Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Permafrost Geomorphology Sept. 2015 - Present
-Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Thesis title: Permafrost-active layer dynamics and feedbacks with climate forcing in ice-rich sediments, Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut (supervised by Dr. Wayne Pollard)
Permafrost and Periglacial Environments, PhD Course AG 830 Mar. – Apr. 2016
-Department of Arctic Geology, University Center in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
Master of Science, Permafrost Geomorphology and Planetary Sciences Sept. 2012 – Aug. 2015
-Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Thesis title: Geomorphology of two hyper-saline springs in the Canadian High Arctic (supervised by Dr. Wayne Pollard)
Bachelor of Science, Physical Geography (major) and Geology (minor) Sept. 2007- May 2012
-Faculty of Science, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Studied abroad in Normandy, France (February – May 2005)
Field Experience
-June - August 2016: Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island (primarily based out of the Eureka Weather Station), Nunavut
-March - April 2016: Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard Archipelago, Norway (primarily based out of Longyearbyen)
-June - July 2015: Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island (primarily based out of the Eureka Weather Station) and Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut
-June - July 2014: Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island (primarily based out of the Eureka Weather Station) and Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut
-April 2014: Remote winter camping on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut
-June - July 2013: Axel Heiberg Island (primarily based out of McGill Arctic Research Station and remote summer camping), and Ellesmere Island, Nunavut
-April 2013: Axel Heiberg Island (primarily based out of McGill Arctic Research Station), Nunavut
Teaching Experience, Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
Course Co-Instructor, GEOG 272: Earth’s Changing Surface Sept. – Dec. 2016
-Taught 2/3 of lectures for a first year undergraduate introductory to geomorphology course
-Prepared all exercise materials, course exams (midterm and final) and managed all course administration including two teaching assistants
Course Instructor, GEOG 495: Local Field School May 2016
-Taught and led five field based exercises of different aspects of geography (micro-meteorology, surveying and mapping, fluvial geomorphology, biogeography and soil; and disturbance ecology)
-Developed a GIS (Geographic Information Science) component to two exercises to demonstrate how technology and field work can be coupled
-Supervised all stages of independent research projects for seven students (initial research planning and methodology development, field work, analysis, write up and oral presentations)
-In charge of all the logistics for the course, including transportation and lodging at Mont St Hilaire for 10 days
Teaching Assistant, GEOG 272: Earth’s Changing Surface Sept. – Dec. 2012, 2013 and 2015
-Created a new field based assignment on Mont Royal, Montreal in 2015
-Taught two lectures on glaciers processes and glacial landforms in November, 2015
-Presented a guest lecture in November, 2014
-Graded assignments and provide weekly office hours
Teaching Assistant, GEOG 290: Local Geographic Excursion Sept. – Dec. 2012, 2013 and 2014
-Taught and led stream gauging exercise
Teaching Assistant, GEOG 372: Running Water Environments Sept. – Dec. 2014
-Led tutorials, graded assignments and exams
-Assisted in leading one day field excursion in the Eastern Townships Area, Quebec
Teaching Assistant, GEOG 205: Global Change: Past, Present and Future Jan. – Apr. 2013, 2014 and 2016
-Graded assignments and exams
Other Relevant Work Experience
VP Academic for the McGill Sustainability Research Symposium June 2016 – Present
McGill University, Montreal, QC
-Organizer for 7th edition of the symposium, currently expanding from a one day to a two event
-Speaker Recruiter for the symposium
VP Logistics for the McGill Sustainability Research Symposium Oct. 2013 – Apr. 2015
McGill University, Montreal, QC
-Have held this position for two symposiums: Water and Sustainability: Ideas, Research, Action! (4th edition) and Closing the Loop (5th Edition)
-In charge of all logistical aspects for conference (room booking and planning, supplies, catering)
-Recruited and managed volunteers
-Ensured conference ran smoothly (room changes, problem solving)
-Key member in a four person team in developing a $50,000 and five year partnership with the Faculty of Science to fund future events
Report Manager for Dr. Wayne Pollard Jan. 2013 – Apr. 2015
Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Managed annual reporting of ArcticNet project 2.4 and 4.4 for Dr. Wayne Pollard and five students
-Liaison between project collaborators from Memorial University and Université Laval
Research Assistant for Dr. Wayne Pollard June 2014 – July 2014
Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Helped carry out fieldwork on Ellesmere Island and Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut
-Surveyed headwalls of retrogressive thaw slumps using a differential Global Positioning System (dGPS) around the Eureka Weather Station and prepared a map using ArcGIS software
Research Assistant for Martine Larouche and Dr. Jeanine Rhemtulla Jan. – Mar. 2012
Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Project Title: “Effects of past land use and landscape configuration on plant diversity in an agro forested landscape in Southern Quebec, Canada”
-Duties: digitizing old maps of Southern Quebec from 1960’s using ArcGIS software
Research Assistant for Itzel Hernandez and Dr. Jeanine Rhemtulla May 2010 – Apr. 2011
Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Project title: “Ecosystem Resilience and Structural Legacies in the Colorado River Delta, Mexico”
-Duties: prepare and digitize maps of the Colorado Delta in Mexico from 1968 and 1984 using ArcGIS software, literature review, completed a supervised independent study project entitled “Bobcat Habitat increased between 1968 and 1984 in the Colorado River Delta, Mexico”
Professional Development
University of Texas at Austin (2014) Laboratory work with Cryo-SEM. Austin, USA, December 1 - 5.
SETI Institute (2013) Laboratory work with spectrometer. Mountain View, California, December 16 – 18.
Skills and Certifications
-Fluent in English and French
-Computer Skills: Microsoft Office, ArcGIS, ENVI, Matlab, Trimble Office, Frezchem v.5.2
-Advanced Sirius Wilderness (40hr course) First Aid/CPR (expires 2018)
-Canadian Firearm Safety Course
-Driver’s License Class 5 (exp: 2017)
-Remote fieldwork
-X-ray diffraction, differential GPS
Volunteer Experience and Involvement
International Permafrost Association Action Group member June 2016 – Present
-Action group to update and replace the current IPA permafrost map
International Permafrost Conference 2016 Young Researchers Workshop October 2015 – June 2016
- Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) Canada Representative on the Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN), United States Permafrost Association (USPA), and Arctic Development and Adaptation to Permafrost Transition (ADAPT) organization committee for the 2016 workshop being held June 18-19, in Potsdam, Germany
Going Academic Workshop Jan. – Feb. 2016
Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Organizer
GGS Peer Writing Group Sept. 2015
Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
- Founder and organiser
Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) Canada Aug. 2015 – Aug. 2016
- Board member
Geographic Student Society (GGS) Aug. 2015 – Aug. 2016
-Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Elected as co-president for the 2015/2016 academic year
The McGill Geography Graduate-Undergraduate Mentoring Program Jan. 2013 – Present
-Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Meet with undergraduate students to discuss life experiences and life after graduating an undergraduate degree
Annual Science Fair Judge and Volunteer Recruiter Feb. 2013 - 2016
-Kahnawake Survivor School. Kahnawake, Qc
-Science fair at the middle school and secondary school level
Graduate Affairs Committee Feb. 2014 – Apr. 2014
-Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc
-Involvement: Master`s student representative at meetings and reviewing graduate student applications, also revised and updated the current Graduate Student Handbook for the Department of Geography
Geographic Student Society (GGS) Sept. 2013 – Apr. 2014
-Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Qc,
- Held the position of secretary on the student council
Awards, Fellowships and Bursaries
2016 Troy L. Péwé Award- Excellent presentation of a young scientist in permafrost science; International Permafrost Association; 11th International Conference on Permafrost, Potsdam, Germany, June 2016
Fonds de recherche du Quebec – Nature et technologies doctoral scholarship in geomorphology studies ($46,666); Fonds de recherche du Quebec- Nature et technologies, June 2016
Student Travel Award (250€); to attend the 11th International Conference on Permafrost, Potsdam, Germany, June 20 - 24, 2016
David Erb Fellowship in Remote Sensing and GIS for the Study of Geomorphology ($1,000); Graduate Affairs Committee, McGill University, November 2015
The Canadian National Committee for the International Permafrost Association (CNC-IPA) Travel Bursary ($200); to attend GeoQuebec 2015 - the 68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and the 7th Canadian Permafrost Conference, Quebec City, Qc, September 20 – 23, 2015.
Eben Hopson Fellowship in Arctic Studies ($6,000); Graduate Affairs Committee, McGill University, September 2015 & 2016
Research Support Opportunity in Arctic Environmental Studies (in kind support worth $100,000); Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies (ACUNS), June 2015
Grad Excellence Award- PhD ($7,000); Department of Geography, McGill University, February 2015
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Collaborative Research and Training Experience (NSERC CREATE) MSc Student position ($17,300); Canadian Astrobiology Training Program (CATP), April 2013
National Geographic Young Explorer Award ($5,000); National Geographic Society, May 2013
Grad Excellence Award- M.Sc ($3,000); Department of Geography, McGill University, May 2012
Northern Scientific Training Program ($3,000, $3,125, $3,000, $3,000, and $4,600); Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Government of Canada, May 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016
Encyclopedia Articles
Ward, M. (2016). Fosheim Peninsula. The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/fosheim-peninsula/
Ward, M. (2016). Axel Heiberg Island. The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/axel-heiberg-island/
Refereed Publication
Ouellet Dallaire, C., Trincsi, K., Ward, M. K., Harris, L., Jarvis., L., Dryden, R., and MacDonal., G. (2016) Creating spaces for sustainability outside the classroom: the role of student-centred research symposia. Submitted to Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education.
Refereed Conference Proceedings
Ward, M. K., Pollard, W. H. (2015) Hyper-saline spring dynamics and salt deposits on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut. In GeoQuebec 2015 – the 68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and the 7th Canadian Permafrost Conference Proceedings.
Pollard, W., Ward, M., Becker, M. (2015) The Eureka Sound lowlands: an ice-rich permafrost landscape in transition. In GeoQuebec 2015 – the 68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and the 7th Canadian Permafrost Conference Proceedings.
Bishop, J. L., Ward, M. K., Roush, T. L., Davila, A., Brown, A. J., McKay, C. P., Quinn, R., and Pollard, W. (2014). Spectral Properties of Na, Ca-, Mg-and Fe-Chlorides and Analyses of Hydrohalite-Bearing Samples from Axel Heiberg Island. In Lunar and Planetary Institute Science Conference Abstracts (Vol. 45, p. 2145).
Conference Presentations
Ward, M., and Pollard, W. (2016) Monitoring thermokarst activity and landscape change in the Eureka Sound Lowlands, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. Oral presentation, 14th International Circumpolar Remote Sensing Symposium, Homer, Alaska, September 12-16.
Ward, M., and Pollard, W. (2016) Using a mix-methods approach to monitor thermokarst activity in the Eureka Sound Lowlands, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. Oral presentation, winner of Troy L. Péwé award for outstanding student presentation, 11th International Conference on Permafrost, Potsdam, Germany, June 20-24.
Pollard, W., and Ward, M. (2016) The seasonal dynamics of a hydrohalite tufa associated with a perennial hyper-saline spring in the Canadian high Arctic. Oral presentation, 11th International Conference on Permafrost, Potsdam, Germany, June 20-24.
Gros, M., Koutsavlakis, J., Levoy, S., Normand, S., Ward, M., and Chmura, G. (2016) Dyke construction and failure near Caraquet on Chaleur Bay. Poster presentation based on GEOG 550 class research project. Atlantic Canada Coastal and Estuarine Science Society, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, May 11-14.
Ward, M. (2016). Landscape change around Eureka, Nunavut between 1947 and 2015 and implications for sustainable development. Oral Presentation. McGill Sustainability Research Symposium, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, March 9.
O. Dallaire, C., Harris, L., Ward, M., Trinsci, K., Jarvis, L., MacDonald, G., and Dryden, R. (2016) Creating spaces for sustainability literacy outside the classroom: the McGill Sustainability Research Symposium. Poster Presentation. Science for a Sustainable Society Symposium, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, January 26-27.
Ward, M., and Pollard, W. (2015) Arctic change: landscape changes around Eureka, Nunavut and other stories from the field. Geography in Action! Brown Bag Series Invited Presentation, Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, November 12.
Ward, M. K., Pollard, W. H. (2015) Hyper-saline spring dynamics and salt deposits on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut. Oral Presentation. GeoQuebec 2015 – the 68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and the 7th Canadian Permafrost Conference, Quebec City, Qc, September 20 – 23.
Ward, M., and Pollard, W. (2015) Geomorphology of two hyper-saline springs in the Canadian High Arctic. Oral Presentation. European Geophysical Union, Vienna, Austria, April 13 – 17.
Ward, M., and Pollard, W. (2014) Recent retrogressive thaw slump activity in the Eureka Area, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. Poster Presentation. Arctic Change, Ottawa, Canada, December 8 – 12.
Ward, M., Pollard, W, and Omelon, C. (2014) Hyper-saline spring activity on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut. Poster Presentation. Arctic Change, Ottawa, Canada, December 8 – 12.
Ward, M., and Pollard, W. (2014) Recent retrogressive thaw slump activity in the Eureka Area, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. Poster Presentation. GIS Day, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, November 10.
Ward, M., and Pollard, W. (2014) High Arctic camping with a grain of salt: the geomorphology of two hyper-saline springs on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut. Geography in Action! Brown Bag Series Invited Presentation, Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, September 19.
Ward, M., and Pollard, W. (2014) Hyper-saline spring geomorphology at Stolz Diapir, Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut. Oral Presentation. Canadian Astrobiology Scientific Training Program Annual Meeting. Montreal, Canada, June 2 – 4.
Ward, M., and Pollard, W. (2013) The geomorphology of two hyper-saline springs in the Canadian High Arctic. Oral Presentation. Canadian Astrobiology Scientific Training Program Annual Meeting. Montreal, Canada, September 16 – 17.
Ward, M.K., and Pollard, W.H. (2013) The geomorphology of two hyper-saline springs in the Canadian High Arctic: preliminary observations and results. Poster Presentation. American Geophysical Union. San Francisco, USA, December 9 – 13.
Ward, M.K., Pollard, W.H. and Omelon, C.R. (2013) The geomorphology of two hyper-saline springs in the Canadian High Arctic: preliminary observations and results. Poster Presentation. Arctic Change, Halifax, Canada, December 9 – 13.
Hernandez-Morlan, X. Itzel, G. Peterson, J. Rhemtulla, M. Ward, S. Gupta. (2011). Legacies of the Colorado River Delta, Mexico: Over 30 Years of Landscape Changes. Poster Presentation. Resilience 2011: Resilience, Innovation and Sustainability. Second International Science and Policy Conference. Tempe, AZ, USA. March 11-16.