Two students from the University of Northern British Columbia earned top student awards at the recent Canadian Association of Geographers’ western division conference in Washington State. The conference brought together approximately 200 students and faculty members from BC, Alberta, and the northwest USA to present some 70 papers and posters.

Mark Stephens won the award for best presentation by a student completing an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree. Mark developed a computer mapping application for the 11,500 square-kilometre Quesnel River watershed northeast of Williams Lake. The application works like Google Earth and allows UNBC researchers to select research sites based on vegetation, soil types, topography, and even stream/river flow. Mark is planning to graduate with a UNBC degree in Geography in 2009.

Matt Beedle received the top research presentation award among students completing a doctoral degree. Matt has been researching a glacier near McBride - known locally as Roberts Glacier – that provides a rare geological record of glacial retreat in the form of a series of annual moraines, similar to reading tree rings. By analyzing these rock and earth formations, unique outside of Iceland, Beedle has determined that the glacier has retreated roughly 750 metres since 1959 and melting has accelerated in recent years largely due to rising summer temperatures. The research is ongoing and includes the installation of equipment near the glacier to measure climatic conditions, annual monitoring of the glacier's health, and measurement of past glacier changes from aerial photos. Beedle's research is part of a major western Canadian research program based at UNBC that is exploring the fate of BC's glaciers.

“UNBC had the second-largest contingent of students and faculty at the western division conference, despite the fact we had the greatest distance to travel,” says Gail Fondahl, Chair of Geography at UNBC. “We’re very proud of Matt and Mark for their achievement. The success of our students is the greatest mark of our achievement as a university.”

Contact:
Gail Fondahl, Program Chair of Geography, UNBC – 250.960.5856
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622

 

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