By Sarah Fullerton
Digital Communications Specialist
Growing up in Swansea, Wales, Dr. Stephen Evans was always interested in geology and geography and was fascinated by maps. When he took home the Royal Geographical Society Prize for the highest mark in Advanced Level Geography in Wales in 1966, it was the first step in a lifetime of involvement in engineering geosciences.
More than half a century later, Dr. Evans has become a leader in geohazards research, focusing on landslides in Canada. His contributions to research and public education were recently recognized by the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (USA) and the Canadian Geotechnical Society, who honoured him with this year's Schuster Medal Award.
The Schuster Medal is awarded to an individual who displays excellence and innovation in geohazards research while making significant contributions to public education regarding geohazards, and Dr. Evans more than fits that description.
Dr. Evans' research contributions encompass five key areas: the study of catastrophic mass flows in glacial environments, the occurrence and field behaviour of rockslides and rock avalanches, the formation and behaviour of landslide dams, the analysis of tailings flows resulting from dam failures, and the characterization and analysis of landslides in Canada. His research focuses on preventing social, economic, and environmental damage, "the assessment of natural hazards and the challenge of managing risks associated with them is a critical element of engineering geoscience in the twenty-first century," says Dr. Evans. "We also cannot ignore the potential hazards associated with human activity, especially engineering elements of the landscape."
How did a passion for geography and geology lead to Dr. Evans being a Schuster Medal Award winner more than five decades later? His interest in catastrophic landslides began following the 1966 Aberfan Disaster, which occurred soon after starting his undergraduate degree at King's College London. It also propelled him to continue his education and research in geomorphology (the study of landscape dynamics) at the University of British Columbia for his Master's degree in Geography.
Leaving UBC, Dr. Evans worked with the Geotechnical Branch of the B.C. Department of Highways in Victoria, where he became involved in a range of notable landslide problems, including the Rubble Creek case, the Quesnel landslide study, the Kamloops/Penticton Silt Study, and the Attachie landslide. He was also a member of the British Columbia Snow Avalanche Task Force.
After five years in Victoria, he returned to London, earning his MSc in Civil Engineering (Soil Mechanics) from Imperial College. After graduating in 1977, he was pulled back to Canada to complete his Ph.D. in Geology at the University of Alberta. His thesis focused on landslides in Tertiary volcanic successions in Central BC, and his first peer-reviewed paper (Urban Landslides in British Columbia) was published in 1982.
In the following years, first at the Geological Survey of Canada (1982-2003) and since 2003 at the University of Waterloo, Dr. Evans has made significant contributions to geohazard research in Canada through many published works. He has co-authored 85 peer-reviewed journal papers and 37 other refereed contributions, gaining over 13 thousand Google Scholar citations. He has been the senior editor of three successful book compilations, including Catastrophic Landslides (2002), Landslides from Massive Rock Slope Failure (2006), and Natural and Artificial Rockslide Dams (2011). Dr. Evans is also a Fellow of the Balsillie School for International Affairs, where his geohazard research forms part of his study of conflict and catastrophe systems.
Beyond contributing ground-breaking research to the field, Dr. Evans has played a crucial role in educating and mentoring students interested in geohazards. As a Professor in the Earth and Environmental Sciences department within the Faculty of Science (cross-appointed in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering), he has taught several thousand undergraduate students in earth engineering, disasters and natural hazards, and engineering geology. He has also been active in Waterloo’s Geological Engineering Program serving as its director 2017-2021.
Additionally, he has guided a number of graduate students who have completed advanced degrees and moved on to successful careers as applied earth scientists and geological engineering professionals. Some of these students have become specialized consultants and tenured faculty at Canadian universities, where they continue to advance geohazard research.
Dr. Nahyan Rana, who completed his PhD in Engineering Geology at the University of Waterloo earlier this year, is one of many students who have benefited from his supervision. "What distinguishes Dr. Evans is how he nurtures our innate creativity. Rather than dismissing novel research ideas as "pies in the sky," he encourages us to pursue our curiosities with a keen, open mind, making us realize that there is no fear of failure in science, as all outcomes lead to new knowledge," says Dr. Rana, who now works for Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd., an Engineering Consulting firm. "Beyond his wisdom and technical brilliance, he is unfailingly kind, as evidenced by his "call-me-anytime" policy and his unwavering support for professional development opportunities throughout my PhD program.”
Dr. Evans was elated to find out he was nominated for the Schuster Medal by his colleagues and even more so when he found out he won. "Receiving this award is a great honour for me, personally and professionally," says Evans. "It means a lot to know my peers in North America have recognized my work."
We are proud to call Dr. Evans a Waterloo Warrior, and we look forward to seeing his ongoing accomplishments in the field of engineering geoscience!