The WISE NL - Statoil Speaker Series is a regularly scheduled event, open to the public and designed to tell the story of women’s contributions in science and engineering. The series features notable women who speak on science and engineering related topics and who complete the narrative with personal perspectives.
When
Wednesday March 25, 2015 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM NDT
Contact
Vesna Kerezi, Speaker Series CoordinatorWISE NL
864-2484 or 727-7883
speaker.series@wisenl.ca
"Rock stories of careers in geoscience" with Alana Hinchey and Melanie Irvine
Stories in the Rocks - A Geologist’s Journey
Dr. Alana Hinchey
P. Geo., Dept. of Natural Resources
My career path has led me to public geoscience where I work for the Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador. Geoscience data has many different uses and helps industry, government, research agencies, and the general public to make informed decisions related to the Earth sciences. I enjoy the flexibility that comes from being involved in a wide variety of projects.
Having grown up in a rural small town in the Yukon, field work has given me the opportunity to travel and to explore unique places including the North coast of Labrador, the Article circle of Nunavut, and the interior Mountains of British Columbia. My research focus is on the tectonic history of the earth, and our province serves as a natural laboratory that teaches us how mountains are built and destroyed over millions of years. I played a critical role in the implementation of handheld computers for all data acquisition in the field. This has revolutionized the way we capture data. I have also been involved in exploring different ways to communicate geoscience; including the creation of a multi-platform mobile app that highlights the building stones of downtown St. John’s.
My parth to becoming a coastal geographer
Melanie Irvine
Department of Natural Resources 
Melanie Irvine, Project Geologist with the Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Natural Resources, will present on her research on the coastal geomorphology of Newfoundland and Labrador. She will describe how coastal areas are changing, which areas are at risk to flooding, erosion and slope movement, and what we may be able to expect in the future under changing climatic conditions. She will describe examples of how geoscience data can aid in the decision-making process in coastal environments.
Melanie will also highlight some of the key experiences of her career, describing the path that took her from growing in a coastal community in British Columbia to working at the Geological Survey in St. John’s. She will share some lessons learnt and mentors that are shaping her career path, and discuss the importance that flexibility, teamwork and communication have played in work.
About the Speakers
Alana Hinchey holds an M.Sc. Earth Sciences degree from Memorial University, and a Ph.D. Earth Sciences degree from Carleton University. Upon graduation, she worked briefly with the Geological Survey of Canada, before joining the Provincial Geological Survey, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, in 2006. While at the Provincial Geological Survey, she led several geological mapping projects in the Makkovik area of Labrador and in Western Newfoundland. She has published several papers and presents research on a range of geological topics, generally focusing on integrating field mapping with geochronological studies, in order to unravel the geological history of an area.
In 2012, she became the Senior Geologist for the Regional Geology Section and is accountable for the collection, development and interpretation of bedrock-geological data for the Province, as well as various research projects including science advisor to several geological heritage projects. She serves as a scientific lead on several of the provinces’ geotourism projects. Alana is actively involved in several outreach initiatives; including exploring different ways to communicate geosciences by creating a multi-platform mobile app, and involvement in the organization of the Women in Mining Forum.
Throughout her career, Alana has been an active volunteer. She currently serves on several non-profit boards, including the Canadian Geological Foundation, Geoscience Education Trust of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Selection Committee for the Women in Mining Trail Blazer Award.
Melanie Irvine grew up on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, where she developed a love for the ocean and the environment. After completing her BSc in honours Geography from the University of Victoria , she moved to St. John’s to complete a MSc in Physical Geography at Memorial University. Her MSc thesis fieldwork on Baffin Island explored how physical components of the environment are constraining infrastructure and community planning in the Arctic, using Clyde River, Nunavut, as a case study.
Her work has allowed Melanie to study a range of topics in interesting environments, including mapping the distribution of rattle snacks in Wyoming, assessing landscape hazards in the Northwest Territories, and examining the implications of a changing climate on rural communities in Newfoundland.
She is currently a Project Geologist with the Geochemistry, Geophysical and Terrain Sciences Section of the Geological Survey, Department of Natural Resources. As the project lead on a province-wide coastal monitoring program, she is researching how coastal areas in Newfoundland and Labrador are changing, and which areas in the province are at risk from flooding, erosion and slope movement. Her work and educational experiences continue to develop her interest in geomorphology, Quaternary studies, environmental change, natural hazards and the interactions between the human and physical environments.
