Megan is an undergraduate co-op student working with the VandenBoer group for the summer. She is pursuing her BSc in Environmental Sciences at the University of British Columbia. Through the summer she will be learning about the analytical challenges and techniques used to quantify reactive nitrogen in the indoor environment.

Bryan spent most of his life in Kenya and attained his International Baccalaureate diploma from the International School of Kenya before enrolling at the University of Toronto. He then joined the VandenBoer group in the summer of 2015 after obtaining his Honours BSc in chemistry from the University of Toronto the same year.  His undergraduate thesis focused on the kinetics of isocyanic acid (HNCO), a toxic compound that can be emitted into the atmosphere in large quantities through biomass burning. Since joining the group, his research focus has switched to study other atmospheric reactive nitrogen species. Bryan quantified dry deposition of nitric acid (HNO3) and nitrous acid (HONO) entering the Newfoundland and Labrador Boreal ecosystem during his MSc. The data he acquired allowed the atmospheric deposition subgroup to paint a more complete picture of the atmosphere-biosphere nitrogen cycle connections across the NL-BELT. Simultaneously, he published a method for quantifying atmospheric amines through Ion Chromatographic analysis. Outside of his research Bryan enjoys playing soccer, skiing, traveling and saving the world. He has completed his MSc and is now pursuing a PhD at the University of California at Berkeley.

Courtney completed a joint honours in Chemistry and Earth Science at Memorial University. She started working with Dr. VandenBoer and the Biogeochemistry of Boreal Ecosystems Research Group (BBERG) as a student research assistant through the NSERC-USRA program for the summer of 2016, completed her undergraduate thesis project in 2017, and held a second USRA in the summer of 2017.

Her research project involved determining the stoichiometry of elemental atmospheric inputs of nutrients, particularly phosphorous, to the boreal forest watersheds of the NL-BELT. To date she has quantified total phosphorous, orthophosphate and organic phosphorous along the NL-BELT from precipitation samples spanning 2013-2016 from Grand Codroy, Eagle River, Pynn’s Brook, Salmon River, and Humber River.

In the past, Courtney worked with the NL Geological Survey’s Natural Resources Geochemical Lab where she performed fluoride analysis on crushed rocks and soil samples, which was used as a proxy for locating associated rare Earth elements (REE).

Courtney is currently pursuing an MSc in Chemistry at Memorial University with Dr. Chris Kozak. 

Awards:

General Rick Hillier Scholarship in Science and Leadership 2016-17

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council - Undergraduate Student Research Award (NSERC-USRA) 2016&2017

Dean of Science Book Prize 2014-15

Hebron Women In Science And Engineering 2014-15

Hugh J. Anderson Chemistry Scholarship 2014-15

Located in the Department of Earth Sciences, these research groups explore processes related to many aspects and scales of natural systems.

Held by the Canadian Forestry Service located at Memorial's Grenfell campus in Corner Brook, the 2015 NL-BELT workshop hosted researchers from St. John's campus, the Canadian Forestry Service, the Department of Forestry and Agrifoods of Newfoundland and Labrador, Environment Canada, and several international academic institutions. 

We had a large influx of summer researchers in 2015, including three MUCEP students helping process samples collected from across the NL-BELT.

Group members from Bottom Left to Top Right: Bryan, Joshua, Aleya, Adam, Adrian, Kathryn, Trevor 

Kathryn completed her BSc (Honours) in Chemistry at Memorial University under the supervision of Dr. Cora Young in collaboration with Drs. Trevor VandenBoer and Susan Ziegler. Her honours research project, Quantitative Recovery of Amino Sugars from Soil Necromass, was inspired by her summer research in the Biogeochemistry of Boreal Ecosystems Research Group (BBERG). Kathryn is currently an MSc student in Chemistry at Memorial University with Dr. Cora Young.

In the past, Kathryn was a student assistant in the CJY group at Memorial where she worked alongside graduate students to extract flame-retardants from dust and cod liver samples. Additionally, she has relevant lab experience from a work term at the Suncor Oil Sands Laboratory in Fort McMurray, Alta. where she tested Upgrading samples for particulate matter content, carbon content and specific boiling points.