Spotlight on science

Jason Harquail is currently a manager with the Indigenous Science Division. Driven by his own experiences, he is dedicated to increasing awareness and the application of Indigenous Knowledge and science through Indigenous led projects. His goal is to interweave Indigenous and Western science and inspire future generations.

Sandy Steffen and Geoff Stupple, two scientists who specialize in atmospheric pollution, took part in the first Canadian-led scientific/Navy expedition to Antarctica. This unprecedented mission took place in February and March 2025 aboard His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Margaret Brooke, with 15 Canadian scientists on board. For two weeks, Sandy and Geoff took samples of air, water, snow, sediment, and zooplankton to detect the presence of various pollutants.

Rémi Hébert is a scientist whose work plays a core role at ECCC. For over 15 years, he has coordinated the Wild Species in Canada report, an essential reference for monitoring the state of biodiversity and guiding conservation efforts. Working with a team at ECCC and experts across the country, he ensures that the population status of each species is accurately inventoried and assessed. His meticulous work and passion for nature make him a key player in the preservation of Canadian ecosystems.

Dr. Frank Seglenieks is a Water Resources Engineer with the National Hydrological Service at Environment and Climate Change Canada. As our country celebrates Canada Water Week (March 20^th – 27^th, 2025), his work plays a crucial role in understanding and protecting the Great Lakes. His areas of expertise are hydrological modeling and water balance research. He is particularly interested in how climate change is affecting the Great Lakes water levels.

Emilie Reny-Nolin is a scientist who holds a very special position at ECCC. She advises on and coordinates science programs, as well as serving as an Indigenous liaison officer for groups in the Science and Technology Branch and for the Regional Branch for Eastern and Central Regions. If her position is unique, so is her career path.

Jennifer Provencher, a research scientist in ecosystem health, focuses her research on the presence of pollution, particularly plastic, and viruses such as avian flu in birds in Canada. Her job brings science and collaboration together to make a positive impact on the environment.

Dr. Dominique Henri is a human geographer with the Wildlife Research Division at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Her education in environmental sciences and creative writing has led her to a career where she strives to weave Indigenous ways of knowing into wildlife conservation efforts

Polar bear research scientist Evan Richardson divides his time between Hudson Bay, the shores of the Arctic Ocean, and Winnipeg, which is his home base at Environment and Climate Change Canada. His career is fascinating, as are his projects to better understand the impact of climate change on polar bears.

Junior Tremblay is a research scientist who heads the “Birds and Boreal Ecosystems” research program. This program aims to understand the potential impact of natural and human-caused disturbances and climate change on boreal forest birds. Junior has a profound passion for nature and motivation for conservation.

Chun Yang has been the lead for Environment and Climate Change Canada chemicals research out of the Oil Analysis Lab for the last 12 years. He has helped advance knowledge of toxic industrial chemicals and their impact on the environment while supporting environmental emergency response through his work on environmental forensics.

A research scientist in the Hydrology and Watershed Ecology Research Division, Alexa Alexander-Trusiack was the first manager of ECCC's Indigenous Sciences Division. Discover her passion for attracting Indigenous youth to university programs and facilitating work opportunities.

Bronwyn fell in love with birds at the age of eleven, on a family camping trip. Although she did not know whether she would ever be able to make a living from it, science was beginning to play a significant role in her life. A decade later, science was at the heart of her academic activities. She officially joined ECCC in 2018 and is currently the coordinator of the science end-user engagement portion of the Genomic Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (GenARCC) project.

Mark Drever has been passionate about environmental science since he was young. An expert in data analysis, his work philosophy is based on three pillars: safety, research, and fun. It is with this philosophy in mind that he reveals what he calls “the story that must be told”—a moment he experienced on the job that he thinks conveys how urgent and important it is to protect the biodiversity of our environment.

Sonia Laforest grew up on shorelines and knew that was where she wanted to focus her work. She has been a shoreline treatment expert with Environment and Climate Change Canada for over 20 years and is now building a Shoreline Unit, sharing knowledge to protect Canada’s shorelines for years to come.

Discover the world of Kim Rattan, Science Program Coordinator. She talks about the new Federal Open Science Repository of Canada (FOSRC), which is free and available to all.

What motivates Elisabeth Galarneau, air quality research scientist at ECCC, is to go beyond the status quo. This allows us to reorient our mindsets and open up to more integrated approaches. That’s why her scientific project is larger than life.

Ana González is easily carried away by the beauty she sees everywhere, from her garden to the Amazon rainforest. An ecologist for over 15 years, she has studied bird life from one America to another. A passionate conservationist and coffee enthusiast, she's constantly on the lookout for answers about bird migration.

Yves Lamontagne is Regional Coordinator for the Shellfish Water Classification Program. A native of Quebec City and a geographer by training, you'll discover a passionate man who has been able to integrate his passion into his work.

Greg Mitchell is one of those people involved in several projects. We managed to catch up with this researcher at the Wildlife Research Division of ECCC's Science and Technology Branch, where he shared with us his passions, his motivations, and his philosophy on work.

Gavin Woodburn wishes to pass on the following to future generations: “Learn from your elders and your mentors”. This statement represents the essence of the meeting with this student from the Indigenous Science Division, himself from the First Nations, the Kwiaka Nation.