|
forWater training prepare Young Professionals for the world of work: From student researcher to ecohydrologist
After graduating with my Master’s in the spring of 2023, I was fortunate to start working as a Research Ecohydrologist for the University of Waterloo in partnership with the City of Calgary. My primary role is to gather and analyze hydroclimatic and water quality data to better our understanding of how climate and land use changes within the Bow River watershed are driving taste and odour events in the Bearspaw Reservoir, the primary drinking water source for the City of Calgary. My work helps the City of Calgary make data driven decisions that balance source water protection strategies with the investment in drinking water treatment technology. What I find most exciting about my current position is the opportunity to work in transdisciplinary collaborative teams and the insights I am gaining into the applications and utility of research. Starting this position has been an excellent first step in my career that has allowed me to build upon the skills I gained as a student within the forWater Network.
|
Photo: Caption to be inserted here.
|
The forWater Network prioritizes student training opportunities that not only builds strong technical skills in ones chosen discipline but also broadens their understanding of the complex relationships between forested land management and drinking water treatability. My Master’s project is one example as it required the collaborative effort of numerous researchers with varying areas of expertise from the University of Waterloo, Trent University, and the Canadian Forest Service. The strength of working with such a diverse team is that research findings can be interpreted from multiple perspectives which results in higher impact research. Additionally, working with this diverse team exposed me to the strategies and challenges of bringing together those from varying disciplines. Collaboration can be difficult and requires high levels of organization, communication, patience, and the capacity to make decisions in an equitable and efficient manner. Having that previous experience during my graduate studies has given me the perspective and skills to be a more effective team member when I am working in similar environments at the City of Calgary.
One aspect of my job that I am particularly excited about is the gained insights regarding the applications and utility of research. Typical graduate student programs focus on building depth in one specific discipline and less attention is given on how to successfully transition scientific results into action. Recognizing this, the forWater Network hosts student training weeks where graduate students are exposed to industry perspectives and |
challenges between forested land management and drinking water quality. These training weeks take students out of their academic bubble, expose them to real world problems, and leave them with a greater appreciation for the complex decisions faced by land managers and drinking water providers. These training weeks were a highlight of my grad studies, and I am very excited that my current position is building upon those experiences and giving me practice in conducting research that can inform decision making by the City of Calgary.
Overall, the experiences and skills I gained as a member of the forWater Network have been invaluable as I am establishing myself in the workforce. Additionally, I am incredibly excited that my current position is allowing me to further build upon the skills established by the forWater Network and allow me to further my growth as a professional working in the water sector. I highly encourage the funding and establishment of these kinds of training opportunities for current and future graduate students as they are critical for preparing them for their future careers and building a workforce that can tackle the complex challenges faced by today’s society. |
|
|
|
Biography
Will Fines will defend his Master’s thesis on January 30, 2023 in the department of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on evaluating the impacts of legacy forest harvesting on phosphorus transport dynamics to better understand the suitability of forest harvesting as a source water protection strategy. Will completed his undergraduate degree in Water Resources Engineering at the University of Guelph in 2018. His previous work experience has included environmental monitoring with the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, atmospheric monitoring in Alert, Nunavut with Environment and Climate Change Canada and hydrologic monitoring with the Dorset Environmental Science Center.
