Department Chair

  • Catherine Nolin
    BA Geography (University of Calgary), MA, PhD (Queen's University at Kingston, 2000)
    • Professor, Geography
    • Department Chair, Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
    Phone:
    250-960-5875
    Cell:
    250-961-5875
    Office Number:
    Teaching Lab 8-148

    Supervises in: PhD NRES ; MA NRES Geography ; MA Interdisciplinary Studies

    I am a social geographer with two broad areas of research interest that connect in many ways and often overlap: Guatemala/Violence/Development/Justice and Migration/Transnationalism/Refugee Studies. I am a Professor of Geography and Chair of the Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental...

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Faculty

  • Faran Ali
    PhD (Saskatchewan), MSc (IHE, Delft), BSc (UET, Lahore), PEng
    • Assistant Professor
    Phone:
    250-960-6355
    Office Number:
    8-429

    Supervises in: MSc NRES ; MASc

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  • Greg Halseth
    PhD, MA (Queen's University at Kingston, 1993), BA (University of British Columbia)
    • Professor, Geography
    • Canada Research Chair in Rural and Small Town Studies
    • Co-Director, UNBC Community Development Institute
    Phone:
    250-960-5826
    Office Number:
    Teaching Lab 8-141

    Supervises in: PhD NRES ; MA NRES Geography ; MNRES

    Greg Halseth is a Professor in the Geography Program at the University of Northern British Columbia, where he is also the Canada Research Chair in Rural and Small Town Studies, and the founder and Co-Director of the UNBC Community Development Institute. His research examines regional development...

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  • Dr. Neil Hanlon
    BAA (Ryerson University), MA, PhD (Queen's University at Kingston, 1998)
    • Professor, Geography
    Phone:
    250-960-5881
    Office Number:
    Teaching Laboratory 8-136

    Supervises in: MA NRES Geography ; MA Interdisciplinary Studies ; MSc Health Sciences ; PhD NRES

    President of the Canadian Association of Geographers (CAG), 2020-2022

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  • Zoë Meletis
    PhD (Duke University, 2007), MScPl (University of Toronto), BA (McGill University)
    • Associate Professor, Geography and Environmental and Sustainability Studies
    • NRES Graduate Coordinator
    Phone:
    250-960-5920
    Office Number:
    Teaching Lab 8-214

    Supervises in: MA NRES Geography ; MA NRES Environmental Studies

    Zoë teaches ENVS 309 Gender and Environmental Studies. She is a member of the Geography Program. Zoë's work to date has focused on tourism and ecotourism development, local perceptions of environment and place, consumption (the politics of; the impacts of; alternative forms of), international...

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  • Dr. Brian Menounos
    BA, MA (University of Colorado), PhD (University of British Columbia, 2002)
    • Professor, Geography
    • Canada Research Chair in Glacier Change
    Phone:
    250-960-6266
    Office Number:
    Teaching Lab 8-331
    Brian is a professor of the Geography Program at the University of Northern British Columbia and a Canada Research Chair in Glacier Change. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia in 2003.

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  • Tristan Pearce
    PhD University of Guelph; MA University of Guelph; BA University of Northern British Columbia
    • Associate Professor, Geography
    • Canada Research Chair in Cumulative Impacts of Environmental Change
    • Program Coordinator, Northern Studies
    Phone:
    250-960-5766
    Office Number:
    8-138

    Supervises in: PhD NRES ; MA NRES Geography ; MSc NRES Geography ; MNRES

    Tristan Pearce is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia, where he is also the Canada Research Chair in the Cumulative Impacts of Environmental Change. His research examines the cumulative impacts of...

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  • Ellen Petticrew
    PhD (McGill University, Biology, 1989), MSc (University of British Columbia, Physical Geography), BSc (Queen's University in Kingston, Physical Geography)
    • Professor, Geography (on sabbatical)
    • Endowed Chair in Landscape Ecology
    Phone:
    250-960-6645
    Office Number:
    Teaching Lab 8-137
    Dr. Petticrew's research interests involve fluxes to and in aquatic systems, at a variety of scales. Fluxes of sediment, nutrient and contaminants have been investigated in recent research including 1) the influence of forest harvesting on sediment yields to British Columbian lakes, 2) the...

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  • Joseph Shea
    PhD (University of British Columbia - 2010), MSc (University of Calgary - 2004), BSc (McMaster University - 2001)
    • Associate Professor, Geography
    Phone:
    250-960-6256
    Office Number:
    Teaching Lab 8-212

    Supervises in: PhD NRES ; MSc NRES

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  • Roger Wheate
    BSc Hons (University of St. Andrews), MA (Queen's University at Kingston), PhD (University of St. Andrews)
    • Professor
    • GIS Coordinator
    • NRES Graduate Coordinator
    Phone:
    250-960-5865
    Office Number:
    Teaching Lab 8-307
    Dr. Wheate's interests cover the application of remote sensing and GIS across the spectrum of NRES (Natural Resource and Environmental Studies) research areas. His main focus lies in the integration of the geomatic sciences, cartographic output, feature extraction and terrain visualization; special...

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Professors Emeriti

Research Scientists

  • Raquel Portes
    Postdoc (University of Zurich, Switzerland); PhD, MS, BS (Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil)
    • Senior Research Scientist
    Phone:
    250-960-6013
    Office Number:
    8-144

    Supervises in: MSc NRES Environmental Science ; MSc NRES Geography

    I am a physical geographer and soil scientist, with research projects focusing on the quantification of soil-landscape relationships in natural and anthropogenic environments, examining how they respond to climate and land-use changes. My recent work has been conducted in post-glacial landscapes in...

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Adjunct Faculty

  • Dr. Matt Beedle
    BSc (Earth Science) Montana State University; MSc (Geography) University of Colorado, PhD (NRES-Geography, 2014)
    • Adjunct Professor, Geography
    • College Professor, Geography (Coast Mountain College)
    Phone:
    250-615-3335
    Matt is an adjunct professor of geography at UNBC and a professor of geography at Coast Mountain College in Terrace, BC, where he teaches in the Environmental Geoscience program. He completed his Ph.D. from UNBC in 2014.

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  • Dr. Bill Floyd
    BSc University of Northern British Columbia; MSc. Oregon State University; PhD University of BC
    • Adjunct Professor, Geography
    Research Hydrologist, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Leader of Coastal Hydrology & Climate Change Research Lab, and adjunct professor in Geography at Vancouver Island University.

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  • Dr. Gail Fondahl
    PhD, MA (University of California - Berkeley), BA (Dartmouth College)
    • Adjunct Professor
    • Professor Emerita
    Dr. Gail Fondahl is a recently retired Professor of Geography at UNBC and is now an Adjunct Professor of Geography. Her PhD is from the University of California-Berkeley. Professor Fondahl’s research focuses on the legal geographies of indigenous territorial rights in the Russian North, and the...

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  • Anthony Jjumba
    PhD, MSc - Geography (SFU), BSc, Surveying (Makerere University)
    • Adjunct Professor
    Cell:
    604-809-3456

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  • Sean Markey
    BA, Political Science (UBC); MES, Environmental Studies (York University); PhD, Economic Geography (Simon Fraser University); MCIP (Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners) and RPP (Registered Professional Planner)
    • Adjunct Professor, Geography
    Phone:
    778-782-4702
    Professor and Graduate Program Chair in the School of Resource and Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University.

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  • MSc (HEC and Oxford University), BA (University of British Columbia)
    • Adjunct Professor, Geography
    • Co-Director, Community Development Institute (CDI) at UNBC
    Phone:
    250-960-9806
    Office Number:
    10-1090

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  • Peter Reiners
    PhD, MS (University of Washington)
    • Adjunct Professor
    Phone:
    520-235-0792
    Pete is a geoscientist with interests across Earth, environmental, and planetary science. His work includes geochemical, isotopic, and geochronologic approaches to understanding subsurface fluid-rock systems, thermochronology, tectonics, geomorphology, and petrology. He is a Fellow of the American...

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  • Dr. John Rex
    BSc (Hons.) Memorial University of Newfoundland, MSc & PhD Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, UNBC
    • Adjunct Professor, Geography
    Team Lead, Research and Stewardship, Omineca Region at BC Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operation Experienced Hydrologist with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental services industry. Skilled in Watershed Management, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Awareness,...

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  • Grahame Russell
    BA, Development and Latin American Studies (University of Guelph, 1983); LLB (University of Ottawa - Faculty of Law, 1988)
    • Adjunct Professor, Geography
    Mr. Russell has over 25 years of experience working on development, human rights, environmental justice and disaster relief issues in Latin America - mainly Central America and southern Mexico. Mr. Russell lived for over 10 years in various countries in Central America and in southern Mexico. Mr....

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Senior Lab Instructors

  • Ping Bai
    • Senior Lab Instructor (Geographic Information Systems)
    Phone:
    250-960-5405
    Office Number:
    TAL-2526

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  • BSc (University of British Columbia), BEd (University of Western Ontario, 1995)
    • Senior Lab Instructor
    Phone:
    250-960-6438
    Office Number:
    Teaching Lab 8-241
    Chris is responsible for instruction in second year Earth Science labs in the Geography, Forestry and Environmental Science programs at UNBC: GEOG 210 (Introduction to Earth Science), FSTY 205 (Forest Soils), and ENVS 201 (Atmospheric Science).

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  • Matt McLean
    BSc (University of Northern British Columbia)
    • Senior Lab Instructor, Geography
    Phone:
    250-960-6486
    Office Number:
    8-215

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Instructors

  • Nassiba Ahadi
    PhD (UBC), MA (University of Tehran), BEngg (Sharif University of Technology)
    • Instructor
    Email:
    I am a social geographer. I studied the suburbanization of immigration. I am interested in studying urban and social geography with an emphasis on migration processes and their impacts on the urban and ethnic communities and neighbourhood structures of Canadian cities. I worked with Dr. Carlos...

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  • Laura Murphy
    MNRES University of Northern British Columbia
    • Instructor
    Phone:
    250-960-5320
    Office Number:
    4-433
    Laura is the Research Manager for Rural and Small Town Studies at UNBC. She has been engaged in national research teams for the New Rural Economy Project and the On the Move Project, where the BC team examined the impacts of long distance labour commuting on workers, workplace practices, their...

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  • Alexandra Pedersen
    PhD (Queen's University), MA (UNBC), BA Honours (University of Guelph)
    • Part-time Instructor
    Hello! It's nice to meet you! My name is Alex, and I am a human geographer by training and passion with a background in international development studies. I am a proud alumni of UNBC (MA, International Studies, 2011) and completed my doctorate at Queen's University (Geography, 2018). I was...

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Postdoctoral Researchers

  • Dr. Rosie Bisset
    PhD, BSc (University of Edinburgh)
    • Postdoctoral Researcher with the Hakai Cryosphere Node
    Office Number:
    Hakai Cryosphere Node
    Rosie Bisset is a Postdoctoral Researcher within the Hakai Cryosphere Node working on quantifying the importance of coastal snow in freshwater flux in British Columbia, with Dr. Bill Floyd and Dr. Brian Menounos.

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  • Dr. Darian Goldin Stahl
    PhD in Humanities (Concordia University), MFA in Printmaking (University of Alberta), BFA (Indiana University Bloomington)
    • Banting Postdoctoral Fellow
    Darian Goldin Stahl is an interdisciplinary printmaker and Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in health humanities under the supervision of Dr. Sarah de Leeuw. Darian's project, Embodied Books: Binding Together Illness, Art, and Learning, seeks to forge new sensory understandings of illness through the...

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  • Devin Holterman
    PhD, MES (York University)
    • Postdoctoral Fellow
    Phone:
    403-800-4359 ext. 149
    Dr. Devin Holterman leads a collaborative research project with the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) and the University of Northern British Columbia that looks to develop an evidence-based social science research program for Y2Y. Devin's research interests include investigating...

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Former Postdoctoral Fellows

  • Dr. Sergey Marchenko, PhD (Uppsala University, Sweden – 2018), 2022-2023 – Supervisor: Dr. Brian Menounos and Dr. Bill Floyd
  • Dr. Christopher Donahue, PhD Engineering (Montana State University – 2018), 2022-2023 – Supervisor: Dr. Brian Menounos
  • Dr. Jacob Bendle, PhD (Royal Holloway, University of London – 2018), 2020-2022 – Supervisor: Dr. Brian Menounos
  • Dr. Anna Chesnokova, PhD Civil Engineering (ETS), 2020-2022 – Supervisor: Dr. Joseph Shea
  • Dr. Nadia Mamontova, PhD Geography and the Environment (University of Oxford – 2020), 2021-2022 – Supervisor: Dr. Gail Fondahl
  • Dr. Scott Williamson, PhD Ecology (University of Alberta – 2015), 2020-2022
  • Dr. Marieka Sax, PhD (Carleton University – 2014), September 2019 – September 2021 – supervisor: Dr. Catherine Nolin
  • Dr. Vanessa Sloan Morgan, PhD (Queen’s University – 2017), September 2017 – July 2021 – co-supervisors: Dr. Sarah de Leeuw and Dr. Margot Parkes
  • Dr. Dawn Hoogeveen, PhD (University of British Columbia – 2016), September 2018 - April 2021 – supervisor: Dr. Margot Parkes
  • Dr. May Farrales, PhD (University of British Columbia – 2017), January 2018 - July 2020 - supervisor: Dr. Sarah de Leeuw
  • Dr. Michael Lait, PhD (Carleton University – 2017), September 2017 - December 2018 - supervisor: Dr. Greg Halseth
  • Dr. Levan Tielidze, PhD, October 2015 - February 2016; March - September 2017 - supervisor: Dr. Roger Wheate
  • Dr. Chris Buse, PhD (University of Toronto – 2015), 2016-2017 - co-supervisors: Drs. Greg Halseth and Margot Parkes
  • Dr. Chris Darvill, PhD (Durham University – 2014), 2016-2017 - supervisor: Dr. Brian Menounos
  • Dr. Alex Martin, PhD (University of Northern British Columbia – 2012), 2012-2013 - supervisor: Dr. Greg Halseth
  • Dr. Joe Shea, PhD (University of British Columbia – 2010), 2010-2012 - supervisor: Dr. Brian Menounos
  • Dr. Neil Williams, PhD (University of Exeter, UK – 2005), 2007-2008 - supervisor: Dr. Ellen Petticrew
  • Dr. Tobias Bolch, PhD (University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany – 2006), 2007-2008 - co-supervisors: Dr. Brian Menounos and Dr. Roger Wheate
  • Dr. Deborah Thien, PhD (University of Edinburgh, Scotland – 2005), 2006 - supervisor: Dr. Greg Halseth
  • Dr. Catherine Nolin, PhD (Queen's University – 2000), 2001-2002 - supervisor: Dr. Gail Fondahl

Faculty news archive