, geochemical differentiation of magmas, understanding of emplacement conditions of igneous bodies. I am interested in supervising projects that involve field mapping in igneous and metamorphic terranes, and application of mineral and whole‐rock geochemistry.
Dave Pattison
Pure and applied metamorphic petrology; metamorphosed or metamorphenic ore deposits; Cordilleran evolution (combined petrology, structure, geochronology, thermochronology).
Per Pedersen
Petroleum geology with a focus on sedimentary processes, depositional settings, sequence stratigraphy, geological reservoir characterization and petroleum systems of clastic systems. Research commonly integrates several data sets like cores, thin sections, well logs, porosity and permeability, SEM, XRF, drones, production data.
Ann Quinney
Paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstruction using fossil soils and amber. Methods of investigation include outcrop and core descriptions, thin sections description, stable isotope and bulk geochemical analyses, CT scanning and other imaging techniques.
Cathy Ryan
Field‐based research in groundwater quality, groundwater dissolved gases (including geysers and fugitive methane around petroleum wells), prairie mud‐mounds, groundwater‐surface water interaction and source water apportionment in eastern slopes rivers.
Dan Shugar
Geomorphology and Earth surface science primarily in glaciated landscapes and the Canadian north. Methods include high-resolution topographic mapping, Quaternary field mapping, and geomatics (GIS, remote sensing).
Marc Strous
Studies of microbial communities of alkaline soda lakes and their use in bioenergy production. Microbial transformations in subsurface environments. Applications of metagenomics and metaproteomics in microbial ecology.
Daniel Trad
Signal processing‐inversion for seismic data with emphasis on computer implementation and High Performance Computing (HPC). Multidimensional data processing and interpolation, least squares migration and full waveform inversion. Applications of quantum computing to geophysics.
Benjamin Tutolo
Aqueous geochemistry and reactive transport processes throughout Earth's crust, including projects examining sediment deposition in alkaline lakes, CO2 storage and diagenesis in sedimentary rocks, and seafloor hydrothermal processes. My overarching goal is to distill simple, cause‐and‐effect relationships out of complex Earth systems using a range of characterization, experimental, and modelling techniques. Techniques include x‐ray tomography, diffraction, and spectroscopy, electron microscopy and microprobe, neutron scattering, and various chemical techniques to characterize solids.
Darla Zelenitsky
Research related to the paleobiology of dinosaurs. Studies of the evolution of characteristics and associated behaviors through the dinosaur lineage to birds. Description and analysis of fossils to understand and interpret these traits in the dinosaur lineage.
Christian Viau (Adjunct)
Sedimentological, geochemical, petrophysical and petroleum studies of carbonate and siliciclastic rocks. Reservoir characterization and subsurface mapping for exploration and economic evaluation and exploitation of WCSB hydrocarbons. Expertise with Swan Hills, Slave Point, Fort Vermilion, Leduc, Nisku, Banff, Bakken, Nordegg, Montney, Cardium, Notikewin and Viking formations and hydrocarbon plays.