Graduate Geoscience Society
GGS is the Graduate Geosciences Society run by an elected council of graduate students in the Earth Sciences Department at Western University. We represent graduate student interests within the Earth Sciences Department, graduate student body, and within the Faculty of Science. On the council are individual graduate representatives on a number of other Committees and student bodies who act as the liaison between the various groups and the graduate students of Earth Sciences.
Contact Us or Send Suggestions: graduategeosciencesociety@gmail.com
Second-year PhD student // Dr. Nigel Blamey
My name is Sorcha Rountree, I’m a Second-year PhD student researching fluid inclusions in halite to model paleoatmospheres from the Permian-Triassic. My favourite hobbies are reading, hockey, and talking about tattoos. Feel free to reach out to me!
email: srountre@uwo.ca
Vice President: Tess Gates-Flaherty
Second-year MSc student // Dr. Alina Schepetkina
My name’s Tess Gates-Flaherty and I’m the Vice President of GGS this year! I’m in my second year of my thesis-based master’s project focused on climate-driven changes and neoichnology on modern tidal flats and point bars of the Bay of Fundy and the Venice Lagoon. I love reading, hiking, fossils, and ice caps, and I’m super excited to help organize some amazing grad student events this year.
email: tgatesfl@uwo.ca
Director of Finance: Tessa Lacasse
Second-year MSc student // Dr. Elizabeth Webb
Hey fellow geoscientists, I'm Tessa Lacasse and I will be this year's treasurer! I did my undergrad in environmental science and ecosystem health at Western, now I'm back for my Master's! I will be focusing on hydrogeology & biogeochemistry to better understand runoff and infiltration under environmental stress (large rainfall events). When I’m not wrangling water data, you’ll find me outside camping, hiking, or nerding out over rocks, plants, and critters.
email: tlacass@uwo.ca
Director of Communications: Kyran Punch
Second year MSc student // Dr. Robbie Flemming & Dr. Gordon Osinski
My name is Kyran Punch, I'm a second year Master's student supervised by Robbie and Oz. I'm working on magnetite alteration and clays the Black Beauty Martian meteorite. I am very interested in space and mineralogy (obviously). Fun fact: I play hockey. Follow our Instagram @westernggs to see the fun posts that I create!
email: kpunch@uwo.ca
Event Coordinator: Josh Labrie
Second-year PhD student // Dr. Roberta Flemming and Dr. Mariek Schmidt (Brock U)
My name is Josh Labrie and I am a 2nd year PhD student working with Dr. Roberta Flemming and Dr. Mariek Schmidt (Brock U). I come from a planetary science background, and as a master’s student I was a member of the Mars 2020 Science Team. My research has since moved back to Earth, where I am primarily interested in mantle xenoliths, alkali basalts, and terrestrial analogues for Mars. My favourite experience as a geologist so far has been collecting Martian analogues from some spectacular sites in the Northwestern US!
Email: jlabrie5@uwo.ca
Event Coordinator: Kyleshaquill Fred Velez
First-year PhD student // Dr. Catherine Neish
My name is Kyleshaquill Fred Velez, and I am currently doing my PhD researching planetary bodies. During my free time I like to read, play video games, and learn new stuff.
email: kfredvel@uwo.ca
Department Representative: Julia Meeson
Second-year MSc student // Dr. Catherine Neish
My Name is Julia Meeson, and I am a second year Msc. Student supervised by Dr. Catherine Neish. I'm researching how near surface Martian ice would appear on L-Band polarimetric SAR, using the Canadian Permafrost as an analogue.
email: jmeeson2@uwo.ca
