Department of Geography and Earth and Environmental Science

My research interests include environmental governance and the application of GIScience to humanitarian crises and human rights issues. My work on environmental governance focuses on land and property rights in the context of environmental conflicts and peacebuilding. My GIScience research focuses on developing capacities of and methods for organizations working on human rights monitoring and documentation of war crimes and crimes against humanity. As an eductor, I also engage in research on open education for environmental science and geographic education

Credentials:
PhD, Geography, McGill University

www.greengeographer.com

Google Scholar Profile

Current Research Focus:
Recently, I have been researching sustainable urban planning and design, focusing on the use of GIS in urban planning. In particular, I have been studying how to better support active transport use in mid-sized cities, such as Kelowna, B.C.

Past (and on-going) Research Areas:
Studying the role of women in the subsistence and artisanal fisheries of the Republic of Vanuatu.
Studying the impact of scuba diving on the ecology of the Great Barrier Reef

Related Work Experience:
Field researcher for CUSO and worked for Vanuatu’s National Library and Cultural Centre.
Established a GIS geographical database for the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, and conducted fisheries participation research for CUSO.
Established a GIS database for a Development Index project regarding potential placements of retirement communities for the Redland Shire, Queensland, Australia
 

Credentials:
PhD (ABD), Geography and Environmental Resource Management, University of New South Wales
MSc of GIS, Geography and Environmental Management, Ulster University
MSc, Geography and Natural Resource Management, James Cook University
BA, Geography and Environmental Studies, McGill University

I love teaching geography, especially face-to-face, but online is good too. I have travelled extensively in the Arctic, East Asia, South America, Australia, Europe, and Africa, and try to incorporate those experiences into my courses. I am a volunteer firefighter and first responder, and collect old maps. My wife and I have have two dogs (golden doodles). We all enjoy camping and getting out.

Credentials:
PhD, Environmental Science, University of East Anglia
MSc, Geographic Information Science, Birkbeck College, University of London
BSc, Geography, University of Wales, Swansea

My past research activities have generally revolved around anything to do with water: from predicting snowmelt runoff in the Albertan Rocky Mountains to evaluating human impacts on fish migration along British Columbia waterways. My formal training is in both physical hydrology (PhD) and aquatic biology (RP Biol, P Biol) which has allowed me to undertake a wide variety of research and consulting projects throughout my academic and professional careers. As a hydrologist, my focus has largely been on how forest-cover changes by clear-cutting and fire influence snowmelt runoff and downstream water resources across western Canada. Over time, I have been increasing able to wear both my hydrologist and biologist hats as an environmental scientist to assess how changing water flows further affects downstream aquatic ecosystems, with particular focus on impacts to salmon, mussel, and other important animal populations. This has allowed me to consult on a number of environmental projects assisting First Nations, agriculture and industry to better identify and manage their impacts on freshwater wildlife.

So far at Okanagan College I have had the opportunity to teach various courses in the EESC/GEOG Department. I particularly enjoy teaching introductory physical geography as these courses cover a broad range of topics, with everything from tornadoes and glaciers to earthquakes and volcanoes. When teaching, I emphasize that students maintain a “big picture” approach by viewing Earth as one large inter-connected system, which is intended to help students better contextualize the course material and not become lost in all the information presented. It’s my hope that students will use this approach to continue learning about the physical environment throughout their lives and that this provides them with a greater appreciation of the natural world.

I first joined Okanagan (University) College in 2001 and taught intermittently in both the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Arts. I currently teach courses on Introductory Physical Geography (Geog 111 Climate and Vegetation, Geog 121 Land and Water) and the Geography of Beer (Geog 255). I am intrigued by the intersection of climate change and limnology. My research interests include landscape use pertaining to agriculture and cycling. When not teaching, I’m exploring the roads and trails of the Okanagan on foot and bicycle (including the BC Ale Trails) and volunteering at ParkRun, often while drinking coffee.

Credentials:
Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, Technische Universität München
PhD, Biology, University of Victoria
M.Sc, Biology, Simon Fraser University
PBD, Pedagogy, Simon Fraser University
B.Sc, Biology, Simon Fraser University
Dipl. Technology, Chemistry, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology

I am a college professor in the Department of Geography and Earth and Environmental Science and based in Kelowna. I am an ecologist with a particular interest in forest ecosystems and their management.  I have done research on forest vegetation in British Columbia, Quebec and the Maritime provinces, and I strive to continue learning about the rich biodiversity across Canada and beyond.  I teach courses in Environmental Science, Biogeography, Soil Science as well as Forest Science.  Outside of teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband, son and daughter and we love downhill skiing, hiking, camping and just spending time outdoors exploring our natural world, especially here in the Okanagan.

I am a professor in the Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science at Okanagan College in Penticton. My formal education includes a B.Sc. in Geography from the University of Victoria, a M.Sc. in Physical Geography from Simon Fraser University and a Ph.D. in Hydrology from the University of Alberta. I have conducted research and taught about a wide range of topics including soils, snow, streams, surficial geology, terrain stability, weather and climate and terrestrial ecosystems. In my off time, I spend time with family skiing, mountain biking and hiking across our beautiful B.C. landscapes.

Credentials:
PhD, Hydrology, University of Alberta
M.Sc, Geography (Soils), Simon Fraser University
B.Sc, Physical Geography, University of Victoria

Google Scholar Profile

I am passionate about social and environmental sustainability. Teaching first year human geography gives me the honour of introducing students to the discipline of geography and provides many opportunities to share ideas and plan for a brighter future for the planet and humanity.

Credentials:
PhD, Environmental Studies, York University
MA, Environmental Values, Lancaster University, UK
BSc, Animal Biology, University of British Columbia

I am a college professor at Okanagan College, teaching Physical Geology, Historical Geology and Physical Geography. Previously, I worked as a field geologist with a wide range of experience in mineral exploration, mine development and oil/natural gas drilling. As a lecturer, I have also taught Structural Geology course, and Tectonics and Orogenesis course at UBC Okanagan.

Credentials:
PhD, Geology, University of Western Ontario