Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre

Research facilities are shared between the two campuses. Students have access to the professors, courses and facilities at both universities; however, they must register at the “home university” of the thesis supervisor.

Members of the Institute are engaged in the following main areas of research: environmental geoscience, geochemistry / petrology, geomathematics / geomatics, mineral resources studies, sedimentary systems, and tectonics / geophysics.

Most of the courses in these programs are offered in English. Research activities can be conducted either in English, French or both, depending on the language used by the professor and the members of his or her research group.

The Centre is one of the participating units in the collaborative program in chemical and environmental toxicology (at the master’s and doctoral levels) and in the collaborative program in environmental sustainability (at the master's).

In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, students have a right to produce their work, their thesis, and to answer examination questions in French or in English.

The professors included in the list below are members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. This means that they are authorized to supervise or co-supervise theses. A complete list of the faculty and staff members associated with the program can be found at http://www.earth.uottawa.ca/welcome.html

AGTERBERG, Frederik, Adjunct Professor
Geomathematics; evaluation of nonrenewable resources; automated stratigraphic correlation

ANDRÉ E. LALONDE, Succession de, Full Professor
Mineral chemistry of trioctahedral micas in granites and syenites and the determination of Fe2+ and Fe3+ in micas by Mössbauer spectroscopy and wet-chemical methods

ARNOTT, Robert, Full Professor
Various poorly understood aspects of physical sedimentology; the application of sedimentological and sequence stratigraphic principles in the petroleum industry

AUDET, Pascal, Assistant Professor
Geophysics, seismology, planetology, plate tectonics, subduction zones, structure and rheology of the lithosphere

BANNARI, Abderrazak, Associate Professor
Télédétection; géomatique et SIG; collaboration

CLARK, Ian, Full Professor
Hydrogeology; isotopes and aqueous geochemistry

CORNETT, Robert Jack, Full Professor

DANESHFAR, Bahram, Adjunct Professor
Quantitative spatial data analysis related to environmental and engineering datasets

DE KEMP, Eric, Adjunct Professor

DESROCHERS, André, Full Professor
Carbonate sedimentology and diagenesis; lower Paleozoic carbonate system

FISHER, David, Adjunct Professor
Glaciology; ice cores; past climate change

FORTIN, Danielle, Associate Professor
Biogeochemistry of metals

FOWLER, Anthony, Adjunct Professor
The study of patterns in minerals and rocks; particularly igneous rocks and mineral ores; and Archean volcanology

GAJEWSKI, Konrad, Full Professor
Climatology and paleoclimatology; biogeography; paleoecology and paleolimnology; quaternary studies; global change; GIS and statistical analysis of environmental data

GOULET, Richard, Adjunct Professor

HANNINGTON, Mark, Full Professor
Combines the study of active volcanoes on the ocean floor; and associated metal-depositing hot springs, with research on ancient volcanic environments that host many of the world's largest and most valuable mineral deposits on land

HATTORI, Keiko, Full Professor
Isotope; geochemistry; mineral deposits; Archean geology

L'HEUREUX, Ivan, Associate Professor
Nonlinear dynamics; geophysics; pattern formation; nonlinear dynamics; transport in porous media; diagenesis; oscillatory zoning; periodic precipitation; biogeochemistry; noise-induced transitions

LAURIOL, Bernard, Full Professor
Géomorphologie et dépôts dans les environnements carbonatés froids, Nord Yukon et monts Richardson; Parc national Auyuittuq; Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada; les cavernes de l'Outaouais

LEWKOWICZ, Antoni, Full Professor
Permafrost geomorphology and hydrology; effect of global change on polar regions

LEYBOURNE, Matthew, Adjunct Professor

MILNE, Glenn Antony, Associate Professor

MONECKE, Thomas, Adjunct Professor

O'NEIL, Jonathan, Assistant Professor

PAKTUNC, Dogan, Adjunct Professor
Environmental mineralogy

RASMUSSEN, Patricia, Adjunct Professor
Geochemistry and human health; characterization of airborne particulate matter; metals in residential environments; analytical chemistry (ICP-Ms, XRF, microwave digestion)

ROBIN, Michel, Associate Professor
Hydrogeology

SCHNEIDER, David, Associate Professor
Petrogenetic and tectonic development of continental arcs; accretion and growth of cratons; metamorphism and exhumation of UHP & HP terranes; application and development of thermochronology and geochronology to geologic problems of regional tectonic

VEIZER, Jan, Emeritus Professor
Theoretical and practical development of chemical and isotopic techniques for studies of diagenesis in carbonates; development of isotopic curves (Sr, C, O, and to a degree S) for past seawater, development of the quantitative concepts of recycling for the terrestrial exogenic system, including continental crust and mineralization; quantification of biogeochemical cycles in riverine systems

In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, assignments, examinations, research papers and theses can be produced in either English or French.

Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Be the holder of a bachelor's degree with a specialization or a major in earth sciences (or equivalent) with a minimum average of 75% (B+) in the last two years and a 70 % (B) average overall.
• Demonstrate a good academic performance in previous studies as shown by official transcripts, research reports, abstracts or any other documents demonstrating research skills.
• Provide at least two confidential letters of recommendation from professors who have known the applicant and are familiar with the student work.
• Provide a statement of purpose indicating the career goals and the interests in the proposed research area.
• Identify at least one professor who is willing and available to act as thesis supervisor.

NOTE: The choice of supervisor will determine the primary campus location of the student. It will also determine which university awards the degree.

Collaborative Programs

The Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre is one of the participating units in the collaborative program in chemical and environmental toxicology (at the master's and doctoral levels) and in the collaborative program in environmental sustainability (at the master's level). Students should indicate in their initial application for admission that they wish to be accepted into one of the collaborative programs. For further details, see the description of the program on chemical and environmental toxicology and/or the description of the program on environmental sustainability posted on the FGPS website.

MSc in Earth Sciences

• 9 credits of graduate courses at the 5000 level or above (3 credits of which may be at the 4000 level) in Earth sciences or in related disciplines approved by the Department of Earth Sciences.
• Participation in the geosciences seminar series and, presentation of a seminar.
• Presentation and defence of a thesis (GEO7999) based on original research carried out under the direct supervision of a professor who is a member of the Department and the FGPS.

Collaborative Program in Chemical and Environmental Toxicology

• 3 compulsory credits of an introductory course in chemical and environmental toxicology (CHM8156 ou BIO9104).
• Enrollment in the seminar course in toxicology (TOX9105), which involves the presentation of a seminar, and regular attendance at the seminars presented by the Department.
• Presentation and defense of a thesis in toxicology based on an original research carried out under the supervision of a faculty member participating in the chemical and environmental toxicology collaborative program.
• The passing grade in all courses is B. Students who fail two courses (equivalent to 6 credits), the thesis proposal, or whose research progress is deemed unsatisfactory must withdraw from the program.

Collaborative Program in Environmental Sustainability (with Thesis)

• Satisfactory completion of the Environmental Sustainability seminar (EVD5100 or EVD5500, 3 credits).
• Presentation and defence of a thesis on a topic in environmental sustainability based on research carried out under the supervision of a professor who is a member of the student`s primary program and/or of the collaborative program. The Collaborative Program Committee determines whether or not the topic of the thesis is appropriate for the designation “Specialization in Environmental Sustainability.” At least one of the thesis examiners must be a member of the Environmental Sustainability collaborative program.

Collaborative Program in Environmental Sustainability (with Research Paper)

• Satisfactory completion of the Environmental Sustainability seminar course (EVD5100 or EVD5500, 3 credits).
• Satisfactory completion of one course (3 credits) selected from a list of optional courses for the Collaborative Program in Environmental Sustainability.
• Satisfactory completion of the research paper, which must be on a topic in the area of environmental sustainability, carried out under the supervision of a professor who is a member of the student`s primary program and/or of the collaborative program. The Collaborative Program Committee determines whether or not the topic of the research paper is appropriate for the designation “Specialization in Environmental Sustainability.” The research paper is evaluated by two professors, one of whom is selected by the primary program, and the other by the Collaborative Program Director, on the advice of the Collaborative Program Committee.
• The passing grade in all courses is the same as that of the student’s primary program.

Transfer from Master’s to PhD Program

Duration of the Program

Residence

Minimum Standards

Department of Geography, Carleton University

Département de géographie, Université d'Ottawa / Department of Geography, University of Ottawa

Institut de physique d'Ottawa-Carleton / Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Physics

Academic Unit Coordinates