TSE Faculty
Award-winning professors and globally-recognized leaders
Julian Aherne
Associate Professor, ERS
BA, Graduate Diploma (Trinity College Dublin); MApplSc, PhD (University College Dublin)
Research and Teaching Interests
Using models to improve our understanding of pollutants in the environment; in-lab analysis of biosphere components and using the data to create equations as the basis for computer models
Office: ESC B303 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7887 Email: jaherne@trentu.ca
David Beresford
Associate Professor, ERS, SAFS
Cross-appointed with Biology
BSc (Trent); BEd (Queen's); PhD (Trent)
Inaugural Decanal Award for Teaching Excellence in the Sciences Recipient (2022)
Research and Teaching Interests
Role of dispersal in insect and mite populations; stable flies as pests of dairy and beef farms, and insect diversity in the Hudson Bay lowlands; insects that colonize corpses, such as blow flies and carrion beetles
Office: LHS D217 Phone:705-748-1011 x7540 Email: davidberesford@trentu.ca
Kira Borden
Assistant Professor, SAFS
BSc (Queen's); MSc, PhD (Toronto)
Research and Teaching Interests
Investigating the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum in agroecosystems; developing new methods to co-assess plant nutrient acquisition strategies and greenhouse gas emissions; applications for enhancing research and management of more diversified agroecosystems, such as with agroforestry, intercropping, and cover cropping practices. Teaches courses on nutrient cycling and sustainable agriculture.
- Kira Borden on Google Scholar
- Borden Lab Website: kiraborden.com
Office: ESC A114 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7510 Email: kiraborden@trentu.ca
Evan Bowness
Assistant Professor, SAFS
BA, MA (Manitoba); PhD (British Columbia)
Research and Teaching Interests
Critical and community-engaged environmental social scientist studying the prospects for more equitable sustainability transitions in the food system and beyond, primarily in Canada and Brazil; just transitions in food systems; food sovereignty and agroecology; industrial capitalism in settler colonial contexts
Interested in joining the Towards Equity in Sustainability Transitions (“Test”) Lab? Prospective graduate students, please send me a note with your interests and CV.
Office location: ESB A 115 Email: evanbowness@trentu.ca
Mary-Claire Buell
Assistant Professor, beginning July 1, 2023
Cross-appointed with Forensic Science
BSc (Guelph); MSc, PhD (Trent)
Research and Teaching Interests
Investigating the source, fate, transport, and impacts of legacy and contemporary contaminants. Examining the connections between contaminants and environmental justice through transdisciplinary approaches bringing together environmental toxicology, chemistry, and community knowledges
Dr Buell is the founder and CEO of Collective Environmental, a consulting and research firm focused on collaborative approaches to investigating environmental issues impacting Indigenous communities: collectiveEnvironmental.ca
Email: maryclairebuell@trentu.ca
D. Huy Dang
Assistant Professor
Environmental Chemistry Program Coordinator
Cross-appointed with Chemistry
BSc, MSc, PhD (Toulon)
Research and Teaching Interests
Environmental biogeochemistry and analytical chemistry; fate and transport of nutrients, metals, and metalloids; development of analytical tools for emerging contaminants; applications of isotope composition to paleoenvironmental studies and forensic geochemistry
Office: CSB E120 Phone: 705-748-1011 x6364 Email: huydang@trentu.ca
Catherine Eimers
Professor
Associate TSE Director, 2022-
BSc (Toronto); MSc (Trent); PhD (Waterloo)
Research and Teaching Interests
Impacts of climate and land use change on soil and water resources. Teaches a variety of undergraduate courses in Physical Geography, including Water Resources, Soil Science, Applied Geoscience, and Climate Change: the Physical Basis
Office: ESC A142 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7225 Email: ceimers@trentu.ca
Kaitlyn Fleming
Assistant Professor, LTA
BScH (Trent); MSc (Toronto); PhD (Trent)
Research and Teaching Interests
Broadly interested in northern ecosystems and how the environment and humans shape the distribution of animals, with a specific interest in the effects of anthropogenic disturbance. Studied ground beetles in Ontario’s Far North as part of the Far North Biodiversity Project with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Email: kaitlynfleming@trentu.ca
Chris Furgal
Associate Professor, ERS
IESS Program Coordinator
Cross-appointed with Indigenous Studies
BSc, MSc (Western Ontario); PhD (Waterloo)
Research and Teaching Interests
Environmental health risk assessment, management and communication; Indigenous environmental health with focus on Arctic populations; Indigenous knowledge and science for environment and health research; food security and climate change and the health of northern Indigenous communities
Office: GSC 303 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7953 Email: chrisfurgal@trentu.ca
Brendan Hickie
Associate Professor, ERS
Program Coordinator for BESS and ERS
BScAgr (Guelph); MSc, PhD (Waterloo)
Research and Teaching Interests
The study of fate of contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, their bioaccumulation through food webs and particularly accumulation by wildlife such as marine mammals, mink and river otter. Teaches in a range of courses including Natural Science Statistics, Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Ecology
Office: ESC A128 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7623 Email: bhickie@trentu.ca
Stephen Hill
Associate Professor
Director, Trent School of the Environment 2022-
BA, BSc (Queen's); PhD, PEng (Calgary)
Research and Teaching Interests
Energy science, technology and policy; social responses to renewable energy technology; climate change policy and management; environmental risk management and policy, particularly within organizations
Office: ESC B202.1 Phone: 705-748-1011 ext. 7368 Email: stephenhill@trentu.ca
Holger Hintelmann
Professor, ERS
Cross-appointed with Chemistry
Dean of Arts & Science - Science
BSc, PhD (Hamburg)
Research and Teaching Interests
Factors that control the (bio)availability of metals to develop descriptive models predicting their fate in the environment. Instructs several Chemistry and ERS-Chemistry joint courses
- Chemistry Department Profile
- Holger Hintelmann Trent Water Quality Centre Profile
- Holger Hintelmann on Google Scholar
Office: CSB F113 Phone: 705-748-1011 x6143 Email: hhintelmann@trentu.ca
Jean-François Koprivnjak
Assistant Professor, ERS
Coordinator, WASC Program
Director, Instrumental Chemical Analysis Graduate Program (MICA)
BSc, MSc (McGill); PhD (Georgia Tech)
Research and Teaching Interests
Interactions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) with organic pollutants and the effect of climatic change on these interactions; aquatic geochemistry; low molecular weight stable isotope geochemistry; modeling of freshwater DOM concentrations; CO2 gas from boreal lakes. Teaches in a range of courses in the ERS program, including climatic change, water policy, and environmental chemistry
Office: ESC A135 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7512 Email: jkoprivnjak@trentu.ca
Cheryl McKenna Neuman
Professor, Env. Geoscience
Geography Program Coordinator
BSc (Queen's); MSc (Guelph); PhD (Queen's)
Research and Teaching Interests
Process geomorphology; mechanics of sediment transport; experimental fluid dynamics; dust emission and air quality; wind tunnel simulation. Teaches Process Geomorphology, River Environments and Processes, Sedimentary Processes, and Geosystems at the undergraduate level and the Mechanics of Sediment Transport at the graduate level. A ‘hands-on’ approach to learning is emphasized in many of these courses incorporating both lab and field work
- Trent Environmental Wind Tunnel Research Group website
- Cheryl McKenna Neuman on Google Scholar
- Cheryl McKenna Neuman Research Gate Profile
Office: ESC A144 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7307 Email: cmckneuman@trentu.ca
Magali Nehemy
Assistant Professor, ERS
BSc (São Paulo State UNESP); MSc, PhD (Saskatchewan)
Research and Teaching Interests
How forests exploit subsurface water storage; the source and age of transpiration; hydraulic connectivity between transpiration source water and streamflow; hillslope hydrology; isotope hydrology; the impact of land use and climate change on forests and water resources. Teaches Hydrology and Isotopes Tracers in Catchment Hydrology
Office: ESC C125 Phone: 705-748-1011 Email: mnehemy@trentu.ca
Heather Nicol
Professor, Geography
Program Coordinator, Circumpolar Studies Diploma
Director, School for the Study of Canada
BA (Toronto); MES (York); PhD (Queen's)
Research and Teaching Interests
The political geography of the circumpolar North, with a specific focus on the North American Arctic and Canada-US cross-border relations, tensions, geopolitical narratives and mappings of power and sovereignty; the history of circumpolar geopolitics in relation to globalization, security, environment, and polar governance
Office: ESC B307 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7107 Email: heathernicol@trentu.ca
Neil Osborne
Assistant Professor (LTA)
BSc (Trent); MA (Ohio); PhD (York)
Research and Teaching Interests
Econarratology; empirical ecocritism; environmental communication; climate change communication; transmedia storytelling; photojournalism; and photography. Teaches courses in environmental and climate change communication; environment and politics; environmental science and studies; and human geography
Email: neilosborne@trentu.ca
Anne Pasek
Assistant Professor
Cross-appointed with Cultural Studies
Canada Research Chair in Media, Culture and the Environment
BA (Alberta); MA (McGill); PhD (New York)
Research and Teaching Interests
How people communicate about the social challenges and material complexities of global warming, particularly as they concern the carbon cycle; the prospects of low carbon research methods across the social sciences and humanities; infrastructure studies; science and technology studies; ICT and energy. Teaches courses on environmental media, digital culture, and the politics of climate change
Email: annepasek@trentu.ca
Roger Picton
Associate Professor, Geography
BA (Trent); MA (Carleton); PhD (Toronto)
Research and Teaching Interests
Fieldwork and experiential learning; planning and urban waterfronts; brewpubs and post-industrial redevelopment; critical and practical perspectives on urban life. Teaches courses in human geography: urban geography, urban planning, urban environments, and the geography of beer
Office: ESC A120 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7571 Email: rogerpicton@trentu.ca
Raul Ponce-Hernandez
Associate Professor, ERS, Env. Geoscience, Geography, SAFS
BEng (National School of Agriculture Mexico); MSc (Autonoma Chapingo); PhD (Oxford)
Research and Teaching Interests
Climate change impacts modeling on agriculture, forests and water resources; design of adaptation options; GIS/ Remote Sensing modeling for watershed management and natural resource planning. Teaches courses in GIS at the introductory and upper undergraduate levels, soil management and integrated watershed management
Office: ESC B304 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7646 Email: rponce@trentu.ca
Ian Power
Associate Professor
Environmental Geoscience Coordinator
Canada Research Chair in Environmental Geoscience
BSc, PhD (Western Ontario); PGeo (ON)
Research and Teaching Interests
Geochemical and mineralogical processes relevant to addressing environmental challenges, particularly carbon dioxide removal, an emerging field in geosciences ripe for scientific inquiry and technological advances. Teaches Field Methods in Environmental Geoscience and Earth Materials. Visit PowerGeolab.com for more information about research and teaching
Office: CSB E114 Laboratory: CSB F110 Phone: 705-748-1011 x6257 Email: ianpower@trentu.ca
Stephanie Rutherford
Associate Professor, ERS, SAFS
BA (Toronto); MSc (Guelph); PhD (York)
Research and Teaching Interests
Animal studies; nature and nation; political theory and the environment; environmental justice; human-animal relations. Teaches courses in environmental ethics, environmental politics, and animal studies
Office: ESC B302 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7187 Email: srutherford@trentu.ca
Mark Skinner
Professor, Geography
Dean of Arts and Science - Social Sciences
Canada Research Chair in Rural Aging, Health and Social Care
BA (Laurier); MA (Guelph); PhD (Queen's)
Research and Teaching Interests
Health, rural and social geography; qualitative methods and community-based research; rural aging and rural gerontology; aging rural communities. Courses in human geography, qualitative methods, rural community sustainability and community-based research
Office: ESC B315 Phone: 705-748-1011 x6142 Email: markskinner@trentu.ca
Andrew Tanentzap
Associate Professor
Canada Research Chair in Climate Change and Northern Ecosystems
BSc, MSc (York); PhD (Cambridge)
Research and Teaching Interests
Solutions to protect biodiversity, drinking water, and carbon sequestration from environmental change, with a specific focus on how land use and climate warming alter the movement of organic matter from land into water and thus the health of freshwaters; how species evolve in response to short- and long-term environmental change
Email: atanentzap@trentu.ca
Karen Thompson
Associate Professor, ERS
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Coordinator
BSc (Western Ontario); PhD (Guelph)
Research and Teaching Interests
Role of soil microbial communities in ecosystem functioning, including SOM stability and GHG fluxes; microbial measures as biological indicators of soil health; functional resilience and recovery of soil microbial C- and N-cycling communities to agricultural management, industrial disturbance, climate change, and land use change
Office: ESB B301 Phone: 705-748-1011 x6756 Email: karenthompson@trentu.ca
Autumn Watkinson
Assistant Professor, ERS
BSc (Ottawa); MSc (Laurentian); PhD (Alberta)
Research and Teaching Interests
Restoration ecology; land reclamation; plant and soil recovery post-disturbance; novel approaches to facilitate revegetation; development of Anthroposols; habitat restoration for species at risk; prairie ecosystems; boreal ecosystems. Teaches Restoration Ecology and Reclamation & Remediation of Sites
Office: ESB A118 Phone: 708-748-1011 Email: autumnwatkinson@trentu.ca
Shaun Watmough
Professor
Director of TSE 2017-2022
BSc (Liverpool Polytechnic); PhD (Liverpool John Moores)
Research and Teaching Interests
Ecosystems response to environmental stress; impacts of acid rain, climate change, nutrient depletion, forestry and metals on forest and lake ecosystems; long-term catchment scale programs; short-term laboratory isotope tracer experiments
Office: ESC A133 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7876 Email: swatmough@trentu.ca
Susan Wurtele
Associate Professor, Geography
BSc (Trent); PhD (Queen's)
Research and Teaching Interests
Feminist and cultural geography; participatory citizenship. Teaches a range of courses including human geography and upper year courses on urban environments and feminist geographies. Classes are dynamic involving small group seminars and opportunities for field work and alternative assignment structures
Office: ESC B306 Phone: 705-748-1011 x7454 Email: swurtele@trentu.ca