Jonas A. Eschenfelder

Earth Sciences | doctoral degree | Faculty of Science

Tell us a little about yourself, including what inspires you to learn and continue in your chosen field

My research focuses on how Arctic landscapes are responding to a rapidly warming and wetting climate using laboratory experiments and field observation, specifically focusing on how new river channel networks form.

Hiking along the North Shore is a great reminder of how beautifully exciting rivers are. I love walking along a small channel looking at the human-sized boulders lining its bed and being reminded that they are transported by the same processes as the small sand grains beside them. Rivers are a fundamental part of our life, they shape where cities are built, where life can flourish and where we spend our free time. As such, trying to understand the fundamental processes that create them is very exciting.

Why did you choose to come to SFU?

I decided to come to SFU because of the unique research opportunity that was available here. The Canadian High Arctic is home to amazingly unique landscapes and I am incredibly grateful for the privilege to be able to visit and study them.

How would you describe your research or your program to a family member?

I work on understanding how new rivers are forming in the Arctic.

We often imagine ice in the ground to act as a glue that is holding the landscape together and slowing down any erosion in cold regions. However with climate change we now see cold regions like the Arctic respond much faster than temperate ones. This is often attributed to the gradual loss of that glue.

In my research I take a closer look at how ground ice changes how, where and when surface water can erode landscapes and develop new rivers. I do this both in the lab where I've built my own analogue Arctic stream as well as by going to the field where we set up monitoring stations and collect observations.

What three (3) keywords would you use to describe your research?

permafrost, sediment transport, climate change

How have your courses, RA-ships, TA-ships, or non-academic school experiences contributed to your academic and/or professional development?

It is a great privilege to excite others for science and nature and teaching undergraduates as well as outreach events, like the 3MT competition, have been a wonderful opportunity to do this. Having to distil my research down to its essence and communicate it to very different audiences has helped me improve my understanding of what excites me about my work and why it matters, making me a better communicator and presenter.

What are some tips for balancing your academic and personal life?

Find a hobby that you enjoy that keeps you balanced. With the ups and downs of graduate research, it helps having something outside of academia that can give you a sense of achievement and feeling of progress.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Contact Jonas: jonas_eschenfelder@sfu.ca

Additional Links

• LinkedIn
• Personal Website