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 Colin Whitfield
Taking advantage of the “opportunity to work with world class researchers”, Colin Whitfield came to Trent in 2003 to begin his graduate studies. First completing an M.Sc. in Watershed Ecosystems, Colin has now also completed a Ph.D. at Trent in the newly named Environmental & Life Sciences program. As a Trent graduate student for the last six years, Colin has been an active and participatory member of the University community. He participated in soccer and volleyball intramurals, was involved with the Graduate Students’ Association and served on the Board of Governors. He is also the co-founder of the THB Symons Seminar Series on Graduate Student Research, a series that has become famous amongst Trent’s graduate students and faculty. The series, a unique forum that promotes interaction among graduate students from different disciplines and the wider Trent and Peterborough communities, encourages the exchange of ideas, offers graduate students a diverse audience, and allows students to begin thinking about the importance of their work in a broader societal context. “The Symons Seminar Series is valuable to Trent on a number of levels,” Colin explains. “I gained a tremendous amount through my involvement with this initiative. Organizing the series tested the limits of my abilities and also helped me develop new skills. The interaction with faculty and supporters of the series has been particularly valuable.” Originally from Coquitlam, BC, Colin completed a B.Sc. in Environmental Science at Simon Fraser University in 2002. He finished his M.Sc. at Trent in 2005 and stayed to pursue his Ph.D. under the supervision of renowned Trent professors, Drs. Julian Aherne and Shaun Watmough. “I consider myself to be a conscientious and hard working individual,” Colin says. “I strive to maintain a balance between friends and family and work, which is centred around one of my passions – the health of the environment.” Colin’s Ph.D. research in ecosystem biogeochemistry uses models to asses the potential acidification of forest soils and lakes in northern Alberta resulting from elevated levels of atmospheric pollution due to industrial activities associated with the Oil Sands. Working at Trent, and with Drs. Aherne and Watmough, has also presented Colin with excellent research opportunities. “I have been able to participate in field work in Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Ireland,” he says. “I’ve also been able to attend international conferences in Austria, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and the US, and numerous conferences and workshops across Canada.” He has caught the travel bug from his experiences abroad, and now that his Ph.D. is complete, he looks forward to more travel adventures. Other plans for the future include continuing his current research in Alberta and pursuing additional research interests. Colin’s long-term goals include continuing to conduct research that has direct relevance for policy makers and will impact our environment for the better. Reflecting on his time at Trent, Colin says he will miss the University and the people he has met here. “My time at Trent has been a period of tremendous growth in my life,” he says. “In particular, I value the skills I have gained, the opportunities my research has provided and the friendships I have developed.”
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Coquitlam, British Columbia