Graduate Research Opportunities
SFU Earth Sciences welcomes applicants for Graduate Studies in all of our areas of research. Our Faculty Page will introduce you to our faculty and their research, and listed below are just a few of the graduate research opportunities currently available:
- Magmatism, Tectonics and Crustal Evolution
- Glaciology
- Exploration or Earthquake Seismology
- Engineering Geology and Resource Geotechnics
- Ore Deposits, Petrology & Geochemisty
- Quaternary & Environmental Earth Sciences
- Structural Geology, Geochronology, & Tectonics
- Geochemical Modelling of CO2 Storage
Engineering Geology and Resource Geotechnics
Applications are welcome at any time from students interested in engineering geology, rock mechanics and/or soil mechanics and
their application to surfac e and underground mining, civil engineering and the stability of natural slopes. Please visit our
webpages http://www.sfu.ca/~tafgrc/ to see current projects and recent publications.
Contact Doug Stead: Email: dstead@sfu.ca
Glaciology
The SFU Glaciology Group within the Department of Earth Sciences conducts research in the areas of glacier and ice-sheet dynamics and ice-climate interactions. Graduate projects combine field-based and modelling studies, with opportunities for field work in the St. Elias Mountains of southwest Yukon. Further information can be found at http://www.sfu.ca/~gflowers/. Prospective students interested in this area of research are encouraged to send an inquiry with a CV and transcripts to Dr. Gwenn Flowers (gflowers@sfu.ca). High academic standing and a B.A. or B.Sc. in earth sciences, physics or a related discipline is required. Applicants must have at least the equivalent of university-level calculus and introductory physics. Further information on the graduate program can be obtained from the Earth Sciences Graduate Secretary (eascgsec@sfu.ca).
Magmatism, Tectonics and Crustal Evolution
Students who are interested in graduate projects on igneous rocks, geochemistry, sedimentary provenance and tectonic processes, are invited to apply to Dr. Derek Thorkelson dthorkel@sfu.ca. Projects typically involve field work and a variety of analytical methods, with the findings applied to regional or global tectonics. Currently, potential projects are located in northern Yukon (Precambrian continental reconstructions) and southern British Columbia (Tertiary magmatism and slab windows). For more information, see http://www.sfu.ca/earth-sciences/people/faculty/thorkelson.html
MSc/PhD Project in Exploration Seismology
Applications are invited for one M.Sc. or Ph.D. project starting in September 2007. The project will involve reprocessing of existing seismic reflection data and the interpretation of new survey data from the interior of British Columbia . The objective of the project will be to produce high quality images of intermontane basin geometries, and other crustal structures, and to relate these to the tectonic evolution of the region. The project is suitable for students seeking a career in the oil exploration industry.
The ProMAX and Claritas seismic reflection data processing packages, plus Paradigm's GeoDepth depth imaging, and the SeisX and Kingdom Suite seismic interpretation software are available within the department. The SAC earthquake processing package and various utility software such as GMT and Matlab are also available. Existing hardware includes multiprocessor SunBlade 2000 and Ultra 60 workstations, 1 Terabyte of disk storage and various tape drives, with access to the WestGrid supercomputer network.
Simon Fraser University is located in the Greater Vancouver area, approximately 30 minutes from the downtown core. For further information, contact Andrew J. Calvert (Email: acalvert@sfu.ca ). Application forms can be obtained online at https://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/future/application_process.html or from the Graduate Secretary (Email: eascgsec@sfu.ca ), Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada. Applications, which should include a brief statement of research interests, should be received by 15 th January 2012.
Ore Deposits, Petrology & Geochemisty
A variety of thesis topics are available for potential MSc. and PhD. students interested in topics such as Economic Geology, Metamorphism, Pressure-Temperature-time Paths and Fluid-Rock Interaction. My acceptance policy is based generally on academic and work experience. A background in ore deposits, petrology or geochemistry is preferred. Additional information is available at www.sfu.ca/~marshall or by email (marshall@sfu.ca). Graduate information and applications can be obtained from the Earth Sciences Graduate Secretary. Student salaries are commensurate with other Universities.
Quaternary and Environmental Earth Sciences
The Department of Earth Sciences invites applications from prospective M.Sc. and Ph.D. candidates to undertake thesis research in Quaternary and environmental earth sciences. Research topics include, but are not limited to: Quaternary geology, landslides and slope stability, floods, paleoseismology, alpine geomorphology, and paleoclimatology. Research is field and theory based, with projects available in British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and selected foreign countries. Graduate students work in a strong interdisciplinary environment spanning the fields of geology, geography, and biological sciences. Applicants will have a B.Sc. or B.A. in geology or geography and a high academic standing. Initial expressions of interest should be directed to Drs John Clague, Gwenn Flowers or Brent Ward.
Structural Geology, Geochronology, and Tectonics
Potential M.Sc. and Ph.D. students interested in thesis projects involving Structural Geology, Geochronology and Tectonics are encouraged to apply to the Department of Earth Sciences. Projects are field-oriented, working on structural and tectonic problems in the Canadian Cordillera. Structural and petrologic analyses in the field and lab will be accompanied by acquisition of precise timing constraints using an integration of various geochronological techniques. Please contact Dr. Dan Gibson via email (hdgibson@sfu.ca) for additional details. Applicants should have a B.Sc. or B.A. in Geology, with high academic standing. A background in Structural Geology and Metamorphic Petrology is preferred. Graduate information and applications can be obtained from the Earth Sciences Graduate Secretary .
Geochemical Modelling of CO2 Storage
Applicants with an interest in geochemistry are being sought to conduct research in the field of CO2‐water‐rock interactions in a collaborative environment with research groups in Australia. The project combines design and implementation of laboratory experiments with development of numerical model simulations of natural analogue, laboratory and carbon storage systems.
Contact: Dr. Dirk Kirste (dkirste@sfu.ca).