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CC5.0 Women in STEM Spotlight: Dr. Gwenn Flowers, SFU Faculty of Science

March 22, 2017

WRITTEN BY: JENNA ANDERSON

At Creating Connections 5.0 our goal is to facilitate meaningful dialogue surrounding the participation of women and other underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in BC and the Yukon. We thought that there would be no better way to initiate this dialogue than by spotlighting some of our amazing local women in STEM and hearing their story of how they got to where they are now.

Today, we are spotlighting a faculty member from Simon Fraser University's Faculty of Science, Dr. Gwenn Flowers, who is an Associate Professor and the Graduate Program Chair for the Department of Earth Sciences. Dr. Flowers received her Ph.D. in Earth and Ocean Sciences (Geophysics) at the University of British Columbia and B.A. (Summa Cum Laude) in Physics from the University of Colorado. She is the leader and creator of the Glaciology Research Group at SFU and studies glacier and ice-sheet dynamics, the hydrology of glacierized systems, and the relationship of these systems to climate.

How did you get to where you are today?

I ended up where I am today somewhat haphazardly, but I can trace my interests back to a love of science in school and a childhood filled with outdoor adventure. These two interests finally merged in university, where I was introduced to the field of glaciology and I realized that the physics courses I so enjoyed could be applied to snow and ice. I was fortunate to work with an outstanding advisor in graduate school, where pursuing my interest in ice led unexpectedly to my current career. I had never considered “glaciologist” a viable occupation, but our field went mainstream just around the time I started looking for work. Good fortune has played a much bigger role than strategy in shaping my path to the present.

What specific areas in your field are you interested in pursuing and why?

My research group and I study the “terrestrial cryosphere”, meaning land-based ice in the form of small glaciers to large ice sheets. We use field measurements and computer models to understand how these ice masses respond to climate, and in particular, to identify the role that glacier dynamics (flow and other processes internal to the system) plays in shaping this response. In practice, we use elements of physics, geology, chemistry, computing, engineering, statistics and math to understand a variety of problems ranging from the dynamics of glacier outburst floods to a form of fast glacier flow called surging. These problems are interesting from a pure-science (curiosity) perspective, but also have practical implications touching on freshwater resources, ecological integrity, hydropower production and sea-level change.   

How does your work relate to the world-at-large?

Glaciers and ice sheets store two-thirds of Earth’s freshwater, so their fate has far-reaching implications, from the stability of our coastlines to the viability of agriculture in arid mountain regions. My work contributes to the detection and attribution of changes to these frozen reservoirs, in part through investigating the fundamental processes that control glacier form and flow, and in part by building more reliable models of future glacier change. Though glaciers and ice sheets seem far from most people’s daily lives, I hope my work will contribute to the public’s understanding of why our high altitude and polar regions are important.

What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM? Was there a defining moment, or was it a slow/gradual process?

My path to a career in STEM was a gradual process, the result of simply pursuing what I found most interesting. I credit a couple of inspiring teachers in junior high and high school for cultivating my academic interest in science and math, and my dad for sharing his love of the outdoors.

What is one change you think should be made in your field, or to society as a whole, to increase the number of women and other underrepresented groups in STEM?

Glaciology is a field that began in the mountains, partly as adventure science, and has historically selected for the rugged bearded type. Today, although field work still plays a prominent role in our discipline, the need to possess rarified physical qualities is more myth than reality. In fact, some of the most important contributions to glaciology are made without even stepping outside. We need to continue to fight the myths that keep girls and others from underrepresented groups from choosing STEM fields. Having numerous role models, not just one, is also important to demonstrate that there is more than just one way of being a glaciologist, for example.

Was there a person in your life that encouraged or supported you to pursue STEM?

I am grateful to my parents for never pushing me in one direction or another, but encouraging me to pursue what I loved even when it took me far from home. I also owe a debt of gratitude to a handful of wonderful teachers, from junior high through university, who really believed in me, even when I struggled. I remember my grade 7 math teacher, Mr. Sano, spending his lunch break trying to help me solve the simplest algebraic equations. He, and others like him, demonstrated that mastering these concepts was a matter of effort and perseverance, not a question of genetics.  

What would you say is your proudest accomplishment?

I’m very proud of the field-based research program I established just over 10 years ago when I started my job at SFU. This program is dedicated to the geophysical study of glaciers in the St. Elias Mountains of southwest Yukon, a region with so much ice that it is currently making measurable contributions to global sea level. The extreme environmental gradients in the area create an outdoor laboratory perfect for studying all manner of glacier processes. Numerous graduate students, undergraduates, international visiting scholars and other collaborators have participated in this program over the years. Creating this research program from scratch has been a very challenging but satisfying process. 

What is your favourite thing about your field?

My favourite thing about my field is literally going to the field. Though glaciology has observational and theoretical components, I most enjoy the process of data collection and observation, as these activities take us to some of the most stunning landscapes on Earth. I enjoy the combination of physical and intellectual labour in the field, the comradery that develops within a field team, the challenge of accomplishing our research in these environments, and the opportunity to “live” for a time on or beside a giant mass of ice and watch the weather and landscape change.

How do you see your field/research changing in the future?

My field relies increasingly on satellite-based remote sensing to monitor glacier change from space. While ground-based measurements will be essential for the foreseeable future, they are expensive, logistically complicated and spatially limited. The continental-scale ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are so vast that they require space-based technology because of their shear geographical reach. We also rely increasingly on un-crewed aerial and submarine vehicles such as drones to make detailed measurements closer to Earth’s surface. Advances in our field will likely remain closely tied to technology in the future.   

What do you like to do in your “spare” time? Outside of work?

I really enjoy being in the mountains, either on foot, on skis or on wheels. The places I get to go for work are the same places I love to spend my spare time.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. Gwenn Flowers' work, visit the SFU Glaciology Research Group webpage.

If you would like to engage in dialogue surrounding the current state of women and other underrepresented groups in STEM or learn tips and skills that will help you succeed in your field, we encourage you to attend our upcoming conference, Creating Connections 5.0. At Creating Connections 5.0 we will be offering three tracks of programming for men and women at all levels of their STEM careers, including speeches from industry executives, hands-on workshops and networking opportunities. You can learn more about Creating Connections 5.0 here.