By Vanessa Parks
Internal Communications and Engagement Specialist
Over the past year, several faculty members in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences have transitioned into retirement. While they may not necessarily be stepping completely away from the grind, let’s hope they find time for some gneiss relaxation. In recognition of this milestone, two recent Earth retirees look back on their research and teaching experience.
Maurice Dusseault
Maurice Dusseault has been at Waterloo since 1982. He is a registered professional engineer in Alberta and Ontario and conducts research in subsurface geomechanics. He retired this October after more than 40 years with the department.
How has the university environment changed since you started your career?
There is much more emphasis on issues related to sustainability, environmental impact, and conservation (in a broad sense). We STEM persons who do applied research are more-and-more being nudged to include socioeconomics in our research investigations. Another great change, especially at Waterloo, is the encouragement of entrepreneurial activity among the upper year undergraduates.
What are your plans after retirement, and are there any projects or interests you’re looking forward to pursuing?
I am remaining active in research at Waterloo and will enjoy the privilege of working cooperatively with colleagues on issues related to energy and use of the subsurface in aiding the energy transition to carbon-free sources. I hope to continue to make intellectual contributions and mentor students for a long time to come!
What are some of the most significant changes you've observed in your field during your career?
Our ability to compute has increased by orders of magnitude. In my first year as a professor (1977), there was debate about whether calculators should be permitted in examinations! Professors were concerned that calculators would give an undue advantage to the students who could afford them (a simple function calculator cost $200 in 1977).
The internet has altered research activity in many ways. For example, I can now access terabytes of information related to subsurface activity from websites, using what information I need to support my research and help my students learn. We are now swamped with information, and we have to show students how to use the Internet constructively, focusing on outcomes, and not getting lost in the information forest. Fortunately, our students are very smart, and I learn from them as well.
Steven Evans
Steven Evans joined the department in 2003. His work on natural hazards has been recognized by the Geological Society of America, the Canadian Geotechnical Society, and the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, among others. He retires January 1.
What achievements are you most proud of, both in your research and in your mentoring of students and colleagues?
In the last year or so, I have been honoured with several awards, including the Schuster Medal for geohazard research in North America. These awards also recognize the fantastic work of graduate students and highlight the standing of Waterloo in the field of geohazard research.
What was your most surprising research finding over your career?
Our investigation of the 1970 catastrophe at Huascaran (in the Peruvian Andes) was published in 2009. A counter-intuitive finding suggested that instead of the rapidly moving mass of rock and ice losing energy as it descended from the mountain peak, it gained energy by increasing its mass through the incorporation of additional material along its path. This kind of auto-refuelling contributed to the catastrophic impact of the event, which killed over 5,000 persons.
What are some of the most significant changes you've observed in your field during your career?
Without doubt, the most significant changes have been associated with the ready availability of digital topography data sets (covering the globe) and high-resolution satellite images of geohazard events almost as they happen. This has allowed our research to proceed almost in real-time and has driven a revolution in natural hazard research. At the same time, the development of satellite-based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) has given us the ability to measure movements in the landscape for process rates, monitoring, and warning.
Other departing faculty
Earth is also saying goodbye to Sherry Schiff and Tony Endres, both of whom retired earlier this year. Wishing everyone a marble-ous retirement!
Sherry Schiff
Sherry Schiff started at Waterloo in 1987 and established herself as an outstanding researcher and dedicated teacher. She is widely recognized as a leader in her field and was responsible for creating an internationally renowned research program in environmental and isotope biogeochemistry in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Waterloo. Through this program, she was an important mentor to women in a previously male-dominated field. Sherry retired in January after more than 35 years in the department and has been honoured as a Distinguished Professor Emerita.
Tony Endres
Tony Endres joined the department in 1999 and retired in May after 25 years at Waterloo. His career was devoted to studying groundwater systems through hydrogeophysical techniques, focusing on near-surface hydrological processes like soil moisture, evapotranspiration, freeze-thaw cycles, groundwater recharge, nutrient transport, freshwater ice, and seasonal snowpacks. His innovative modeling has enhanced critical water resource management. His research has been supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Counsel (NSERC) and the Ontario Research Fund.
