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Environmental Science
Environmental science major digs into the science behind centuries-old storms and tsunamis to mitigate future risks
When Megan Hannah began her environmental science degree, she never imagined that research would be a part of her university journey.
In fact, if you asked Hannah just a couple of months ago what her post-graduation plans were, she would have confidently said she would be working in the environmental science industry. Now, having begun a research position here at SFU, she finds herself with even more career pathways to choose from.
Currently, Hannah is an undergraduate research assistant in SFU鈥檚 Coastal Hazards Research Lab, led by Canada Research Chair Jessica Pilarczyk, where she works to help understand the risk associated with storms and tsunamis in Micronesia.
Working under project lead and 51社区黑料PhD candidate, Andi Peffek枚ver, Hannah is analyzing sediment samples collected from the field.
鈥淚've been doing a lot of data collecting with a Mastersizer. It shoots lasers at the sediment to see how big they are,鈥� Hannah explains. 鈥淚f you know the sediment鈥榮 size, you can identify storms and tsunamis that have occurred in a particular location.鈥�
This is a key element of Peffek枚ver鈥檚 project that aims to identify patterns within the sediment to determine when extreme coastal flooding events have taken place and what the climate was like during these periods. With this information, their team aims to better understand the risks these areas will face as our climate continues to change.
While research wasn鈥檛 part of her initial playbook, it happened to be a great fit for Hannah, who has always been curious about tsunamis.
鈥淚鈥檝e always found [tsunamis] interesting, since I was quite young. It's interesting how they come from a series of chain reactions and have a lot of intricate science attached to it. I think they tell stories,鈥� says Hannah.
The work also aligns well with what she hoped to be doing as an environmental scientist when she first joined the program.
鈥淚 preferred applications of science as opposed to just pure science, and I wanted to do something that would make a difference in some aspect,鈥� says Hannah. 鈥淚鈥檓 also in the Environmetrics stream, so I'm really interested in data and data analysis; getting to work hands-on with collecting data has been really nice.鈥�
Taking the leap to connect with professors and take on opportunities beyond what she thought she would as an environmental science student has helped Hannah build connections and skills and opened doors to explore more career options in the discipline.
For current students who are interested in gaining research experience, Hannah recommends that they try to do the same, either by connecting with their professors to learn more about their research or by taking a class that may seem intimidating.
鈥淭he moment you start doing these things, you'll feel more involved, and you'll feel like you can really start to see your path open up,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think that you have to be proactive in your own education and in your future.鈥�