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We are pleased to welcome Dr. Hal Bradbury, who started his position as Assistant Professor at EOAS this January. Scroll down to watch our interview with Dr. Bradbury!

Q: Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself?

HB: I'm a chemical oceanographer and technically, a marine isotope biogeochemist. I did a geology-based undergraduate program in Earth Sciences at Imperial College London. In my Master’s study, I focused on carbonate sedimentology by looking at stable isotopes in carbonates and phosphates. During my Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge, I used a range of isotope systems, including calcium isotopes, to look at the global carbon cycle and started to get interested in the biogeochemistry side—the interaction between life and the carbon cycle itself. I worked on ocean sediments and how they interact with the overlying ocean, and I continued developing that area during my postdoc including utilising numerical techniques, such as reactive transport modelling and machine learning, along with field and lab studies. I am interested in finding out how we can use isotope tracers and combine them with modelling to learn more about modern and ancient Earth processes.

Q: What is your favourite part when working on these research topics?

HB: I like developing research tools and finding new applications. One of the greatest things about specializing in calcium isotopes in my Ph.D. was that I could apply it in a whole range of different environments. I have applied it in lake and marine sediments, hydrothermal systems, as well as microbial cultivation-related projects. I think if you have a good understanding of a research tool, you can apply it to many areas which can lead to interesting insights and research projects.

Q: What do you consider your major contributions or accomplishments so far?

HB: When I started my Ph.D., I got to set up the lab at Cambridge to measure calcium isotopes, including setting up an HPIC (high-performance ion chromatography) to separate calcium and a TIMS (thermal ionisation mass spectrometer) to measure the isotope ratios. These experiences not only gave me an understanding of the back-end workings of how these measurements are made, but also led to lots of collaborations. I got to work with researchers from many institutions to solve a variety of problems, which opened my eyes to how collaborative science can be. My other major accomplishment would be getting funding and positions. I was very fortunate to get a four-year NERC Independent Research Fellowship straight out of my Ph.D., which was an invaluable opportunity to explore my research interests and decide on the direction I wanted to go. Also, getting this position at EOAS is exciting as it allows me to continue developing my research and teaching interests.

Q: What research topics are you excited about now?

HB: I’m excited about carbon cycling in the sediments and how they link to the overlying ocean. We understand that the carbon cycle is key to controlling the Earth’s climate, and that the main sink of carbon from the surface to solid earth is in the oceans, where it is deposited as carbonate minerals and inorganic carbon on the seafloor. What I'm interested in is what happens to this carbon once it's deposited: it could either just be preserved as it was deposited, or it can be broken down by a series of different microbial reactions. These interactions control what form the carbon is stored in and whether it is released back into the ocean. There are also lots of other elements involved in these processes, which can be either released or consumed, influencing geochemical cycles on a global scale.

I want to use my expertise in stable isotope tracers to look at carbonate mineral precipitation and dissolution. I will also use carbon and oxygen isotopes to look at the organic side of things and magnesium isotopes to look at silicate reactions occurring in the sediments. I will also use numerical modelling to fully understand the processes controlling the isotope signals.

Q: What topics do you enjoy teaching?

HB: I enjoy teaching chemical oceanography and a broad range of earth science. I am going to teach Introductory Oceanography in September and Chemical Oceanography and Marine Geochemistry in January. By understanding the chemistry of the oceans, you get exposed to important questions including how the climate works today, and how ocean sediment can be used to reconstruct the climate of the past.

I also really enjoy teaching geology in the field. I've done quite a lot of field teaching and I recently went to Bamfield to observe the course Methods in Oceanography in preparation for teaching it in the future. I think students get a chance to see the scale of geological and oceanographic processes in the field, which can be hard to grasp in lecture-based learning. Additionally, spending quality time with lecturers, researchers, and experts will provide the students with different experiences from a purely lecture-based course.

Q: What are the most important things you hope students can come away with in your class?

HB: The most important thing I hope the students come away with from my courses is the interconnectivity between different areas of study. If someone wants to understand past conditions of the Earth, they need to learn about what happened in the past ocean, but also what happened in the atmosphere and sediments. I hope that over the course of a degree, students can understand how different modules are linked with each other and be able to piece together an overall picture of the global environment.

Q: What drives you to EOAS?

HB: What I really like about EOAS is how interdisciplinary the department is. There are researchers in many different areas and lots of opportunities for great collaborations. I can see myself collaborating across the whole department and working with oceanographers, isotope geochemists, geologists, and numerical modellers. Also, I like the ability to conduct oceanographic fieldwork around here, like in the Strait of Georgia and at Bamfield, as well as the great lab facilities including the PCIGR. I also value the combined focus on both excellent research and new teaching methods, such as the great support provided by the department for undergraduate and graduate teaching.

Q: What are your short-term and long-term goals at EOAS?

HB: My short-term goal is to set up the lab with a range of isotopes, get to know the department, and start looking for research students. In the longer term, I look forward to building up my research team and getting into my teaching here.

Q: Would you like to share some fun facts about yourself?

HB: I like being outdoors. One of the great things about coming here is the amazing scenery, with the mountain backdrop behind the city and I am really looking forward to going out camping and hiking in some of the wilder parts of BC and up into the Rockies. I’ve previously spent a month camping in the Rockies and some of the national parks there, like Jasper and Yoho. I also enjoy being out on the water, both for fun and for work. I have done a lot of rowing, sailing and a bit of kayaking, so I look forward to seeing some of the amazing coastlines around here and exploring the water.

Last Wednesday, the department colloquium had a special program on "Fresh bites of Antarctic field work". EOAS faculty members Anais Orsi, Evgeny Pakhomov, and Philippe Tortell presented their expeditions in the Antarctic in the last few months and Christian Schoof introduced the potential of Canada’s Antarctic program.

Dr. Pakhomov led a team to study the influence of Salpa thompsoni, a gelatinous zooplankton that partakes in one of the largest migrations on Earth, on the marine carbon cycle. Dr. Orsi travelled to some of the coldest and windiest places on Earth to investigate how strong winds shape Antarctic ice sheets and collected million-year-old ice cores to study the record of Earth’s climate. Dr. Tortell boarded an alumni cruise as a study leader to conduct oceanographic research and deliver science lectures focusing on interactions between the Southern Ocean and Earth’s climate.

Visit this one-stop page to watch our interview with the scientists and learn more about their research in the Antarctic: https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/news-events/news/1667545200

Elise is a PhD student in Atmospheric Science at the University of British Columbia. Her research is in hydrometeorology and seeks to understand the relationships between extreme rainfall events, flooding and climate change. Specifically, her research aims to develop an improved methodology for estimating probable maximum precipitation and probable maximum flood using a coupled atmospheric-hydrological model and machine learning.Originally from New Zealand, Elise completed her Bachelor's Degree at TheUniversity of Waikato in Agribusiness and Earth Science before completing a Masters inEnvironmental Management at Massey University. Elise has also worked as a consultant hydrologist where she learnt many of the modelling skills she applies to her research today.

Dr. Erik Eberhardt is a Professor of Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia, and the Director of their Geological Engineering program. He is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan’s Geological Engineering program. His expertise is in the integration of geology, geotechnical monitoring and numerical modelling to better understand the underlying mechanisms responsible for complex rock mass responses to engineering activities. He was the Associate Director of the Rio Tinto Centre for Underground Mine Construction and is currently helping to lead the International Caving Research Network (ICaRN). Erik is a registered professional engineer with EGBC and consults on international projects in North and South America, Australia, Europe and Asia. He is a past recipient of the CGS’s John A. Franklin Award for outstanding technical contributions to rock mechanics and rock engineering, and Thomas Roy Award for outstanding contributions to engineering geology.

Raveen Kaur Sidhu, a Senior studying Microbiology and Oceanography at the University of British Columbia, was awarded the prestigious Brooke Owens Fellowship and will intern with Space Capital this summer. The Brooke Owens Fellowship is a nationally-acclaimed nonprofit program recognizing exceptional undergraduate women and gender minorities with space and aviation internships, senior mentorship, and a lifelong professional network. Raveen was one of 47 students selected internationally this year and one of three Canadians selected over the fellowship’s six years of existence. Scroll down to watch our interview with Raveen!

“I had my first impression of space when I was about seven years old and my mom took my brother and me to watch the Hubble IMAX movie. We saw all those unreally beautiful galaxies that felt like coming at us,” said Raveen. As she grew older, she fell in love with space and had several related research and outreach experiences, such as looking at a dark matter detector and its algorithms at SNOLAB and presenting at conferences on STEM outreach, particularly, in space, “because I hope that there are more structured programs for students in the future.”

When talking about what she thought made her stand out from almost 1,000 applicants worldwide, Raveen said that it was owing to her outreach and leadership experience. One of the most impactful experiences for her was the time when she led a STEM outreach program about a space-themed escape room for youth at the University of Manitoba. She has also joined the International Astronautical Space Congress and attended several conferences in the past. “I think I was able to show that I have the curiosity for space, a skillset for space outreach, and the passion to give back to my local community,” said Raveen.

The combination of Microbiology and Oceanography has helped her pursue a career in aerospace, said Raveen. “It gave me a great lens of framework to understand how life can persist in extreme environments, which is relevant to space research despite not being directly related.” She was also thankful to the professors in both departments who offered advice to her on how to get involved in research and to stand out as an applicant. Additionally, both majors have helped her acquire technical skills, such as programming, which is useful for data analysis in aerospace studies, and science communication skills.

Raveen said that she was very excited about interning with Space Capital, which was one of her dream internships for its emphasis on multidisciplinary backgrounds and its focus on space technology investments. Raveen said it was her microbiology and oceanography background that informed the Space Capital team on starting a project on applications and investment of oceanographic satellite s, which is right at the intersection of her degree.

The Brooke Owens Fellowship celebrates its ongoing mission and legacy of disrupting the historical gender imbalance in the aerospace industry. When talking about feelings of being part of women in science, Raveen said she was blessed with a great representation of women in science in the EOAS department. “I have always been inspired by the women scientists in our department. When I got a little uncertain about what I’m doing, they always empowered me and helped me improve my skills in scientific research and science communication. We have so many great scientific role models in the department, who are approachable, patient and supportive.”

Raveen also provided her advice to students who want to get involved in the space industry. “Even if you think your program and skillsets are not matched enough to the space industry, remember it is the passionate, curious person who is willing to learn that is powerful. Get involved – join the Rocket club, join the satellite club, take a look at conferences even if you're not presenting, and talk to people, who would love to point you to opportunities to get involved in space.”

Those of us in Vancouver two summers will vividly remember the heatwave that peaked in late June 2021 when the city experienced the hottest temperatures on record. Following the aftermath of the heatwave, which included catastrophic wildfires, rapid glacier melt and resulting flooding, crop failure, and mass marine life death, a group of interdisciplinary researchers from the Dept. of Earth Oceans and Atmospheric Sciences came together to analyze the conditions that created the heatwave and its consequences. This week their findings were published in Nature Communications and currently featured as Editors’ Highlights for the Top 50 Climate Change Impacts articles recently published.

The article, ‘The unprecedented Pacific Northwest heatwave of June 2021’ outlines the atmospheric conditions which led up to the heatwave event. Their work evaluates the power of weather models to predict such extreme weather events and summarizes the impacts the heatwave had across several sectors of life in affected areas of British Columbia. The article highlights the importance of understanding the connection between climate change and the frequency of such extreme weather events. The authors encourage applying the lessons learned during the recent heatwave to increase preparedness and reduce vulnerability to future such events. 

Dr. Rachel White and all co-authors behind the paper

This collaborative study was born out of a seminar organized by the study’s lead author, EOAS assistant professor Rachel White. Seminar participants had so many thoughtful questions, the group decided to pool their expertise across various fields to answer their questions and summarize their findings, resulting in the recent publication coauthored by a number of faculty and graduate students across the department.

Watch our interview with Dr. White: