Hi there! I'm Laura, an undergraduate student at McGill. This summer, I had the pleasure of completing my first research experience in the Gomez Geodynamics Group, and I’d love to tell you a bit about it.

Though I study computer science, I’m also very passionate about planetary science – whether exoplanets, astrobiology, or Earth itself! I even majored briefly in the Planetary Sciences program. Furthermore, after a few years of editing manuscripts for the McGill Science Undergraduate Research Journal, I knew I wanted to experience research firsthand. I decided to follow my interests and applied for a
project in Natalya’s lab.

My work aimed to quantify the Antarctic Ice Sheet’s contribution to future sea level rise. This ice sheet is currently the largest source of uncertainty in sea level projections, with much of its impact predicted for after 2100. Due to computational limits, most models only run up to that year, but recent models have now extended projections of the ice sheet up to 2300. My task was to translate this new data into corresponding global sea level change projections.

Beyond the research, my summer was peppered with activities like weekly group paper discussions or the Trottier Space Institute’s summer program, which featured weekly workshops and culminated in an undergraduate research showcase. Sharing my work with my peers and other labs in the Institute was one of the highlights of my time here! Of course, this post would be incomplete if I didn't also mention our many ice cream or other food outings 

For students interested in this lab but studying a different field: trust in your versatility. When I was applying for the SURA award and reaching out to Earth science professors, I felt considerable self-doubt, especially with the Gomez group. Here was a lab rooted in physics, a subject I hadn't studied in over two years and never past the freshman level. I worried I didn’t have the background to contribute. Thankfully, I was wrong! My work resembled a data science project: working with large datasets, identifying, cleaning and transforming subsets of the data to achieve various goals, and writing well-documented programs for a reusable workflow. For these tasks, my background was actually an asset. Of course, I was paired with a project that fit my skills, but the point is that you shouldn't make assumptions about where you do and don't belong.

The more I explore research, the more I notice how interdisciplinary it is. This project used data from ISMIP6 (Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6), an initiative that bridges the gap between ice sheet and global climate modeling. The collaboration between these distinct research communities is crucial because it allows for more accurate predictions of sea level rise. Furthermore, these results don’t just stay within academia -- they reach policymakers and stakeholders who rely on these projections for climate resilience and adaptation planning. Hopefully, you're starting to see the very wide range of fields and specialists that contribute somewhere along the process.

So if you’re hesitating to do research in a field different from your major, go for it! Most likely, you will be pleasantly surprised in your abilities even as you learn completely new topics and skills. Personally, I’m leaving this experience with a deep interest in global sea level dynamics, and some newfound confidence.
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Laura

Climate change is effecting every inhabited part of the planet. And climate action movements are happening across the world too. A difference can be made in so many ways and scales, and we are making progress, but much more, sustained, and faster action is needed than we are doing now.

If you’re not sure what you can do or how to start to this process, here are some suggestions. Your action for today or this week could be to set aside some time to start to work that out. You could have a conversation about climate change with friend or journal about it or read/watch/listen, learn and reflect about it. You could search for a local event or a community effort and show up to it. You could start knitting a climate stripes scarf (and then wear it or send it to me to wear). You could ask for help and support from your network or a professional if this feels overwhelming to you. You could take a moment to take in that we live all together on one planet for the rest of our lives and we are one part, in one moment in time, of an Earth system with a long history, not the center of it and not separate from it. And then, once you do a thing, make a plan to do it again soon. One day, one thing, one step at a time.

If you are a McGill student, you could apply to be a TA (graduate students) or take our new campus-wide course FSCI198 Climate Crisis and Climate Actions, an interdisciplinary, whole-person introduction to the climate crisis and individual and collective actions to address it. I will be joining an inspiring, interdisciplinary team to teach it this fall. See here for more information and the trailer for the course:  https://www.mcgill.ca/ose/courses/fsci-198

Check out showyourstripes.info for more details on the figures I am sharing - they were first developed by Ed Hawkings.
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Also check out biodiversitystripes.info for similar figures illustrating biodiversity loss over time.  

​Natalya

​Hello! After my winter semester research course I’ve been so excited to start a summer project here
with Natalya’s team. My research has consisted of working with Dave Purnell to improve instruments
measuring water level. This uses of GNSS-Reflectometry, which relies on ground receivers (the same
kind you might use for your car’s GPS) measuring direct signals from GNSS satellites against signals that have been reflected by some surface, like a body of water. To keep costs down but improve accuracy, multiple cheaper receivers can be placed together and used to take the same measurement, reducing unwanted error.

For me, this means a lot of field work around Montreal! Most sunny days from the past couple weeks have been spent on either Ile St. Helene or at La Fontaine Park. Here, I set up arrays of GNSS receivers and vary their orientation and separation from each other, then I measure the signal strength to decide if this has impacted accuracy. 

Ile St. Helene has, in addition to the biodome and La Ronde, a series of trails across the island. On the southern tip there’s a lookout point with an unobstructed view of the St. Lawrence River, which makes it perfect for testing. Lots of groundhogs and red wing blackbirds stop by to keep me company, including one bird I was able to catch perched on a support pole. 

​In contrast to the tranquility of Ile St. Helene, the canal in La Fontaine Park is bustling with activity. Many people may walk and stand in front of the receivers, but this has not significantly impacted measurement signal strength. I have gotten the chance to answer questions from people walking by, which has been a great opportunity to practice explaining my project and discuss the applications. Don’t worry, there are still creatures to keep me company here too, in the form of duck families who live on the pond.
Natalie

devices:( Nonetheless, we were able to service the GNSS station and leave it in working-condition, which is a win.

​​We had great weather while on the boat – clear skies and smooth waters for almost the whole trip. I also had the opportunity to stare at icebergs for long periods of time. They were incredibly beautiful. It was also quite humbling to be near chunks of ice weighing as much as my house. Although, despite their enormity, they are surprisingly quiet as they float along - I wish I were that graceful.

I think that sums up our time on the Jensen. On June 8th we returned to land and said goodbye to the crew who were departing on their next journey the following day. Now Dave and I are looking forward to having bit of time in Ilulissat before he leaves and before I head to the next site. I will let you know what we get up to!

Izzy

It’s been a while since the last post, but we’re currently writing to you safe at home in Montreal! We essentially lost track of time with all our activities in port and onboard the second leg. 

We had an absolutely packed schedule in Jamaica, filled with outreach onboard Lehmkuhl and onshore, visits to the University of the West Indies Mona campus and marine research lab, and some exploration of the local cuisine thanks to our two new friends and colleagues, sea level scientist Deron Maitland and marine biologist Chauntelle Parkins, who joined the One Ocean course from UWI. ​

In Havana, we again had the pleasure of doing outreach work with local high school students coming onboard. We had the added difficulty of having to present in Spanish this time but everyone, Spanish speaker or not, did an excellent job preparing for this challenge and the students surprised us with how much they already knew about the changing ocean conditions. The students were very vocal and interested, giving us hope for the future of the environment. The rest of the time was spent finalizing our research projects, reflecting on our contributions throughout the course, and enjoying salsa music and a couple of well deserved drinks. As per usual before travelling, we spent some time running around trying to get a PCR test for our return to Canada and while there may have been some tears, we all promptly received our negative test results. ​

It was hard to say goodbye to all our newfound friends and colleagues in the end but we feel certain we will meet again and hopefully continue collaborating. We have learned that science is enriched by a diversity of backgrounds and that even though some projects may seem daunting, they are worthwhile and most likely to help us grow professionally and personally.

​-Jeremy and Julia

We just arrived in Port Royal and what a journey it was. We had a packed schedule every day and definitely had to adjust to being in the heat and humidity of the Caribbean, a wild but welcome change from Canadian autumnal weather. Jeremy immediately got sunburnt and Julia got seasick, but it feels like we started sailing forever ago and we’re certainly adjusted to life onboard at this point. It has been incredible to speak with so many brilliant scientists from around the world while we sail. Most fulfilling has been practicing giving our talks and lectures to other sailors on the ship, speaking with them about climate science, and discussing their fantastic questions. Most of the day is spent working on field measurements and analysis with our working groups, or performing tasks around the ship. Jeremy’s favourite ship-related jobs are those that involve climbing the rigging while Julia’s been her happiest telling people how to take proper field notes in those Rite in the Rains notebooks (thanks Christie Rowe)! We are currently docked in Port Royal, preparing our talks for the crew tonight and for local high school students tomorrow. We’re looking forward to a fantastic five days of climate outreach in Jamaica! 

Jeremy  and Julia​